as much as ...とは 意味・読み方・使い方

副詞

as much as (not comparable)

1. Practically, just as, no less than; indicates an action tantamount to, but not identical to, the action described.

   She as much as admitted to lying.

   • c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:

     Theridimas my friend, take here my hand,
     Which is as much as if I ſwore by heauen,
     And call’d the Gods to witneſſe of my vowe, […]

   • 1921 February, Edwin Balmer, “Settled Down”, in Everybody's Magazine‎, volume 44, number 2, page 50:

     It's too damn foolish; why he as much as said so himself.

2. So much as, even.
   • 2005, Brigitte Goldstein, transl., Mr. Brecher's Fiasco, →ISBN, page 154:

     For as soon as he as much as took out his pince-nez to read the newspaper, the privy councilor's wife was his advance trumpeter, who sounded the fanfare and said, "Now Papa puts on his eyes."