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Mike2015 Posted 11 years ago
Vocabulary

"only all the time"

Dear all,

This is from how I met your mother ep3

Barney : Do you ever go behind the rope and touch it?
The man : Only all the time

The meaning of "all the time" is obvious but why there's " only" behind it?
  

Top answer

I'm not familiar with that show but it seems to me that only is there to counter ever in Barney's question.

  • I'm not familiar with that show but it seems to me that only is there to counter ever in Barney's question.
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7 Answers
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I'm not familiar with that show but it seems to me that only is there to counter ever in Barney's question.
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Mike2015The meaning of "all the time" is obvious but why there's " only" behind it?
He's being sarcastic.
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Thanks a lot for your reply.
Does it mean " I do it more than all the time?"
"Even all the time" I'd highly appreciate it if you explained it more simply and explicitly.
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It just means I do it all the time.
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Thanks a bunch,
I guess it's a (only) is a filler or it could be an intensifier. What's your idea about my guess?
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It's a little bit of word play.
Only once in a while.
Only once a month when I clean it.
Only once a year at the holiday party.

All these uses of "only" show how RARE the event is. It's not common.

By pairing it with "all the time" it's an unexpected use - it's supposed to be a little funny. "I know I"m not supposed to do it at all, or maybe only very rarely, but in f
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Thank you very much indeed Barbara.
It's crystal clear now.

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