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geschweige

let alone

conjunction ge-SHVY-ge Rare
Grammar & Structure Conjunctions

Origin: from schweigen (to be silent)

Also means

much less

Usage Note

geschweige introduces an even less likely alternative, 'let alone, much less', almost always in the fixed pair geschweige denn, e.g. er kann nicht gehen, geschweige denn laufen. It follows a negative clause and escalates the impossibility.

Examples

"Sie hat kein Fahrrad, geschweige denn ein Auto."

Natural Translation

She doesn't have a bike, let alone a car.

Literal Translation

She has no bicycle, let-alone then a car.

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