All 50 Uses of
however
in
The Remains of the Day
- In the meantime, however, he was most keen that the staff of his predecessor — a staff of which he had heard high praise — be retained at Darlington Hall.†
Chpt Prol.however = a word used to connect contrasting ideas as when using though, in spite of that, in contrast, nevertheless, etc.
- I fear, however, that in my anxiety to win the support of Mrs Clements and the girls, I did not perhaps assess quite as stringently my own limitations; and although my experience and customary caution in such matters prevented my giving myself more than I could actually carry out, I was perhaps negligent over this question of allowing myself a margin.†
Chpt Prol.
- What I do not possess, however, is any suitable travelling clothes — that is to say, clothes in which I might be seen driving the car — unless I were to don the suit passed on by the young Lord Chalmers during the war, which despite being clearly too small for me, might be considered ideal in terms of tone.†
Chpt Prol.
- Over the following days, however, I came to learn not to be surprised by such remarks from my employer, and would smile in the correct manner whenever I detected the bantering tone in his voice.†
Chpt Prol.
- Mr Farraday, however, simply looked up at me and said: "I beg your pardon, Stevens?"†
Chpt Prol.
- As it was, however, no suitable opportunity arose for me to gain such information.†
Chpt Prol.
- My father's equanimity was not, however, allowed to last.†
Chpt 1e -
- Mr Silvers, however, had remembered the significance the visit would have for my father, and had thus called him in to offer him the option of taking several days' leave for the duration of the General's stay.†
Chpt 1e -
- This she did, however, rather rapidly and the next moment I found she had overtaken me and was standing before me, effectively barring my way.†
Chpt 2m -
- For all the hard work on his and Sir David's part, however, this proved too harsh a deadline; but then with Mr George's conference ending yet again in indecision, his lordship set his sights on a further great conference scheduled to take place in Switzerland the following year.†
Chpt 2m -
- I may, however, have difficulty finding the appropriate moment to convey such information.†
Chpt 2m -
- Coming upon me as it did, however, in the midst of such a busy period, I could not afford to let it preoccupy me unduly, and I thus decided I should resolve it at the earliest opportunity.†
Chpt 2m -
- Mr Lewis apart, however, the other guests, perhaps through awe, perhaps through a sense of antagonism, kept a wary distance from M. Dupont, a fact that was conspicuous even in that generally guarded atmosphere, and which seemed to underline all the more the feeling that it was M. Dupont who somehow held the key to the outcome of the following days.†
Chpt 2m -
- I could see from its windows, however, that at least half of it was dust-sheeted.†
Chpt 2a -
- Eventually, however, after some searching, I found a signpost to 'Mortimer's Pond', and so it was that I arrived here at this spot a little over half an hour ago.†
Chpt 2a -
- Mr and Mrs Wakefield, however, appeared to be as keen on the inspection as Mr Farraday, and as I went about my business, I would often catch various American exclamations of delight coming from whichever part of the house they had arrived at.†
Chpt 2a -
- It soon became clear, however, that these local people were perturbed by my presence, feeling something of a need to show hospitality.†
Chpt 3m -
- I was quite prepared to forgive the couple, however, for it was clear they were of diligent hard-working habits, and the noise, I am sure, was all attributable to this fact.†
Chpt 3m -
- It is, however, rather irksome to have to hear people talking today as though they were never for a moment taken in by Herr Ribbentrop — as though Lord Darlington was alone in believing Herr Ribbentrop an honourable gentleman and developing a working relationship with him.†
Chpt 3m -
- And one has a right, perhaps, to feel a satisfaction those content to serve mediocre employers will never know — the satisfaction of being able to say with some reason that one's efforts, in however modest a way, comprise a contribution to the course of history.†
Chpt 3m -however = to whatever degree (regardless of how much; or whatever unspecified amount)
- Miss Kenton, however, simply looked at me sternly and said: "I still have every intention of handing in my notice, Mr Stevens.†
Chpt 3e -however = a word used to connect contrasting ideas as when using though, in spite of that, in contrast, nevertheless, etc.
- To my surprise, however, once we had finished interviewing the girl, Miss Kenton began to insist we take her on.†
Chpt 3e - *
- At the town's main inn, however, I was informed all the rooms were occupied on account of a local agricultural fair.†
Chpt 3e -
- There was little to be gained in growing respondent, however.†
Chpt 3e -however = a word used to connect contrasting ideas as when using "though", "in spite of that", "in contrast", "nevertheless", etc.
- By then, however, it was very close to being dark, and I could see that if one were to attempt to hail a passing vehicle in these circumstances, one might easily be taken for a highwayman or some such.†
Chpt 3e -however = a word used to connect contrasting ideas as when using though, in spite of that, in contrast, nevertheless, etc.
- Before this distressing piece of information could have its full effect, however, Mr Taylor said: "If you didn't mind roughing it a little, sir, we could offer you a room and a bed for the night.†
Chpt 3e -
- Having said that, however, I do not mind confessing today — and I see nothing to be ashamed of in this that I did at times gain a sort of incidental enjoyment from these stories.†
Chpt 3e -
- My response, however, seemed to cause much satisfaction.†
Chpt 3e -
- It's a great privilege, after all, to have been given a part to play, however small, on the world's stage.
Chpt 3e - *however = regardless of how
- When I entered the drawing room on this last occasion, however, all the gentlemen stopped talking and looked at me.†
Chpt 3e -however = a word used to connect contrasting ideas as when using though, in spite of that, in contrast, nevertheless, etc.
- This 'dining hall' where I now sit, however, is a modern annexe built to adjoin the main building — a long, fiat room characterized by rows of large windows on either side.†
Chpt 4a -
- I had little chance to study the village, however, for Dr Carlisle turned his car briskly into the driveway of a farmyard.†
Chpt 4a -
- Beyond this, however, I had little chance to gain any impression of the atmosphere, for no sooner had I entered than his lordship was taking the tray from me, saying: "Thank you, Stevens, I'll see to it.†
Chpt 4a -
- Soon, however, we were, motoring down the village high street, and then the shops had gone and we found ourselves in open country.†
Chpt 6e -
- Before long, however, I turned to her and said with a smile: "You're very correct, Mrs Benn.†
Chpt 6e -
- However, let me return to my original thread.†
Chpt Prol.
- It has never, of course, been my privilege to have seen such things at first-hand, but I will nevertheless hazard this with some confidence: the English landscape at its finest — such as I saw it this morning possesses a quality that the landscapes of other nations, however more superficially dramatic, inevitably fail to possess.†
Chpt 1e -
- The great butlers are great by virtue of their ability to inhabit their professional role and inhabit it to the utmost; they will not be shaken out by external events, however surprising, alarming or vexing.†
Chpt 1e -
- However, because I knew her at close quarters only during her maiden years and have not seen her once since she went to the West Country to become 'Mrs Benn', you will perhaps excuse my impropriety in referring to her as I knew her, and in my mind have continued to call her throughout these years.†
Chpt 2m -
- However, if you will consider the situation for a moment, you may come to see the inappropriateness of someone such as yourself talking 'down' to one such as my father.†
Chpt 2m -
- However, one afternoon perhaps two weeks after our conversation in my pantry, I was doing something in the library when Miss Kenton came in and said: "Excuse me, Mr Stevens.†
Chpt 2m -
- However, I am occupied at present.†
Chpt 2m -
- However, after some time had passed, and I had exhausted the tasks which could usefully be achieved with the implements I happened to have at hand, Miss Kenton was evidently still outside.†
Chpt 2m -
- However, after several days of endeavour, in which I myself did my best to assist, his lordship was not able to discover the whereabouts of any of Herr Bremann's family.†
Chpt 2m -
- However — and I say this with some pride and gratitude — Lord Darlington never made any efforts to conceal things from my own eyes and ears; I can recall on numerous occasions, some personage breaking off in mid-sentence to glance warily towards my person, only for his lordship to say: 'Oh, that's all right.†
Chpt 2m -
- However, this option, quite aside from the misgivings his lordship was bound to have as regards gossip travelling, entailed my having to rely on unknown quantities just when a mistake could prove most costly.†
Chpt 2m -
- However, Stevens, Sir David has his funny side.†
Chpt 2m -
- However, Mr Lewis' engagingly informal manner, and his statement at dinner that the United States "would always stand on the side of justice and didn't mind admitting mistakes had been made at Versailles" seemed to do much to win the confidence of his lordship's 'home team'; as dinner progressed, the conversation had slowly but surely turned from topics such as the merits of Mr Lewis' native Pennsylvania back to the conference ahead, and by the time the gentlemen were lighting their cigars, some of the speculations being offered appeared to be as intimate as those exchanged prior to Mr Lewis' arrival.†
Chpt 2m -
- However, you must now please excuse me.†
Chpt 2m -
- However, as fortune would have it, when I put my ear to M. Dupont's door, I happened to hear Mr Lewis' voice, and though I cannot recall precisely the actual words I first heard, it was the tone of his voice that raised my suspicions.†
Chpt 2m -
Definitions:
-
(1)
(however as in: However, complications may...) though (or another expression that connects contrasting ideas)
(Based on idea 1 we might not expect idea 2, but this is a way of saying that even though idea 1 exists, we still have idea 2. Synonyms include in spite of that, despite that, nevertheless, nonetheless, on the other hand, in contrastand but.) -
(2)
(however as in: However much she tried...) to whatever degree (regardless of how much; or whatever unspecified amount)
-
(3)
(however as in: However you do it, get it done!) in whatever way
-
(4)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
Much more rarely (and arguably incorrectly), however can be used to intensify the word how, as when one says "However did you find her?" Grammarians would suggest using two words for that usage: "How ever did you find her?"