adverb very nearly; all but: almost every house; almost the entire symphony; to pay almost nothing for a car; almost twice as many books. Origin: before 1000; Middle ... dictionary.reference.com
almost (l m st, l-m st) adv. Slightly short of; not quite; nearly: almost time to go; was almost asleep; had almost finished. See Usage Note at none. www.thefreedictionary.com