とばかりに
(To bakari ni)
as if to say / as if about to.
Connection rules
- ＋V volitional (classical ん) + とばかりに.
- ＋Very literary — 'as if about to do / say X'.
- ＋Common with gestures or looks.
Examples
1.
彼は今にも泣かんとばかりの表情だった。
Kare wa ima ni mo naka n to bakari no hyoujou da ta.
He had an expression as if about to cry at any moment.
「as if to say / as if about to」
2.
叫ばんとばかりに、彼は拳を振り上げた。
Sakeba n to bakari ni, kare wa kobushi o furiage ta.
He raised his fist as if about to shout.
「as if to say / as if about to」
Practice
She looked at me with an expression as if she were about to say something.
彼女は何か言わ___、私の方をじっと見つめた。
Romaji also accepted