GRAMMAR DETAIL

んばかりに

as if about to

Describes an extreme appearance suggesting that a state is about to arise, although it does not actually occur.

Examples

観客は会場が割れんばかりに大きな拍手を送った。

The audience applauded so loudly that it seemed the venue might split apart.

子どもは泣かんばかりに顔をゆがめた。

The child twisted their face as if about to cry.

Structure: Attach んばかりに to the verb stem used before ない to depict an extreme appearance as if the event were about to happen.
Basic usage: 子どもは泣かんばかりに顔をゆがめた。 means that the child twisted their face as if about to cry.

Inflection and する
- 泣く becomes 泣かんばかりに, and 割れる becomes 割れんばかりに. する connects as せんばかりに.
Interpreting ん and degree
- 会場が割れんばかりに exaggerates the applause as loud enough to seem about to split the venue apart. Do not interpret ん here as a simple negative meaning to a degree that the venue does not split.