[Vocabulary] Not if we can help it

[quacam09]

Hello,
When someone answer "Not if we can help it". What does it mean?
Thanks!

 

[bhaisahab]

Hello,
When someone answer "Not if we can help it". What does it mean?
Thanks!

What is the context?

 

[quacam09]

What is the context?

Hello,


Here is the context:



Won't we need to get authorization for that?
It depends... Only if we exceed our budget.
But we will exceed it, won't we?
Not if we can help it...


Thanks!

 

[SoothingDave]

It means that they will do what they can to stop the thing from happening. (Going over budget, in this case.)

 

[Rover_KE]

Quacam, please note that the context should have been given in post #1 - not #3.

Rover

 

[Raymott]

"help it" - 'help' is used strangely, almost opposite to its normal meaning, in this very useful idiom.
"I can't help it" means "I can't prevent [myself from doing] it."

A: "Why did you drive into the river?"
B: "I couldn't help it. Someone removed the warning sign!"

A: Stop crying! It's not that bad.
B: I can't help it! (I can't stop crying)