if only to [do something] (2025)

Hello, forum gurus!

1. In the below, if only to is used.

A. I think you should do it right now, if only to have something to do.
B. She calls me often, if only to scold me for not calling her.
..........

Where does the structure if only to come from?
For example, is it the shortened form of even if it is/was/were only to?

And what is the exact meaning?

2. In the below, can we understand that they knew before saving the animal, that it would die again after being saved?

They tried everything to save the dying animal, even performing operation, if only to watch it die.

daruk said:

Where does the structure if only to come from?
For example, is it the shortened form of even if it is/was/were only to?

Click to expand...

Hello. Your guess makes sense to me. I view it as a shorter way to say something like even if it is only to...

daruk said:

They tried everything to save the dying animal, even performing operation, if only to watch it die.

Click to expand...

This example is strange. I expected to read only to watch it die rather than

only to watch it die: They tried everything to save the dying animal. They even performed an operation on it only to watch it die. This means that everything they tried to do was futile. It died anyway.

If only to do something = If for no other reason than to do something: I think that you should do it right now if only to have something to do. = I think that you should do it right now even if you only do it because you need something to do.

owlman5 said:

Hello. Your guess makes sense to me. I view it as a shorter way to say something like even if it is only to...

This example is strange. I expected to read only to watch it die rather than

if

only to watch it die: They tried everything to save the dying animal. They even performed an operation on it only to watch it die. This means that everything they tried to do was futile. It died anyway.

If only to do something = If for no other reason than to do something: I think that you should do it right now if only to have something to do. = I think that you should do it right now even if you only do it because you need something to do.

Click to expand...

Ohhh
I see. This helps significantly and gives me a lot to think about.
Thank you, owlman5!

They tried everything to save the dying animal, even performing operation, if only to watch it die.
...... If this one is strange, how about the one below?
Is it also strange?

On July 30, 2003, a team of Spanish and French scientists reversed time. They brought an animal back from extinction, if only to watch it become extinct again.

You're welcome, daruk.

daruk said:

Is it also strange?

On July 30, 2003, a team of Spanish and French scientists reversed time. They brought an animal back from extinction, if only to watch it become extinct again.

Click to expand...

I think it would make more sense to omit if and use only to watch it become extinct again. It seems odd to me to claim that they brought an animal back from extinction because they had nothing better to do than watch it go extinct again.

I find it more sensible to believe that their effort to bring the animal back from extinction was futile. It went extinct again despite their efforts to bring it back.

owlman5 said:

You're welcome, daruk.

I think it would make more sense to omit if and use only to watch it become extinct again. It seems odd to me to claim that they brought an animal back from extinction because they had nothing better to do than watch it go extinct again.

I find it more sensible to believe that their effort to bring the animal back from extinction was futile. It went extinct again despite their efforts to bring it back.

Click to expand...

Ohhh
This helps.
Thank you again, owlman5!