即使不...也

即使不...也...

It was at the very best, exploitative and thoughtless treatment, if not animal cruelty.

It is hard, if not impossible, to snub a beautiful woman.

I like most of, if not all, of those paintings.

if not + N/Ving =  即使不(到xxx的程度), 也....
 
It was, at the very least, exploitative and thoughtless treatment, if not
animal cruelty. 
就算不到動物虐待的程度, 這也最起碼是剝削且有欠體恤的對待.   


另例:
It is hard if not impossible to snub a beautiful woman.
要冷落一位美麗的女人, 縱非不可能也是很困難的. 
  (註: if not impossible前後常加逗點)

It is rare, if not impossible, to find an individual who will proclaim themself
a proud hipster.
要找一個會宣稱自己是驕傲行家的人, 縱非不可能也是鳳毛麟角的.

It is equally if not more important to consider the failure cases.
對諸多失敗案例加以考量, 就算不是更重要也是同等重要的.
  (註: if not more前後常加逗點)

most + 複數N, if not all  = 若非全部, 也是大部份
I like most if not all of those paintings,
我喜歡那些畫作, 就算不是全部也是大部份. 

source: http://tw.knowledge.yahoo.com/question/question?qid=1511050302923