So to speak

Meaning

The idiomatic expression "so to speak" is used to introduce a statement or question that is not meant to be taken literally but instead as an approximation. It implies that the following information may not be entirely accurate, but it serves as a general guideline or reference point.

Usage

• The salesperson told me that their product could increase my productivity by "so to speak" 50%. However, I later found out that the actual increase was only about 15%.
• My friend said that she had tried every diet out there and lost "so to speak" 10 pounds. But when I asked her how much weight she actually lost, she admitted it was only five pounds.
• The new CEO claimed that he could turn the company around in "so to speak" six months. However, after one year, we were still struggling to make ends meet.
• The tourist guide said that the city was "so to speak" known for its history and culture. But when I asked him what specific landmarks or events we should visit, he gave me a list of modern-day attractions.
• My teacher told me that I had a "so to speak" natural talent for math. However, after seeing my test scores, she admitted that I needed more practice and study.

Roots and History

The idiom "so to speak" has its roots in Middle English, where it was used as a contraction of "so that it might be spoken." It was used to introduce statements or questions that were not necessarily true but were intended to convey a general idea or impression. Over time, the phrase evolved into an idiom and became more commonly used in contemporary language.

Synonyms in English

• Approximately
• Roughly speaking
• To give or take
• In general
• On average

Synonyms in other languages

• En général (French)
• 単に (Japanese)
• 대개로 (Korean)
• 일반적으로 (German)
• عاملية (Arabic)

Similar Idioms

• eat words

• sticky fingers

• say what