I. (|)sō, when followed without pause by a stressed syllable sometimes _sə adverb
Etymology: Middle English so, sa, swa, from Old English swā; akin to Old High German sō so, Old Norse svā, Gothic swa so, swe as, Old Latin suad thus, Latin si if, Greek hōs thus, so, Sanskrit sva one's own — more at suicide
1.
a. : in a manner or way that is indicated or suggested
many farmers operated a tannery and so provided a convenient market for hides — W.M.Kollmorgen
imposing a pattern which, so the author contends, the facts do not warrant — British Book News
so it goes throughout the nation — F.L.Mott
gave up the life of a missionary in the field to become an administrator … it was better so — Kemp Malone
hold the shears right … incline the edge so — Thomas Hardy
— often used to indicate an exact or close parallel (as between two actions or situations)
just as in his absence during the war he required weekly reports from the manager … so now he kept up the same practice — H.E.Scudder
— often used with a following clause introduced by that or with an infinitive phrase introduced by as that shows the logical result or purpose of an action done in a specific manner with the following clause or phrase serving to indicate the desired manner as well as the outcome of the action
the educated people of our country would have to be so trained that they could see the dialectical possibility of the opposites of the beliefs they possess — R.M.Weaver
it so happened that … the first work bearing this title by a sociologist was published in the same year — L.A.White
nothing in this constitution shall be so construed as to prejudice any claims of the United States — U.S. Constitution
try to hit the snake on the head so as to stun it
— often used as a substitute in various expressions (1) to express the idea of an entire preceding clause or longer passage
perhaps they take life seriously too, but if so , that is only because there are things in life … worth taking seriously — Clive Bell
this fly is the most common species of the horseflies, but even so it is not abundant — H.L.Van Volkenberg
or (2) to express the idea of a preceding phrase
there seems no logical necessity for local … organizations to fall into the hands of reactionaries even though the major national organizations have done so — Elmer Davis
or (3) to express approval (as of an action performed in a particular way) sometimes interjectionally
here, just let me turn that curl — there, so — T.E.Hook
if it please you, so ; if not, why, so — Shakespeare
b. : in the same manner or way : also , too
always worked on a farm and so did his father
if a metropolis had its hard decorum, so had a village — Carl Van Doren
c. : in the following manner : thus
for so the Lord said unto me, I will take my rest — Isa 18:4 (Authorized Version)
d. : forward or as if forward in a manner that is indicated or suggested : subsequently , then
so home and to bed — Samuel Pepys
2.
a.
(1) : to an indicated or suggested extent or degree
there is usually some spirit of the age which historians can define, but the shape of things is seldom so clear to those who live them — J.W.Krutch
— often used with a following clause that indicates the extent or degree
the difficulties they encountered getting home so weakened him that he never recovered his strength — H.E.Starr
was so eloquent he could sell refrigerators to the Eskimos — D.L.Graham
the nest was … in so good a state of preservation that it might have been occupied the previous year — Manchester Guardian Weekly
so gradual was the growth … that 90 years after its founding it had but 107 students — American Guide Series: New York City
— often used with a following infinitive phrase usually introduced by as that indicates the extent or degree by specifying a result or consequence
gossip so persistent as to be impossible to ignore — T.H.White b.1915
had been so kind to procure the child a new wardrobe — Mary Charlton
(2) : to the same extent or degree : to such a degree : as 1 — used chiefly in negative constructions with a following correlative element introduced by as
see a bullfight … it won't be half so gory as you think — T.H.Fielding
thought that his share wasn't so big as his brother's
never … had the condition of the Puritans been so deplorable as at that time — T.B.Macaulay
but also in positive constructions
the river was … deep enough for a pleasure boat so small as theirs — G.K.Chesterton
if my aunt thought I was defeated so easily as that, she … was mistaken — R.H.Sampson
many of our best citizens intend starting to California so soon as they can — Pamela Clemens
— often used in adjurative phrases
I did see him there, so help me
b. : to a great extent or degree : very , quite , extremely
had … a life of their own, but it was all so patterned and convention-ridden — H.S.Bennett
so many of the subjects had been photographed so often — Norris Harkness
said that he left her because he loved her so
— often used in mild negative understatements
isn't so slow as a lawyer himself — G.A.Nichols
c. : to a definite but unspecified extent or degree
I can only move so fast — Dave Beck
d. : most certainly : indeed
said, like a stolid little girl, “I am so pregnant” — Maude Hutchins
“I didn't do it.” “You did so ”
3. — used in place of an adjective to avoid repetition of the adjective
susceptible, but not excessively so , to the attractions of other women — Anthony Quinton
is paralyzed but was not born so
4. : for a reason that has just been stated : therefore
the records deal mostly with business and so are not as valuable … as records of a more personal kind — Notes & Queries
•
- so far from
- so fashion
II. conjunction
Etymology: Middle English so, sa, swa, from Old English swā
1.
a. : with the result that
the choral work was clean, so every word was distinguishable — Douglas Watt
b. : with the purpose that : in order that
separate the marginal items by slashes so they won't run together — H.M.Silver
2. : provided that — usually used with just
some people don't care who goes hungry just so they themselves get enough to eat
3.
a.
(1) : for that reason : therefore
when I speak of these matters I am always accused of being a snob, so , to illustrate my point, I propose to quote — Nancy Mitford
(2) : and
was getting rather tired by this time, so that is why he sang a complaining song — A.A.Milne
b.
(1) — used as an introductory particle
so here we are at last
occasionally reduplicated
so so , quoth he, these lets attend the time — Shakespeare
and often to belittle a point under discussion especially in the phrase so what
he took a drink now and then … so what? He was a man — E.D.Radin
I may be a numskull scholastically, but what I remember of my family — it was so wonderful. So I misspell a word — Helen Traubel
(2) — used interjectionally to indicate awareness of a discovery (as of guilt)
so , that's who did it
or surprised dissent
III. ˈsō adjective
Etymology: Middle English so, sa, swa, from Old English swā
1. : conforming with actual facts : true
cocksure of many things that were not so — O.W.Holmes †1935
2. : marked by a definite order
insists on having his books just so
IV. pronoun
Etymology: Middle English, from so, sa, swa, adverb
1. : such as has been specified or suggested : the same
became chairman … and remained so until his death — Marie A. Kasten
“has she gone?” “I believe so ”
— often used for emphasis at the beginning of a statement
the last day? Why, so it is
2. : something that approximates what has just been indicated
I've known him 20 years or so
back in 1940 or so — C.D.Lane
my joints are somewhat stiff or so — Alfred Tennyson
3. : this
then fold the paper like so
V.
variant of sol
VI. abbreviation
south; southern