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单词 so-so
释义

so-soadv.adj.

Brit. /ˈsəʊsəʊ/, /ˌsəʊˈsəʊ/, U.S. /ˌsoʊˈsoʊ/, /ˈsoʊˌsoʊ/
Forms: Also 1500s soo soo, soso, 1500s–1800s so, so, 1800s Scottish saesae.
Etymology: So adv. Compare German so so, Dutch zoo zoo, West Frisian sa sa, in similar use.For so, so as a mere exclamation, see so adv. and conj. 5c.
A. adv. In an indifferent, mediocre, or passable manner or degree; indifferently, not quite satisfactorily:
1. With verbs.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > mediocrity > [adverb]
so-so1530
indifferently?c1550
meanly1550
colourlessly1572
indifferent1583
passable1591
passablya1610
nohow1779
so-soishly1842
so-and-so1844
monochromatically1890
serviceably1896
comme ci, comme ça1945
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 842/1 So so, tellement quellement.
1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Luke vi. 73 b This thyng, the pharisees could soso awaie withall, because it was a thyng..of the common vsage.
?1553 Respublica (1952) iii. iii. 23 My ladie, howe doe youe? Respub. Even so so people.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales xii. x. 171 His wife..endured the first flight so so, for feare of the enimie and loue of her husband.
1675 A. Wood Life & Times (1892) II. 318 [Villerius Bathurst e Coll. Trin.] well, [Philippus Clarke e Coll. Magd.] so so.
1872 Routledge's Every Boy's Ann. 579/1 ‘And you have succeeded fairly?’ ‘So-so,’ he answered.
1877 H. James American vii. 120 ‘And are you enjoying it?’.. ‘Oh, so-so,’ he answered.
2. With past participles, participial adjectives, and adjectives.
ΚΠ
1532 in State Papers Henry VIII (1849) VII. 396 The said old Abbot of Ferfa, reconcyled soo soo to the Pope, hath been of late at Rome.
1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Luke v. f. 65 Seeyng the place to be so-so commodious for one to preache the ghospel in.
a1616 W. Shakespeare As you like It (1623) v. i. 25 Clo. Art rich? Will. 'Faith sir, so, so . View more context for this quotation
1828 W. Scott Jrnl. 30 Jan. (1941) 181 Am I satisifed with my exertions? So so.
1861 G. J. Whyte-Melville Market Harborough 41 ‘I suppose you are very well mounted yourself?’ ‘So-so,’ was the reply.
3. With but.
ΚΠ
1578 T. Tymme tr. J. Calvin Comm. Genesis 276 Seeing the Canaanites maintained their life but so so.
a1656 J. Ussher Ann. World (1658) 151 To see the stipend duly paid.., which yet was but so so performed by him.
1720 C. Shadwell Sham Prince v. i And so we stitch up one another, and do but so so at the best.
1762 Crazy Tales 110 They pass their summers but so so, Drinking as long as they are able.
1820 J. Hogg Bridal of Polmood xvi The king asked..how he had passed the night—he thanked his majesty, and said he had been but so so.
B. adj. Indifferent, mediocre, of middling quality; neither very good nor very bad, but usually inclining towards bad. Frequently with but.
1. Of things:
a. In predicative use.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > mediocrity > [adjective]
feeblec1275
demeanc1380
unnoblec1384
coarse1424
colourlessc1425
passable1489
meana1500
indifferent1532
plain1539
so-so1542
mediocre1586
ordinary1590
fameless1611
middling1652
middle-rate1658
ornery1692
so-soish1819
nohow1828
betwixt and between1832
indifferential1836
null1847
undazzling1855
deviceless1884
uncompetitive1885
tug1890
run of the mill1919
serviceable1920
dim1958
spammy1959
comme ci, comme ça1968
vanilla1972
meh2007
(a)
1542 N. Udall tr. Erasmus Apophthegmes f. 313v The maister of the feaste had sette upon the table wyne that was but easie and soso.
1576 A. Fleming tr. L. Plancus in Panoplie Epist. 120 If our fortune bee but so so, indifferent (I meane).
c1616 R. C. Times' Whistle (1871) v. 1922 Your white or Charret Is but so so; he cares not greatly for it.
1682 T. D'Urfey Butler's Ghost 135 Doubting their luck would be but so-so, And that it would disgrace them all [etc.].
1827 T. De Quincey On Murder in Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Feb. 202/1 It is no disparagement to say, that his performance was but so so.
(b)1591 F. Sparry tr. C. de Cattan Geomancie 128 It is so-so for the ayre, for it will raine often times.1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Bellastre,..fairish, reasonably faire, passable, so so.1654 R. Whitlock Ζωοτομία 260 These Elements to Books Composure go, Some good, some bad, and some So, So.1712 J. Swift Jrnl. to Stella 18 Nov. (1948) II. 576 I dined there tother day;..& our meat & drink was very so so.1771 O. Goldsmith Haunch of Venison 9 As in some Irish houses, where things are so so, One gammon of bacon hangs up for a show.1820 Ld. Byron Blues ii. 77 The taste of the actors at best is so so.1862 W. M. Thackeray Adventures of Philip I. xvi. 318 Her pianoforte playing is very, very so-so indeed.1871 B. Taylor tr. J. W. von Goethe Faust I. v. 109 My wish is great, my power is only so-so.
b. Used attributively.
ΚΠ
1767 P. Gibbes Woman of Fashion II. 48 You will, I fear, make but a so so Figure, as that domestic Animal, a Husband.
1788 J. Wolcot Peter's Pension 17 Your man-traps..have had but so so luck.
1840 R. H. Barham Grey Dolphin in Ingoldsby Legends 1st Ser. 67 After leading but a so-so life.
1862 J. W. Burgon Lett. from Rome 260 Acres of so-so statues, and nameless busts.
1899 A. Werner Captain of Locusts 279 Having got together some very so-so writing materials.
2. Of persons:
a. In respect of ability, character, position, appearance, etc.
ΚΠ
1608 L. Andrewes Serm. (1841) II. 224 They that have not greatly gone astray, are but even so so.
1664 T. Killigrew Parsons Wedding i. ii, in Comedies & Trag. 79 I, marry,..this is a husband,..and none of your so-so husbands.
1675 C. Cotton Burlesque upon Burlesque 110 They pretty passable are though (Thank Jove) the Children are so so.
1775 F. Burney Let. May in Early Jrnls. & Lett. (1990) II. 130 Mrs. Harris—A so, so, sort of woman.
1823 Ld. Byron Don Juan: Canto XIII lxxxii. 96 I've seen..a So-So Matron boldly fight Her way back to the world.
1864 Realm 22 June 2 No one can deny that among the clergy there is more than a fair percentage of very so-so people.
b. In respect of health or physical condition.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > [adjective] > in state of ill health or diseased > disordered or out of sorts
out of estatec1400
disordainedc1430
out of order1530
mistempered?1541
untemperate1541
so-soa1592
indisposed1598
discomposed1603
out of sorts1621
disorderly1655
queerish1684
out of one's gears1699
disordered1708
uneasy1725
seedy1729
queer1749
scaly1803
quisby1807
under the weather1827
all nohow1852
toneless1854
nohowish1867
chippy1868
fishy1868
off-colour1876
dicky1883
on-and-offish1888
cheap1891
crook1916
lousy1933
a1592 R. Greene Sc. Hist. Iames IV (1598) i. sig. C3v Our king is well, Our Queene so, so.
1664 J. Wilson Cheats i. v. 14 M.D. I am afraid you are not well Sir. Sc. Yes—I am so, so.
1731 Gentleman's Mag. 1 349 Howe'er it is, I scarcely know, I find myself but just so so.
1810 W. B. Rhodes Bombastes Furioso i. 7 We are but middling—that is but so so.
1838 C. Dickens Oliver Twist I. xvii. 275 ‘Hoping you find yourself well, sir!’ ‘So-so, Mrs. Mann,’ replied the beadle.
1857 T. Hughes Tom Brown's School Days ii. v. 327 ‘How's he?’.. ‘So, so; rather done, I think, since his last fall.’
c. In respect of soberness.
ΚΠ
1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas I. ii. iv. 211 We drank hard, and returned..in a pretty pickle, that is to say, so so in the upper story.
1818 J. Keats Lett. in Wks. (1889) III. 158 Rice may begin to crow, for he got a little so-so at a party of his, and was none the worse for it the next morning.
3. Marked by the excessive use of ‘so’ in writings or speech.
ΚΠ
a1800 S. Pegge Anecd. Eng. Lang. (1814) 217 Our Cockney, however, may be supported in this his so-so language by respectable Historians.

Compounds

Complementary.
so-so-looking adj.
ΚΠ
1824 S. E. Ferrier Inheritance I. xviii. 196 Very so-so looking strawberries.

Derivatives

so-so-so adj. Apparently an isolated use.
ΚΠ
1768 F. Burney Early Jrnls. & Lett. (1988) I. 26 We had a large party to the Assembly on Monday, which was so-so-so.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1913; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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