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 .

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. 313^v 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. C3^v 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).

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. 313^v 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. C3^v 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). < adv.adj.1530
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