1and for this reason; therefore:it was still painful so I went to see a specialistyou know I’m telling the truth, so don’t interrupt
(so that) with the result that:it was overgrown with brambles, so that I had difficulty making any progress
2 (so that) with the aim that; in order that:they whisper to each other so that no one else can hear
3and then; as the next step:and so to the final
4introducing a question:so, what did you do today?
introducing a question following on from what was said previously:so what did he do about it?
(also so what?) informal why should that be considered significant?:‘He came into the shop this morning.’ ‘So?’so what if he failed?
5introducing a statement which is followed by a defensive comment:so I’m a policeman—what’s wrong with that?
6introducing a concluding statement:so that’s that
7in the same way; correspondingly:just as bad money drives out good, so does bad art drive out the good
ზმნისართი
Universal
1 [as submodifier] to such a great extent:the words tumbled out so fast that I could barely hear themdon’t look so worriedI’m not so foolish as to say that
extremely; very much (used for emphasis):she looked so prettyI do love it so
informal used to emphasize a clause or negative statement:that’s so not fairyou are so going to regret this
informal used with a gesture to indicate size:the bird was about so long
2 [as submodifier, with negative] to the same extent (used in comparisons):he isn’t so bad as you’d thinkhelp without which he would not have done so well
3referring back to something previously mentioned:
that is the case:‘Has somebody called an ambulance?’ ‘I believe so’if she notices, she never says so
the truth:I hear that you’re a writer—is that so?
similarly; and also:times have changed and so have I
expressing agreement:‘There’s another one.’ ‘So there is.’
Irish used for emphasis in a formula added at the end of a statement:your old man was the salt of the earth, so he was
informal used to emphatically contradict a negative statement:it is so!
4in the way described or demonstrated; thus:hold your arms soso it was that he was still a bachelor
and so on (or forth)
and similar things; et cetera:these savouries include cheeses, cold meats, and so on
just so much
chiefly derogatory emphasizing a large amount of something:it’s just so much ideological cant
not so much —— as ——
not —— but rather ——:the novel was not so much unfinished as unfinishable
only so much
a limited amount:there is only so much you can do to protect yourself
indicating a particular but unspecified quantity:so many hours at such-and-such a speed
so much as
[with negative] even:he sat down without so much as a word to anyone
so much for
1indicating that one has finished talking about something:So much for the melodic line. We now turn our attention to the accompaniment
2suggesting that something has not been successful or useful:so much for that idea!
so much so that
to such an extent that:I was fascinated by the company, so much so that I wrote a book about it
so to speak (or say)
used to highlight the fact that one is describing something in an unusual or metaphorical way:delving into the body’s secrets, I looked death in the face, so to speak