so

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   Reduced form of 'so that', used to express purpose

   Reduced form of 'so that', used to express purpose; in order that.

   • I got an earlier train to work so I'd have plenty of time to prepare for the meeting.
   • Eat your broccoli so you can have dessert.
2. 2

   As a result

   As a result; for that reason; therefore; because of this; due to this.

   • I was hungry, so I asked if there was any more food.
   • He ate too much cake and so he fell ill.
   • He wanted a book, so he went to the library.
3. 3

   Used to connect previous conversation or events to the following question.

   • So how does this story end?
4. ›+ 33 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      Used to introduce a rhetorical question.

      • “We'd like to visit but I don't know if we can afford a hotel.” — “So who's staying in a hotel? Stay with us.”
   2. 5

      Provided that

      Provided that; on condition that; as long as.

      • Speed. ‘Item: She doth talk in her sleep.’ Launce. It’s no matter for that, so she sleep not in her talk.
      • As we cal money not onely that which is true and good, but also the false; so it be currant.
      • […] though all the windes of doctrin were let loose play upon the earth, so Truth be in the field, we do injuriously by licencing and prohibiting to misdoubt her strength.
   3. 6

      To the (explicitly stated) extent.

      • It was so hot outside that all the plants died.
      • He was so good, they hired him on the spot.
      • You behaviour so incensed me that I even thought of firing you.
   4. 7

      To the (implied) extent.

      • I need a piece of cloth so long. [= this long]
      • We drove back to the office with some concern on my part at the prospect of so large a case. Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke.
   5. 8

      Very (positive or negative clause).

      • I feel so much better now.
      • I so nearly lost my temper.
      • It’s not so bad. [i.e. it's acceptable]
   6. 9

      Very much.

      • But I so want to see the Queen when she visits our town!
      • I so wanted to be Jess Harley again.
   7. 10

      In the same manner or to the same extent as aforementioned

      In the same manner or to the same extent as aforementioned; likewise, also.

      • As above, so below.
      • Just as you have the right to your free speech, so I have the right to mine.  Many people say she's the world's greatest athlete, but I don't think so.  "I can count backwards from one hundred." "So can I."
      • He wants to eat now. So does she.
   8. 11

      Indeed.

      • ‘Look, it’s just stopped raining.’ ‘So it has!’
      • ‘There are two more.’ ‘So there are.’
   9. 12

      To such an extent or degree

      To such an extent or degree; as.

      • so far as;  so long as;  so much as
   10. 13

       Agreeing with actual facts or reality

       Agreeing with actual facts or reality; true.

       • That is so.
       • You are responsible for this, is that not so?
   11. 14

       In that state or manner

       In that state or manner; with that attribute. A proadjective that replaces the aforementioned adjective phrase.

       • "You're definitely not right about that." "I am so!" (→I am right about that).
       • If this separation was painful to all parties, it was most so to Martha.
       • But if I had been more fit to be married, I might have made you more so too.
   12. 15

       Homosexual.

       • Is he so?
   13. 16

       Used after a pause for thought to introduce a new topic, question or story, or a new…

       Used after a pause for thought to introduce a new topic, question or story, or a new thought or question in continuation of an existing topic.

       • So, let's go home.
       • So, what'll you have?
       • So, there was this squirrel stuck in the chimney...
   14. 17

       Used as a question to ask for further explanation of something said, often rhetorically…

       Used as a question to ask for further explanation of something said, often rhetorically or in a dismissive or impolite manner.

       • "You park your car in front of my house every morning." — "So?"
   15. 18

       Used as a meaningless filler word to begin a response to a question.

       • What are you doing? / So I'm just fixing this shelf.
       • What time does the train leave? / So it leaves at 10 o'clock.
   16. 19

       Be as you are

       Be as you are; stand still; used especially to cows; also used by sailors.

   17. 20

       That which was previously mentioned

       That which was previously mentioned; that.

       • I'll become a loyal friend and remain so.
       • If that's what you really mean, then just say so.
       • You may need to refer to litigation as a procedure, and when you have done so, you can say a matter is "in litigation".
   18. 21

       Abbreviation of someone.

   19. 22

       A syllable used in solfège to represent the fifth note of a major scale.

   20. 23

       A type of dairy product, made especially in Japan between the seventh and tenth…

       A type of dairy product, made especially in Japan between the seventh and tenth centuries, by reducing milk by boiling it.

   21. 24

       Initialism of significant other.

   22. 25

       Initialism of shut out.

   23. 26

       Initialism of shootout.

   24. 27

       Initialism of strike out.

   25. 28

       Initialism of second-order logic.

   26. 29

       Initialism of symphony orchestra.

   27. 30

       Abbreviation of singlet oxygen.

   28. 31

       Abbreviation of standing order.

   29. 32

       Initialism of someone.

   30. 33

       Initialism of Stack Overflow.

       • Imagine that you were creating an application similar to SO but were writing it using web forms.
       • SO threads are mapped back into QuestionSheets. Information collected from SO includes the answer itself, the contributor’s reputation, and the number of votes (if any) (see Fig. 5).
   31. 34

       A Mon-Khmer-speaking people of Laos and Thailand.

   32. 35

       Alternative form of So..

   33. 36

       A Chinese surname from Cantonese.

The neighborhood

• synonymreallyvery
• synonymtrulyvery
• synonymthatvery
• synonymveryvery
• synonymthisto a particular extent
• synonymyeato a particular extent
• synonymvery much
• synonymone of the family
• synonymone of them
• synonymthat way inclined