Sort of
Example: She was sort of tired after the long walk today.
Definition
"Sort of" is an informal expression used to indicate a moderate degree or slight extent of something, often implying uncertainty or approximation. For example, saying "She was sort of tired" means she was somewhat or mildly tired, but not completely exhausted.
Etymology
The phrase "sort of" originates from the noun "sort," which dates back to Old French and Latin, meaning a kind or category. Over time, "sort of" evolved into an informal modifier used to soften statements or express approximation. Did you know? It's similar to saying 'kind of,' both serving as hedges in conversation.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Sort of" appears in the Vocaplus list "English - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (A1) - set 1", containing 104 commonly used expressions.
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