More or less



Example: The project is more or less finished now.

Definition


"More or less" is an expression used to indicate that something is approximately or nearly true, complete, or accurate, but not exactly so. For example, when saying 'The project is more or less finished now,' it means the project is almost done but might need some minor adjustments.

Etymology


The phrase "more or less" originates from Old English and Middle English roots where 'more' and 'less' have been used to indicate quantities. The combination as an idiomatic expression evolved to express approximation or uncertainty. Did you know? It has been a common English phrase for centuries to soften statements or estimates.

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"More or less" appears in the Vocaplus list "English - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (A2) - set 1", containing 104 commonly used expressions.
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