So to speak
Example: He is, so to speak, the heart of the team.
Definition
"So to speak" is an expression used to indicate that a phrase or term is being used in a figurative or non-literal sense, often to clarify that the speaker is making an analogy or a loose comparison rather than a precise statement.
Etymology
The phrase "so to speak" originates from English usage dating back to the 16th century, serving as a way to signal that the words following it should be interpreted figuratively. Did you know? It acts like a verbal quotation mark, letting listeners know that the speaker is not being entirely literal.
Learn to use this expression actively
"So to speak" appears in the Vocaplus list "English - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (B1) - set 1", containing 123 commonly used expressions.
Would you like to not only understand these expressions, but also remember them and use them actively? Create a free account and select English as the language you want to learn.
Create a free account
