Bij wijze van spreken
Example: Ik ben bij wijze van spreken de snelste loper hier.
Definition
"Bij wijze van spreken" is a Dutch expression used to indicate that a phrase or statement should be understood figuratively or metaphorically rather than literally, as in the example 'Ik ben bij wijze van spreken de snelste loper hier,' meaning 'I am, so to speak, the fastest runner here.'
Etymology
The phrase "bij wijze van spreken" literally translates to 'by way of speaking' in English. It originates from the Dutch language, where it serves to signal that what follows is not to be taken literally. Did you know? This phrase is similar to the English 'so to speak,' both serving the same conversational function.
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"Bij wijze van spreken" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (B1) - set 1", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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so to speak