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¹so

adverb \ˈsō, especially before adjective or adv followed by “that” sə\

: to a degree that is suggested or stated

: to a great degree : very or extremely

: without any doubt

Full Definition of SO

a : in a manner or way indicated or suggested <do you really think so> —often used as a substitute for a preceding clause <are you ready? I think so> <I didn't like it and I told her so>

b : in the same manner or way : also <worked hard and so did she>

c : thus 1 <for so the Lord said — Isa 18:4(Authorized Version)>

d : then, subsequently <and so home and to bed>

a : to an indicated or suggested extent or degree <had never been so happy>

b : to a great extent or degree : very, extremely <loves her so>

c : to a definite but unspecified extent or degree <can only do so much in a day>

d : most certainly : indeed <you did so do it>

e : most decidedly : surely <I so don't believe you>

: therefore, consequently <the witness is biased and so unreliable>

See so defined for English-language learners

See so defined for kids

Usage Discussion of SO

The intensive use of so (sense 2b) is widely condemned in college handbooks but is nonetheless standard <why is American television so shallow? — Anthony Lewis> <the cephalopod eye is an example of a remarkable evolutionary parallel because it is so like the eye of a vertebrate — Sarah F. Robbins> <the kind of sterile over-ingenuity which afflicts so many academic efforts — Times Literary Supplement>. There is no stigma attached to its use in negative contexts and when qualified by a dependent clause <not so long ago> <was so good in mathematics that he began to consider engineering — Current Biography>. The denotation in these uses is, of course, slightly different (see sense 2a). Another emphatic use of so (sense 2e) has developed more recently and occurs mostly in informal contexts.

Origin of SO

Middle English, from Old English swā; akin to Old High German sō so, Latin sic so, thus, si if, Greek hōs so, thus, Latin suus one's own — more at suicide

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to SO

Synonyms: accordingly, consequently, ergo, hence, therefore, thereupon, thus, wherefore

Antonyms: differently, dissimilarly, otherwise

Rhymes with SO

beau, blow, bow, bro, Chou, crow, do, doe, dough, floe, flow, foe, fro, froe, glow, go, grow, ho, hoe, jo, Jo, joe, know, lo, low, mho, mot, mow, no, No, O, oh, owe, Poe, pow, pro, rho, roe, row, Rowe, schmo, sew, show, sloe, slow, snow, sow, stow, Stowe, strow, though, throe, throw, toe, tow, trow, whoa, woe, yo

²so

conjunction

: for that reason : and therefore

—used to say the reason for something

—used in speech to introduce a statement or question

Full Definition of SO

a : with the result that <the acoustics are good, so every note is clear>

b : in order that <be quiet so he can sleep>

archaic : provided that

a : for that reason : therefore <don't want to go, so I won't>

b (1) —used as an introductory particle <so here we are> often to belittle a point under discussion <so what?> (2) —used interjectionally to indicate awareness of a discovery <so, that's who did it> or surprised dissent

— so as to

: in order to

See so defined for English-language learners

Usage Discussion of SO

Although occasionally condemned, use of so to introduce clauses of result (sense 1a) and purpose (sense 1b) is standard. In sense 1b so that is more common in formal contexts than so alone.