so to speak

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

so¹ /soʊ/   adv. 

1. (after having shown or described something) in the manner indicated or understood:
   Do it so.
2. (after a story or description of something) in that or this manner;
   thus:
   o it turned out.
3. in the condition just mentioned:
   It is broken and has long been so (= It has long been broken.)
4. (when the speaker and listener are aware of the circumstances) to the extent indicated;
   to such a degree or amount:
   Do not walk so fast.
5. Informal Terms very or extremely:
   I'm so happy.
6. very greatly:
   My head aches so!
7. (used before an adverb or an adverbial clause and followed by as) to such a degree or extent;
   as:
   So far as I know, she has always been trustworthy.
8. having the purpose of:
   a speech so commemorating the victory.
9. hence;
   therefore;
   for that reason:
   She was ill, and so stayed home (= and because she was ill, she stayed home).
10. (used after a clause or statement, and before a subject and auxiliary verb, to express strong emphasis or agreement with the clause or statement) most certainly:
    I said I would come, and so I will. "You've forgotten your hat.''—"Ah, yes, so I have.''
11. (used to contradict a previous statement, often with special stress) indeed;
    truly;
    too:
    "You weren't at the party last night.'' —"I was so !''
12. (used after a clause, and before an auxiliary verb and its subject, to suggest that the same thing is to be done as in the first clause) also;
    likewise or correspondingly;
    too:
    If he is going, then so am I.
13. in such manner as to follow or result from:
    As he learned, so did he teach.
14. in the way that follows;
    in this way:
    The audience was seated, and so the speech began.
15. in such way as to end in:
    So live your life that old age will bring you no regrets.
16. then;
    after that;
    subsequently:
    So, shortly afterward, Alice met the queen.

conj. 

17. in order that:
    [~ (+ that)] He wore warm clothes so he wouldn't be cold in the winter snows.
18. with the result that:
    He wasn't feeling well so he went to lie down on the couch.

pron. 

19. such as has been stated:
    to be good and stay so.
20. something that is about or near the persons or things in question, as in number or amount:
    Of the original twelve, five or so remain.

interj. 

21. (used as to show surprise, shock, etc., according to the situation):
    So, it's Mr. Holmes! At last we meet! (= surprise or joy). "Come on, get up, the company's here.''— "So?'' (= indifference).

adj. [be + ~]

22. true as stated or reported:
    Say it isn't so.

Usage. The words so and very are sometimes used similarly:

Everything is very expensive. Everything is so expensive.

If a clause beginning with that follows, so is used, not very:

Everything is so expensive that families cannot afford the necessities.

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

speak /spik/   v., spoke/spoʊk/  spo•ken/ˈspoʊkən/  speak•ing. 

1. to say words or pronounce sounds with the ordinary voice;
   talk: [no object]
   He was too frightened to speak.
   [~ + object]
   He spoke a few words.
2. to communicate with the voice;
   mention:
   [no object] I'll speak to him about your problem tomorrow.
3. to converse:
   [no object] They're so mad at each other they're not even speaking anymore.
4. to deliver an address, discourse, etc.:
   [no object] She spoke to our group about the concerns of women.
5. to use, or be able to use, (a language) as a way of communicating: [~ + object]
   We tried to speak Russian.
   [no object]
   Try speaking in German.
6. speak for, [~ + for + object] to speak in behalf of:
   I'd like to speak for our partner, who can't be here today.

Idioms

7. Idioms so to speak, [no object] figuratively speaking:
   We lost our shirt, so to speak.
8. Idioms speak well for, [~ + object] to be an indication or reflection of (someone or something good or worthy of praise):
   Hiring that new coach speaks well for our chances of winning this year.
9. Idioms to speak of, [no object] (used with a negative word or phrase) worth mentioning;
   hardly at all:
   They have no debts to speak of.

Usage

Compare speak, say, and talk. We use speak before the name of a language:
She speaks good Russian,
and to express a more formal sense than talk, sometimes with the preposition with or to:
May I speak with the boss?
The word say is used most often to describe the words one uses in communicating:
I didn't say much, just a few words.
Sometimes say takes the preposition to; it does not usually take with:
I said hello to her, but she didn't say anything to me.
The word talk suggests communicating with another, so that there is an exchange; it may take the preposition to or with:
At last the two warring sides sat down and began to talk to each other.
We talked with him about our problem.

-speak, suffix. 

1. -speak is attached to the ends of words and sometimes roots to form compound nouns that name the style or vocabulary of a certain field of work, interest, etc., that is mentioned in the first word or root:
   ad(vertising) + -speak → adspeak (= the jargon of advertising);
   art + -speak → artspeak (= the language used in discussing art).

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

so¹  (sō), adv. 

1. in the way or manner indicated, described, or implied:
   Do it so.
2. in that or this manner or fashion;
   thus:
   So it turned out.
3. in the aforesaid state or condition:
   It is broken and has long been so.
4. to the extent or degree indicated or suggested:
   Do not walk so fast.
5. Informal Terms very or extremely:
   I'm so sad.
6. very greatly:
   My head aches so!
7. (used before an adverb or an adverbial clause and fol. by as) to such a degree or extent:
   so far as I know.
8. having the purpose of:
   a speech so commemorating the victory.
9. for this or that reason;
   hence;
   therefore:
   She is ill, and so cannot come to the party.
10. (used as an affirmative to emphasize or confirm a previous statement) most certainly:
    I said I would come, and so I will.
11. (used as an emphatic affirmative to contradict a previous statement) indeed;
    truly;
    too:
    I was so at the party!
12. likewise or correspondingly;
    also;
    too:
    If he is going, then so am I.
13. in such manner as to follow or result from:
    As he learned, so did he teach.
14. in the way that follows;
    in this way:
    The audience was seated, and so the famous speech began.
15. in the way that precedes;
    in that way:
    So ended the speech, and the listeners arose and cheered.
16. in such way as to end in:
    So live your life that old age will bring you no regrets.
17. then;
    subsequently:
    and so to bed.
18. so much as, even:
    He doesn't so much as say hello to me.
19. so as:
    • with the result or purpose:
      to turn up the volume of the radio so as to drown out the noise from the next apartment.
    • [Older Use.] provided that:
      I like any flower, just so as it's real.
20. only or just so many, being a limited or small number or amount:
    I can eat only so many pieces of fruit.
21. only or just so much, being a limited amount or quantity;
    up to a certain point or maximum:
    I can eat only so much fruit; just so much that one can do in such a case.
22. so to speak. See speak (def. 20).
23. so what? See what (def. 17).

conj. 

24. in order that (often fol. by that):
    Check carefully, so any mistakes will be caught.
25. with the result that (often fol. by that):
    He checked carefully, so that the mistakes were caught.
26. on the condition that;
    if.

pron. 

27. such as has been stated:
    to be good and stay so.
28. something that is about or near the persons or things in question, as in number or amount:
    Of the original twelve, five or so remain.
29. so much:
    • something, as an amount or cost, that is not specified or determined:
      The carpeting is priced at so much per yard.
    • all that is or needs to be said or done:
      So much for the preliminaries, let's get down to the real issues.

interj. 

30. (used as an exclamation of surprise, shock, discovery, inquiry, indifference, etc., according to the manner of utterance.)

adj. 

31. true as stated or reported;
    conforming with reality or the fact:
    Say it isn't so.

• bef. 900; Middle English; Old English swā; cognate with Dutch zoo, German so, Gothic swa

Synonyms

• 9. See therefore. 

Usage

5. The intensive so meaning "very or extremely'' (Everything's so expensive these days) occurs chiefly in informal speech. In writing and formal speech, intensive so is most often followed by a completing that clause:
Everything is so expensive that some families must struggle just to survive.
24, 25. The conjunction so (often followed by that) introduces clauses both of purpose (We ordered our tickets early so that we could get good seats) and of result (The river had frozen during the night so people walked across it all the next day). In formal speech and writing, so that is somewhat more common than so in clauses of purpose. Otherwise, either so or so that is standard.
Like and, but¹, and or, so can occur as a transitional word at the beginning of a sentence:
So all our hard work finally brought results.
See also as¹, and, but¹. 

so²  (sō), n. [Music.]

1. sol¹.

So., 

1. Geography South.
2. Southern.

S.O., 

1. Signal Officer.
2. Special Order.
3. Standing Order.

s.o., 

1. seller's option.
2. shipping order.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

speak (spēk),  v., spoke or (Archaic) spake;
spo•ken or (Archaic) spoke;
speak•ing. 

v.i. 

1. to utter words or articulate sounds with the ordinary voice;
   talk:
   He was too ill to speak.
2. to communicate vocally;
   mention:
   to speak to a person of various matters.
3. to converse:
   She spoke with him for an hour.
4. to deliver an address, discourse, etc.:
   to speak at a meeting.
5. to make a statement in written or printed words.
6. to communicate, signify, or disclose by any means;
   convey significance.
7. Phonetics to produce sounds or audible sequences of individual or concatenated sounds of a language, esp. through phonation, amplification, and resonance, and through any of a variety of articulatory processes.
8. Computing (of a computer) to express data or other information audibly by means of an audio response unit.
9. Computing to emit a sound, as a musical instrument;
   make a noise or report.
10. British Terms [Chiefly Brit.] (of dogs) to bark when ordered.
11. Sport [Fox Hunting.] (of a hound or pack) to bay on finding a scent.

v.t. 

12. to utter vocally and articulately:
    to speak words of praise.
13. to express or make known with the voice:
    to speak the truth.
14. to declare in writing or printing, or by any means of communication.
15. to make known, indicate, or reveal.
16. to use, or be able to use, in oral utterance, as a language:
    to speak French.
17. Computing (of a computer) to express or make known (data, prompts, etc.) by means of an audio response unit.
18. Nautical, Naval Terms to communicate with (a passing vessel) at sea, as by voice or signal:
    We spoke a whaler on the fourth day at sea.
19. [Archaic.] to speak to or with.
20. so to speak, to use a manner of speaking;
    figuratively speaking:
    We still don't have our heads above water, so to speak.
21. speak by the book, to say with great authority or precision:
    I can't speak by the book, but I know this is wrong.
22. speak for:
    • to intercede for or recommend;
      speak in behalf of.
    • to express or articulate the views of;
      represent.
    • to choose or prefer;
      have reserved for oneself:
      This item is already spoken for.
23. speak out, to express one's opinion openly and unreservedly:
    He was not afraid to speak out when it was something he believed in strongly.
24. speak well for, to be an indication or reflection of (something commendable);
    testify admirably to:
    Her manners speak well for her upbringing.
25. to speak of, worth mentioning:
    The country has no mineral resources to speak of.

• bef. 900; Middle English speken, Old English specan, variant of sprecan; cognate with German sprechen (Old High German sprehhan; compare variant spehhan)

speak′a•ble, adj. 
speak′a•ble•ness, n. 
speak′a•bly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. Speak, converse, talk mean to make vocal sounds, usually for purposes of communication. To speak often implies conveying information and may apply to anything from an informal remark to a scholarly presentation to a formal address:
  to speak sharply; to speak before Congress.
  To converse is to exchange ideas with someone by speaking:
  to converse with a friend.
  To talk is a close synonym for to speak but usually refers to less formal situations:
  to talk about the weather; to talk with a friend.
• 12. pronounce, articulate.
• 13. say.
• 15. disclose.

-speak, 

1. a combining form extracted from newspeak, used in the formation of compound words, usually derogatory, that denote the style or vocabulary of a discipline, person, era, etc., as specified by the initial element:
   adspeak;
   artspeak;
   futurespeak.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

speak / spiːk/ verb (speaks, speaking, spoke, spoken)

1. to make (verbal utterances); utter (words)
2. to communicate or express (something) in or as if in words
3. (intransitive) to deliver a speech, discourse, etc
4. (transitive) to know how to talk in (a language or dialect): he does not speak German
5. (intransitive) to make a characteristic sound: the clock spoke
6. (intransitive) (of dogs, esp hounds used in hunting) to give tongue; bark
7. (transitive) to hail and converse or communicate with (another vessel) at sea
8. (intransitive) (of a musical instrument) to produce a sound
9. on speaking terms ⇒ on good terms; friendly
10. so to speak ⇒ in a manner of speaking; as it were
11. speak one's mind ⇒ to express one's opinions frankly and plainly
12. to speak of ⇒ of a significant or worthwhile nature: we have had no support to speak of

Etymology: Old English specan; related to Old High German spehhan, Middle High German spechten to gossip, Middle Dutch speken; see speech

ˈspeakable adjective