"so to speak" vs "so to tell"

Question

"so to speak" vs "so to tell"

The phrases 'so to speak' and 'so to tell' are not comparable as 'so to tell' is not a common or correct phrase in English. 'So to speak' is a well-known idiom used to indicate that a term should be taken figuratively rather than literally.

Last Updated: March 25, 2024

This phrase is used to clarify that the speaker is using a term in a non-literal or figurative sense. It is often employed to soften a statement or to make it less direct.

Examples:

He's the king of the house, so to speak.
She's the brains of the operation, so to speak.
It's a bit of a jungle out there, so to speak.
The project is a double-edged sword, so to speak.
The book is a window into the author's mind, so to speak.

Answer 1

so to speak

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English as an idiom to indicate that a term should be taken figuratively rather than literally.

Answer 2

so to tell

This phrase is not correct in English and is not commonly used. It does not convey the intended meaning.

"so to speak" vs "so to tell"

so to speak

so to tell

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