in a manner of speaking

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this is one way to say it so to speak “We should go south.” “So that means I should turn left?” “In a manner of speaking, yes.” She was, in a manner of speaking, not at her best – in fact, she was exhausted and had the flu.

Usage notes: sometimes used to suggest that something unpleasant is being described in a more pleasant way

Related vocabulary: if you will

See also: manner, speaking

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It is the first short story I ever wrote and marks, in a manner of speaking, the end of my first phase, the Malayan phase with its special subject and its verbal suggestions. Tales of Unrest by Conrad, Joseph View in context She would swear the same, in a manner of speaking, before chaplain. Treasure Island by Stevenson, Robert Louis View in context --I knowed the man by sight as well as I know my own brother, in a manner of speaking. Tess of the d'Urbervilles - A Pure Woman by Hardy, Thomas View in context			in a bad mood in a bad way in a big way in a bind in a body in a class by in a cleft stick in a cold sweat in a coon's age in a dead heat in a delicate condition in a dither in a family way in a fix in a flash in a fog in a funk in a good light in a heartbeat in a huff in a jam in a jiffy in a lather in a little bit in a mad rush in a manner of speaking in a month of Sundays in a New York minute in a nut shell in a nutshell in a pickle in a pig's eye In a pig's eye! in a pinch in a pique in a quandary in a row in a rut in a second in a sense in a snit in a spot in a stage whisper in a stew in a stupor in a sweat in a tight spot in a tizzy in a twit in a twitter in a vacuum			in a flash in a flash in a flash in a flash in a flash in a fog In a fume in a funk in a good light in a haze In a Heartbeat In a Heartbeat in a heartfelt way in a higher place in a huff in a huff in a jam in a jiffy in a lather in a light in a light in a light in a light in a line In A Little Bit In A Little Bit In a Little While in a low voice in a mad rush in a manner in a manner of speaking in a mass in a minute in a month of Sundays in a New York minute in a New York minute In A New York Second in a nut shell in a nutshell in a nutshell in a nutshell In a Perfect World In a Pickle In a pig's ass! In a pig's ear! in a pig's eye in a pig's eye in a pig's eye in a pig's eye In a pig's eye! in a pinch in a pinch in a pinch in a pinch in a pinch in a pique in a quandary in a quandary in a row in a row in a row

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