that's about the size of it
That's the reality of the situation; that's an accurate summary. A: "So, you'll need to start looking for a new house then, huh?" B: "Yep, that's about the size of it." That's about the size of it—we only have the budget to keep one of you on the team.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
That's about the size of it.
Inf. That is the way it is. (Often a response to someone who has acknowledged bad news.) Bob: We only have a few hundred dollars left in the bank. Sally: That means that there isn't enough money for us to go on vacation? Bob: That's about the size of it. Bob: I'm supposed to take this bill to the county clerk's office and pay them four hundred dollars? Sally: That's about the size of it.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
that's about the size of it
That sums up the situation; that's how things are. For example, So he's going to resign next month?-Yes, that's about the size of it, or Mary's applying to all those colleges?-That's about the size of it. A mid-19th century British expression that soon crossed the Atlantic, it appeared in Mark Twain's Tramp Abroad (1880): "'Bloodshed!' 'That's about the size of it,' I said."
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
that's about the size of it
said to confirm a person's assessment of a situation, especially one regarded as bad. informalFarlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
that’s about the ˈsize of it
(spoken) that is a good or fair description of the situation: ‘So you’re leaving college just to go travelling?’ ‘Yes, that’s about the size of it.’Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
That’s about the size of it
sent. That is the way things are.; That’s all there is to tell. Well, that’s about the size of it. See you tomorrow.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
about the size of it
An approximately accurate version of a situation, event, or circumstance. It generally is used as a summing up: “That’s about the size of it.”
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer