somewhatn.adv.
/ˈsʌmwɒt/, U.S. /ˈsəmˌ(h)wɑt/, /ˈsəmˌ(h)wət/ = something n. and adv.
A. n.
1. † d. by somewhat, by a certain (small) amount.
a. A certain amount, esp. in the way of statement, information, etc. Frequently with of (= concerning). Now archaic.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > [noun] > some, any, or indefinite amount
somec1000
anyOE
somewhatc1175
a little wightc1275
society > communication > information > [noun] > piece of
somewhatc1175
communication1481
informationa1527
intelligence1570
adviso1591
intelligencies1623
data1645
footnote1711
steer1899
mail1975
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 958 Summ whatt icc habbe shæwedd ȝuw. Till ȝure sawle fode.
a1225 Leg. Kath. 506 Schaw sumwhet of ham, for hwi ha beon wurðe for to beon iwurðge.
a1300 Cursor Mundi 1496 Spek we sumquat of caym kyn.
c1374 G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde i. 672 To thi help yet sumwhat can I say.
c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (Roxb.) vii. 27 Now hafe I schortly talde ȝow sum what of bawme.
1509 J. Fisher Mornynge Remembraunce Countesse of Rychemonde (de Worde) sig. Aiv I wold reherce somwhat of her demeanyng in this behalue.
a1586 Sir P. Sidney tr. Psalmes David (1823) xxxiv. ii Joyne with me, Somwhat to speake of his due praise.
1625 F. Bacon Ess. (new ed.) 133 It is strange, how long some Men will lie in wait, to speake somewhat, they desire to say.
a1715 Bp. G. Burnet Hist. Own Time (1724) I. 40 I will relate somewhat concerning the Earl of Antrim.
1801 J. Strutt Glig-gamena Angel-ðeod iv. ii. 274 Exasperated at somewhat his antagonist had said.
1819 Ld. Byron Don Juan: Canto I vii. 6 Narrating somewhat of Don Juan's father.
b. Some (material or immaterial) thing of unspecified nature, amount, etc. Now archaic or dialect.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > existence > [noun] > entity, being, or thing > something
somethingc1000
thingOE
somewhatc1230
somewhat else, more, over1390
something1577
what1654
something or other1706
sumptin1767
sumthin1822
sumfin1823
summink1875
α.
proverbial.1546 J. Heywood Dialogue Prouerbes Eng. Tongue i. x. sig. D Alwaie somewhat is better than nothyng.1555 J. Heywood Two Hundred Epigrammes with Thyrde sig. C.iii Boude wands serue for sumwhat.β. 1790 A. Wheeler Westmorland Dial. 59 Yaurs may..seaav sumet agayn they er aud.1838 J. Grant Sketches London 39 There was no lack either of ‘summut’ to drink or ‘summut’ to eat.1839 in Latham Handbk. Eng. Lang. (1860) 148 Presently, zum 'ot..went dump!1859 ‘G. Eliot’ Adam Bede I. i. i. 10 A man must learn summat beside Gospel to make them things.c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 27 Swa don eauer sumhwet þet god mahe of awakenin.
c1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 54 He it nolde bi-leue, Ȝwane ani pouere man him bede, bote he him som-ȝwat ȝeue.
a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 3722 It bi-tokenes sum-what treuli, god turne it to gode!
1390 J. Gower Confessio Amantis II. 210 In ech of hem he fint somwhat That pleseth him.
c1400 Pilgr. Sowle (1483) i. xv. 14 Late myn estate with som what be amendyd.
1484 W. Caxton tr. Subtyl Historyes & Fables Esope iii. xvi I deye for honger; gyue me somwhat to ete.
1526 Bible (Tyndale) 2 Cor. iv. 8 We are in povertie: but not utterly without somwhat.
1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 340 Such as were wicked..made a shewe as though they would do somewhat.
a1627 T. Middleton Witch (1945) iii. i. 999 Nothing lives but has a Ioy in some-what.
1694 J. Dryden Love Triumphant ii. i. 24 I know not why, but somewhat prompts me To Read this folded Page.
1726 J. Swift Gulliver I. i. viii. 134 I observed..somewhat that looked like a Boat overturned.
1797 H. Lee Canterbury Tales I. 13 He perceived somewhat glitter amid the grass.
1821 W. Scott Kenilworth I. xi. 273 The tools were worth somewhat.
1842 N. Hawthorne in S. Longfellow Life H. W. Longfellow (1891) I. 441 I have been looking to receive somewhat in the shape of a letter..from you.
1855 C. Kingsley Westward Ho! xiv Some folk say he's not right in his head; or turned miser, or somewhat.
c. Followed by an adjective.
ΚΠ
1665 R. Hooke Micrographia 74 Insteed of meeting with what I look'd for, I met with somewhat more admirable.
1681 Pref. in T. Hobbes Art of Rhetoric sig. A4v May be presumed to contain somewhat excellent.
1721 R. Bradley Philos. Acct. Wks. Nature 4 The parts..are bound together by somewhat Oleaginous.
1751 E. Haywood Hist. Betsy Thoughtless I. i. 3 Miss Betsy, who had..somewhat extremely engaging in her manner of behaviour.
1836 R. W. Emerson Spirit in Nature in Wks. (1906) II. 166 It is essential to a true theory of nature and of man, that it should contain somewhat progressive.
1850 F. W. Robertson Serm. 3rd Ser. ix. §1. 125 [They] mistook the sensation for somewhat half divine.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > smallness of quantity, amount, or degree > small of quantity, amount, or degree [phrase] > to some (small) extent
in (also by, with) measurec1225
in mannerc1425
somewhat1542
in some sort1556
in some (also a) measure1600
by somewhat1653
something of a(n)1711
(a) sort of, o', a, sorter1790
1653 W. Ramesey Astrologia Restaurata 61 Yet he is the swifter of the two by somewhat.
2.
a. With dependent genitive: Some part, portion, amount, etc., of something.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > incompleteness > part of whole > [noun] > a or some part of something
somedeala900
somethingc1200
somewhat1297
portionc1390
sharea1450
sort1575
something1654
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 7587 So þat vewe contreies beþ in engelonde, Þat monekes nabbeþ of normandie somwat in hor honde.
1330 R. Mannyng Chron. (1810) 22 Þer..a noþer chapelle standes, & somwhat of þat tre, þei bond vntille his handes.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 4739 Len vs sumquat o þi sede, Was neuer ar sua mikel nede.
c1400 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (MS. α) (Rolls) II. 69 In þis citee is somwhat of þat famous wal.
c1440 Wycliffite Bible Gen. xl. 4 Sumdel [v.r. sum whatt] of tyme passide.
1588 T. Kyd tr. T. Tasso Housholders Philos. f. 18 It is thought there is somewhat of theyr dooings in his works.
1658 W. Sanderson Graphice 33 Observe to hit the virtues of the Piece, and to refuse the Vices; for all Masters have somewhat of them both.
a1677 I. Barrow Wks. (1683) II. 93 Doth she not every where present spectacles of delight (somewhat of lively picture, somewhat of gay embroidery, somewhat of elegant symmetry).
1761 D. Hume Hist. Eng. III. liii. 147 By quitting somewhat of his royal prerogative.
1779 Mirror No. 10 By that too great niceness..they may mingle somewhat of disgust and uneasiness even in the highest and finest pleasures.
1848 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair lxvi. 600 A conversation of which he could not help hearing somewhat.
1876 E. C. Stedman Victorian Poets vi. 232 It must be acknowledged that somewhat of this applies to Tennyson's variations upon Theocritus.
b. Const. of with a positive adjective. Now rare.
ΚΠ
1650 Earl of Monmouth tr. J. F. Senault Man become Guilty 36 Tis the desire of seeing somewhat of new which draws us forth.
1670 J. Dryden Tyrannick Love i. i. 7 Somewhat of mournful, sure, my Ears does wound.
1751 E. Haywood Hist. Betsy Thoughtless I. ii. 12 These words, as it proved, had somewhat of prophetic in them.
1855 N. Hawthorne Jrnl. 10 Sept. in Eng. Notebks. (1997) I. iii. 317 Except somewhat of fantastic in the shape of the clock-tower.
c. = something n. 2c.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > degree or relative amount of a quality, action, etc. > [noun] > a certain degree of > that is such to a certain degree
something of a(n)1711
somewhat1841
1841 A. Helps On Treatm. Suitors in Ess. (1842) 110 You will naturally endeavour to give somewhat of a detailed explanation.
1863 M. Howitt tr. F. Bremer Greece & Greeks II. 3 It was somewhat of a surprise to me.
1868 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest (1877) II. 88 He was also somewhat of a time-server.
3.
a. With limiting word or particle, as somewhat else, more, over, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > existence > [noun] > entity, being, or thing > something
somethingc1000
thingOE
somewhatc1230
somewhat else, more, over1390
something1577
what1654
something or other1706
sumptin1767
sumthin1822
sumfin1823
summink1875
(a)
(b)a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xix. cxxv. 1363 Þe superparticularis nombre conteyneþ in comparisoun al þe lasse nombre and somwhat ouer.1631 B. Jonson Staple of Newes iii. ii. 235 in Wks. II You are a Courtier, Sir, or somewhat more.a1648 Ld. Herbert Life (1976) 8 I shall therefore only say somewhat more of my Mother.1390 J. Gower Confessio Amantis II. 96 As thogh I hadde lost a Ring Or somwhat elles.
1579 T. Lodge Protogenes 29 These things are not the chiefest poynts you shote at, thers somewhat els sticketh in your stomak.
1665 J. North in Extracts State Papers (Friends' Hist. Soc.) (1912) 3rd Ser. 235 I haue some-what els to ymparte vnto you.
1736 R. Ainsworth Thes. Linguæ Latinæ I. at Some I must talk of somewhat else.
b. somewhat between adv. = something n. 1d.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > condition of being mean or average > average [phrase] > something between
somewhat between1823
1823 W. Scott Quentin Durward II. xii. 283 His gesture..was noble, and at the same time resigned, somewhat between the bearing of a feudal noble and of a Christian martyr.
4. † b. of somewhat, for some purpose. Obsolete. rare.
a. A thing, quality, etc., worth considering or regarding; a person of note or importance.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > [noun] > that which is important > worthy of notice > of considering
somewhatc1384
considerable1642
considerability1652
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Gal. ii. 6 Forsoth thei that weren seen for to be sumwhat, no thing to me ȝauen to gidere.
1526 Bible (Tyndale) Gal. vi. 3 Iff a man seme to hym silfe that he is somwhat when in dede he is nothynge.
1669 J. Dryden Wild Gallant iv. i. 58 Nay, the Foole is a handsome Foole, that's somewhat.
1838 J. R. Lowell Lett. (1894) I. 32 It were a strange thing indeed if there were not somewhat in such men as Milton, Sidney [etc.].
1842 Ld. Tennyson St. Simeon Stylites in Poems (new ed.) II. 59 They think that I am somewhat... The silly people take me for a saint.
1859 D. Masson Life Milton I. 721 The living society of a place is also somewhat.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > useful [phrase] > for some purpose
of somewhata1400
a1400 Sir Perc. 854 It servede hym of somwhatt The wylde fyre that he gatt.
5.
a. With a, the, etc., and plural. A certain undefined or unknown thing, quality, amount, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > existence > [noun] > entity, being, or thing > something > a something
thinga1325
somewhat1598
what1654
1598 R. Bernard tr. Terence Andria ii. i, in Terence in Eng. 30 In the meane season I hope some-what may be done...That some-what will proue iust nothing.
1654 R. Whitlock Ζωοτομία 210 Pretty Somewhats they would meane, but sure They understand not themselves any more than I do.
1685 tr. B. Gracián y Morales Courtiers Oracle 220 Several men would be great, if they wanted not a somewhat, without which they never attain to the height of perfection.
1795 A. Hughes Jemima I. 218 He has a somewhat in his voice..so pleasant.
1806 H. Siddons Maid, Wife, & Widow II. 247 A habit of delivering his sentiments with a somewhat of more than dictatorial petulance.
1857 J. Raine Mem. J. Hodgson I. 126 Sending to Hodgson a somewhat which he had left behind him.
b. With preceding adjective.
ΚΠ
1685 tr. B. Gracián y Morales Courtiers Oracle 117 The secret charm, or the unexpressible somewhat; which the French call Le Je-ne-sai-quoi.
1710 G. Berkeley Treat. Princ. Human Knowl. §80 Matter is an unknown somewhat—neither substance nor accident.
1785 M. Cutler Let. 28 Feb. in W. P. Cutler & J. P. Cutler Life, Jrnls. & Corr. M. Cutler (1888) II. 229 I now believe, at least, that there is a certain somewhat, which produced a rotary motion in a sword.
1827 S. T. Coleridge Table-talk 30 Aug. Painting is the intermediate somewhat between a thought and a thing.
1855 R. Browning One Word More ix Thus achievement lacks a gracious somewhat.
c. Const. of or with adjective following.
ΚΠ
1817 M. Keating Trav. I. 272 Still here attaches..a somewhat of disgraceful to the idea of intoxication.
1825 W. Scott Let. 12 Oct. (1935) IX. 245 They require the atmosphere of a cigar and the amalgam of a sum'mat comfortable.
a1858 R. A. Vaughan Ess. & Remains (1858) I. 50 A somewhat of their spirit of love..he found ever afterwards indispensable to his heart.
B. adv. In a certain degree or measure; to some (slight or small) extent; slightly, a little; rather.† 3. somewhat…somewhat, partly…partly.† 4. Followed by with the and a superlative, = something adv. 2f. Obsolete. rare.
1.
a. Qualifying a verb.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > smallness of quantity, amount, or degree > [adverb] > somewhat
somedealc725
halfc1175
somewhatc1175
somethingc1275
little whatc1384
somedeallyc1400
measurablec1420
somewhatlyc1450
somewisec1450
somepartc1485
parta1500
something1548
rather1573
some1575
rathera1684
sunket1686
somethingisha1726
measurably1756
rather1770
rather1772
somec1780
sumthin1786
wee1816
sumfin1852
sumptin1852
measuredly1860
sumpin1889
part-way1954
ish1986
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 16881 Þær þurrh wass sene þatt he þa. Summ whatt bigunnenn haffde. To lefenn o þe laferrd crist.
c1385 G. Chaucer Legend Good Women (Fairf.) Prol. 71 Ye be diligent To forthren me somwhat in my labour.
c1410 Sir Cleges 147 Jn with hyr he gan goo, And sumwatt mendyd hys chere.
c1440 Partonope 4915 To her suster dyd she spek And somwhat her hert to her breke.
1526 Bible (Tyndale) Acts xxvi. 28 Sumwhatt thou bryngest me in mynde for to be come christen.
1577 N. Breton Floorish vpon Fancie sig. Diij These drugges..though they sumwhat please the tast, yet make the bosome stinke.
1646 J. Gaule Select Cases Conscience 56 Hereupon it hath been somwhat dissented.
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory iii. 308/1 The short Graver, which turneth up somewhat at the end.
1780 Mirror No. 82 Sir George Rodney's success has somewhat lessened their force.
1812 H. F. Cary tr. Dante Paradiso ii. 53 She somewhat smiled.
1877 J. D. Chambers Divine Worship Eng. 389 The Forms of these ejaculations varied somewhat.
b. Qualifying a preposition.
ΚΠ
1492 King Henry VII Let. in G. Griffiths Hist. Tong (1894) 224 Desiring you that somwhat bifor the said tyme ye wol addresse you unto us.
1600 in C. M. Ingleby & L. T. Smith Shakespeare's Cent. Prayse (1879) 35 Somwhat before the play began.
1735 S. Johnson tr. J. Lobo Voy. Abyssinia 91 To drink somewhat beyond the bounds of exact Temperance.
1756 C. Lucas Ess. Waters i. 10 Spirit of nitre consists of somewhat above one fourth of pure acid.
1819 Ld. Byron Don Juan: Canto I i. 3 Sent to the devil, somewhat ere his time.
c. somewhat as, in much the same way, to some extent, as.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > relationship > similarity > [phrase] > in the same way as
in manner ofa1375
in resemblance ofa1393
at (also till, in) (the) likening ofa1500
somewhat as1872
1872 J. Morley Voltaire i. 1 We may think of Voltairism somewhat as we think of Catholicism.
1894 S. R. Crockett Stickit Minister 16 It ran or rather hirpled somewhat as follows.
2.
a. Qualifying an adjective, adv., or clause.
ΚΠ
(a)
(b)1542 A. Borde Compend. Regyment Helth iv. sig. C.ii The seller vnder the pantry sette somwhat abase.1592 T. Kyd Trueth Murthering of Brewen 4 When it drew somewhat late.1638 J. Milton Lycidas in Obsequies 20 in Justa Edouardo King Begin, and somwhat loudly sweep the string.1797 H. Lee Canterbury Tales I. 195 One, who, having somewhat unexpectedly succeeded to the family title.1851 E. B. Browning Casa Guidi Windows ii. xvii. 116 If..we Are counted somewhat deeply in their debt.1869 J. Ruskin Queen of Air i. §32 Somewhat saucily.(c)1578 Reg. Privy Council Scotl. III. 35 Mony injurious wordis, sumquhat in contempt of our Soverane Lord.1608 E. Grimeston tr. J. de Serres Gen. Inventorie Hist. France (1611) 457 A cunning woman, and some-what of her fathers humor.1678 J. Bunyan Pilgrim's Progress 27 Now was Christian somwhat in a muse. View more context for this quotation1819 W. Scott Bride of Lammermoor viii, in Tales of my Landlord 3rd Ser. I. 233 The hounds and huntsmen seemed somewhat at a stand.1828 E. Bulwer-Lytton Pelham II. xv. 138 Somewhat of a lugubrious nature.1833 H. Martineau Berkeley the Banker i. iii. 49 Martin looked somewhat at a loss for an answer, till his wife supplied him with one.c1384 G. Chaucer Hous of Fame 1097 But for the ryme ys lyght and lewed Yit make hyt sumwhat agreable.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 11054 Þat mensking þam bi-tuin, Was sum-quat diuers, als i wene.
c1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 48 If þat ilke mater be not hard but sumwhat neische.
1466 in Manners & Househ. Expenses Eng. (1841) 324 For a sadelle sumwhat worne, ij.s. viij.d.
c1515 Ld. Berners tr. Bk. Duke Huon of Burdeux (1882–7) xliii. 144 His coloure was sum what pale.
1595 in Publ. Catholic Rec. Soc. (1908) 5 335 His vtterance was somwhat vnready.
1668 J. Dryden Sr Martin Mar-all v. 65 Would I were hang'd if it be not somewhat probable.
1750 tr. C. Leonardus Mirror of Stones 92 [It] is a stone of a crystal colour, and somewhat obscure.
1780 Mirror No. 105 Somewhat a-kin to the lovers of detraction are the offence-takers.
1826 D. Booth Art of Brewing (ed. 2) 15 Their practice is governed by principles somewhat different.
1885 Manch. Examiner 12 May 5/2 It would seem..that the struggle was somewhat indecisive.
b. With a comparative adjective or adverb.
ΚΠ
c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (Roxb.) xi. 46 It es sumwhat hyer þan oþer placez of þe citee.
1484 W. Caxton tr. Subtyl Historyes & Fables Esope xxii I blowe in hit for to haue it somwhat more cold than hit is.
?1518 A. Barclay Fyfte Eglog sig. Aiiij And somwhat wyser, be they also than we.
1597 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie v. lv. 117 Somewhat more playnely to shewe a true immediate reason..wee acknowledge [etc.].
1600 J. Pory tr. J. Leo Africanus Geogr. Hist. Afr. vi. 275 The men of this place are black, but the women are some~what fairer.
1696 W. Whiston New Theory of Earth iv. 241 The Lower Earthy Strata would be settling somewhat closer together.
1768 Woman of Honor III. 233 A range of thirteen chests rather somewhat larger than the common size.
1815 J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art II. 173 The pan being brought to somewhat more than a red heat.
1866 T. Carlyle in J. W. Carlyle Lett. & Mem. (1883) III. 255 She..went home somewhat better.
1875 B. Jowett tr. Plato Dialogues (ed. 2) I. 359 Tell me.., in somewhat plainer terms, what you mean!
c. With of the and a superlative adjective or adverb.
ΚΠ
1561 T. Hoby Chief Conditions Gentylwoman in tr. B. Castiglione Courtyer sig. Zz.iii Not to make wise to abhorr companie and talke, though somewhat of the wantonnest.
1622 J. Mabbe tr. M. Alemán Rogue i. 30 I got mee (though somewhat of the latest) hungry.
1656 P. Heylyn Surv. Estate France 218 The revenues of this Archbishoprick are somewhat of the meanest.
1819 W. Scott Bride of Lammermoor ii*, in Tales of my Landlord 3rd Ser. II. 51 Your morning-draught has been somewhat of the strongest.
d. With a or an inserted before the adjective (or noun) qualified.
ΚΠ
1588 J. Read tr. F. Arcaeus Compend. Method f. 69v Barriga..receaued a wounde in his brest, with somewhat a long sword.
a1646 J. Gregory Posthuma (1649) 198 This was somwhat a tolerable impietie, for such great Astronomers to adore the Host of Heaven.
1680 R. L'Estrange tr. Erasmus 20 Select Colloquies vi. 79 [He] may vouchsafe his Assistance also unto us who are somewhat a larger Congregation.
1740 S. Johnson Drake in Gentleman's Mag. Oct. 510 Being obliged by this Accident to somewhat a longer Residence among the Moors.
1817 W. Whewell in J. M. Douglas Life & Corr. W. Whewell (1881) 25 I must acknowledge myself somewhat an idle correspondent so far as writing goes.
1891 A. Mozley Lett. J. H. Newman I. iii. 103 There were certainly..definite points about him which made him somewhat a difficulty.
e. Preceded by an article or pronoun.
ΚΠ
1779 Mirror No. 61 The contempt in which, to a somewhat unreasonable degree, he holds modern refinement.
1820 W. Scott Monastery II. vii. 234 The cooling my somewhat too much inflamed visage.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. ii. 180 Her admonitions were given in a somewhat perfunctory manner.
f. Used as adj.
ΚΠ
1819 T. Moore in Mem. (1853) II. 250 Lady Frances W. was to have come with them, but, to my somewhat disappointment, she had been called away.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > incompleteness > part of whole > [adverb]
a-party1340
somewhat…somewhat1390
partily1497
parta1500
partly1523
1390 J. Gower Confessio Amantis I. 2 I wolde..wryte a bok betwen the tweie, Somewhat of lust, somewhat of lore.
c1400 Pilgr. Sowle (1859) i. xxx. 34 He is lettid by the wey somwhat by foly of hym self, somwhat by other.
a1425 tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula 38 Þai may ete and drynk and go, and somwhat sitte and somwhat slepe.
1552 H. Latimer Serm. (1607) 301 A king.., which was not their lawfull nor naturall king, but somewhat with craft and subtilty, and somewhat with power had gotten the Crowne.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > smallness of quantity, amount, or degree > small of quantity, amount, or degree [phrase] > to some (small) extent
in (also by, with) measurec1225
in mannerc1425
somewhat1542
in some sort1556
in some (also a) measure1600
by somewhat1653
something of a(n)1711
(a) sort of, o', a, sorter1790
1542 N. Udall tr. Erasmus Apophthegmes f. 252v [She] begoonne some~what with the soonest to have whyte heares in hir hedde.
1583 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin Serm. on Deuteronomie Pref. Ep. 2 Such discourse which might peraduenture be somewhat with the longest.
1610 P. Holland tr. W. Camden Brit. i. 215 A small towne this is, standing somewhat with the lowest.
5. somewhat like adj. in various senses. In quot. a1620: †at a fairly reasonable price.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > quality of being satisfactory > [adverb]
wellOE
sufficientlyc1380
acceptably1479
competently1541
somewhat like1593
tant bien que mal1765
bearably1784
unobjectionably1797
fairly1836
decently1846
OK1886
society > trade and finance > monetary value > price > low price or rate > [adverb] > cheaply > inexpensively
reasonably1590
somewhat like1593
unexpensively1816
inexpensively1837
1593 G. Harvey Pierces Supererogation 146 Alhough she were a lustie bounsing rampe, somewhat like Gallemella.
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Bellastre,..passable, so so, some~what like.
a1620 J. Dyke Divers Select Serm. (1640) 379 If a man will sell a commodity, hee will sell it somewhat like, or hee will keepe it.
1662 J. Davies tr. A. Olearius Voy. & Trav. Ambassadors 165 It was somewhat like a Sturgeon, but was much whiter.
1748 S. Richardson Clarissa VI. xxx. 109 Why this is talking somewhat like.
1859 ‘G. Eliot’ Adam Bede I. i. viii. 172 It's summat-like to see such a man as that i' the desk of a Sunday!
1890 Hardwicke's Sci.-gossip 26 194 This is somewhat like the one examined by Schrötter.
6. more than somewhat, very, extremely; very much.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > greatly or very much [phrase]
a great dealc1000
much dealc1225
on highc1400
little1483
good and proper1508
not smally1548
a deal1756
in a big way1840
more than somewhat1930
1930 D. Runyon in Collier's 13 Sept. 7/3 I am now more nervous than somewhat.
1938 D. Wheatley Uncharted Seas xi. 190 I thought my nerve was pretty good, but this scares me more than somewhat.
1945 Tee Emm (Air Ministry) 5 40 Citizens have been known to leave the premises.., being more than somewhat apprehensive of future developments.
1964 P. G. Wodehouse Frozen Assets viii. 143 She said quite a number of things that wounded my sensitive nature more than somewhat.
1974 V. Gielgud In Such a Night vii. 67 It burned me up more than somewhat.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1913; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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