something of a

something of a (something)

Having a lot of qualities like or associated with some particular thing or type of person. He fancies himself as something of an expert on modernism in literature, just because he studied Joyce for his master's degree. She's something of a con-artist, isn't she? There's no way this repair should cost this much!See also: of, something

something of a

To some extent, as in Our professor is something of an eccentric. [Early 1700s] See also: of, something