in so many words

English

Prepositional phrase

in so many words

1. Verbatim; using exactly the given words.

   In so many words, he asked me to give him the answers to the test.

   He said he liked you. At least, not in so many words, but that was the idea.

   • 2001, Jonathan Franzen, The Corrections:

     "I never asked you to get that drug," he said.
     "Not in so many words," she said.
     "What do you mean by that?"
     "Well, a fat lot of fun we were going to have without it."

Translations

verbatim

• Finnish: sanasta sanaan, kirjaimellisesti (fi)
• French: mot pour mot (fr), texto (fr)
• Italian: senza peli sulla lingua, a chiare lettere, senza mezze parole
• Scottish Gaelic: facal air an fhacal
• Swedish: ord för ord (sv)
• Turkish: kelimesi kelimesine (tr), harfi harfine, harfiyen (tr)

See also

• or words to that effect