So-so

adj. and adv. (colloquial).—Ordinary; mediocre; nothing to speak of.

  1530.  PALSGRAVE, Langue Francoyse, 445. Tellement quellement, je me porte, SO SO.

  c. 1537.  A Pore Helpe [HAZLITT, Remains of the Early Popular Poetry of England, III. 263], 300.

  1595.  SHAKESPEARE, Two Gentlemen of Verona, i. 2. Jul. What thinkest thou of the rich Mercatio? Luc. Well of his wealth; but of himself, SO-SO. Ibid. (1600), As You Like It, v. 1. 29. Touch. SO SO, is good, very good, very excellent good:—and yet it it is not; it is but SO SO.

  1669.  PEPYS, Diary, 18 March. She is a mighty proper maid, and pretty comely, but SO SO; but hath a most pleasing tone of voice, and speaks handsomely.

  d. 1704.  T. BROWN, Works, I. 173–4. Their Outsides wondrous fine, their Pockets lined within but SO-SO.

  c. 1784.  DR. S. PARR [Notes and Queries, 7 S., x. 274]. Dr. Taylor read the service but SO-SO.

  1797.  LAMB, Correspondence, ‘Coleridge,’ xix. The remainder is only SO-SO.

  1810.  W. B. RHODES, Bombastes Furioso. Only SO-SO. O, monstrous doleful thing!

  1837.  R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends, ‘Grey Dolphin,’ I. 73. That illustrious lady, who, after leading but a SO-SO life, had died in the odour of sanctity.

  1857.  F. LOCKER-LAMPSON Reply to a Letter Enclosing a Lock of Hair.

  1888.  BOLDREWOOD, The Squatter’s Dream, vi. He had … agreed … to sell this year’s clip in the colony, as the washing and getting up were only SO-SO, and wool was high.