so¹ / sō/ • adv. 1. to such a great extent: the words tumbled out so fast that I could barely hear them don't look so worried I'm not so foolish as to say that. ∎  extremely; very much (used for emphasis): she looked so pretty I do love it so. ∎  inf. used to emphasize a clause or negative statement: that's so not fair | you are so going to regret this. ∎ inf. used with a gesture to indicate size: the bird was about so long. 2. to the same extent (used in comparisons): he isn't so bad as you'd think without his parents’ support, he would not have done so well. 3. referring back to something previously mentioned: ∎  that is the case: “Is it going to rain?” “I think so.” if she notices, she never says so. ∎  the truth: I hear that you're a writer—is that so? ∎  similarly; and also: times have changed and so have I. ∎  expressing agreement: “It’s cold in here.” “So it is.” ∎ inf. used to emphatically contradict a negative statement: it is so! 4. in the way described or demonstrated; thus: hold your arms so so it was that he was still a bachelor. • conj. 1. and for this reason; therefore: it was still painful, so I went to see a specialist you know I'm telling the truth, so don't interrupt. ∎  (so that) with the result that: it was overgrown with brambles, so that I had difficulty making any progress. 2. (so that) with the aim that; in order that: they whisper to each other so that no one else can hear. 3. and then; as the next step: and so to the finals. 4. introducing a question: so, what did you do today? ∎  introducing a question following on from what was said previously: so what did he do about it? ∎  (also so what?) inf. why should that be considered significant?: “Marv is wearing a suit.” “So?” so what if he failed? 5. introducing a statement that is followed by a defensive comment: so I like anchovies—what's wrong with that? 6. introducing a concluding statement: so that's that. 7. in the same way; correspondingly: just as bad money drives out good, so does bad art drive out the good. PHRASES: and so on (or forth) and similar things; et cetera: these snacks include cheeses, cold meats, and so on. just so much chiefly derog. emphasizing a large amount of something: it's just so much ideological cant. not so much —— as —— not —— but rather ——: the novel was not so much unfinished as unfinishable. only so much a limited amount: there is only so much you can do to protect yourself. or sosee or¹ . so as to do something in order to do something: she had put her hair up so as to look older. so be it an expression of acceptance or resignation. so farsee far. so far, so goodsee far. so long! inf. goodbye until we meet again. so long assee long¹ . so many (or much) indicating a particular but unspecified quantity: so many hours at such-and-such a speed. so much as even: he sat down without so much as a word to anyone. so much for 1. indicating that one has finished talking about something: So much for the melodic line. We now turn our attention to the accompaniment. 2. suggesting that something has not been successful or useful: so much for that idea! so much so that to such an extent that: I was fascinated by the company, so much so that I wrote a book about it. so to speak (or say) used to highlight the fact that one is describing something in an unusual or metaphorical way: delving into the body's secrets, I looked death in the face, so to speak. so² • n. alternate spelling of sol¹ .

So

A group of about 130,000 (1981), the So are located on both sides of the Mekong River in Thailand and central Laos. Through extensive contact with the Sek and the Lao they have largely been assimilated into Laotian society. Included under the So are a number of subgroups including the So Trong, So Slouy, So Phong, So Tri, and So Makon.

Bibliography

Hickey, Gerald C. (1964). "So." In Ethnic Groups of Mainland Southeast Asia, edited by Frank M. LeBar, Gerald C. Hickey, and John K. Musgrave, 150. New Haven: HRAF Press.

so in such a manner; in that way; to that extent. OE. swa, lengthened swā, corr. to OS. sō (Du. zo), OHG. sō, suo (G. so), ON. svá. Goth. swa (also swē), rel. to OL. suad so, OScan svai, svae if, swā and, Gr. hōs (:- *sFōs) as.

SO Abbrev. for small outline. An alternative package for integrated circuits offering a higher packing density on printed circuit boards. VSO (very small outline) packages offer even higher packing densities.

SO
1. Abbreviation for Significant Other used in CHAT ROOMS, EMAILS, and NEWSGROUPS.

2. Abbreviation for SECURITY OFFICER.

so •aglow, ago, alow, although, apropos, art nouveau, Bamako, Bardot, beau, Beaujolais Nouveau, below, bestow, blow, bo, Boileau, bons mots, Bordeaux, Bow, bravo, bro, cachepot, cheerio, Coe, crow, Defoe, de trop, doe, doh, dos-à-dos, do-si-do, dough, dzo, Flo, floe, flow, foe, foreknow, foreshow, forgo, Foucault, froe, glow, go, good-oh, go-slow, grow, gung-ho, Heathrow, heave-ho, heigh-ho, hello, ho, hoe, ho-ho, jo, Joe, kayo, know, lo, low, maillot, malapropos, Marceau, mho, Miró, mo, Mohs, Monroe, mot, mow, Munro, no, Noh, no-show, oh, oho, outgo, outgrow, owe, Perrault, po, Poe, pro, quid pro quo, righto, roe, Rouault, row, Rowe, sew, shew, show, sloe, slow, snow, so, soh, sow, status quo, stow, Stowe, strow, tally-ho, though, throw, tic-tac-toe, to-and-fro, toe, touch-and-go, tow, trow, undergo, undersow, voe, whacko, whoa, wo, woe, Xuzhou, yo, yo-ho-ho, Zhengzhou, Zhou