how so

See also: howso

English

Etymology

From ellipsis of "how is that so?", and also continuing Middle English how-so, hou-so, hu se (“however, in whatsoever way”). Compare West Frisian hoesa (“how so, why”), Dutch hoezo (“how so, why”), German Low German woso (“how so, why”), German wieso (“how so, why”), Swedish hurså (“how so”). By surface analysis, how +‎ so.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Phrase

how so?

1. How?; In what way?

   The city of Melbourne has much more culture than Sydney. ― How so?

2. (idiomatic) Why?; For what reason?

   I'm feeling really depressed. ― How so?

Translations

why

• Finnish: miten niin, kuinka niin, kuin niin
• German: wieso (de)
• Polish: w jaki sposób?, jak to?
• Swedish: hurså (sv), hur så (sv)

Adverb

how so?

1. How; In what way; however
   • 1809, The Literary Panorama, and National Register, page 1179:

     But how so thys money was lent or gyded, at thys daye the cheste remayneth in the chamber of London, wythout money or pledges for the same.

   • 1897, Ursula Newell Gestefeld, How We Master Our Fate, page 62:

     But we have groaned over this experience, an O ! dear ! with every breath, and wished ourselves out of it, someway, somehow, no matter what way or how so we were rid of it.

   • 2014, Gesta Romanorum, →ISBN, page clxxxiii:

     Of every wit somewhat he can Out-take that him lacketh rule, His own estate to guide and rule; How so it stood of his speaking, He was not wise in his doing;

2. (idiomatic) Why; For what reason.
   • 1598, Robert Greene, The Scottish Historie of James the Fourth:

     Yet how so ere I love, I must be wife.

   • 2013, Earlene Jernigan-Carter, When Life Just Happens: A Book of Short Stories, →ISBN, page 70:

     That picture wasn't much to look at, being so old and all, but Mrs. Oaks made like it looked so nice; or, that's what she said as she stared at it, looking back and forth at the picture and me like it wasn't so. Only, she just didn't know how so it wasn't. It wasn't me at all.

   • 2014, Eve Chilicas, Supernatural: Sci-Fi Poetry, →ISBN, page 24:

     My reflection in you warbled, because you see only hints, of what I see to beacon of me. Who am I who is reflecting from you? How so do I identify my soul in you?

3. Used as an intensifier.
   • 1771, The Book of Common Prayer:

     The king shall joy in thy strength, O Lord ; and in thy salvation how so shall he rejoice!

   • 2012, H. Bundy Shaw, Play On Words: Poems, Lyrics, and Other Writings of H. Bundy Shaw, →ISBN:

     How so we love thee! Even UNIVAC and IBM Could never count the way.

   • 2014, Daniel C. Joneikies, Vampyre's Pyre, →ISBN, page 105:

     I wished my voice would carry him through eternity, keeping us in a moment that nothing could part, oh, and how so I wanted to follow his lead, and how so to death I was determined not to concede, and how so, how so many wonderful things;

See also

• how come
• how’s that

References

• “how so”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Anagrams

• who so, whoos, whoso, woosh