per meglio dire

Italian

Alternative forms

• o meglio

Etymology

Literally, “to better say”.

Phrase

per meglio dire

1. to be precise, or rather
   • 2013, chapter 4, in F. Scott Fitzgerald, translated by Ferruccio Russo, Il Grande Gatsby [The Great Gatsby], Edizioni Scientifiche e Artistiche, page 91:

     Quindi gli Ismay, i Chrystie (o per meglio dire Hubert Auerbach e la moglie di Chrystie) ed Edgar Beaver, i cui capelli si dice divennero bianchi come il cotone improvvisamente in un pomeriggio d'inverno senza alcuna ragione.

     And the Ismays and the Chrysties (or rather Hubert Auerbach and Mr. Chrystie’s wife) and Edgar Beaver, whose hair they say turned cotton-white one winter afternoon for no good reason at all.

     (literally, “So the Ismays, the Chrysties (or to be precise Hubert Auerbach and Chrystie's wife) and Edgar Beaver, whose hair they say turned white like cotton all of a sudden on a winter afternoon without any reason.”)