more or less

Idioms & Phrases

more or less

  1. Approximately, as in The truck will hold nine yards of dirt, more or less. This usage was first recorded in 1589.

  2. Basically, essentially, as in We more or less agree on the substance of the letter. This usage was first recorded about 1225.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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