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ish

adv. degree
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɪʃ// ish Archaic Dialect Humorous Informal Slang

adv. roughly or approximately. You use it on its own to mean 'more or less' when you don't want to give an exact time or amount.

adv. approximately or about; used as a standalone response to indicate a degree of uncertainty or near-completion. Informal in register and primarily used in spoken English.


SIMPLE

I will be there at seven-ish.

CONTEXTUAL

The project is finished-ish, but I still need to check the final numbers before sending it.

COMPLEX

When asked if the repairs were complete, he replied with a non-committal 'ish', suggesting that while the main work was done, several minor tasks remained.

Etymology 1

From is.

Etymology 2

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *-iskos Proto-Germanic *-iskaz Proto-West Germanic *-isk Old English -isċ Middle English -ish English -ishbf. English ish Back-formation from -ish.

Etymology 3

From Pitman ess and eff, which it resembles phonetically and graphically, and the sound it represents. The change in vowel probably reflects the familiar suffix -ish.

Etymology 4

Phonetic spelling of the clipping of issue.

Etymology 5

From earlier isht, a minced oath and metathetic alteration of shit.

Usage

Commonly used as a suffix attached to adjectives or numbers, but functions as a standalone adverb in casual conversation.

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