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Webster 1913 Edition


Somehow

Some′howˊ

(sŭm′houˊ)
,
adv.
In one way or another; in some way not yet known or designated; by some means;
as, the thing must be done
somehow
; he lives
somehow
.
By their action upon one another they may be swelled
somehow
, so as to shorten the length.
Cheyne.
☞ The indefiniteness of somehow is emphasized by the addition of or other.
Although youngest of the familly, he has
somehow or other
got the entire management of all the others.
Sir W. Scott.

Webster 1828 Edition


Somehow

SOMEHOW

,
adv.
[some and how.] One way or other; on some way not yet known. The thing must have happened somehow or other.

Definition 2024


somehow

somehow

English

Adverb

somehow (not comparable)

  1. In one way or another; in some way not yet known or designated; by some means; as, the thing must be done somehow; he lives somehow.
    • (Can we date this quote?) George Cheyne
      By their action upon one another they may be swelled somehow, so as to shorten the length.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Sir Walter Scott
      Although youngest of the familly, he has somehow or other got the entire management of all the others.
    • 1915, Emerson Hough, The Purchase Price, chapterII:
      Carried somehow, somewhither, for some reason, on these surging floods, were these travelers, of errand not wholly obvious to their fellows, yet of such sort as to call into query alike the nature of their errand and their own relations.

Usage notes

The indefiniteness of somehow is emphasized by the addition of or other.

Synonyms

Translations