unable to go out because of the abundance of snow: After one particularly heavy storm, they were snowed in for more than two weeks. snowed under —1. = snowed in 1: If she would have gone into labor a day later, she wouldn’t have gotten to the hospital. Stern’s car was “snowed under ” the next day. 2. burdened with too much paperwork, etc.: I have been snowed under with correspondence ever since my secretary was taken ill. 3. over- whelmed; completely defeated: The opposing team were snowed under by our well-planned attack. so and so • so so so and so —1. is used as an abusive characteristic for a person or thing: That’s what we pay rates and taxes for, and no so- and-so policemen in sight! 2. (also: such and such) is used of a person or thing whose name one does not remember or when one does not want to be precise: He told me that he could send me over to doctor so and so if I wished. 3. (also: thus and so) act in a particular way; according to directions given: The analyst would tell her to do so and so , and she’d go and tell her husband that so and so is what they ought to do. so so—commonplace or mediocre; neither very good nor very bad: After working for some so-so companies, I’ve actu- ally found something that’s rewarding to do. sob sister • sobbing sisters sob sister —(coll.) 1. a weak woman who is prone to crying: I had another sob sister in the office today. Went through half a box of tissues. 2. a writer of sentimental newspaper stories: I worked as a newspaper reporter, specializing in what my edi- tor called “sob sister ” features. sobbing sisters —(Army, WWII) German six-barreled mor- tars: This resulted in an intense enemy barrage…. Artillery, “sobbing sisters ” and small arms fire were all employed. social realism • socialist realism social realism—art that depicts the more wretched aspects of urban industrial society in a naturalistic manner: The early- twentieth-century realism reappeared in the United States dur- ing the depression years as a school of Social Realism . socialist realism —method of art and literary composition in the former Soviet Union aimed at glorifying the socialist sys- tem: Socialist Realism means seeing all reality as a develop- ment toward socialism. soft about someone • soft on someone soft about someone—(coll.) sentimentally silly about smb.; in love with a person: He’s too soft about the girl to see her faults. soft on someone—1. lacking sternness in one’s treatment of smb.; lenient towards a person: Many people think our courts are too soft on violent criminals. 2. = soft about someone: Ernie had an interest in my older sister. He was soft on her. She was quite attractive but not interested in him. Note: The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with the phrase soft with someone— = soft on someone 1: Death penalty uncivilized? Maybe some think being too soft with criminals is the same thing as civility. soft currency • soft money soft currency —(also: weak currency) a currency unstable in value in the international money market: A soft currency is by definition, non-convertible—that is, cannot be converted into gold or dollars. soft money—1. (also: folding money) paper money (as con- trasted with coins): The animated screen saver shows all money of EURO, both a soft money and coins. 2. money which is plentiful and therefore available at low interest rates and long payback: Local supporters of soft money were weak, and Slovenia immediately implemented a tight-money policy upon independence. 3. research money obtained from grants, con- tracts, etc.: Scientists who have depended on soft money are now beginning to worry. …they are starting to be concerned about where the next money is coming from. 4. (U.S.) political donations made in such a way as to avoid federal regulations: Only Connecticut has a law that prevents the parties from flooding its elections with soft money donations. Note: The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with the phrase easy money—1. money obtained without effort and often illegally: I guess it’s easy money too from the way he lets go of it. 2. = soft money 2: Easy money comes with low interest rates. Hard money is just the opposite, wherein it is very difficult to borrow money and expand. See also: hard line money / hard money. soft market • soft sell soft market—said of a period when sales are few and prices are low: The period of the 1990s is regarded as a soft market for property and casualty insurance. soft sell—a subtly persuasive, low-pressure method of selling or advertising: When I say soft sell is the key to this genera- tion, it’s still ultimately about creating loyal customers. Cf.: hard sell — selling or advertising smth. very aggressively and with great eagerness: When it comes to getting children interested in the business, a soft sell is better than a hard sell . soft thing • soft things soft thing—(sl.) an easy work: We know he’s armed. We know how Billy Purvis can fight. It’ll be no soft thing , I grant you. soft things—affectionate talk between lovers; words of endearment: He wrapped his arms around me and held me close, whispering soft things to me… Note: The expression is not antonymous in meaning to the phrase soft nothings—(also: sweet nothings) = soft things: She was to be a weak, tearful creature, with just sense enough to understand the soft nothings addressed to her by the “superior” sex. some day • someday some day—1. at some indefinite future time: I used to live close to an air field and I was inspired by watching all the parachutists; I knew I had to do that some day too…. 2. is used to specify a more particular day: How about us guys get- ting together some day this fall? I will organize it if there’s interest. someday— = some day 1: This is for all of us who have been forced to move away against our will, but someday we will make it back. some one • someone some one —any person or thing in a named group: …she was likely to be thinking about some one of the old books she read. someone—some unidentified individual: Are you expecting someone ? I’m not in the way am I? some other time • some time or other some other time—on a different occasion in the future but not now: I could go back there, I mean some other time . some time or other—(also: at some time or other) 1. sooner or later (implying the certainty of a future event): You can’t go on for ever at any game, and not get tumbled some time or other . 2. on an occasion in the past: We have all heard of the déjà vu illusion, and most of us have experienced it at some time or other . some time • sometime some time—1. at some future time: Rehearsals have already – 301 – some time