by half
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English
[edit]Prepositional phrase
[edit]- (colloquial) By far; by a long chalk; to an excessive extent or degree, especially to the extent that it is negative, gets in the way, etc.
- Little Miss Smartyboots is too clever by half.
- 2012 November 9, Decca Aitkenhead, “Robbie Coltrane: ‘I take no nonsense’”, in The Guardian[1]:
- He and two friends were known as “the three pseuds” among the rest of the boys, who thought them too clever by half.
Usage notes
[edit]- Used in constructs like too ... by half and not ... enough by half.