even so

English

Alternative forms

• e'en so

Adverb

even so (not comparable)

1. In spite of preceding a remark (or fact) within a given discourse.

   His ideas are all wrong. Even so, I want to agree with him.

   • 1928, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, chapter 4, in Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Tipografia Giuntina, ], →OCLC; republished as Lady Chatterley’s Lover (eBook no. 0100181h.html)‎, Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, August 2011, archived from the original on 11 November 2020:

     "Why not? What's wrong with rabbits? Are they any worse than a neurotic, revolutionary humanity, full of nervous hate?"
     "But we're not rabbits, even so," said Hammond.

   • 1997 February 13, Scot Woods, “The Not-So Friendly Skies”, in Time, retrieved 27 October 2015:

     [T]he American Airlines pilots union softened its stand and offered to accept lower wages for flying smaller "regional jets." Even so, airline management rejected the offer.

   • 2009 December 25, Paul Krugman, “Tidings of Comfort”, in New York Times, retrieved 27 October 2015:

     But reform legislation enacted in 2010 . . . created a system of subsidies to help families pay for coverage. Even so, insurance doesn’t come cheap.

2. (archaic) Exactly thus: in exactly such a manner (as said or surmised); of precisely such a nature.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     Pistol: Trail'st thou the puissant pike?
     King Henry V: Even so. What are you?

   • 1826, [James Fenimore Cooper], chapter 2, in The Last of the Mohicans; a Narrative of 1757. , volume I, Philadelphia, Pa.: H C Carey & I Lea— , →OCLC, page 25:

     "I am thankful that […] no syllable of rude verse has ever profaned my lips."
     "You have, then, limited your efforts to sacred song?"
     "Even so. As the psalms of David exceed all other language, so does the psalmody that has been fitted to them by the divines and sages of the land, surpass all vain poetry. Happily, I may say, that I utter nothing but the thoughts and the wishes of the King of Israel himself […] "

   • 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne, chapter 17, in The Scarlet Letter:

     "Hester! Hester Prynne!", said he; "is it thou? Art thou in life?"
     "Even so," she answered.

   • 1857, Herman Melville, chapter 14, in The Confidence Man:

     He may be thought inconsistent, and even so he is.

   • 1895, Kenneth Grahame, chapter 13, in The Golden Age:

     What a strange thing, I mused, was this smoking, that takes a man suddenly, be he in the court, the camp, or the grove, grips him like an Afreet, and whirls him off to do its imperious behests! Would it be even so with myself, I wondered, in those unknown grown-up years to come?

Synonyms

• (in spite of the preceding remark or facts): be that as it may, having said that, nevertheless, withal; see also Thesaurus:nevertheless
• (in exactly such a manner): exactly so, precisely so

Translations

Anagrams

• venose