so-and-so

(sō′ən-sō′)

pron.

An unnamed or unspecified person or thing.

n. pl. so-and-sos

Informal A son of a gun.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

so-and-so

n, pl so-and-sos

1. a person whose name is forgotten or ignored: so-and-so came to see me.

2. euphemistic a person or thing regarded as unpleasant or difficult: which so-and-so broke my razor?.

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

so′-and-so`

n., pl. so-and-sos.

1. a person or thing not definitely named.

2. a bastard (used as a euphemism).

[1590–1600]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

so-and-so - a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible; "only a rotter would do that"; "kill the rat"; "throw the bum out"; "you cowardly little pukes!"; "the British call a contemptible person a `git'"

dirty dog, git, lowlife, puke, rotter, scum bag, skunk, stinker, stinkpot, bum, crumb, rat

disagreeable person, unpleasant person - a person who is not pleasant or agreeable

so-and-so

noun

1. what's-his-name or what's-her-name, X, what-d'you-call-him or what-d'you-call-her, whatsit, thingummy, thingamajig If Mrs So-and-so was ill, then someone down the street would come in and clean for her.

2. demon, devil, rogue, imp, rascal, scoundrel, scamp, thing It was all her fault, the wicked little so-and-so.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

so-and-so

[ˈsəʊənsəʊ] N (so-and-sos (pl))

1. (= somebody) → fulano/a m/f
Mr so-and-so → don Fulano (de Tal)
any so-and-so could steal it → cualquiera podría robarlo

2. (pej) he's a so-and-so → es un tal, es un hijo de su madre
you old so-and-so! (hum) → ¡sinvergüenza!

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

so-and-so

n (inf)

(= unspecified person) → Soundso no art; so-and-so up at the shop → Herr/Frau Soundso im Laden

(pej) he’s a real/an old so-and-so → das ist ein gemeiner Kerl; you old so-and-so → du bist vielleicht einer/eine

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

so-and-so

[ˈsəʊənˌsəʊ] n (somebody) → un(a) tale
Mr/Mrs so-and-so (fam) → signor/signora tal dei tali
he's a so-and-so! (fam) → che tipo odioso che è!

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

References in periodicals archive

So-and-So? Did he have illness XYZ?" I am at a loss as how to respond.

Despite pregnancy, nosy questions just keep on coming

I was like, 'That looks like so-and-so and that looks like so-and-so'."

Saoirse faces up to looking like relatives

WHILE presenting cricket commentary during the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) series, it is noticed that the two regular commentators, Ramiz Raja and Bazid Khan, appear to be in the narrow habit of ethnically profiling some players, saying so-and-so is a 'Pathan'.

PSL commentators (1)

Because thereafter it was just a media storm of 'so-and-so should be there and so-and-so shouldn't be there'."

CIAN'S RED MEANT WE HADN'T A HOPE: LIAM; MONAGHAN v CAVAN - SUNDAY

She told Radio Times: "I got a phone call saying, "Oh hello, this is so-and-so, we're just phoning up to find out if you're going to accept your honour?" "I said, "Oh, thank you, what honour?" and they went, "Your OBE."

OBE shock for Helen; HONOURS

I JUST wanted to say what an excellent reply you gave to the woman who was moaning about her husband spending too much time with his elderly and sick mother - what a selfish so-and-so she is (Dear Coleen, May 11).

you say

One element of Connick's persona that the show will highlight in particular, according to fellow exec producer (and Justin's brother) Eric Stangel: 'He is a FUNNY (so-and-so)!'

Harrick Connick Jr. aims to surprise viewers-and himself

However, the New Yorker adds: "When history looks at the final, it's not going to say, 'we had so-and-so injured'.

'Over the last couple of weeks, it has been a nightmare'

Carwyn James was a boring topic to Carwyn James, unlike your latest novel, your new song, your last programme, the remark made by so-and-so to so-and-so or, better still, the recent intelligence about the Welsh Rugby Union, which he sometimes called 'the Onion'.

MORNING SERIAL

DEAR MISS MANNERS: For years I have wondered why, when someone feels the need to thank someone else, most begin with the phrase, "I would like to thank so-and-so for doing so-and-so.''

What's proper way to thank? Sincerely

There is always the question, "Yeah, but doesn't so-and-so shoot Brand X because he's sponsored by that company, and paid to shoot Brand X?" Sometimes, the answer to that question is, in fact, "Yes." But it's amazing how often the answer is, "So-and-so was winning with Brand X before Brand X got wind of it, and that's why Brand X chose to sponsor him (or her)."

Selling the guns of the champions

so-and-so snogged so-and-so the other week,' who was going out with so-and-so.

Charlotte: 'I'd hate to see the press muzzled'