What does 'if not a little more so' mean in this sentence?
Of course, there was the pain of parting with father, who was just as perfect, if not a little more so.

What does 'if not a little more so' mean in this sentence? Help me please :)

Question

What does 'if not a little more so' mean in this sentence?
Of course, there was the pain of parting with father, who was just as perfect, if not  a little more so.

What does 'if not a little more so' mean in this sentence? Help me please :)

Answer

Based on that one sentence alone: Father was just as perfect as "someone," if not a little more perfect than than someone. The someone has to be determined by context, such as other sentences nearby.

"if not a little more so" = the speaker either implies or is leaving open the possibility that father was "a little more something [in this case, perfect] than someone else.

Answers · 2

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