kind of

Idioms and Phrases

Also, sort of . Rather, somewhat, as in I'm kind of hungry , or The bird looked sort of like a sparrow . [ Colloquial ; c. 1800] This usage should not be confused with a kind of or a sort of , which are much older and refer to a borderline member of a given category (as in a kind of a shelter or a sort of a bluish color ). Shakespeare had this usage in Two Gentlemen of Verona (3:1): “My master is a kind of a knave.” Also see of a kind .

Related Words

• rather