Dictionary

so be it en · X

Pronunciation

(Australia) audio

Etymology

Attested since late Old English.

Meanings

(idiomatic, subjunctive) An indication of acceptance, especially of a situation which is not entirely favorable.
- Minister of State: Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Prime Minister, I beg to introduce a bill entitled an Act to amend the Interpretation Act. Clerk: Interpretation (Amendment) Bill. Speaker: Second reading what day? Minister of State: At the next available sitting. Speaker: So be it.
- The reason was that China's stability was at stake, according to Singapore's statesman Lee Kuan Yew. He once said: "He (Deng Xiaoping) took over and said, "If I have to shoot 200,000 students to save China from another 100 years of disorder, so be it." 2014 October 10, Diane M. Francis, “Why Does China Get To Renege on Its Promise of Democracy in Hong Kong?”, in HuffPost:
- From storm to storm ! So be it, then. Born in throes, ’tis fit that man should live in pains and die in pangs! So be it, then! Here's stout stuff for woe to work on. So be it, then. 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “The Doubloon”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 480:
- It doesn't matter which party it is. If the people choose one, a Democrat, then so be it. 2009 February 22, This Week with George Stephanopoulos, via ABC:

be that as it may · it is what it is · sobeit · amen · let it be · as the case may be

Synonyms

so it goes · it is as it is · that's the way the ball bounces · c'est la vie · so is life · it is what it is · them's the breaks · that's the way it goes · that's life · shit happens · that's the way life is · such is life · it is how it is · so be it · that's life · be it so · it is what it is · that's the way the mop flops · that’s the way it plays · that's the way the cookie crumbles · that's that and this is this · life's a bitch

Translations (47)

he אמן (indication of acceptance) · nn det får så vera (indication of acceptance) · nb det får så være (indication of acceptance) · tr öyle olsun (indication of acceptance) · th ทำไปเลยถ้าอยากทำ (indication of acceptance) · sh u redu (indication of acceptance) · pt que seja (indication of acceptance) · fi olkoon menneeksi (indication of acceptance) · la transeat (indication of acceptance) · de sei's drum (indication of acceptance) · it transeat (indication of acceptance) · nl het zij zo (indication of acceptance) · ru быть по сему́ (indication of acceptance) · pt assim seja (indication of acceptance) · hi तथास्तु (indication of acceptance) · oj maanoon (indication of acceptance) · fr ainsi soit-il (indication of acceptance) · fr qu'il en soit ainsi (indication of acceptance) · pl niech będzie (indication of acceptance) · fr soit (indication of acceptance) · nb da så (indication of acceptance) · es así sea (indication of acceptance) · hu ám legyen (indication of acceptance) · nn la gå (indication of acceptance) · de so sei es (indication of acceptance) · it sia pure (indication of acceptance) · et olgu nii (indication of acceptance) · sa तथास्तु (indication of acceptance) · nb la gå (indication of acceptance) · ru так и бы́ть (indication of acceptance) · cmn 欽此 /钦此 (indication of acceptance) · sh neka (indication of acceptance) · it così sia (indication of acceptance) · ta ஆகட்டும் (indication of acceptance) · eo estu ĝi (indication of acceptance) · he ניחא (indication of acceptance) · cmn 就這樣吧 /就这样吧 (indication of acceptance) · sv då så (indication of acceptance) · nv tʼáá ákótʼée doo (indication of acceptance) · he מילא (indication of acceptance) · nn då så (indication of acceptance) · sh neka tako bude (indication of acceptance) · oj maanoo (indication of acceptance) · el ας είναι (indication of acceptance) · fi olkoon niin (indication of acceptance) · uk хай так (indication of acceptance) · srn a tan so (indication of acceptance)