suffice it to say

English

Alternative forms

• suffice to say

Etymology

Optative clause with the verb suffice in the present subjunctive form, thus “may it be sufficient to say”.

Phrase

suffice it to say

1. An introduction to a statement that will be brief, indicating that further discussion would be futile, too lengthy, too private, etc.

   Suffice it to say that we will not be buying you any more cars in the future.

   There are different theories as to what may have happened precisely. Suffice it to say that we’ve never seen him again.

   • 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:

     Suffice it to say, that we did, after incredible hardships and privations, reach the Zambesi, which proved to be about a hundred and seventy miles south of where Billali left us.

   • 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Citadel:

     Xeltan: I cannot speak more about this problem; it is too sensitive. Suffice it to say, she has compromised my authority as a diplomat.

Translations

Translations

• Czech: řeknu jen tolik, že, stačí, když řeknu
• Finnish: sanottakoon sen verran
• German: es genügt zu sagen
• Polish: dosyć (pl), dość (pl), dość powiedzieć

See also

• needless to say