not to say

not to say

1. Even; perhaps; almost.
   • c. 1962, Jacqueline Shohet Kahanoff, “Wake of the Waves”, in Deborah A. Starr, Sasson Somekh, editors, Mongrels Or Marvels, Stanford University Press, published 2011, →ISBN, page 145:

     At first Marc was somewhat shocked, then he burst out laughing and finally came to the conclusion that actually it was all rather sad, not to say stupid.

not to say

1. Used to clarify a statement: not intended to mean.
   • 2024 June 26, Stephanie McNeal, “Influencers Aren’t Getting Famous Like They Used To”, in Glamour‎^[1]:

     “Without an engaged audience, there’s no route to stardom.” ¶ That’s not to say that Sophie thinks the internet celebrity is dead. They may just have to work a little harder for it.

• “that’s not to say”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.