Т-109

НИ ТО НИ СЁ coll, usu. disapprov NP Invar usu. this WO

1. ( subj-compl with бытье, оказаться (subj: human or nonagreeing modif ) a person or thing that lacks distinguishing characteristics or features, that is mediocre

neither this nor that

neither one thing nor the other nothing out of the ordinary run-of-the-mill nondescript (in limited contexts) betwixt and between.

...В одном звуке этого слова (миллионщик)... заключается что-то такое, которое действует и на людей подлецов, и на людей ни то ни сё, и на людей хороших, - словом, на всех действует (Гоголь 3). ...The mere sound of the word ("millionaire")... contains something that affects people of all descriptions: the ones who are scoundrels, the ones who are neither this nor that, and those who are really good-in short, it affects everybody (3c).

Есть род людей, известных под именем: люди так себе, ни то ни сё... (Гоголь 3). There is a type of man who is described as "so-so," neither one thing nor the other... (3a).

2. rare

adv

in a mediocre way, neither well nor poorly, neither positively nor negatively etc

so-so

fair to middling.

«Как твой сын учится?» - «Ни то ни сё». "How is your son doing in school?" "Fair to middling."

3. rare (often used as an indep. remark) used to relay one's own or someone else's previous or expected noncommittal response to a question, suggestion etc

neither yes nor no

one remains noncommittal one doesn't give ( s.o. ) any definite answer.