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What does this mean:

We’ve all got to worry some. Just don’t let it conquer you. Instead, let it alarm you.

Worry some what?

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  • 3
    It's just colloquial AmE for a little bit. We've all got to worry a little bit.
    – Lambie
    Commented Jun 2, 2017 at 15:54
  • Also, standard English would be (all varieties): We've all got to worry somewhat.
    – Lambie
    Commented Jun 2, 2017 at 16:22
  • 1
    @Lambie You are right about it being colloquial American. It is a form rarely heard in Britain.
    – WS2
    Commented Jun 2, 2017 at 16:45

2 Answers 2

1

Your sentence example

We’ve all got to worry some.

has the meaning "We all have to worry in life". Some is used as an undefined quantity placeholder which may be a little, or may be a lot.

It is similar to the sayings

Into each life a little rain but fall.

The rest of the example

Just don’t let it conquer you. Instead, let it alarm you.

has the meaning to not let the worrying get you down.

-1

"Some" in this context has the meaning of "having worries" rather than "worrying to some degree". It's roughly equivalent to "people will always be in a position of having some worries", rather than "people always need to worry some amount".

The "got to" refers to people having to worry simply because they have life's worries (the worries are imposed on them externally), rather than people having a biological or other internal human characteristic need to worry some amount.

The other responses may indicate that there is some variation in meaning and usage across the population.

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  • -1 absolutely not Commented Jun 2, 2017 at 19:43
  • @Clare, that's a pretty definitive statement. Are you saying there is a contradictory authoritative source, or that there is one exclusive interpretation and it cannot be used in any other way, or that there is no segment of the population for whom the meaning is what I wrote? I believe that my explanation is a more accurate description of the meaning for at least some portion of the population.
    – fixer1234
    Commented Jun 2, 2017 at 20:03
  • @Clare, the original wording wasn't very accurate and I may understand what you were reacting to. I tried to make the answer clearer and more precise. Not sure if this addresses your concerns.
    – fixer1234
    Commented Jun 2, 2017 at 20:37

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