unknown quantity

un·known quan·ti·ty

U u

Definitions of unknown quantity words

noun unknown quantity mathematics: amount not known 1
noun unknown quantity person, thing: unfamiliar, unpredictable 1
phrase unknown quantity If you say that someone or something is an unknown quantity, you mean that not much is known about what they are like or how they will behave. 0
noun unknown quantity a person or thing whose action, effect, etc, is unknown or unpredictable 0
noun unknown quantity (Idiomatic) A person or thing whose nature or value is a mystery. 0

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A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 87% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

dark horse — If you describe someone as a dark horse, you mean that people know very little about them, although they may have recently had success or may be about to have success.
if — a supposition; uncertain possibility: The future is full of ifs.

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