it's a way to express steps in a continuum (given by the context): - not close (1) - close (2) - very close (3) - arrived (4) That's how language works. It's no

it's a way to express steps in a continuum (given by the context): - not close (1) - close (2) - very close (3) - arrived (4) That's how language works. It's not mathematics and uses "salt and pepper" to convey the message as accurately as possible.