Adjacent Words

It definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

IT, pron. [L. id.]
1. A substitute or pronoun of the neuter gender, sometimes called demonstrative, and standing for any thing except males and females, "Keep thy heart with all diligence,for out of it are the issues of life." Proverbs 9. Here it is the substitute for heart.
2. It is much used as the nominative case or word to verbs called impersonal; as it rains; it snows. In this case,there is no determinate thing to which it can be referred.
In other cases, it may be referred to matter, affair, or some other word. Is it come to this?
3. Very often, it is used to introduce a sentence, preceding a verb as a nominative, but referring to a clause or distinct member of the sentence. "It is well ascertained, that the figure of the earth is an oblate spheroid." What is well ascertained?
The answer will show: the figure of the earth is an oblate spheroid; it [that] is well ascertained. Here it represents the clause of the sentence,"the figure of the earth," etc. If the order of the sentence is inverted, the use of it is superseded. The figure of the earth is an oblate spheroid; that is well ascertained.
It, like that, is often a substitute for a sentence or clause of a sentence.
4. It often begins a sentence, when a personal pronoun, or the name of a person, or a masculine noun follows. It is I: be not afraid. It was Judas who betrayed Christ. When a question is asked, it follows the verb; as, who was it that betrayed Christ?
5. It is used also for the state of a person or affair.
How is it with our general?
6. It is used after intransitive verbs very indefinitely and sometimes ludicrously, but rarely in an elevated style.
If Abraham brought all with him, it is not probable he meant to walk it back for his pleasure.
The Lacedemonians, at the straits of Thermopylae, when their arms failed them, fought it out with nails and teeth.
Whether the charmer sinner it, or saint it.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the branch of engineering that deals with the use of computers and telecommunications to retrieve and store and transmit information [syn: information technology, IT]

Merriam Webster's

abbreviation Italian; Italy

Merriam Webster's

abbreviation information technology

Merriam Webster's

I. pronoun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hit — more at he Date: before 12th century 1. that one — used as subject or direct object or indirect object of a verb or object of a preposition usually in reference to a lifeless thing <took a quick look at the house and noticed it was very old>, a plant <there is a rosebush near the fence and it is now blooming>, a person or animal whose sex is unknown or disregarded <don't know who it is>, a group of individuals or things, or an abstract entity <beauty is everywhere and it is a source of joy> — compare he, its, she, they 2. — used as subject of an impersonal verb that expresses a condition or action without reference to an agent <it is raining> 3. a. — used as anticipatory subject or object of a verb <it is necessary to repeat the whole thing> — often used to shift emphasis to a part of a statement other than the subject <it was in this city that the treaty was signed> b. — used with many verbs as a direct object with little or no meaning <footed it back to camp> 4. — used to refer to an explicit or implicit state of affairs or circumstances <how is it going> 5. a crucial or climactic point <this is it> II. noun Date: 1842 the player in a game who performs the principal action of the game (as trying to find others in hide-and-seek)

Oxford Reference Dictionary

abbr. information technology.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. pron. (poss. its; pl. they) 1 the thing (or occas. the animal or child) previously named or in question (took a stone and threw it). 2 the person in question (Who is it? It is I; is it a boy or a girl?). 3 as the subject of an impersonal verb (it is raining; it is winter; it is Tuesday; it is two miles to Bath). 4 as a substitute for a deferred subject or object (it is intolerable, this delay; it is silly to talk like that; I take it that you agree). 5 as a substitute for a vague object (brazen it out; run for it!). 6 as the antecedent to a relative word (it was an owl I heard). 7 exactly what is needed (absolutely it). 8 the extreme limit of achievement. 9 colloq. sexual intercourse; sex appeal. 10 (in children's games) a player who has to perform a required feat, esp. to catch the others. Phrases and idioms: that's it colloq. that is: 1 what is required. 2 the difficulty. 3 the end, enough. this is it colloq. 1 the expected event is at hand. 2 this is the difficulty. Etymology: OE hit neut. of HE 2. n. colloq. Italian vermouth (gin and it). Etymology: abbr.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

It It, pron. [OE. it, hit, AS. hit; cf. D. het. [root]181. See He.] The neuter pronoun of the third person, corresponding to the masculine pronoun he and the feminine she, and having the same plural (they, their or theirs, them). Note: The possessive form its is modern, being rarely found in the writings of Shakespeare and Milton, and not at all in the original King James's version of the Bible. During the transition from the regular his to the anomalous its, it was to some extent employed in the possessive without the case ending. See His, and He. In Dryden's time its had become quite established as the regular form. The day present hath ever inough to do with it owne grief. --Genevan Test. Do, child, go to it grandam, child. --Shak. It knighthood shall do worse. It shall fright all it friends with borrowing letters. --B. Jonson. Note: In the course of time, the nature of the neuter sign i in it, the form being found in but a few words, became misunderstood. Instead of being looked upon as an affix, it passed for part of the original word. Hence was formed from it the anomalous genitive it, superseding the Saxon his. --Latham. The fruit tree yielding fruit after his (its) kind. --Gen. i. 11. Usage: It is used, 1. As a substance for any noun of the neuter gender; as, here is the book, take it home. 2. As a demonstrative, especially at the beginning of a sentence, pointing to that which is about to be stated, named, or mentioned, or referring to that which apparent or well known; as, I saw it was John. It is I; be not afraid. --Matt. xiv. 27. Peter heard that it was the Lord. --John xxi. 7. Often, in such cases, as a substitute for a sentence or clause; as, it is thought he will come; it is wrong to do this. 3. As an indefinite nominative for a impersonal verb; as, it snows; it rains. 4. As a substitute for such general terms as, the state of affairs, the condition of things, and the like; as, how is it with the sick man? Think on me when it shall be well with thee. --Gen. xl. 14. 5. As an indefinite object after some intransitive verbs, or after a substantive used humorously as a verb; as, to foot it (i. e., to walk). The Lacedemonians, at the Straits of Thermopyl[ae], when their arms failed them, fought it out with nails and teeth. --Dryden. Whether the charmer sinner it, or saint it, If folly grows romantic, I must paint it. --Pope. Its self. See Itself.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

But what is used for but that, usually after a negative, and excludes everything contrary to the assertion in the following sentence. ``Her needle is not so absolutely perfect in tent and cross stitch but what my superintendence is advisable.'' --Sir W. Scott. ``Never fear but what our kite shall fly as high.'' --Ld. Lytton. What ho! an exclamation of calling. What if, what will it matter if; what will happen or be the result if. ``What if it be a poison?'' --Shak. What of this? that? it? etc., what follows from this, that, it, etc., often with the implication that it is of no consequence. ``All this is so; but what of this, my lord?'' --Shak. ``The night is spent, why, what of that?'' --Shak. What though, even granting that; allowing that; supposing it true that. ``What though the rose have prickles, yet't is plucked.'' --Shak. What time, or What time as, when. [Obs. or Archaic] ``What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.'' --Ps. lvi. 3. What time the morn mysterious visions brings. --Pope.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Personal Per"son*al, a. [L. personalis: cf. F. personnel.] 1. Pertaining to human beings as distinct from things. Every man so termed by way of personal difference. --Hooker. 2. Of or pertaining to a particular person; relating to, or affecting, an individual, or each of many individuals; peculiar or proper to private concerns; not public or general; as, personal comfort; personal desire. The words are conditional, -- If thou doest well, -- and so personal to Cain. --Locke. 3. Pertaining to the external or bodily appearance; corporeal; as, personal charms. --Addison. 4. Done in person; without the intervention of another. ``Personal communication.'' --Fabyan. The immediate and personal speaking of God. --White. 5. Relating to an individual, his character, conduct, motives, or private affairs, in an invidious and offensive manner; as, personal reflections or remarks. 6. (Gram.) Denoting person; as, a personal pronoun. Personal action (Law), a suit or action by which a man claims a debt or personal duty, or damages in lieu of it; or wherein he claims satisfaction in damages for an injury to his person or property, or the specific recovery of goods or chattels; -- opposed to real action. Personal equation. (Astron.) See under Equation. Personal estate or property (Law), movables; chattels; -- opposed to real estate or property. It usually consists of things temporary and movable, including all subjects of property not of a freehold nature. Personal identity (Metaph.), the persistent and continuous unity of the individual person, which is attested by consciousness. Personal pronoun (Gram.), one of the pronouns I, thou, he, she, it, and their plurals. Personal representatives (Law), the executors or administrators of a person deceased. Personal rights, rights appertaining to the person; as, the rights of a personal security, personal liberty, and private property. Personal tithes. See under Tithe. Personal verb (Gram.), a verb which is modified or inflected to correspond with the three persons.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. Note: 'It' is a third person singular pronoun. 'It' is used as the subject or object of a verb, or as the object of a preposition. 1. You use it to refer to an object, animal, or other thing that has already been mentioned. It's a wonderful city, really. I'll show it to you if you want... My wife has become crippled by arthritis. She is embarrassed to ask the doctor about it... PRON 2. You use it to refer to a child or baby whose sex you do not know or whose sex is not relevant to what you are saying. She could, if she wanted, compel him, through a court of law, to support the child after it was born... PRON 3. You use it to refer in a general way to a situation that you have just described. He was through with sports, not because he had to be but because he wanted it that way... PRON 4. You use it before certain nouns, adjectives, and verbs to introduce your feelings or point of view about a situation. It was nice to see Steve again... It seems that you are letting things get you down. PRON 5. You use it in passive clauses which report a situation or event. It has been said that stress causes cancer... PRON 6. You use it with some verbs that need a subject or object, although there is no noun that it refers to. Of course, as it turned out, three-fourths of the people in the group were psychiatrists... PRON 7. You use it as the subject of 'be', to say what the time, day, or date is. It's three o'clock in the morning... It was a Monday, so she was at home... PRON 8. You use it as the subject of a link verb to describe the weather, the light, or the temperature. It was very wet and windy the day I drove over the hill to Milland... It's getting dark. Let's go inside... PRON 9. You use it when you are telling someone who you are, or asking them who they are, especially at the beginning of a phone call. You also use it in statements and questions about the identity of other people. 'Who is it?' he called.—'It's your neighbor.'... Hello Freddy, it's only me, Maxine. PRON 10. When you are emphasizing or drawing attention to something, you can put that thing immediately after it and a form of the verb 'be'. It was the country's rulers who devised this system... PRON [emphasis] 11. You use it in expressions such as it's not that or it's not simply that when you are giving a reason for something and are suggesting that there are several other reasons. It's not that I didn't want to be with my family... PHRASE 12. if it wasn't for: see be

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

IT is an abbreviation for information technology.

Dictionary of Ro

till

Moby Thesaurus

I, I myself, alter, alter ego, alterum, better self, ego, ethical self, he, her, herself, him, himself, inner man, inner self, me, my humble self, myself, not an illusion, number one, oneself, other self, ourselves, self, she, subconscious self, subliminal self, superego, the article, the genuine article, the goods, the very model, the very thing, them, themselves, they, you, yours truly, yourself, yourselves