Adjacent Words

Something definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SOMETHING, n. [some and thing.]
1. An indeterminate or unknown event. Something must have happened to prevent the arrival of our friends at the time fixed. I shall call at two o'clock, unless something should prevent. [See Thing.]
2. A substance or material thing, unknown indeterminate or not specified. A machine stops because something obstructs its motion. There must be something to support a wall or an arch.
3. A part; a portion more or less. Something yet of doubt remains. Still from his little he could something spare, to feed the hungry and to clothe the bare. Something of it arises from our infant state.
4. A little; an indefinite quantity or degree. The man asked me a dollar, but I gave him something more.
5. Distance not great. It must be done tonight, and something from the palace.
6. Something is used adverbially for in some degree; as, he was something discouraged; but the use in not elegant.

Merriam Webster's

I. pronoun Date: before 12th century 1. a. some indeterminate or unspecified thing b. some indeterminate amount more than a specified number — used in combination <twenty-something years old> <a group of fifty-somethings> 2. a person or thing of consequence 3. one having more or less the character, qualities, or nature of something different <is something of a bore> II. adverb Date: 13th century 1. in some degree ; somewhat 2. — used as an intensive giving adverbial force to an adjective <swears something awful>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n., pron., & adv. --n. & pron. 1 a some unspecified or unknown thing (have something to tell you; something has happened). b (in full something or other) as a substitute for an unknown or forgotten description (a student of something or other). 2 a known or understood but unexpressed quantity, quality, or extent (there is something about it I do not like; is something of a fool). 3 colloq. an important or notable person or thing (the party was quite something). --adv. archaic in some degree. Phrases and idioms: or something or some unspecified alternative possibility (must have run away or something). see something of encounter (a person) briefly or occasionally. something else 1 something different. 2 colloq. something exceptional. something like 1 an amount in the region of (left something like a million pounds). 2 somewhat like (shaped something like a cigar). 3 colloq. impressive; a fine specimen of. something of to some extent; in some sense (is something of an expert). Etymology: OE sum thing (as SOME, THING)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Something Some"thing, adv. In some degree; somewhat; to some extent; at some distance. --Shak. I something fear my father's wrath. --Shak. We have something fairer play than a reasoner could have expected formerly. --Burke. My sense of touch is something coarse. --Tennyson. It must be done to-night, And something from the palace. --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Something Some"thing, n. 1. Anything unknown, undetermined, or not specifically designated; a certain indefinite thing; an indeterminate or unknown event; an unspecified task, work, or thing. There is something in the wind. --Shak. The whole world has something to do, something to talk of, something to wish for, and something to be employed about. --Pope. Something attemped, something done, Has earned a night's repose. --Longfellow. 2. A part; a portion, more or less; an indefinite quantity or degree; a little. Something yet of doubt remains. --Milton. Something of it arises from our infant state. --I. Watts. 3. A person or thing importance. If a man thinketh himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. --Gal. vi. 3.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. You use something to refer to a thing, situation, event, or idea, without saying exactly what it is. He realized right away that there was something wrong... There was something vaguely familiar about him... The garden was something special... 'You said there was something you wanted to ask me,' he said politely... There was something in her attitude that bothered him... PRON: oft PRON adj, PRON adj about n 2. You can use something to say that the description or amount that you are giving is not exact. Clive made a noise, something like a grunt... There was something around a thousand dollars in the office strong box... Their membership seems to have risen to something over 10,000. PRON: PRON prep 3. If you say that a person or thing is something or is really something, you mean that you are very impressed by them. (INFORMAL) The doors here are really something, all made of good wood like mahogany... PRON 4. You can use something in expressions like 'that's something' when you think that a situation is not very good but is better that it might have been. Well, at least he was in town. That was something... PRON 5. If you say that a thing is something of a disappointment, you mean that it is quite disappointing. If you say that a person is something of an artist, you mean that they are quite good at art. The city proved to be something of a disappointment... She received something of a surprise when Robert said that he was coming to New York... PRON: PRON of n 6. If you say that there is something in an idea or suggestion, you mean that it is quite good and should be considered seriously. Christianity has stood the test of time, so there must be something in it... Could there be something in what he said? PRON: PRON in n 7. You use something in expressions such as 'or something' and 'or something like that' to indicate that you are referring to something similar to what you have just mentioned but you are not being exact. This guy, his name was Briarly or Beardly or something... The air fare was about a hundred and ninety-nine pounds or something like that. PRON [vagueness] 8. something like: see like

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. A thing (indefinitely). 2. A part, a portion. 3. Somebody, a person of consequence. 4. A thing, matter, affair, event. II. ad. See somewhat.

Moby Thesaurus

Establishment, VIP, affair, an existence, any, anything, article, artifact, aught, baron, being, big gun, big man, big name, bigwig, body, brass, brass hat, celebrity, creature, critter, dignitary, dignity, dingus, dofunny, dohickey, dojigger, dojiggy, domajig, domajigger, doodad, dowhacky, elder, entelechy, entity, eppes, etwas, existence, existent, fairly, father, figure, flumadiddle, gadget, gigamaree, gimmick, gizmo, great man, hickey, hootenanny, hootmalalie, important person, individual, interests, jigger, kind of, life, lion, lords of creation, magnate, man of mark, material thing, moderately, mogul, monad, more or less, nabob, name, notability, notable, object, organism, panjandrum, person, person of renown, persona, personage, personality, pillar of society, power, power elite, pretty, quelque chose, rather, ruling circle, sachem, some, somebody, somewhat, sort of, soul, the great, the top, thing, thingum, thingumabob, thingumadad, thingumadoodle, thingumajig, thingumajigger, thingumaree, thingummy, top brass, top people, tycoon, unit, very important person, whatchy, widget, worthy