something

[ suhm-thing ]

pronoun

1. some thing; a certain undetermined or unspecified thing:

   Something is wrong there.

   Something's happening.

2. an additional amount, as of cents or minutes, that is unknown, unspecified, or forgotten:

   He charged me ten something for the hat.

   Our train gets in at two something.

noun

1. Informal. a person or thing of some value or consequence:

   He is really something!

   This writer has something to say and she says it well.

adverb

1. in some degree; to some extent; somewhat.
2. Informal. to a high or extreme degree; quite:

   He took on something fierce about my tardiness.

something

¹

/ ˈsʌmθɪŋ /

pronoun

1. an unspecified or unknown thing; some thing

   take something warm with you

   he knows something you don't

2. an unspecified or unknown amount; bit

   something less than a hundred

3. an impressive or important person, thing, or event

   isn't that something?

4. something else
   a remarkable person or thing
5. something or other
   one unspecified thing or an alternative thing

adverb

1. to some degree; a little; somewhat

   to look something like me

2. informal.
   foll by an adjective (intensifier)

   it hurts something awful

-something

²

combining form

1. 1. a person whose age can be approximately expressed by a specified decade
   2. ( as modifier )

      the thirtysomething market

Word History and Origins

Origin of something¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English sum thing; some, thing ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of something¹

C20: from the US television series thirtysomething

Idioms and Phrases

• buy something
• get (have) something on someone
• get something straight
• have something against
• hold something against
• hold (something) over
• look like something the cat dragged in
• make something of
• not put something past one
• on the ball, have something
• (something) or other
• pull something on
• start something
• take something
• you know something

Example Sentences

At this beach, more common than dolphins, is something much less beautiful - raw sewage being spilled by NI Water.

From BBC

“And this is the nature of the NBA season. You don’t have a ton of time. The things you emphasize, hopefully you get better at. And sometimes when you don’t emphasize something, or you don’t work on something because you don’t necessarily have time, or you think you’re good at it and you think you have buy-in at it, you just get slippage. We gotta clean that up.”

From Los Angeles Times

"There was no house or farm task I could not do before the incident, but now I can’t do anything properly. I depend on people to help with something as basic as washing clothes," she said.

From BBC

“My father has done something to prevent violence. What is the government doing?”

From BBC

Crystal Palace did get something out from their game with Newcastle - Daniel Munoz missed an unbelievable chance but made amends with his header right at the end.

From BBC

Related Words

• object
• thing