thing

¹

[ thing ]

noun

1. a material object without life or consciousness; an inanimate object.
2. some entity, object, or creature that is not or cannot be specifically designated or precisely described:

   The stick had a brass thing on it.

3. anything that is or may become an object of thought:

   things of the spirit.

4. things, matters; affairs:

   Things are going well now.

5. a fact, circumstance, or state of affairs:

   It is a curious thing.

6. an action, deed, event, or performance:

   to do great things; His death was a horrible thing.

7. a particular, respect, or detail:

   perfect in all things.

8. an aim; objective:

   The thing is to reach this line with the ball.

9. an article of clothing:

   I don't have a thing to wear.

10. things,
    1. implements, utensils, or other articles for service:

       I'll wash the breakfast things.

    2. personal possessions or belongings:

       Pack your things and go!

11. a task; chore:

    I've got a lot of things to do today.

12. a living being or creature:

    His baby's a cute little thing.

13. a thought or statement:

    I have just one thing to say to you.

14. Informal. a particular interest or talent:

    Sports is not my thing.

15. Informal. a peculiar attitude or feeling, either positive or negative, toward something; mental quirk:

    She has a thing about cats.

16. something signified or represented, as distinguished from a word, symbol, or idea representing it.
17. a topic, behavior, or activity involving or limited to a specified group:

    It’s a girl thing, so you wouldn’t understand.

18. Informal. something that people do (often used in expressions of mild disapproval or mockery):

    Since when did clapping at the end of a movie become a thing?

19. Law. anything that may be the subject of a property right.
20. new thing, Jazz. free jazz.
21. the thing,
    1. something that is correct or fashionable:

       That caf é is the thing now.

    2. that which is expedient or necessary:

       The thing to do is to tell them the truth.

thing

²

[ thing, ting ]

noun

1. (in Scandinavian countries) a public meeting or assembly, especially a legislative assembly or a court of law. Compare thingstead.

thing

¹

/ θɪŋ /

noun

1. an object, fact, affair, circumstance, or concept considered as being a separate entity
2. any inanimate object
3. an object or entity that cannot or need not be precisely named
4. informal.
   a person or animal regarded as the object of pity, contempt, etc

   you poor thing

5. an event or act
6. a thought or statement
7. law any object or right that may be the subject of property (as distinguished from a person)
8. a device, means, or instrument
9. often plural a possession, article of clothing, etc
10. informal.
    the normal pattern of behaviour in a particular context

    not interested in the marriage thing

11. informal.
    a mental attitude, preoccupation or obsession (esp in the phrase have a thing about )
12. an activity or mode of behaviour satisfying to one's personality (esp in the phrase do one's ( own ) thing )
13. the done thing
    acceptable or normal behaviour
14. the thing
    the latest fashion
15. be on to a good thing
    to be in a profitable situation or position
16. make a thing of
    to make a fuss about; exaggerate the importance of

thing

²

/ θɪŋ; tɪŋ /

noun

1. often capital a law court or public assembly in the Scandinavian countries Alsoting

Word History and Origins

Origin of thing¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English: originally, “meeting”; thing ²none

Origin of thing²

First recorded in 1820–30; from Old Norse: “assembly, meeting”; cognate with thing ¹, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish ting, Dutch ding, German Ding “thing,” originally, “meeting”; akin to Gothic theihs “time”

Word History and Origins

Origin of thing¹

Old English thing assembly; related to Old Norse thing assembly, Old High German ding assembly

Origin of thing²

C19: from Old Norse thing assembly (the same word as thing ¹)

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. do / find one's own thing, Informal. to pursue a lifestyle that expresses one's self. Also dofind one's thing.
2. make a good thing of, Informal. to turn (a situation, experience, etc.) to one's own profit; benefit by:

   She made a good thing of her spare-time hobbies.

3. not to get a thing out of,
   1. to be unable to obtain information or news from:

      The police couldn't get a thing out of him.

   2. to fail to appreciate, understand, or derive aesthetic pleasure from:

      My wife likes opera, but I don't get a thing out of it.

4. see / hear things, Informal. to have hallucinations.

More idioms and phrases containing thing

In addition to the idiom beginning with thing , also see all the rage (thing) ; all things to all men ; amount to the same thing ; do one's thing ; first thing ; first things first ; for one (thing) ; get (a thing) going ; get into the swing of things ; greatest thing since sliced bread ; have a good thing going ; have a thing about ; just one of those things ; know all the answers (a thing or two) ; little knowledge is a dangerous thing ; near thing ; no such thing ; not know beans (the first thing) ; of all things ; other things being equal ; seeing things ; sure thing ; the latest (thing) ; the thing ; the thing is ; too much of a good thing ; very thing .

Example Sentences

In George Orwell’s classic depiction of an authoritarian society, “Nineteen Eighty-four,” a key component of political control is the state’s erasure of history: “Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book has been rewritten … every date has been altered. … After the thing is done, no evidence ever remains.”

From Los Angeles Times

One thing the veteran refuses to envision is retirement.

From Los Angeles Times

“It was like we were the Three Stooges. I’m the brains, of course. Chris is the criminal muscle. And Guillaume is the heart. Together, we’re one thing, and I like that. The most fun scenes were the scenes where we were in the car all together.”

From Los Angeles Times

“Out of everything we did, I think that was the thing we did least intentionally,” Alvarez says.

From Los Angeles Times

That’s a small thing, though, fairly easily ignored.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• anything
• business
• concept
• concern
• element
• everything
• fact
• information
• item
• material
• matter
• object
• part
• person
• phenomenon
• piece
• point
• situation
• stuff
• subject