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. Jazz.,  new thing, 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.

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. acceptable or normal behaviour

14. the latest fashion

15. to be in a profitable situation or position

16. to make a fuss about; exaggerate the importance of

thing

²

/ θɪŋ, tɪŋ /

noun

1. Also: ting. (often capital) a law court or public assembly in the Scandinavian countries

Word History and Origins

Origin of thing¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English: originally, “meeting”; thing ²

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, to pursue a lifestyle that expresses one's self. Also dofind one's thing.

2. 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.

3. make a good thing of, to turn (a situation, experience, etc.) to one's own profit; benefit by.

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

4. see / hear things, to have hallucinations.

More idioms and phrases containing thing

• 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

These results highlight that there is no such thing as a free lunch in financial markets.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The guard averaging 40 points per game claimed his defense was the only thing he did well on a night when he finished one rebound short of a triple-double.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"We are changing a lot of things; the structure, the way we want the players to behave. We are improving. Let's forget a little bit the past."

Read more on BBC

"We are changing a lot of things in the structure, the way we do things, the way we want the players to behave," said the 40-year-old coach.

Read more on Barron's

In this one, it may be the closest thing the Fed has to a real-time dashboard.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

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