something English · revision 1771

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=c. 1000}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈsʌm.θɪŋ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|sum thing]], [[inh|ang|sum þing|t=a certain but unknown thing]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) [[af|ang|sum|þing]] (see [[some]] and [[thing]]).^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Some unspecified or indeterminate thing (c. 1000).^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The phrase was written with a hyphen from about 1300 and as one word from the 17th century.^(Etymonline) From about 1200 it also meant a certain part or amount, often a small one, a slight trace.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) It was formerly common as an adverb meaning “to some degree, rather” (13th century),^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(MWU 2024) and in informal speech it now also means “extremely”, as in ''swears something awful''.^(MWU 2024)^(AHD) The sense of some food or drink dates from the 1570s (1778 for ''to take something'' in the OED),^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and that of a person or thing of importance from the 1580s.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) Later uses include ''make something of'' (1778), ''or something'' (1814) and ''something for nothing'' (1816).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) It stands in for a forgotten or unimportant name (1764),^(OED 1989) and as a combining form ''-something'' it marks an unspecified age or number, as in ''thirty-something''.^(MWU 2024)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1000 – an unspecified thing.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1200 – a part or amount.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 13th century – as an adverb, somewhat.^(MW Collegiate)^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1570s – some food or drink.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1580s – a person or thing of importance.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1764 – a stand-in for a forgotten name.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1814 – ''or something''.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1816 – ''something for nothing''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # A thing that is not specified, known or remembered.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(SOED 2002)

+ # An amount or part, often a small one; a trace.^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A thing having much the same qualities as another, as in ''something of a poet''.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A remarkable or important person or thing.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Somewhat; to some degree.^(AHD)^(MWU 2024)

+ # ''(informal)'' Extremely, as in ''something awful''.^(AHD)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[thing]]

+ * [[nothing]]

+ * [[anything]]

+ * [[everything]]

+ * [[somebody]]

+ * [[someone]]

+ * [[somewhere]]

+ * [[some]]

+ * [[somewhat]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}