anything English · revision 1810

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=c. 700 (Old English)}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈen.i.θɪŋ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|anything]], also [[m|enm|enything]],^(MWU 2024) [[inh|ang|ǣniġ þing]],^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) a compound of [[m|ang|ǣniġ|t=any]] and [[m|ang|þing|t=thing]],^(MWU 2024) that is, [[any]] and [[thing]].^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) It was written as two words at first.^(SOED 2002) The adverb continues Old English [[m|ang|ǣniġe þinga|t=to any extent]], an instrumental form of the same phrase,^(MWU 2024) which also glossed Latin [[m|la|quoquo modo|t=in whatever way]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In any measure, to any extent, as an adverb (Old English, about 700).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The pronoun, “any thing whatever”, is recorded from about 1000,^(OED 1989) and the noun use, “a thing of any kind”, from 1596 in Shakespeare (“my horse, my ox, my ass, my anything”).^(MWU 2024)^(OED 1989) The phrase ''anything but'', “by no means, the very reverse”, is from 1805–6.^(OED 1989) Colloquial intensifying phrases include ''like anything'' and ''as … as anything'' (''clear as anything'').^(SOED 2002)^(COED 2004)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 700 – adverb, to any extent.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1000 – pronoun, any thing whatever.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1596 – noun, a thing of any kind (Shakespeare).^(MWU 2024)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1805–6 – ''anything but''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # Any object, event or matter at all: ''anything might happen''.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # Something or someone of importance.^(AHD)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # In any way; at all: ''not anything like her parents''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[thing]]

+ * [[nothing]]

+ * [[something]]

+ * [[everything]]

+ * [[anybody]]

+ * [[anyone]]

+ * [[anywhere]]

+ * [[any]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Anything but'' means “not at all” (''anything but happy''), and ''anything goes'' means that anything is permitted.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}