everything English · revision 1818

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=c. 1225}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈev.ri.θɪŋ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It comes from the Middle English phrase [[m|enm|every thing]],^(MWU 2024)^(Webster's Third 1961) a compound, [[af|en|every|thing]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) long written as two words.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ All things, all (about 1225).^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The HTOED dates the word from about 1225, while Etymonline and the OED give the late 14th century.^(HTOED)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) As in ''anything'', ''something'' and ''nothing'', the element ''thing'' has lost its separate meaning.^(OED 1989) Etymonline defines the early sense as “all things, taken separately”.^(Etymonline) The colloquial use for something of supreme importance (''money isn't everything'') is recorded by 1889,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and ''to have everything'', “to have every attraction or advantage”, from 1845.^(OED 1989) A humorous plural noun, ''everythings'', appears from 1797.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1225 – all things.^(HTOED)

+ * c. 1385 – the OED's first quotation.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1797 – noun, things of every kind (humorous).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1845 – ''to have everything''.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1889 – something of supreme importance.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # All things, or all the things of a group.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+ # All that is relevant: ''told each other everything''.^(AHD)

+ # The most important thing: ''money isn't everything''.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)^(Chambers 2008)

+ # Life in general: ''how's everything?''^(COED 2004)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[theory of everything]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[anything]]

+ * [[every]]

+ * [[everybody]]

+ * [[everyone]]

+ * [[everywhen]]

+ * [[everywhere]]

+ * [[nothing]]

+ * [[something]]

+ * [[thing]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}