thing

¹ American  

[thing] / θɪŋ /

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.

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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.

thing ² American  

[thing, ting] / θɪŋ, tɪŋ /

noun

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

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thing ¹ British  

/ 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

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thing ² British  

/ θɪŋ, tɪŋ /

noun

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

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thing More Idioms  

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

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Etymology

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”

Example Sentences

The Journal previously reported that the company’s estranged founder, Chip Wilson, had privately been taking steps to run a proxy fight, frustrated with Lululemon “losing its cool,” among other things.

From The Wall Street Journal

Halfway through my reign, social media became a thing.

From Los Angeles Times

As with so many things in public markets today, much of the action revolves around a private company, OpenAI.

From Barron's

“This is the biggest thing ever to happen on drug pricing and on health care.”

From Barron's

Change starts internally, with each of us accepting that the only way things will get better is if we tackle challenges in our own backyards.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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