any

[en-ee]

See more synonyms for any on Thesaurus.com

adjective

one, a, an, or some; one or more without specification or identification: If you have any witnesses, produce them. Pick out any six you like.
whatever or whichever it may be: cheap at any price.
in whatever quantity or number, great or small; some: Do you have any butter?

every; all: Any schoolboy would know that. Read any books you find on the subject.
(following a negative) at all: She can't endure any criticism.

pronoun

an unspecified person or persons; anybody; anyone: He does better than any before him.
a single one or ones; an unspecified thing or things; a quantity or number: We don't have any left.

adverb

in whatever degree; to some extent; at all: Do you feel any better?

Idioms

any which way, in any manner whatever; indifferently or carelessly: Doing your work any which way is just not good enough.

Origin of any

before 950; Middle English eni, ani, Old English ǣnig (Old English ān one + -ig -y¹)

Synonyms

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3. See some.

Usage note

See anybody, anyone, anyplace, anyway, either, they.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

all several either each whatever

British Dictionary definitions for any

any

determiner

1. one, some, or several, as specified, no matter how much or many, what kind or quality, etcany cheese in the cupboard is yours; you may take any clothes you like
2. (as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural)take any you like
(usually used with a negative)
1. even the smallest amount or even oneI can't stand any noise
2. (as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural)don't give her any
whatever or whichever; no matter what or whichany dictionary will do; any time of day
an indefinite or unlimited amount or number (esp in the phrases any amount or number)any number of friends

adverb

(usually used with a negative)
1. (foll by a comparative adjective)to even the smallest extentit isn't any worse now
2. not standardat allhe doesn't care any

Word Origin

Old English ǣnig; related to Old Frisian ēnig, Old High German einag, Old Norse einigr anyone, Latin ūnicus unique; see an 1, one

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for any

adj.

Old English ænig "any, anyone," literally "one-y," from Proto-Germanic *ainagas (cf. Old Saxon enig, Old Norse einigr, Old Frisian enich, Dutch enig, German einig), from PIE *oi-no- "one, unique" (see one). The -y may have diminutive force here.

Emphatic form any old ______ (British variant: any bloody ______) is recorded from 1896. At any rate is recorded from 1847. Among the large family of compounds beginning with any-, anykyn "any kind" (c.1300) did not survive, and Anywhen (1831) is rarely used, but OED calls it "common in Southern [British] dialects."

Idioms and Phrases with any

any

In addition to the idioms beginning with any

any day
any longer
any number of
any old
any port in a storm

also see:

at any rate
by any means
go to any length
in any case
under any (no) circumstances