anything

[en-ee-thing]

pronoun

any thing whatever; something, no matter what: Do you have anything for a toothache?

noun

a thing of any kind.

adverb

in any degree; to any extent; in any way; at all: Does it taste anything like chocolate?

Idioms

anything but, in no degree or respect; not in the least: The plans were anything but definite.
anything goes, any type of conduct, dress, speech, etc., is considered acceptable or valid or is likely to be encountered and tolerated: That resort is a place where anything goes!

Origin of anything

before 900; Middle English ani thing, eni thing, Old English ǣnig thing. See any, thing¹

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

British Dictionary definitions for anything but

anything

pronoun

any object, event, action, etc, whateveranything might happen

noun

a thing of any kindhave you anything to declare?

adverb

in any wayhe wasn't anything like his father
anything but by no means; not in the leastshe was anything but happy
like anything (intensifier; usually euphemistic)he ran like anything

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 anything but

anything

late Old English aniþing, from any + thing. But Old English ænig þinga apparently also meant "somehow, anyhow" (glossing Latin quoquo modo).

Idioms and Phrases with anything but

anything but

By no means, not at all, as in He is anything but ambitious for a promotion. William Wordsworth in his long poem, The Prelude (1805–1806), wrote: “Grief call it not, 'twas anything but that.”

anything

In addition to the idioms beginning with anything

anything but
anything goes
anything like

also see:

can't do anything with
if anything
like anything
not anything like