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such

[suhch]
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adjective
  1. of the kind, character, degree, extent, etc., of that or those indicated or implied: Such a man is dangerous.
  2. of that particular kind or character: The food, such as it was, was plentiful.
  3. like or similar: tea, coffee, and such commodities.
  4. (used with omission of an indication of comparison) of so extreme a kind; so great, good, bad, etc.: He is such a liar.
  5. being as stated or indicated: Such is the case.
  6. being the person or thing or the persons or things indicated: If any member be behind in his dues, such member shall be suspended.
  7. definite but not specified; such and such: Allow such an amount for food and such an amount for rent.
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adverb
  1. so; very; to such a degree: such pleasant people.
  2. in such a way or manner.
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pronoun
  1. such a person or thing or such persons or things: kings, princes, and such.
  2. someone or something indicated or exemplified: He claims to be a friend but is not such.
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Idioms
  1. as such. as1(def 28).
  2. such as,
    1. of the kind specified: A plan such as you propose will never succeed.
    2. for example: He considers quiet pastimes, such as reading and chess, a bore.
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Origin of such

before 900; Middle English such, swulch, suilch, Old English swilc, swelc < Germanic *swa so1 + *līko- like1; cognate with German solch, Old Norse slīkr, Gothic swaleiks
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

aforesaidakinalikeanalogouscomparablecorrespondingequivalentlikeparallelsaidsimilarthatthissuchlike

Examples from the Web for such

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • Now you and sis never get up with any such light poetic notion as that.

    The Spenders

    Harry Leon Wilson

  • But if she had any such thing I'm sure it was ended, and she'd have jumped at this chance a year ago.

    The Spenders

    Harry Leon Wilson

  • My very blood boiled in my veins, that such an one as he could give me pain.

    Philothea

    Lydia Maria Child

  • "Such an edict was passed because Athens is not a republic," replied Philæmon.

    Philothea

    Lydia Maria Child

  • I can't conceive how such damage could have happened to the boat.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

British Dictionary definitions for such

such

determiner (often foll by a corresponding subordinate clause introduced by that or as)
    1. of the sort specified or understoodsuch books shouldn't be sold here
    2. (as pronoun)such is life; robbers, rapists, and such
  2. so great; so muchsuch a help; I've never seen such weeping
  3. as such
    1. in the capacity previously specified or understooda judge as such hasn't so much power
    2. in itself or themselvesintelligence as such can't guarantee success
  4. such and such specific, but not known or namedat such and such a time
  5. such as
    1. for exampleanimals, such as elephants and tigers
    2. of a similar kind as; likepeople such as your friend John make me angry
    3. of the (usually small) amount, etcthe food, such as there was, was excellent
  6. such that so that: used to express purpose or resultpower such that it was effortless
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adverb
  1. (intensifier)such nice people; such a nice person that I gave him a present
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Word Origin

Old English swilc; related to Old Frisian sālik, Old Norse slīkr, Gothic swaleiks, Old High German sulih
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 such

adj.

Old English swylc, swilc from a Proto-Germanic compound *swalikaz "so formed" (cf. Old Saxon sulik, Old Norse slikr, Old Frisian selik, Middle Dutch selc, Dutch zulk, Old High German sulih, German solch, Gothic swaleiks), from swa "so" (see so) + *likan "form," source of Old English gelic "similar" (see like). Colloquial suchlike (early 15c.) is pleonastic.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper