[th
is] 
,pronoun and adjective, plural these [theez] ; adverb | 1. | (used to indicate a person, thing, idea, state, event, time, remark, etc., as present, near, just mentioned or pointed out, supposed to be understood, or by way of emphasis): This is my coat. |
| 2. | (used to indicate one of two or more persons, things, etc., referring to the one nearer in place, time, or thought; opposed to that): This is Liza and that is Amy. |
| 3. | (used to indicate one of two or more persons, things, etc., implying a contrast or contradistinction; opposed to that): I'd take that instead of this. |
| 4. | what is about to follow: Now hear this! Watch this! |
| 5. | (used to indicate a person, place, thing, or degree as present, near, just indicated or mentioned, or as well-known or characteristic): These people are my friends. This problem has worried me for a long time. |
| 6. | (used to indicate the nearer in time, place, or thought of two persons, things, etc.; opposed to that). |
| 7. | (used to imply mere contradistinction; opposed to that). |
| 8. | (used in place of an indefinite article for emphasis): I was walking down the street when I heard this explosion. |
| 9. | (used with adjectives and adverbs of quantity or extent) to the extent or degree indicated: this far; this softly. |
| 10. | with this, following this; hereupon: With this, he threw down his glass and left the table. |
| these (thēz) pron. & adj. Plural of this. [Middle English, from Old English thæs, variant of thās, pl. of thes, this, this; see to- in Indo-European roots.] |
| this (thĭs) pron. pl. these (thēz)
[Middle English, from Old English; see to- in Indo-European roots.] Usage Note: This and that are both used as demonstrative pronouns to refer to a thought expressed earlier: The letter was unopened; that (or this) in itself casts doubt on the inspector's theory. That is sometimes viewed as the better choice in referring to what has gone before (as in the preceding example). When the referent is yet to be mentioned, only this is used: This (not that) is what bothers me: we have no time to consider late applications. · This is often used in speech and informal writing as an emphatic substitute for the indefinite article to refer to a specific thing or person: You should talk to this friend of mine at the Department of Motor Vehicles. I have this terrible feeling that I forgot to turn off the gas. It is best to avoid this substitution in formal writing except when a conversational tone is desired. See Usage Note at that. |