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thing - 8 dictionary results

thing

1  [thing]
Use thing in a Sentence
–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. 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,
a. implements, utensils, or other articles for service: I'll wash the breakfast things.
b. 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 peculiar attitude or feeling, either positive or negative, toward something; mental quirk: She has a thing about cats.
15. something signified or represented, as distinguished from a word, symbol, or idea representing it.
16. Law. anything that may be the subject of a property right.
17. new thing, Jazz. free jazz.
18. the thing,
a. something that is correct or fashionable: That café is the thing now.
b. that which is expedient or necessary: The thing to do is to tell them the truth.
—Idioms
19. do or find one's own thing, Informal. to pursue a lifestyle that expresses one's self. Also, do or find one's thing.
20. make a good thing of, Informal. to turn (a situation, experience, etc.) to one's own profit; benefit by: She made a good thing of her spare-time hobbies.
21. not to get a thing out of,
a. to be unable to obtain information or news from: The police couldn't get a thing out of him.
b. to fail to appreciate, understand, or derive aesthetic pleasure from: My wife likes opera, but I don't get a thing out of it.
22. see or hear things, Informal. to have hallucinations.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE: orig., meeting; see thing 2

thing

2  [thing, ting]
–noun
(in Scandinavian countries) a public meeting or assembly, esp. a legislative assembly or a court of law.
Also, ting.
Compare thingstead.

Origin:
1830–40; < ON: assembly; c. thing 1 , D ding, G Ding thing, orig., meeting; akin to Goth theihs time
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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thing   (thĭng)   
n.  
  1. An entity, an idea, or a quality perceived, known, or thought to have its own existence.
    1. The real or concrete substance of an entity.
    2. An entity existing in space and time.
    3. An inanimate object.
    4. Law That which can be possessed or owned. Often used in the plural: things personal; things real.
    5. things Possessions; belongings: packed her things and left.
    6. An article of clothing: Put on your things and let's go.
    7. An act, deed, or work: promised to do great things.
    8. The result of work or activity: is always building things.
    9. things The general state of affairs; conditions: "Beneath the smooth surface of things, something was wrong" (Tom Wicker).
    10. A particular state of affairs; a situation: Let's deal with this thing promptly.
  3. Something referred to by a word, a symbol, a sign, or an idea; a referent.
  4. A creature: the poor little thing.
  5. An individual object: There wasn't a thing in sight.
    1. Law That which can be possessed or owned. Often used in the plural: things personal; things real.
    2. things Possessions; belongings: packed her things and left.
    3. An article of clothing: Put on your things and let's go.
    4. An act, deed, or work: promised to do great things.
    5. The result of work or activity: is always building things.
    6. things The general state of affairs; conditions: "Beneath the smooth surface of things, something was wrong" (Tom Wicker).
    7. A particular state of affairs; a situation: Let's deal with this thing promptly.
  7. things The equipment needed for an activity or a special purpose: Where are my cleaning things?
  8. An object or entity that is not or cannot be named specifically: What is this thing for?
    1. An act, deed, or work: promised to do great things.
    2. The result of work or activity: is always building things.
    3. things The general state of affairs; conditions: "Beneath the smooth surface of things, something was wrong" (Tom Wicker).
    4. A particular state of affairs; a situation: Let's deal with this thing promptly.
  10. A thought, a notion, or an utterance: What a rotten thing to say!
  11. A piece of information: wouldn't tell me a thing about the project.
  12. A means to an end: just the thing to increase sales.
  13. An end or objective: In blackjack, the thing is to get nearest to 21 without going over.
  14. A matter of concern: many things on my mind.
  15. A turn of events; a circumstance: The accident was a terrible thing.
    1. things The general state of affairs; conditions: "Beneath the smooth surface of things, something was wrong" (Tom Wicker).
    2. A particular state of affairs; a situation: Let's deal with this thing promptly.
  17. Informal A persistent illogical feeling, as a desire or an aversion; an obsession: has a thing about seafood.
  18. Informal The latest fad or fashion; the rage: Drag racing was the thing then.
  19. Slang An activity uniquely suitable and satisfying to one: Let him do his own thing. See Synonyms at forte1.

[Middle English, from Old English.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Thing

Thing\, Ting \Ting\, n. [Dan. thing, ting, Norw. ting, or Sw. ting.] In Scandinavian countries, a legislative or judicial assembly; -- used, esp. in composition, in titles of such bodies. See Legislature, Norway.

Thing

Thing\ (th[i^]ng), n. [AS. [thorn]ing a thing, cause, assembly, judicial assembly; akin to [thorn]ingan to negotiate, [thorn]ingian to reconcile, conciliate, D. ding a thing, OS. thing thing, assembly, judicial assembly, G. ding a thing, formerly also, an assembly, court, Icel. [thorn]ing a thing, assembly, court, Sw. & Dan. ting; perhaps originally used of the transaction of or before a popular assembly, or the time appointed for such an assembly; cf. G. dingen to bargain, hire, MHG. dingen to hold court, speak before a court, negotiate, Goth. [thorn]eihs time, perhaps akin to L. tempus time. Cf. Hustings, and Temporal of time.]

1. Whatever exists, or is conceived to exist, as a separate entity, whether animate or inanimate; any separable or distinguishable object of thought.

God made . . . every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind. --Gen. i. 25.

He sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt. --Gen. xiv. 23.

A thing of beauty is a joy forever. --Keats.

2. An inanimate object, in distinction from a living being; any lifeless material.

Ye meads and groves, unconscious things! --Cowper.

3. A transaction or occurrence; an event; a deed.

[And Jacob said] All these things are against me. --Gen. xlii. 36.

Which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. --Matt. xxi. 24.

4. A portion or part; something.

Wicked men who understand any thing of wisdom. --Tillotson.

5. A diminutive or slighted object; any object viewed as merely existing; -- often used in pity or contempt.

See, sons, what things you are! --Shak.

The poor thing sighed, and . . . turned from me. --Addison.

I'll be this abject thing no more. --Granville.

I have a thing in prose. --Swift.

6. pl. Clothes; furniture; appurtenances; luggage; as, to pack or store one's things. [Colloq.]

Note: Formerly, the singular was sometimes used in a plural or collective sense.

And them she gave her moebles and her thing. --Chaucer.

Note: Thing was used in a very general sense in Old English, and is still heard colloquially where some more definite term would be used in careful composition.

In the garden [he] walketh to and fro, And hath his things [i. e., prayers, devotions] said full courteously. --Chaucer.

Hearkening his minstrels their things play. --Chaucer.

7. (Law) Whatever may be possessed or owned; a property; -- distinguished from person.

8. [In this sense pronounced t[i^]ng.] In Scandinavian countries, a legislative or judicial assembly. --Longfellow.

Things personal. (Law) Same as Personal property, under Personal.

Things real. Same as Real property, under Real.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : thing
Spanish: cosa,
German: die Sache,
Japanese: 物
More Translations »

thing 
O.E. þing "meeting, assembly," later "entity, being, matter" (subject of deliberation in an assembly), also "act, deed, event, material object, body, being," from P.Gmc. *thengan "appointed time" (cf. O.Fris. thing "assembly, council, suit, matter, thing," M.Du. dinc "court-day, suit, plea, concern, affair, thing," Du. ding "thing," O.H.G. ding "public assembly for judgment and business, lawsuit," Ger. ding "affair, matter, thing," O.N. þing "public assembly"). Some suggest an ultimate connection to PIE root *ten- "stretch," perhaps on notion of "stretch of time for a meeting or assembly." For sense evolution, cf. Fr. chose, Sp. cosa "thing," from L. causa "judicial process, lawsuit, case;" L. res "affair, thing," also "case at law, cause." Old sense is preserved in second element of hustings and in Icelandic Althing, the nation's general assembly. Southern U.S. pronunciation thang attested from 1937. The thing "what's stylish or fashionable" is recorded from 1762. Phrase do your thing "follow your particular predilection," though associated with hippie-speak of 1960s is attested from 1841. Used colloquially since 1602 to indicate things the speaker can't name at the moment, often with various meaningless suffixes, e.g. thingumbob (1751), thingamajig (1824).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: thing
Function: noun
: whatever may be possessed or owned or be the object of a right : RES —compare PERSON
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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thing

In addition to the idiom beginning with thing, also see 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.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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