an‧y‧thing S1 W1 / eniθɪŋ / 代词

1 any thing, event, situation etc, when it is not important to say exactly which :

You can buy anything you want.

He was prepared to do anything to make a bit of money.

Anything would be better than staying at home!

You can write about swimming, skiing, or anything else you enjoy doing.

2 used in questions to mean ‘something’ :

Is there anything I can do to help?

Do you want anything from the shops?

Would you like anything else to eat?

3 used in negative sentences to mean no thing event etc :

We didn’t have anything to eat for three days.

Don’t do anything until we get there.

4 anything but used to emphasize that someone or something does not have a particular quality :

Maria is anything but stupid!

5 anything like somebody/something similar in any way to someone or something else :

You don’t look anything like your mother.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll want to be where the action is.

6 not anything like/near spoken used to emphasize a negative sentence :

We don’t have anything like enough money to buy a new car.

7 as important/clear/big etc as anything informal extremely important, clear etc :

He was as nice as anything to me.

8 or anything spoken or something that is similar :

Would you like a drink or anything?

9 anything goes informal used to say that anything someone says or does is acceptable :

From what other people were wearing, it looked like anything goes.

10 for anything informal if you will not do something for anything, you will definitely not do it :

I wouldn’t go back there for anything.

11 like anything informal if you do something like anything, you do it a lot :

We all encouraged him like anything.

12 if anything spoken used when you are adding something to emphasize what you have just said :

Sam didn’t seem too disappointed at losing. If anything, he seemed relieved that it was all over.

13 anything you say spoken used to tell someone you agree with what they suggest :

Yes, of course, anything you say.