some‧thing S1 W1 / sʌmθɪŋ / 代词

1 used to mean a particular thing when you do not know its name or do not know exactly what it is → anything , everything , nothing :

There’s something in my eye.

Sarah said something about coming over later.

something new/old/good etc

It’s a good car, but I’m looking for something newer.

The house was too small, so they decided to look for something else (= a different one ) .

I think there’s something wrong (= a problem ) with the phone.

I don’t know what he does exactly, but I know it has something to do with computers (= is related to them in some way ) .

2 something to eat/drink/read/do etc some food, a drink, a book, an activity etc :

Would you like something to drink?

I should take something to read on the plane.

3 do something to do something in order to deal with a problem or difficult situation :

Don’t just stand there – do something!

do something about

Can you do something about that noise?

4 something about somebody/something used to say that a person, situation etc has a quality or feature that you recognize but you cannot say exactly what it is

(there is) something different/odd/unusual about somebody/something

There was something rather odd about him.

There’s something about her voice that I find really sexy.

5 … or something spoken used when you cannot remember, or do not think it is necessary to give, another example of something you are mentioning :

Her name was Judith, or Julie, or something.

Here’s some money. Get yourself a sandwich or something.

6 something like 100/2,000 etc close to but not exactly a large amount such as 100, 2,000 etc :

Something like 50,000 homes are without power.

7 be thirty-something/forty-something etc used to say that someone is aged between 30 and 39, between 40 and 49 etc when you do not know exactly

8 be (really/quite) something spoken used to say that something is very good and impressive :

Running your own company at 21 is really something.

That was really something, wasn’t it?

9 be something else spoken to be unusual or funny to other people :

You really are something else!

10 there’s something in/to something used to admit that someone’s words are true or their ideas are successful etc :

They had to concede that there was something in his teaching methods.

Do you think there’s something to the rumours about Larry and Sue?

11 have something of something to have a few of the same features or qualities that someone else has :

It was clear that Jenkins had something of his father’s brilliance.

12 be something of a gardener/an expert etc to know a lot about something or to be very good at something :

Charlie’s always been something of an expert on architecture.

13 something of a shock/surprise etc formal used to say that something is a shock, surprise etc, but not completely or not in a strong or severe way :

The news came as something of a surprise.

14 a little something used when you are telling someone that you have bought them a present :

I got you a little something for your birthday.

15 sixty something/John something etc spoken used when you cannot remember the rest of a number or name :

‘How much did you spend on groceries?’ ‘A hundred and twenty something.’

16 make something of yourself to become successful

17 that’s something used to say that there is one thing that you should be glad about :

At least we have some money left. That’s something, isn’t it?

THESAURUS

thing used when you do not need to say the name, or when you do not know the name : What’s that thing on the kitchen table? | Have you got all your things?

something a thing – used when you are not sure what the thing is : There’s something on your shirt.

object especially written a solid thing : a sharp metal object

item formal a particular kind of thing, or one of a group of things : household items | a luxury item | an item of equipment | The items included pieces of old pottery. | You are not allowed to take sharp items onto the plane.

article formal a particular kind of thing, or one of a group of things. Article is very formal, and is used especially in the 短语 an article of clothing : They found several articles of clothing in the bushes. | suspicious articles | Each article has a card with it giving more information.

artifact ( also artefact ) formal an object that someone has made, especially one that is very old and has historical value : The museum has a collection of early Roman artifacts.

thingy ( also thingamajig/thingamabob ) spoken informal a thing – used especially when you cannot remember the name of the thing, but often the other person knows what you are talking about : Can you pass me the thingy?