Definition of THING

thing

Meanings

Plural: things

Noun

  • a special situation
    • "this thing has got to end"
    • "it is a remarkable thing"
  • an action
    • "how could you do such a thing?"
  • a special abstraction
    • "a thing of the spirit"
    • "things of the heart"
  • an artifact
    • "how does this thing work?"
  • an event
    • "a funny thing happened on the way to the..."
  • a vaguely specified concern
    • "things are going well"
  • a statement regarded as an object
    • "to say the same thing in other terms"
    • "how can you say such a thing?"
  • an entity that is not named specifically
    • "I couldn't tell what the thing was"
  • any attribute or quality considered as having its own existence
    • "the thing I like about her is ..."
  • a special objective
    • "the thing is to stay in bounds"
  • a persistent illogical feeling of desire or aversion
    • "he has a thing about seafood"
    • "she has a thing about him"
  • a separate and self-contained entity
  • That which is considered to exist as a separate entity, object, quality or concept.
  • A word, symbol, sign, or other referent that can be used to refer to any entity.
  • An individual object or distinct entity.
  • Whatever can be owned.
  • Corporeal object.
  • Possessions or equipment; stuff; gear.
  • The latest fad or fashion.
  • A custom or practice.
  • A genuine concept, entity or phenomenon; something that actually exists (often contrary to expectation or belief).
  • A unit or container, usually containing consumable goods.
  • A problem, dilemma, or complicating factor.
  • The central point; the crux.
  • A penis.
  • A vulva or vagina.
  • A living being or creature.
  • Used after a noun to refer dismissively to the situation surrounding the noun's referent.
  • That which is favoured; personal preference.
  • One's typical routine, habits, or manner.
  • A public assembly or judicial council in a Germanic country.
  • A romantic relationship.
  • A romantic couple.
  • Alternative form of ting.
  • Girl; attractive woman.

Verb

  • To express as a thing; to reify.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English thing, from Old English þing, from Proto-West Germanic *þing, from Proto-Germanic *þingą.
Cognate with Saterland Frisian Ding (“thing”), West Frisian ting, ding (“thing”), Dutch ding (“thing”), German Low German Ding (“thing”), German Ding (“thing”), Swedish, Danish and Norwegian ting (“thing”), Faroese ting (“parliament, assembly”), Icelandic þing (“congress, assembly”).
The word originally meant "assembly", then came to mean a specific issue discussed at such an assembly, and ultimately came to mean most broadly "an object". Compare Latin rēs, also meaning "legal matter", and same transition from Latin causa (“legal matter”) to "thing" in Romance languages. Modern use to refer to a Germanic assembly is likely influenced by cognates (from the same Proto-Germanic root) like Old Norse þing (“thing”), Danish ting, Swedish ting, and Old High German ding with this meaning.

Scrabble Score: 9

thing is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
thing is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
thing is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 10

thing is a valid Words With Friends word