Word: thing Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *tenk-? Proto-Indo-European *tenkóm Proto-Germanic *þingą Proto-West Germanic *þing Old English þing Middle English thing English thing 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”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish 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. Pronunciation: /ˈθɪŋ/, [ˈθɪŋ], /ˈθiŋ/, [ˈθiŋ] ~ [ˈθɪ̝ŋ], /ˈtɪŋ/ 1. That which is considered to exist as a separate entity, object, quality or concept. Example: Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us... Example: The dirty secret of the internet is that all this distraction and interruption is immensely profitable. Web companies like to boast about […], or offering services that let you […], "share the things you love with the world" and so on. But the real way to build a successful online business is to be better than your rivals at undermining people's control of their own attention. 2. A word, symbol, sign, or other referent that can be used to refer to any entity. 3. An individual object or distinct entity. 4. Whatever can be owned. 5. Corporeal object. 6. Possessions or equipment; stuff; gear. Labels: in-plural Example: Hold on, let me just grab my things. 7. The latest fad or fashion. Labels: dated Example: To go to bed late, to rise late, to breakfast late, to dine late, and to visit late, is to be “quite the thing,” or in good English, which you may understand better than the first phrase, to be in the fashion. Example: After a slow start it became the thing to do; 'everyone went to see Pbi-Pbi, no one talked of anything but Pbi-Pbi[…]' 8. A custom or practice. Labels: informal Example: Cheek kissing is a French thing; you get used to it after a while. 9. A genuine concept, entity or phenomenon; something that actually exists (often contrary to expectation or belief). Labels: informal Example: Q: Bacon pie? Is that a thing? A: Yes, I checked into it, and it's a thing. Some people are even connoisseurs about it. Example: Now I don't know how many of those male flight attendants are male lesbians -- you know... (Laughter) Well, it's a thing. I mean, there's a -- it's a -- there's a feminist professor down in Tampa who's discovered a male lesbian 10. A unit or container, usually containing consumable goods. Labels: informal Example: Could you get me a thing of apple juice at the store? Example: I just ate a whole thing of jelly beans. 11. A problem, dilemma, or complicating factor. Labels: informal Example: The car looks cheap, but the thing is, I have doubts about its safety. Example: That's the thing: we don't know where he is. 12. A penis. Labels: euphemistic, slang Example: “Oh Gertie it’s true. It’s all true. They’ve got a horrid gash instead of a thrilling thing.” 13. A vulva or vagina. Labels: euphemistic, slang Example: ‘They reckon she lets her dogs lick her thing.’ 14. A living being or creature. Example: you poor thing Example: sweet young thing 15. Used after a noun to refer dismissively to the situation surrounding the noun's referent. Example: Oh yeah, I'm supposed to promote that vision thing. Example: Don’t forget to have Gomez postpone that shooting thing. (in reference to the execution of Fernandez) 16. That which is favoured; personal preference. Labels: informal Example: it's not really my thing Example: Tool talk [is] not my thing. 17. One's typical routine, habits, or manner. Labels: informal Example: let me do my thing; I'm here doing my thing Example: But I'm just a guy from Missoula, Montana, doing my thing, going down the road like everybody else. 18. A public assembly or judicial council in a Germanic country. Labels: historical Example: In accordance with Old Germanic custom men came to the thing fully armed, [...] Example: The goðar seem both to have received payment of thing-fararkaup from those who stayed home and at the same time compensated those who went to the thing, and it cannot be seen whether they had any profit from these transactions. 19. A romantic relationship. Labels: informal Example: I can screw you in front of everyone. I don't care, we have a thing going on, you know. I love you,” she said. 20. A romantic couple. Labels: informal Example: Are John and Jennifer a thing again? I thought they broke up. 21. Alternative form of ting. Labels: Multicultural-London-English, alt-of, alternative 22. Girl; attractive woman. Labels: Multicultural-London-English Example: Look at the nyash on that thing!