INDEX:
1. a thing
2. several things of different types
3. what you say when you do not know the name of something or cannot remember it
RELATED WORDS
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1. a thing
▷ thing /θɪŋ/ [countable noun]
use this instead of the name of something when you do not need to say its name or when you do not know what it is called. You can use thing when you mean a physical object, or something such as an event, an idea, or something that someone says :
▪ What’s that thing on the kitchen table?
▪ There were several things that I wanted to discuss.
▪ I cried during the whole thing.
▪ The first thing we need to do is call Becky.
adjective thing thing
▪ We went to the aquarium, and they have this neat new thing where the tide goes in and out over a rock pool.
▷ something /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/ [pronoun]
a thing - use this especially when you do not know what the thing is, or you have not decided yet what it will be :
▪ I need to get something for Greg - it’s his birthday tomorrow.
▪ There’s something on your shirt, on the back.
▪ Something went wrong with the pumping system in the pool.
something something adjective
▪ Do you want to hear something really funny?
▪ He wanted to get her something special, something expensive.
something else
another thing
▪ I’ve just remembered something else I wanted to tell you.
something to eat/wear/read etc
▪ I need to have something to eat before we go out.
or something
or something similar
▪ There’s a stone or a nail or something stuck in my shoe.
▷ object /ˈɒbdʒɪktǁˈɑːb-/ [countable noun]
a separate solid thing, especially one that you can touch or hold in your hand :
▪ Children should be able to point to each object as they count it.
▪ The sculpture is made from objects he found on beaches in Mexico.
inanimate object
a thing that is not alive
▪ After his stroke, he was able to name inanimate objects like saws and shovels, but unable to name most living things.
▷ item /ˈaɪtəm/ [countable noun]
one particular thing, especially one that is being bought or sold :
▪ The line at the checkout was for people with eight items or fewer.
▪ A comfortable, adjustable chair is the single most important item for the health of a computer user.
▪ The museum has over 5,000 items of historical interest.
item of clothing/furniture/jewellery etc
a single piece of clothing, furniture, jewellery etc
▪ The main item of jewellery worn by men, other than a watch, is cuff links.
household item
American an object used in the house
▪ Bring any old household items for the sale.
luxury item
an expensive item that is not really necessary
▪ Many of the things that people in the West take for granted are considered to be luxury items here.
collector’s item
a rare item that some people would pay a lot of money to have
▪ My aunt discovered that her old doll was a collector’s item and worth a lot of money.
▷ article /ˈɑːʳtɪk ə l/ [countable noun] formal
a thing, especially one of a group of things :
▪ Each article has a written history printed on a card below the display.
article of clothing/furniture/jewellery etc
a single piece of clothing, furniture, jewellery etc
▪ She didn’t take much with her, just a few articles of clothing and a towel.
household article
British an object used in the house
▪ Most of our wedding presents were household articles.
▷ artefact/artifact /ˈɑːʳtɪfækt, ˈɑːʳtəfækt/ [countable noun]
an object that someone has made, such as a tool or piece of jewellery, especially one that is interesting because it is very old, comes from a different country etc :
▪ Many Bronze Age artifacts were discovered at Luddesdown.
▪ Do not buy any artefacts unless they have an export permit.
2. several things of different types
▷ things /θɪŋz/ [plural noun]
use this when you are talking about two or more things of different types and you do not need to say what they are :
▪ I threw a few things into a bag and ran to the car.
somebody’s things
spoken the things that someone owns or that they are carrying with them
▪ She’s coming back later to get her things.
all sorts/kinds of things
a lot of different types of things
▪ They sell furniture, toys, cards - all sorts of things.
▷ stuff /stʌf/ [uncountable noun] informal spoken
objects or possessions of different types :
▪ I don’t know how we’re going to get all this stuff into the car.
somebody’s stuff
▪ You’re not going to have a lot of time to pack up your stuff before you move.
▷ junk /dʒʌŋk/ [uncountable noun] spoken
things that are not useful and should be thrown away, for example because they are old or broken :
▪ I must clean out this cupboard - it’s absolutely full of junk.
▪ They have so much junk in their yard. It makes the neighborhood look awful.
▷ odds and ends /ˌɒdz ənd ˈendzǁˌɑːdz-/ [noun phrase]
several different things, especially small things that are not of much value :
▪ In the drawer she found a photograph, an old hairbrush, and various other odds and ends.
▪ Odds and ends that haven’t sold have been drastically reduced in price.
▷ bits and pieces also bits and bobs British /ˌbɪts ən ˈpiːsə̇z, ˌbɪts ən ˈbɒbzǁ-ˈbɑːbz/ [noun phrase] informal
a number of small objects that are all different from each other :
▪ There are all sorts of bits and pieces in this box.
▪ Do any of these bits and bobs belong to you?
▷ paraphernalia /ˌpærəfəʳˈneɪliə/ [uncountable noun]
a large number of different things which you need for a particular activity - you can often use this humorously :
▪ The car is packed solid with all our camping paraphernalia.
▪ She was charged with possessing drug paraphernalia.
3. what you say when you do not know the name of something or cannot remember it
▷ what’s its name/whatchamacallit also whatsit British /ˈwɒts ɪts ˌneɪm, ˈwɒtʃəməˌkɔːlɪtǁˈwɑː-, ˈwɒtsɪtǁˈwɑːt-/ [noun phrase] informal spoken
say this when you do not know the name of something or cannot remember it exactly :
▪ Do you have a what’s its name -- you know, one of those things for taking off wallpaper?
▪ I’ve broken the whatchamacallit on my purse.
▪ You need one of those whatsits to turn the bolt.
▷ thingy/thingamajig /ˈθɪŋɪ, ˈθɪŋəmə̇dʒɪg/ [countable noun] informal spoken
say this especially when you do not want to try to think about the exact name of something :
▪ You squeeze this little thingamajig, and it forces air into the pocket.
▪ The towels are on the thingy at the top of the stairs.
▷ thing /θɪŋ/ [countable noun] spoken
something whose name you do not know exactly but that has particular features or is a type of the thing you are mentioning :
▪ He’s got one of those electronic things, you know, that you can record all your addresses in.
noun thing thing
▪ What’s that box thing on the table?
▪ She was wearing one of those Spanish type jacket things.