/ ˈsʌmθɪŋ; NAmE / pronoun , adverb
■ pronoun
1.
a thing that is not known or mentioned by name :
We stopped for something to eat.
Give me something to do .
There's something wrong with the TV.
There's something about this place that frightens me.
Don't just stand there. Do something !
His name is Alan something (= I don't know his other name) .
She's a professor of something or other (= I'm not sure what) at Leeds.
He's something in (= has a job connected with) television.
The car hit a tree or something .
I could just eat a little something .
HELP NOTE : The difference between something and anything is the same as the difference between some and any . Look at the notes there.
2.
( informal ) a thing that is thought to be important or worth taking notice of :
There's something in (= some truth or some fact or opinion worth considering in) what he says.
It's quite something (= a thing that you should feel happy about) to have a job at all these days.
'We should finish by tomorrow.' ' That's something (= a good thing) , anyway.'
3.
( informal ) used to show that a description or an amount, etc. is not exact :
She called at something after ten o'clock.
a new comedy aimed at thirty-somethings (= people between thirty and forty years old)
It tastes something like melon.
They pay six pounds an hour. Something like that .
She found herself something of a (= to some degree a) celebrity.
The programme's something to do with (= in some way about) the environment.
He gave her a wry look, something between amusement and regret.
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IDIOMS
- make something of yourself
- something else
■ adverb
( non-standard ) used with an adjective to emphasize a statement :
She was swearing something terrible.
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English sum thing (see some , thing ).