/ seɪm; NAmE / adjective , pronoun , adverb
■ adjective
1.
exactly the one or ones referred to or mentioned; not different :
We have lived in the same house for twenty years.
Our children go to the same school as theirs.
She's still the same fun-loving person that I knew at college.
This one works in exactly the same way as the other.
They both said much the same thing.
He used the very same (= exactly the same) words.
I resigned last Friday and left that same day.
2.
exactly like the one or ones referred to or mentioned :
I bought the same car as yours (= another car of that type) .
She was wearing the same dress that I had on.
The same thing happened to me last week.
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IDIOMS
Most idioms containing same are at the entries for the nouns and verbs in the idioms, for example be in the same boat is at boat .
- same old, same old
■ pronoun
1.
the ~ (as ... ) the same thing or things :
I would do the same again.
I think the same as you do about this.
Just do the same as me (= as I do) .
His latest movie is just more of the same —exotic locations, car chases and a final shoot-out.
( informal )
'I'll have coffee.' 'Same for me, please (= I will have one too) .'
2.
the ~ (as ... ) having the same number, colour, size, quality, etc. :
There are several brands and they're not all the same.
I'd like one the same as yours.
3.
the same ( BrE ) the same person :
'Was that George on the phone?' 'The same (= yes, it was George) .'
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IDIOMS
- all / just the same
- be all the same to sb
- one and the same
- (the) same again
- same here
- (the) same to you
■ adverb
(usually the same ) in the same way :
We treat boys exactly the same as girls.
( informal )
He gave me five dollars, same as usual .
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old Norse sami , from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit sama , Greek homos .