anybodypron.n.
/ˈɛnɪbədi/, /ˈɛnɪˌbɒdi/, U.S. /ˈɛniˌbɑdi/, /ˈɛnibədi/ A. pron.
1.
a. Frequently in negative, interrogative, and conditional contexts: = anyone pron. 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > [noun] > state of being non-specific > unspecified thing(s) > anyone
anyOE
any man aliveOE
anybodyc1300
manc1384
any only ——c1475
person?a1789
c1300 St. Nicholas (Laud) l. 300 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 249 (MED) Gret wonder was þat ani-bodi swuch miracle miȝte do!
1490 W. Caxton tr. Boke yf Eneydos xxii. sg. F.iiij Without to notyfye them to eny body lyuynge.
a1500 Rule Minoresses in W. W. Seton Two 15th Cent. Franciscan Rules (1914) 88 (MED) Whan anybodi to any of þe Sustres schal speke.
1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie i. xxiv. 38 Worldly goods they come and go, as things not long proprietary to any body.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor (1623) i. iv. 4 If he doe..finde any body in the house. View more context for this quotation
1670 G. Havers tr. G. Leti Il Cardinalismo di Santa Chiesa iii. ii. 289 They shall not permit the Cardinals to be aggrieved by any body.
1717 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. 1 Apr. (1965) I. 313 Disdainfull smiles and satyric whispers..never fail in our assemblys when any body appears that is not dress'd exactly in fashion.
1783 W. Beckford Dreams ii. 8 Anybody might slop through the Low Countries that pleased.
1813 J. Austen Pride & Prejudice II. xvi. 196 Any body who would hear her. View more context for this quotation
1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. 13 Impossible to make an arrangement that would please every body, and difficult to make an arrangement that would please any body.
1902 G. B. Shaw Mrs. Warren's Profession p. xxix Does anybody who knows the sporting world really believe that bookmakers are worse than their neighbors?
1985 J. Kelman Chancer (1987) 28 Anybody for a game of Solo?
2010 P. Murray Skippy Dies 180 It's not anybody's fault, it's just the way relationships sometimes go.
b. In affirmative contexts: = anyone pron. 2.
ΚΠ
1593 T. Nashe Christs Teares f. 49 Law, Logique and the Swizers, may be hir'd to fight for any body.
c1650 J. Row & J. Row Hist. Kirk Scotl. (1842) 451 I used..to..cast up the whyte of my eyes, so that any bodie wold have trowed that I was blind.
1699 B. E. New Dict. Canting Crew Crump, one..who for a small Sum will be Bound or Swear for any Body.
1764 H. Walpole Let. 16 Apr. in Corr. with G. Montagu (1941) II. 140 I shall irritate my neighbours (I don't mean those at next door, but in the scripture-sense of neighbour, anybody).
1792 R. Burns in J. Johnson Scots Musical Museum IV. 389 Willie was a wabster gude, Cou'd stown a clue wi' ony bodie.
1848 ‘E. Warwick’ Nasology viii. 190 Ver. sap. my dear lady reader, and if you don't understand the abbreviate, ask—ask—anybody, but your husband.
1874 J. Parker Paraclete 388 Anybody can attach himself to a mob.
1890 O. Wilde in 19th Century July 137 Anybody can make history. Only a great man can write it.
1937 J. Thurber Lett. (2002) 246 Anybody can make mistakes.
1970 ‘D. Halliday’ Dolly & Cookie Bird iii. 23 Jansy can imitate anybody.
2010 Guardian 25 Feb. 32/2 A huge contract that could have been undercut by almost anybody.
2. A person of importance, distinction, or authority; a ‘somebody’ as opposed to a ‘nobody’. Chiefly (and earliest attested) in anybody (also everybody) who is anybody at Phrases 4.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > [noun] > one who is important > one of high rank
statec1449
top people1752
anybody1802
celestitude1824
big bug1826
wig1828
celestiality1837
(the) salt of the earth1842
high-up1882
big-timer1917
V.I.P.1933
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > reputation > good repute > reputability or honourableness > [noun] > person or people
man of worship1340
worthya1393
anybody1802
prince1864
(the) clean potato1880
righto1908
V.I.P.1933
1802 ‘S. Saunter’ Literary Leisure II. 337 I hope that what I have said, will induce all my readers, that is everybody who is any body at all, forthwith to read and to admire ‘The Conspiracy of the Earl of Gowrie’.
1876 C. E. Aiken Day we live In xx. 413 All this extra expense is for the sake of attending a church where they are not counted as anybody.
1884 Cent. Mag. Dec. 183/1 You can't count that awful jäger as anybody.
1902 E. Blount Mem. xi. 249 Cousin used to say to him, ‘Is Suisse a name for any one who wants to be anybody or to do anything?’
1982 ‘Aspen’ in Everyday Matters 21 You had to have a boyfriend, to be anybody.
B. n.
A person of any sort, an ordinary person; esp. (somewhat depreciative) a person of no distinction or importance (opposed to somebody n. 2a). Cf. nobody n. 1. Frequently in plural.
ΘΚΠ
the world > people > person > [noun]
hadc900
lifesmaneOE
maneOE
world-maneOE
ghostOE
wyeOE
lifeOE
son of manOE
wightc1175
soulc1180
earthmanc1225
foodc1225
person?c1225
creaturec1300
bodyc1325
beera1382
poppetc1390
flippera1400
wat1399
corsec1400
mortal?a1425
deadly?c1450
hec1450
personagec1485
wretcha1500
human1509
mundane1509
member1525
worma1556
homo1561
piece of flesh1567
sconce1567
squirrel?1567
fellow creature1572
Adamite1581
bloat herringa1586
earthling1593
mother's child1594
stuff1598
a piece of flesh1600
wagtail1607
bosom1608
fragment1609
boots1623
tick1631
worthy1649
earthlies1651
snap1653
pippin1665
being1666
personal1678
personality1678
sooterkin1680
party1686
worldling1687
human being1694
water-wagtail1694
noddle1705
human subject1712
piece of work1713
somebody1724
terrestrial1726
anybody1733
individual1742
character1773
cuss1775
jig1781
thingy1787
bod1788
curse1790
his nabs1790
article1796
Earthite1814
critter1815
potato1815
personeityc1816
nibs1821
somebody1826
tellurian1828
case1832
tangata1840
prawn1845
nigger1848
nut1856
Snooks1860
mug1865
outfit1867
to deliver the goods1870
hairpin1879
baby1880
possum1894
hot tamale1895
babe1900
jobbie1902
virile1903
cup of tea1908
skin1914
pisser1918
number1919
job1927
apple1928
mush1936
face1944
jong1956
naked ape1965
oke1970
punter1975
1733 London Mag. Sept. 456/2 There may be some sorry Scrubs of the Family of the Any-body's, that may claim Kindred with the Some-body's.
1839 Musical World 30 May 69 Theatrical criticism..is intrusted in our leading papers even to anybodies, who write any how.
1859 J. Bright Speeches 39 Two or three anybodies.
1915 C. Hamilton Miracle of Love v. i. 250 A mere anybody might have the courage and the brutality to treat his wife in such a way, but not a duke.
2004 Hamilton (Ont.) Spectator (Nexis) 20 Sept. (Opinion) a17 The 276 people who were in the audience that day weren't just anybodies who happened to have tickets.
Phrases
P1. anybody else: any other person; cf. anyone else at anyone pron. Phrases 1.
ΚΠ
1619 A. Munday tr. Anc. Hist. Amadis de Gaule i. viii. 46/1 The king enquired by diuers meanes, how and by whom the Prince was Knighted, when at length he was aduertised, that the Ladyes attending on the Queene, could tell better then anybody els [Fr. mieux..que nul autre].
1667 S. Pepys Diary 6 Mar. (1974) VIII. 100 My wife is come to condition with me, that whatever I do give to anybody else, I shall give her as much.
1749 Ld. Chesterfield Let. 2 Oct. (1932) (modernized text) IV. 1414 Though I do not recommend the egotism to you with regard to anybody else, I desire that you will use it with me.
1842 F. Marryat Percival Keene I. xi. 125 He took more notice of me than he did of anybody else.
1908 J. W. Harding Paid in Full xxvi. 328 He had never been any good to himself or anybody else.
1991 J. O'Connor Cowboys & Indians (1992) 9 Dean Bean'd been gobsmacked. And Eddie had been as surprised as anybody else.
P2. anybody's game (also race, match) and variants: a contest which either side or any competitor could win; an evenly balanced contest. Also figurative. Cf. anyone's game (also match, race) at anyone pron. Phrases 3.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > match or competition > [noun] > types of
all comersc1450
after-gamea1500
fore-game1594
revenge1616
plate1639
set-to1743
return match1753
bye1754
scrub-race1791
anybody's game (also race, match)1826
return1834
barney1843
bonspiel1858
handicap1861
pennant1865
home-and-home1868
benefit match1871
run-off1873
international1877
American tournament1878
Grand Prix1879
single1884
friendly1885
all-comers1889
pair1890
championship1893
round robin1894
replay1895
Olympiad1896
junior varsity1902
lightning tournament1903
rematch1903
road trip1903
pickup1905
freestyle1906
marathon1908
test1908
Derby1909
scrimmage1910
eliminator1911
twosome1911
triala1914
quadrangular1916
slug-fest1916
varsity match1921
needle contest1922
curtain jerker1923
needle match1923
open1926
needle fight1927
knock-out1928
shirt1930
masters1933
pro-amateur1934
tune-up1934
World Cup1934
pro-am1937
state1941
sizzler1942
runathon1943
mismatch1954
run-out1955
match-up1959
squeaker1961
triple-header1961
Super Bowl1967
invitational1968
needle game1970
major1976
slobberknocker1986
1826 Sporting Mag. Mar. 348/2 For the first mile there was little advantage on either side, and it was anybody's race.
1853 F. Gale Public School Matches 58 Sixty-nine runs and six wickets down; anybody's match, by jingo!
1865 J. Pycroft Cricketana vii. 152 Last year's match had been left unfinished, just in that interesting state in which it is called ‘anybody's game’.
1898 Forum Jan. 576 In Greater New York, it was what is called ‘anybody's race’, till close upon the day of election.
1903 Triangle (N.Y. Univ.) 27 Oct. 43/1 Until the last whistle blew the game was anybody's.
1931 Boys' Life Aug. 47/3 Scotty..drives his ball into the very same bunker with Dave. ‘Ho! Ho!’ laughs the crowd. ‘It's anybody's match yet.’
1997 N.Y. Times 25 July c22/5 ‘With 50 yards to go,’ Lukas said, ‘it was anybody's race.’
2011 Western Mail (Nexis) 5 Dec. (Sport) 2 Wales fought valiantly and ensured it was anybody's game at the start of the second [half] with Gatland's men leading 6-3.
P3. anybody's guess: a question to which no one knows the answer; an open question. Cf. anyone's guess at anyone pron. Phrases 4.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > unreliability > [noun] > unpredictability > instance of
uncertainty1619
peradventure1627
casualty?1677
anybody's guess1893
guess1958
uncontrollable1977
1893 I. N. Ford Trop. Amer. vi. 108 The survey and estimates have been repeatedly readjusted, and the probable cost of the railway is now anybody's guess.
1938 Time 21 Nov. 70/2 What this type of angry, incoherent prose will prove is anybody's guess.
1958 W. Willetts Chinese Art I. ii. 69 In other cases, whether a particular jade is Neolithic, Shang-Yin, Chou, or even Han, may be anybody's guess.
2002 J. Eugenides Middlesex iii. 224 Where Lefty obtained the hash is anybody's guess.
P4. anybody (also everybody) who is anybody and variants: = anyone (also everyone) who is anyone at anyone pron. Phrases 2.
ΚΠ
1802everybody who is any body [see sense A. 2].
1826 B. Disraeli Vivian Grey I. ii. xvi. 241 Every body was there—who is any body.
1867 A. Trollope Last Chron. Barset I. v. 34 Everybody, who was anybody, knew that Mr. Walker was convinced of the man's guilt.
1961 Harper's Bazaar Dec. 47/2 Everybody who is anybody in the business world will be seeking the latest status symbol.
2000 R. Barger et al. Hell's Angel viii. 150 Anybody who was anybody in the motorcycle world came to Porterville.
P5. colloquial. to be anybody's: to be (or be regarded as) highly susceptible to casual sexual or romantic advances; (in extended use) to be extremely easily influenced or persuaded; cf. to be anyone's at anyone pron. Phrases 5.
ΚΠ
1888 F. T. Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk. at Lie-by Why, her wad'n never no better'n Squire ——'s lie by, and now her's anybody's.
1933 Washington Post 23 Feb. 8/1 One drink and I'm yours, two drinks and I'm anybody's.
1979 M. Leigh Abigail's Party i, in Abigail's Party & Goose-pimples (1983) 24 We used to say, ‘A glass of cider, and she's anybody's’.
2005 Sydney Morning Herald (Nexis) 11 Aug. 12 We're a pretty dopey electorate these days. Offer us a tax cut and we're anybody's.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2016; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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pron.n.c1300