You use something to refer to a thing, situation, event, or idea, without saying exactly what it is.
He realized right away that there was something wrong.
There was something vaguely familiar about him.
The garden was something special.
'You said there was something you wanted to ask me,' he said politely.
There was something in her attitude that bothered him.
People are always out in their cars, watching television or busy doing somethingelse.
2. pronoun
You can use something to say that the description or amount that you are giving is not exact.
He described the smell as something between a circus and a sea-port.
Clive made a noise, something like a grunt.
There was something around a thousand dollars in the office strong box.
Their membership seems to have risen to something over 10,000.
3. pronoun
If you say that a person or thing is something or is really something, you mean that you are very impressed by them.
[informal]
You're really something.
The doors here are really something, all made of good wood like mahogany.
4. pronoun
You can use something in expressions like 'that's something' when you think that a situation is not very good but is better that it might have been.
Well, at least he was in town. That was something.
Well, you're staying. That's something I suppose.
5. pronoun
If you say that a thing is something of a disappointment, you mean that it is quite disappointing. If you say that a person is something of an artist, you mean that they are quite good at art.
The city proved to be something of a disappointment.
It was something of a surprise that he was in New York.
He is something of a fighter, and will certainly want to win.
6. pronoun
If you say that there is something in an idea or suggestion, you mean that it is quite good and should be considered seriously.
Christianity has stood the test of time, so there must be something in it.
There had been something in Des's first statement.
Could there be something in what he said?
7.
See or something
8. something like
-something
(-sʌmθɪŋ)
Word forms: plural -somethings
1. combining form
-something is combined with numbers such as twenty and thirty to form adjectives which indicate an approximate amount, especially someone's age. For example, if you say that someone is thirty-something, you mean they are between thirty and forty years old.
2. combining form in countable noun
People of a similar age range are sometimes referred to as, for example, twenty-somethings or thirty-somethings.
[journalism]
something in British English
(ˈsʌmθɪŋ)
pronoun
1.
an unspecified or unknown thing; some thing
he knows something you don't
take something warm with you
2.
an unspecified or unknown amount; bit
something less than a hundred
3.
an impressive or important person, thing, or event
isn't that something?
4. something else
5. something or other
adverb
6.
to some degree; a little; somewhat
to look something like me
7. (foll by an adjective) informal
(intensifier)
it hurts something awful
-something in British English
combining form in countable noun
a.
a person whose age can be approximately expressed by a specified decade
b.
(as modifier)
the thirty-something market
Word origin
C20: from the US television series thirtysomething
something in American English
(ˈsʌmθɪŋ)
pronoun
1.
a thing that is not definitely known, understood, or identified; some undetermined thing
something went wrong
2.
some thing or things, definite but unspecified
have something to eat
3.
a bit; a little
something over an hour
noun
4. Informal
an important or remarkable person or thing
adverb
5.
a little; somewhat
looks something like me
6. Informal
really; quite
sounds something awful
Idioms:
something else
-something in American English
(ˈsʌmθɪŋ)
1.
of, relating to, being, or for a person of an age one to nine years more than (a specified multiple of ten)
fortysomething, or in one's forties
2.
of a quantity one to nine more than (a specified multiple of ten)
60-something people at the party
COBUILD Collocations
something
need something
offer something
sense something
worth something
Examples of 'something' in a sentence
something
Something that felt good and unifying and celebratory for a few hours.
Christianity Today (2000)
The duo looked like something from a film.
The Sun (2009)
That happened and this is something completely different.
The Sun (2012)
Who is going to buy something when the person selling it thinks it is no good?
The Sun (2006)
There is something rotten and stinking in our universities.
The Sun (2015)
There was something rather awful about him.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
This was the doorway to something new.
Jan Fennell FRIENDS FOR LIFE (2003)
There was something not quite right there.
The Sun (2014)
Now that really is something worth discussing at dinner parties.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Which says something about the speed with which the economic outlook changes.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
This sorry saga began back in the days when the badge on your car meant something.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
People will watch something that is good.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Our services had been expecting something like this for a long time.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
How can we turn it into something different?
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
There is something else going on too.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Usually a person sees something and thinks to themselves in an unhelpful voice.
The Sun (2014)
Nor is it clear that there is something uniquely rotten about the investment banking culture.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The feeling that something awful is about to happen hovers in the pall of smoke.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Putting on something new makes me feel really happy and excited.
The Sun (2013)
She says she loves me but there is something not quite there.
The Sun (2013)
But what the film is really about is something more interesting.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
We are not well served by a respect for religious privacy that fosters something little short of concealment.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Well, something seems to be working.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
In other languages
something
British English: something /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/ PRONOUN
You use something to talk about a thing without saying what it is.
He knew that there was something wrong.
American English: something
Arabic: شَيْءٌ مَا
Brazilian Portuguese: algo
Chinese: 某事
Croatian: nešto
Czech: něco
Danish: noget
Dutch: iets
European Spanish: algo afirmación
Finnish: jokin
French: quelque chose
German: etwas
Greek: κάτι
Italian: qualcosa
Japanese: 何か
Korean: 무언가
Norwegian: noe
Polish: coś
European Portuguese: algo
Romanian: ceva
Russian: кое-что
Latin American Spanish: algo
Swedish: någonting
Thai: บางสิ่ง
Turkish: bir şey
Ukrainian: щось
Vietnamese: một cái gì đó
All related terms of 'something'
or something
You use something in expressions such as ' or something ' and ' or something like that ' to indicate that you are referring to something similar to what you have just mentioned but you are not being exact .
need something
You use something to refer to a thing, situation, event, or idea , without saying exactly what it is.
offer something
You use something to refer to a thing, situation, event, or idea, without saying exactly what it is.
quite something
a remarkable or noteworthy thing or person
sense something
You use something to refer to a thing, situation, event, or idea, without saying exactly what it is.
something else
a remarkable person or thing
something like
You use the expression something like with an amount, number, or description to indicate that it is approximately accurate .
start something
to cause a disturbance or trouble
worth something
You use something to refer to a thing, situation , event, or idea , without saying exactly what it is.
something's up
something strange is happening
let something rip
If you let something rip , you do it as quickly or as forcefully as possible . You can say ' let it rip ' or ' let her rip ' to someone when you want them to make a vehicle go as fast as it possibly can.
make something of
to find a use for
something or other
one unspecified thing or an alternative thing
something to spare
a surplus of something
bang goes sth
If you say bang goes something, you mean that it is now obvious that it cannot succeed or be achieved .
keep something dark
to keep something a secret
poor man's something
a ( cheaper ) substitute for something
something for nothing
If you say that someone is getting something for nothing , you disapprove of the fact that they are getting what they want without doing or giving anything in return.
something has teeth
said to mean that something, such as an organization or a law , has the necessary authority or power to make people obey it
something to go on
something that is adequate for the present time
take something amiss
to be annoyed or offended by something
what price something?
what are the chances of something happening now ?
add fuel to something
If something adds fuel to a conflict or debate , or adds fuel to the fire , it makes the conflict or debate more intense .
an eye for something
skill at dealing with something or a good understanding of it
a nose for something
a natural talent for finding something
capitalize on something
to use something to one's own advantage or profit
flushed with something
very excited because of some success or triumph
fringed with something
having a specified thing around the edge
get down on something
to procure something, esp in advance of needs or in anticipation of someone else
get wind of something
to get to know about a plan or information, often when other people did not want you to
give something a miss
If you give something a miss , you decide not to do it or not to go to it.
give something houseroom
to have or keep something in one's house
go easy on sth
If you tell someone to go easy on something, you are telling them to use only a small amount of it.
in something's wake
if an event leaves an unpleasant situation in its wake , that situation happens after that event or is caused by it
keep something at bay
to stop something from attacking you or affecting you badly
knock something sideways
to severely damage something so that it may not recover
know something backwards
to know something very well
mean something to sb
If a name , word , or phrase means something to you, you have heard it before and you know what it refers to.
no lack of something
If you say there is no lack of something, you are emphasizing that there is a great deal of it.
on top of something
dealing with a difficult task or a situation successfully
put paid to sth
If an unexpected event puts paid to someone's hopes , chances , or plans , it completely ends or destroys them.
put something on hold
to decide not to do, change, or deal with something now , but to leave it until later
put something on ice
to postpone something
put something over on
to deceive ; trick
put something to bed
to achieve a plan or task or complete it successfully
something cuts no ice
said to mean that something does not impress you
to lay something bare
If you lay something bare , you uncover it completely so that it can then be seen.
a dab hand at something
very good at doing something
any amount of something
If you say that there is any amount of something, there is a lot of it. If you say that there are any amount of people or things, there are many people or things.
at odds with something
not matching or corresponding to another thing
Chinese translation of 'something'
something
(ˈsʌmθɪŋ)
pron
某事物 (mǒu shìwù)
let's do something nice for your birthday咱(偺)们(們)得好好过(過)过(過)你的生日 (zánmen děi hǎohǎo guòguo nǐ de shēngrì)
there was obviously something wrong显(顯)然有些事情不对(對)劲(勁) (xiǎnrán yǒu xiē shìqing bù duìjìn)
something to do有事要做 (yǒu shì yào zuò)
something else其他事情 (qítā shìqing)
would you like a sandwich or something?你要来(來)点(點)三明治或其他什么(麼)东(東)西吗(嗎)？ (nǐ yào lái diǎn sānmíngzhì huò qítā shénme dōngxi ma?)
it's something of a mystery这(這)是件神秘(祕)的事 (zhè shì jiàn shénmì de shì)
they make up something like two-thirds of the population他们(們)占(佔)了差不多三分之二的人口 (tāmen zhànle chàbuduō sān fēn zhī èr de rénkǒu)