anydeterminer, pronoun
uk/ˈen.i/us/ˈen.i/any determiner, pronoun (SOME)
A1 some, or even the smallest amount or number of:
Is there any of that lemon cake left?
There was hardly any food left by the time we got there.
"Is there some butter I could use?" "No, there's some margarine but there isn't any butter."
"Is there any more soup?" "No, I'm afraid there isn't any left."
I haven't seen any of his movies.
I don't expect we'll have any more trouble from him.
I go to church for weddings but not for any other reason.
Are you sure there isn't any way of solving this problem?
More examples
- I don't have any cash on me, so could I pay with by cheque?
- All the shops were closed, so we couldn't buy any food.
- "Can I buy stamps here?" "Well, we do sell them, but we haven't got any at the moment."
- I tried taking tablets for the headache but they didn't have any effect.
- He hardly ever washes the dishes and he rarely, if ever, does any cleaning.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Some and quite
- bit
- certain
- degree
- faintly
- fairly
- ha'porth
- mite
- moderate
- pretty
- quite
- rather
- remotely
- several
- shade
- slightly
- somewhat
- sort
- sort of idiom
- to a/some degree idiom
- trifle
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any determiner, pronoun (NOT IMPORTANT WHICH)
A1 one of or each of a particular type of person or thing when it is not important which:
Any food would be better than nothing at all.
"Which of these cakes may I eat?" "Any."
The offer was that you could have any three items of clothing you liked for $30.
informal On Sundays I just wear any old thing (= anything) that I happen to find lying around.
Any of you should be able to answer this question.
Any idiot with a basic knowledge of French should be able to book a hotel room in Paris.
Any advice (= whatever advice) that you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Any minute/day/time now (= very soon) there's going to be a massive quarrel between those two.
There were a lot of computers at the exhibition, any (one) of which would have suited me perfectly.
More examples
- On Sundays I just wear any old thing that I happen to find lying around.
- He wanted success at any price.
- The virus can reactivate at any time.
- If ever there was any sort of argument, she'd always side with my father against me.
- We standardize parts such as rear-view mirrors, so that one type will fit any model of car we make.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Linguistics: both, all, each & every
- a
- all
- all
- apiece
- both
- each
- either
- every
- every minute idiom
- pan
- per
- pop
- strength
- the
- throw
- to
- whole
anyadverb
uk/ˈen.i/us/ˈen.i/B1 at all or in the least:
Can't you run any faster?
Those trousers don't look any different from the others.
Are you feeling any better after your illness?
Houses in this area used to be a real bargain, but they're not cheap any more (= now).
This radio isn't any good (= it's useless) - I'll have to buy another.
I used to walk to work every day, but not any longer (= not now).
US informal I tried talking him out of it, but that didn't help any - he still left home.
More examples
- Is your cold getting any better?
- "Don't come any closer, " she said darkly.
- "Halt!" called the guard. "You can't go any further without a permit."
- I don't like to think what might have happened if he'd been driving any faster.
- She doesn't work here any longer.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Linguistics: very & extreme
- abject
- awful
- badly
- beyond
- classic
- classical
- devastating
- drop dead! idiom
- eminently
- esp
- especially
- heartily
- impossibly
- rather
- sheer
- specially
- supremely
- thoroughly
- whole
- wide
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