English Dictionary

Definition of “nothing”

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nothing (ˈnʌθɪŋPronunciation for nothing) 

Definitions

pronoun

  1. (indefinite) no thing; not anything, as of an implied or specified class of things  ⇒ I can give you nothing 
  2. no part or share  ⇒ to have nothing to do with this crime 
  3. a matter of no importance or significance  ⇒ it doesn't matter, it's nothing 
  4. indicating the absence of anything perceptible; nothingness
  5. indicating the absence of meaning, value, worth, etc  ⇒ to amount to nothing 
  6. zero quantity; nought
  7. See be nothing to
  8. See have nothing to do with
  9. See have nothing on
  10. See in nothing flat
  11. See nothing but
  12. See nothing doing
  13. See nothing if not
  14. See nothing less than
  15. See there's nothing for it
  16. See there's nothing like
  17. See there's nothing to it
  18. See think nothing of
  19. See to say nothing of
  20. See stop at nothing

adverb

  1. in no way; not at all  ⇒ he looked nothing like his brother 

noun

  1. informal a person or thing of no importance or significance
  2. See sweet nothings

Word Origin

Old English nāthing, nān thing,  from nānnoneOld English from 1 + + thingOld English from + 1

Quotations

  • "Nothing, like something, happens anywhere" Philip Larkin
  • "Nothing can be created out of nothing" Lucretius
  • "Nothing will come of nothing" William Shakespeare

Translations

  • British English: nothing Pronunciation for nothing Nothing means not anything.There was nothing to do.ˈnʌθɪŋ NOUN There was nothing to do.
  • Spanish: nada Pronunciation for nada nf
  • French: rien Pronunciation for rien nm
  • German: Nichts Pronunciation for Nichts nnt
  • Chinese: 无Pronunciation for 无 n
  • Arabic: لَاشَيّءَPronunciation for لَاشَيّءَ n
  • Portuguese: nadaPronunciation for nada nm
  • Russian: ничтоPronunciation for ничто nnt
  • Croatian: ništaPronunciation for ništa nnt
  • Czech: nicPronunciation for nic pron
  • Danish: ligegyldighedPronunciation for ligegyldighed nutr
  • Dutch: nietsPronunciation for niets nnt
  • Finnish: mitättömyysPronunciation for mitättömyys n
  • Greek: τίποταPronunciation for τίποτα nnt
  • Italian: nientePronunciation for niente nm
  • Japanese: 何も･･･ないPronunciation for 何も･･･ない n
  • Korean: 아무것 아닌 것Pronunciation for 아무것 아닌 것 n
  • Norwegian: ingentingPronunciation for ingenting n
  • Polish: nicPronunciation for nic nnt
  • Brazilian Portuguese: nadaPronunciation for nada nm
  • European Spanish: nada Pronunciation for nada nf
  • Swedish: ingentingPronunciation for ingenting pron
  • Thai: ไม่มีอะไรPronunciation for ไม่มีอะไร n
  • Turkish: hiçbir şeyPronunciation for hiçbir şey n
  • Vietnamese: người/vật tầm thườngPronunciation for người/vật tầm thường n

Usage examples

  • She looked at the ABC news on television, but there was nothing there to raise her spirits.
    Jon Cleary, YESTERDAY'S SHADOW (2002)
  • At a time when farming has never been less profitable, the reason has nothing to do with earning a living.
    Country Life (2004)
  • It was a goal of exceptional quality, manufactured out of nothing save his own skill.
    Irish Times (2002)
  • They come into the workshop and there are no chairs, no tables, and suddenly there is nothing but a pile of instruments.
    Glasgow Herald (2001)
  • To his superiors he reported smugly: "The whole hospital is on a very creditable footing and nothing is lacking.
    Jim Leavesley, George Biro, THE MEDICAL MYSTERIES E-OMNIBUS (2001)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'N'

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