ENGLISH
REFERENCE

nothing

n.
A1 Beginner Oxford US //ˈnəθɪŋ// UK //nˈʌθɪŋ// noth·ing Archaic General-service

n. not anything or zero things. You use it to say that there is not a single thing present or happening.

n. not anything; no single thing of any kind. Often functions as the subject or object of a sentence to indicate a total absence.


SIMPLE

There is nothing in the fridge for dinner.

CONTEXTUAL

I looked everywhere for my keys but found nothing under the sofa or on the table.

COMPLEX

The witness claimed to have seen nothing unusual during the night, yet the forensic evidence suggested a significant struggle had occurred in the hallway.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English nothyng, noon thing, non thing, na þing, nan thing, nan þing, from Old English nāþing, nān þing (“nothing”, literally “not any thing”), equivalent to no + thing. Compare Old English nāwiht (“nothing”, literally “no thing”), Swedish ingenting (“nothing”, literally “not any thing, no thing”).

Usage

Functions as an indefinite pronoun; it takes a singular verb even when referring to multiple absent items.

Pitfall

I didn't see nothing.I saw nothing.In standard English, 'nothing' already carries a negative meaning, so using it with 'don't' or 'didn't' creates a double negative.

Idioms16 entries

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