thing

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. An entity, an idea, or a quality perceived, known, or thought to have its own existence.
2. n. The real or concrete substance of an entity.
3. n. An entity existing in space and time.
4. n. An inanimate object.
5. n. Something referred to by a word, a symbol, a sign, or an idea; a referent.
6. n. A creature: the poor little thing.
7. n. An individual object: There wasn't a thing in sight.
8. n. Law That which can be possessed or owned. Often used in the plural: things personal; things real.
9. n. Possessions; belongings: packed her things and left.
10. n. An article of clothing: Put on your things and let's go.
11. n. The equipment needed for an activity or a special purpose: Where are my cleaning things?
12. n. An object or entity that is not or cannot be named specifically: What is this thing for?
13. n. An act, deed, or work: promised to do great things.
14. n. The result of work or activity: is always building things.
15. n. A thought, a notion, or an utterance: What a rotten thing to say!
16. n. A piece of information: wouldn't tell me a thing about the project.
17. n. A means to an end: just the thing to increase sales.
18. n. An end or objective: In blackjack, the thing is to get nearest to 21 without going over.
19. n. A matter of concern: many things on my mind.
20. n. A turn of events; a circumstance: The accident was a terrible thing.
21. n. The general state of affairs; conditions: "Beneath the smooth surface of things, something was wrong” ( Tom Wicker).
22. n. A particular state of affairs; a situation: Let's deal with this thing promptly.
23. n. Informal A persistent illogical feeling, as a desire or an aversion; an obsession: has a thing about seafood.
24. n. Informal The latest fad or fashion; the rage: Drag racing was the thing then.
25. n. Slang An activity uniquely suitable and satisfying to one: Let him do his own thing. See Synonyms at forte¹.
26. idiom. first thing Informal Right away; before anything else: Do your assignments first thing in the morning.
27. idiom. see To have hallucinations.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. That which is or may become the object of thought; that which has existence, or is conceived or imagined as having existence; any object, substance, attribute, idea, fact, circumstance, event, etc. A thing may be either material or ideal, animate or inanimate, actual, possible, or imaginary.
2. n. In more limited applications— A particular existence or appearance which is not or cannot be more definitely characterized; a somewhat; a something.
3. n. A living being: applied to persons or animals, either in admiration, tenderness, or pity, or in contempt; as, a poor sick thing; a poor foolish thing.
4. n. A material object lacking life and consciousness.
5. n. That which is done; an act, doing, undertaking, business, affair, etc.; also, something which is to be done; a duty or task; in the passage from Chaucer, below, in the plural, prayers or devotions.
6. n. A composition, as a tale, a poem, or a piece of music: used informally or depreciatingly.
7. n. [Usually plural] Personal accoutrements, equipments, furniture, etc.; especially, apparel; clothing; in particular, outdoor garments; wraps.
8. n. plural In law, sometimes, the material objects which can be subject to property rights; sometimes, those rights themselves. The distinction which is often made between corporeal and incorporeal things is a consequence of the confusion of these two meanings. Things real comprehend lands, tenements, and hereditaments, including rights and profits issuing out of land; things personal comprehend goods and chattels; and things mixed are such as partake of the characteristics of the two former, as a title-deed.
9. n. plural Circumstances.
10. n. A portion, part, or particular; an item; a particle; a jot, whit, or bit: used in many adverbial expressions, especially after or in composition with no, any, and some. See nothing, anything, something.
11. n. Cause; sake.
12. n. In Scandinavian countries and in regions largely settled by Scandinavians (as the east and north of England), an assembly, public meeting, parliament, or court of law. Also ting. See Althing, Landsthing, Storthing, Folkething.

Wiktionary

1. n. That which is considered to exist as a separate entity, object, quality or concept.
2. n. A word, symbol, sign, or other referent that can be used to refer to any entity.
3. n. An individual object or distinct entity.
4. n. law whatever can be owned.
5. n. The latest fad or fashion.
6. n. in the plural clothes, possessions or equipment.
7. n. informal A unit or container, usually containing edible goods.
8. n. informal A problem, dilemma, or complicating factor.
9. n. slang A penis.
10. n. A living being or creature.
11. n. That which matters; the crux.
12. n. Used after a noun to refer dismissively to the situation surrounding the noun's referent.
13. n. A public assembly or judicial council in a Germanic country.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. Whatever exists, or is conceived to exist, as a separate entity, whether animate or inanimate; any separable or distinguishable object of thought.
2. n. An inanimate object, in distinction from a living being; any lifeless material.
3. n. A transaction or occurrence; an event; a deed.
4. n. A portion or part; something.
5. n. A diminutive or slighted object; any object viewed as merely existing; -- often used in pity or contempt.
6. n. colloq. Clothes; furniture; appurtenances; luggage.
7. n. (Law) Whatever may be possessed or owned; a property; -- distinguished from person.
8. n. In Scandinavian countries, a legislative or judicial assembly.
9. n. In Scandinavian countries, a legislative or judicial assembly; -- used, esp. in composition, in titles of such bodies. See legislature, Norway.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a special objective
2. n. a persistent illogical feeling of desire or aversion
3. n. a vaguely specified concern
4. n. a statement regarded as an object
5. n. an entity that is not named specifically
6. n. an event
7. n. an action
8. n. an artifact
9. n. a special abstraction
10. n. a special situation
11. n. any attribute or quality considered as having its own existence
12. n. a separate and self-contained entity