Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • pronoun Any object, occurrence, or matter whatever.
  • adverb To any degree or extent; at all.
  • noun Something or someone of importance.
  • idiom (anything but) By no means; not at all.
  • idiom (anything goes) Anything is permissible or likely to be tolerated.
  • idiom (like anything) To an exceeding degree.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • A thing, indefinitely; something or other, no matter what: opposed to nothing: as, have you anything to eat? I do not see anything; give me anything.
  • [From its indeterminate signification, anything is often used colloquially in comparisons, as emphatically comprehensive of whatever simile may suggest itself or be appropriate, especially in the comparative phrases as… as anything, like anything, equivalent to ‘exceedingly,’ ‘greatly.’
  • Any whit; in any degree; to any extent; at all.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Any object, act, state, event, or fact whatever; thing of any kind; something or other; aught.
  • noun Colloq. or Lowx Expressing an indefinite comparison; -- with as or like.
  • noun not at all or in any respect.
  • noun in any respect; at all.
  • adverb In any measure; anywise; at all.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb In any way, any extent or any degree.
  • pronoun Any object, act, state, event, or fact whatever; thing of any kind; something or other; aught.
  • pronoun with “as” or “like” Expressing an indefinite comparison.
  • noun Someone or something of importance.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

any +‎ thing

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Examples

  • Even considering a single book, or the making of a pencil, or anything *anything* in our lives: consider everything lying behind it - does anyone seriously believe that this is an outcome of external forces and lumps that just happen to come together in something that is layered, absolutely slathered, in meaning?

    Free Will and Behavioral Genetics, Bryan Caplan | EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty 2009

  • And that ‘unusualness’ could be anything: beauty, ugliness, deformity, eccentricity…..anything.

    The picture not taken « knitnut.net 2008

  • I use the backside of a ladle when straining anything with a sieve and it works wonders with everything, gravy, custard, raspberries..anything at all.

    mixed berry pavlova | smitten kitchen 2007

  • I would have done anything for him… anything… because wether or not we could be…

    ugotsoul Diary Entry ugotsoul 2003

  • They are heated and air conditioned by a solar plant that tops anything - you hear me, _anything_ - that we have today.

    Ring Around the Sun Simak, Clifford D., 1904-1988 1952

  • I will do anything -- _anything_, HILDA, to provide you with agreeable entertainment.

    Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 104, March 25, 1893 Various

  • He may have done anything -- _anything_ to get the

    The Furnace of Gold Philip Verrill Mighels

  • In the meantime, don't be surprised at anything that happens, and by that I mean _anything_.

    The Galaxy Primes 1927

  • "Wiggs," he said solemnly, "if ever you can do anything to annoy that woman, such as making her an apple-pie bed, or _anything_ like that, I wish you'd do it."

    Once on a Time Charles Robinson 1919

  • "Oh, if anything, anything, _anything_ would happen!" she breathed, stretching out both arms toward the snowy shrubbery-broken expanse behind the house which in summer was her garden.

    Under the Country Sky Frances [Illustrator] Rogers 1912

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