English Explanatory Dictionary

some

English dictionary entry

Meanings

pron
  1. A certain number (multiple but not all).
  2. An indefinite quantity.
  3. An indefinite amount; a part. Used mostly with abstract and nonliving objects.
  4. Someone, a certain person.
det
  1. A nonzero, unspecified proportion of (a bounded set of countable things): at least two.
  2. A nonzero, unspecified quantity or number of (an unbounded set of countable things).
  3. An unspecified amount of (something uncountable).
  4. A certain, an unspecified or unknown.
  5. A considerable quantity or number of.
  6. Approximately, about (with a number).
  7. Emphasizing a number.
  8. A remarkable.
adv
  1. Of a measurement: approximately, roughly.
  2. To a certain extent, or for a certain period.
  3. Somewhat, a little.

Pronunciation

/sʌm/ [sɐm] LL-Q1860 (eng)-Back ache-some.wav /sʊm/ sŭm en-us-some.ogg /səm/ /sɐm/ [säm]

Word forms

some som som' sum

Etymology

From Middle English som, sum, from Old English sum (“some, a certain one”), from Proto-West Germanic *sum, from Proto-Germanic *sumaz (“some, a certain one”), from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“one, whole”). Cognate Scots sum, some (“some”), North Frisian som, sam, säm (“some”), West Frisian sommige, somlike (“some”), dialectal Dutch som, saom (“some”), standard Dutch sommige (“some”), Low German somige (“some”), German dialectal summige (“some”), Danish somme (“some”), Swedish somlig (“some”), Norwegian sum, som (“some”), Icelandic sumur (“some”), Gothic 𐍃𐌿𐌼𐍃 (sums, “one, someone”). More at same.

Synonyms

a few any -ish about all but almost approaching around by and large circa close close to essentially for all practical purposes fornigh give or take imprecisely just about kind of loosely more or less nearly near nearabout nigh on odd or so plus or minus roundly roughly say some -some sort of thereabout virtually well-nigh ±

Antonyms

many much none no zero a lot of numerous countless

Related words

quantifier

Derived words

all and some and then some at some point bang some heads together buy some time by some distance come get some for some reason for some time get some if ever there were some in some places of some use other some othersome quite some show some skin snag some z's somebody some day someday somedays somedeal some few somehow some kind of some kinda some ol' some old some ole someone some people someplace somepony some something or other some such something sometime some time sometimes some time yet someway someways somewhat somewhen somewhence somewhere somewhile some white man's grave somewhither somewhy somewise summerteeth take some beating take some doing whip some skull on
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