some
some determiner, pronoun, adverb
determiner BrE [səm] ; NAmE [səm] strong form BrE [sʌm] ; strong form NAmE [sʌm]
1. used with uncountable nouns or plural countable nouns to mean ‘an amount of’ or ‘a number of’, when the amount or number is not given
• There's still some wine in the bottle.
• Have some more vegetables. In negative sentences and questions any is usually used instead of ‘some’
•I don't want any more vegetables.
•Is there any wine left? However, some is used in questions that expect a positive reply
•Would you like some milk in your coffee?
•Didn't you borrow some books of mine?
2. BrE [sʌm] ; NAmE [sʌm] used to refer to certain members of a group or certain types of a thing, but not all of them
• Some people find this more difficult than others.
• Some people never seem to put on weight while others are always on a diet.
•I like some modern music (= but not all of it).
3. BrE [sʌm] ; NAmE [sʌm] a large number or amount of sth
• It was with some surprise that I heard the news.
• We've known each other for some years now.
•We're going to be working together for some time (= a long time).
4. BrE [sʌm] ; NAmE [sʌm] a small amount or number of sth
• There is some hope that things will improve.
5. used with singular nouns to refer to a person, place, thing or time that is not known or not identified
• There must be some mistake.
• He's in some kind of trouble.
•She won a competition in some newspaper or other.
•I'll see you again some time, I'm sure.
6. BrE [sʌm] ; NAmE [sʌm] (informal, sometimes ironic)used to express a positive or negative opinion about sb/sth
•That was some party!
•Some expert you are! You know even less than me.
Word Origin:
Old English sum, of Germanic origin, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek hamōs ‘somehow’ and Sanskrit sama ‘any, every’.
Idiom: ↑… and then some
pronoun BrE [sʌm] ; NAmE [sʌm] ~ (of sb/sth)
1. used to refer to an amount of sth or a number of people or things when the amount or number is not given
• Some disapprove of the idea.
• You'll find some in the drawer.
•Here are some of our suggestions. In negative sentences and questions any is usually used instead of ‘some’
•I don't want any.
•Do you have any of the larger ones? However, some is used in questions that expect a positive reply
•Would you like some?
•Weren't you looking for some of those?
2. a part of the whole number or amount being considered
• All these students are good, but some work harder than others.
• Some of the music was weird.
Word Origin:
Old English sum, of Germanic origin, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek hamōs ‘somehow’ and Sanskrit sama ‘any, every’.
adverb BrE [sʌm] ; NAmE [sʌm]
1. used before numbers to mean ‘approximately’
•Some thirty people attended the funeral.
2. (NAmE, informal)to some degree
•He needs feeding up some.
•‘Are you finding the work any easier?’ ‘Some.’
Word Origin:
[some] Old English sum, of Germanic origin, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek hamōs ‘somehow’ and Sanskrit sama ‘any, every’.
|
|
