Thing (th&ibreve;ng), n. [AS.
þing a thing, cause, assembly, judicial assembly; akin to
þingan to negotiate, þingian to reconcile,
conciliate, D. ding a thing, OS. thing thing, assembly,
judicial assembly, G. ding a thing, formerly also, an assembly,
court, Icel. þing a thing, assembly, court, Sw. & Dan.
ting; perhaps originally used of the transaction of or before a
popular assembly, or the time appointed for such an assembly; cf. G.
dingen to bargain, hire, MHG. dingen to hold court, speak
before a court, negotiate, Goth. þeihs time, perhaps akin to
L. tempus time. Cf. Hustings, and Temporal of time.]
1. Whatever exists, or is conceived to exist, as a
separate entity, whether animate or inanimate; any separable or
distinguishable object of thought.
God made . . . every thing that creepeth upon the
earth after his kind.
Gen. i. 25.
He sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good
things of Egypt.
Gen. xiv. 23.
A thing of beauty is a joy forever.
Keats.
2. An inanimate object, in distinction from a
living being; any lifeless material.
Ye meads and groves, unconscious things!
Cowper.
3. A transaction or occurrence; an event; a
deed.
[And Jacob said] All these things are against
me.
Gen. xlii. 36.
Which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what
authority I do these things.
Matt. xxi. 24.
4. A portion or part; something.
Wicked men who understand any thing of
wisdom.
Tillotson.
5. A diminutive or slighted object; any object
viewed as merely existing; -- often used in pity or contempt.
See, sons, what things you are!
Shak.
The poor thing sighed, and . . . turned from
me.
Addison.
I'll be this abject thing no more.
Granville.
I have a thing in prose.
Swift.
6. pl. Clothes; furniture; appurtenances;
luggage; as, to pack or store one's things. [Colloq.]
&fist; Formerly, the singular was sometimes used in a plural or
collective sense.
And them she gave her moebles and her
thing.
Chaucer.
&fist; Thing was used in a very general sense in Old English, and
is still heard colloquially where some more definite term would be used in
careful composition.
In the garden [he] walketh to and fro,
And hath his things [i. e., prayers, devotions] said full
courteously.
Chaucer.
Hearkening his minstrels their things
play.
Chaucer.
7. (Law) Whatever may be possessed or owned;
a property; -- distinguished from person.
8. [In this sense pronounced t&ibreve;ng.]
In Scandinavian countries, a legislative or judicial assembly.
Longfellow.
Things personal. (Law) Same as Personal
property, under Personal. -- Things real.
Same as Real property, under Real.
{ Thing, ||Ting } (?), n.
[Dan. thing, ting, Norw. ting, or Sw.
ting.] In Scandinavian countries, a legislative or
judicial assembly; -- used, esp. in composition, in titles of such
bodies. See Legislature, Norway.
Thing (th&ibreve;ng), n. [AS.
þing a thing, cause, assembly, judicial assembly; akin to
þingan to negotiate, þingian to reconcile,
conciliate, D. ding a thing, OS. thing thing, assembly,
judicial assembly, G. ding a thing, formerly also, an assembly,
court, Icel. þing a thing, assembly, court, Sw. & Dan.
ting; perhaps originally used of the transaction of or before a
popular assembly, or the time appointed for such an assembly; cf. G.
dingen to bargain, hire, MHG. dingen to hold court, speak
before a court, negotiate, Goth. þeihs time, perhaps akin to
L. tempus time. Cf. Hustings, and Temporal of time.]
1. Whatever exists, or is conceived to exist, as a
separate entity, whether animate or inanimate; any separable or
distinguishable object of thought.
God made . . . every thing that creepeth upon the
earth after his kind.
Gen. i. 25.
He sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good
things of Egypt.
Gen. xiv. 23.
A thing of beauty is a joy forever.
Keats.
2. An inanimate object, in distinction from a
living being; any lifeless material.
Ye meads and groves, unconscious things!
Cowper.
3. A transaction or occurrence; an event; a
deed.
[And Jacob said] All these things are against
me.
Gen. xlii. 36.
Which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what
authority I do these things.
Matt. xxi. 24.
4. A portion or part; something.
Wicked men who understand any thing of
wisdom.
Tillotson.
5. A diminutive or slighted object; any object
viewed as merely existing; -- often used in pity or contempt.
See, sons, what things you are!
Shak.
The poor thing sighed, and . . . turned from
me.
Addison.
I'll be this abject thing no more.
Granville.
I have a thing in prose.
Swift.
6. pl. Clothes; furniture; appurtenances;
luggage; as, to pack or store one's things. [Colloq.]
&fist; Formerly, the singular was sometimes used in a plural or
collective sense.
And them she gave her moebles and her
thing.
Chaucer.
&fist; Thing was used in a very general sense in Old English, and
is still heard colloquially where some more definite term would be used in
careful composition.
In the garden [he] walketh to and fro,
And hath his things [i. e., prayers, devotions] said full
courteously.
Chaucer.
Hearkening his minstrels their things
play.
Chaucer.
7. (Law) Whatever may be possessed or owned;
a property; -- distinguished from person.
8. [In this sense pronounced t&ibreve;ng.]
In Scandinavian countries, a legislative or judicial assembly.
Longfellow.
Things personal. (Law) Same as Personal
property, under Personal. -- Things real.
Same as Real property, under Real.
{ Thing, ||Ting } (?), n.
[Dan. thing, ting, Norw. ting, or Sw.
ting.] In Scandinavian countries, a legislative or
judicial assembly; -- used, esp. in composition, in titles of such
bodies. See Legislature, Norway.