Definitions for nothing
ˈnʌθ ɪŋnoth·ing

Princeton's WordNet(4.00 / 7 votes)Rate this definition:

1. nothing, nil, nix, nada, null, aught, cipher, cypher, goose egg, naught, zero, zilch, zip, zippoadverb

   a quantity of no importance

   "it looked like nothing I had ever seen before"; "reduced to nil all the work we had done"; "we racked up a pathetic goose egg"; "it was all for naught"; "I didn't hear zilch about it"

2. nothingadverb

   in no respect; to no degree

   "he looks nothing like his father"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. nothingnoun

   Something trifling, or of no consequence or importance

   What happened to your face? uE00098519uE001 It's nothing.

2. nothingnoun

   A trivial remark (especially in the term sweet nothings)

3. nothingnoun

   A nobody (insignificant person)

   You're nothing to me now!

4. nothingadverb

   Not at all; in no way.

5. nothingpronoun

   Not any thing; no thing.

6. nothingpronoun

   An absence of anything, including empty space, brightness, darkness, matter, or a vacuum.

7. nothingpronoun

   Anything

   I didn't see nothing. [= I didn't see anything].

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Nothingnoun

   Etymology: no and thing; nothing, Scottish.

   1. Negation of being; nonentity; universal negation; opposed to something.

   It is most certain, that there never could be nothing. For, if there could have been an instant, wherein there was nothing, then either nothing made something, or something made itself; and so was, and acted, before it was. But if there never could be nothing; then there is, and was, a being of necessity, without any beginning. Nehemiah Grew, Cos.

   We do not create the world from nothing and by nothing; we assert an eternal God to have been the efficient cause of it. Richard Bentley, Serm.

   This nothing is taken either in a vulgar or philosophical sense; so we say there is nothing in the cup in a vulgar sense, when we mean there is no liquor in it; but we cannot say there is nothing in the cup, in a strict philosophical sense, while there is air in it. Isaac Watts, Logick.

   2. Nonexistence.

   Mighty states characterless are grated
   To dusty nothing. William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida.

   3. Not any thing; no particular thing.

   There shall nothing die. Ex. ix. 4.

   Yet had his aspect nothing of severe,
   But such a face as promis’d him sincere. Dryden.

   Philosophy wholly speculative, is barren and produces nothing but vain ideas. John Dryden, Don Sebastian.

   Nothing at all was done, while any thing remained undone. Joseph Addison, on the War.

   4. No other thing.

   Nothing but a steady resolution brought to practice; God’s grace used, his commandments obeyed, and his pardon begged; nothing but this will intitle you to God’s acceptance. William Wake, Prep. for Death.

   Words are made to declare something; where they are, by those who pretend to instruct, otherwise used, they conceal indeed something; but that which they conceal, is nothing but the ignorance, error, or sophistry of the talker, for there is, in truth, nothing else under them. John Locke.

   5. No quantity or degree.

   The report which the troops of horse make, would add nothing of courage to their fellows. Edward Hyde.

   6. No importance; no use; no value.

   The outward shew of churches, draws the rude people to the reverencing and frequenting thereof, whatever some of our late too nice fools say, there is nothing in the seemly form of the church. Edmund Spenser, Ireland.

   Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of naught. Isaiah xli. 24.

   7. No possession or fortune.

   A most homely shepherd; a man that from very nothing is grown into an unspeakable estate. William Shakespeare, W. Tale.

   8. No difficulty; no trouble.

   We are industrious to preserve our bodies from slavery, but we make nothing of suffering our souls to be slaves to our lusts. John Ray, on the Creation.

   9. A thing of no proportion.

   The charge of making the ground, and otherwise is great, but nothing to the profit. Francis Bacon, Nat. Hist.

   10. Trifle; something of no consideration or importance.

   I had rather have one scratch my head i’ th’ sun,
   When the alarum were struck, than idly sit
   To hear my nothings monster’d. William Shakespeare, Cor.

   My dear nothings, take your leave,
   No longer must you me deceive,
   ’Tis nothing, says the fool; but says the friend,
   This nothing, Sir, will bring you to your end.
   Do I not see your dropsy-belly swell? Dryden.

   That period includes more than a hundred sentences that might be writ to express multiplication of nothings, and all the fatiguing perpetual business of having no business to do. Alexander Pope, Letters.

   11. Nothing has a kind of adverbial signification. In no degree; not at all.

   Who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth? Job xxiv. 25.

   Auria nothing dismayed with the greatness of the Turks’ fleet, still kept on his course. Richard Knolles, Hist. of the Turks.

   But Adam with such counsel nothing sway’d. John Milton.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Nothingnoun

   not anything; no thing (in the widest sense of the word thing); -- opposed to anything and something

2. Nothingnoun

   nonexistence; nonentity; absence of being; nihility; nothingness

3. Nothingnoun

   a thing of no account, value, or note; something irrelevant and impertinent; something of comparative unimportance; utter insignificance; a trifle

4. Nothingnoun

   a cipher; naught

5. Nothingadverb

   in no degree; not at all; in no wise

6. Etymology: [From no, a. + thing.]

Freebase(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Nothing

   Nothing is no thing, denoting the absence of something. Nothing is a pronoun associated with nothingness. In nontechnical uses, nothing denotes things lacking importance, interest, value, relevance, or significance. Nothingness is the state of being nothing, the state of nonexistence of anything, or the property of having nothing.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Nothing

   nuth′ing, n. no thing: non-existence: absence of being: a low condition: no value or use: not anything of importance, a trifle: utter insignificance, no difficulty or trouble: no magnitude: a cipher.—adv. in no degree: not at all.—adj. and n. Nothingā′rian, believing nothing.—ns. Nothingā′rianism; Noth′ing-gift (Shak.), a gift of no value; Noth′ingism, nihility; Noth′ingness, state of being nothing or of no value: a thing of no value.—Nothing but, no more than: only; Nothing less than, equal to: as much as.—Come to nothing, to have no result: to turn out a failure; Make nothing of, to consider as of no difficulty or importance; Neck or nothing (see Neck); Next to nothing, almost nothing. [No and thing.]

The Roycroft Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. nothing

   1. A negative which is the reality behind every ghostly affirmative. 2. Something that has density without weight, like a barber's breath.

Suggested Resources(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. nothing

   Song lyrics by nothing -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by nothing on the Lyrics.com website.

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'nothing' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #266

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'nothing' in Written Corpus Frequency: #272

How to pronounce nothing?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say nothing in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of nothing in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of nothing in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of nothing in a Sentence

1. Barbara Bush:

   I may sometimes be a little awkward, but there's nothing self-conscious in my love of country. I am Barbara Bush -- but I hear the quiet people others don't.

2. Dan Fitzsimmons:

   Only this is disputed: What was on the mind of Michael Rosfeld when he shot and killed another human being, there may be many other things brought up that have nothing to do with his state of mind.

3. Hannah Simone:

   I had my bangs and a high ponytail and Kim had just gotten bangs … I was n’t on a show — nothing. And then all of sudden this herd of paparazziwas chasing me down a street screaming, ‘ Kim ! ’ I did n’t know what was happening, I did n’t know who Kim was, it was n’t untila friend down the road yelled atme, ‘ They think you’re Kim Kardashian ! ’ I was like — what the heck ?

4. Nate Roman:

   No crime happened, nothing was missing or damaged, so the police have very little to go on.

5. Logan Pearsall Smith:

   The indefatigable pursuit of an unattainable perfection, even though it consists in nothing more than the pounding of an old piano, is what alone gives meaning to our life on this unavailing star.

Popularity rank by frequency of use