/θɪŋ; θɪŋ/
n
1 [C] any unnamed object 东西; 物
*What's that thing on the table? 桌子上的那个东西是什么?
* There wasn't a thing (ie There was nothing) to eat. 没有可吃的东西.
* She's very fond of sweet things, ie sweet kinds of food. 她很爱吃甜食.
* I haven't a thing to wear, ie I have no suitable clothes. 我没有可穿的衣服.
2 things [pl]
(a) personal belongings, clothing, etc 个人的所有物、衣物等
*Don't forget your swimming things, ie swim-suit, towel, etc. 别忘了带游泳用品.
* Have you packed your things for the journey? 你收拾好旅行用的东西了吗?
* Put your things (eg coat, hat) on and let's go. 你把衣帽穿戴起来, 咱们走吧.
(b) tools, implements, etc 工具、器具等
*my painting things 我的绘画用具
* wash up the tea-things, eg plates, cups, cutlery 清洗茶具（如杯碟、刀叉）.
(c) circumstances or conditions 形势; 情况
*Things are going from bad to worse. 事态越来越糟了.
* Think things over before you decide. 你要先把一切考虑好再做决定.
* You mustn't take things so seriously. 你不要把情况看得那么严重.
(d) (with an adj following 後接形容词) all that can be so described （所使用的形容词所描述的）一切事物
*interested in things Japanese 对日本的一切事物都感兴趣.
(e) (law 律) property 财产.
3 [C]
(a) task, course of action, etc 任务、工作、做法等
*a difficult thing to do 难做的事
* The general, common, usual, established, etc thing is to... 一般的、普通的、通常的、传统的等做法是....
(b) fact, subject, etc 事实、事情、题目、主题等
*The main thing to remember is... 要记住的主要事实是....
* There's another thing I want to ask you about. 我想再问你一件事.
* I find the whole thing very boring. 我觉得整个事情让人烦透了.
4 [C] (used of a person or an animal, expressing affection, pity, contempt, etc 用于指人或动物, 表示可爱、怜悯、轻视等)
*What a sweet little thing your daughter is! 你女儿真是个可爱的小姑娘!
* My cat's been very ill, poor old thing. 我的猫病得挺厉害, 真可怜.
* You stupid thing! 你这蠢货!
5 the thing [sing] what is appropriate, suitable or most important 适当的、合适的或很重要的事物
*A holiday will be just the thing for you. 你现在需要的就是放假.
* The thing is not to interrupt him while he's talking. 要紧的是他说话的时候不要打断他的话.
* say the right/ wrong thing 说话得体[不得体]
* The main thing is to get more orders. 关键问题是要多弄到些定单.
* The thing about her is that she is completely honest. 她这个人最重要一点就是十分诚实.
6 (idm 习语) ,all things con`sidered when one considers every aspect of a problem, situation, etc 考虑到问题、情况等的各个方面
*All things considered, we're doing quite well. 从各方面的情况看, 我们目前干得挺好. as things `stand in the present set of circumstances就目前情况看
*As things stand, we won't finish the job on time. 据目前情况看, 我们不能按时完成任务了. be a good thing (that)... be fortunate that... 幸运的是...
*It's a good thing we brought the umbrella. 幸亏我们带伞了. be on to a good `thing (infml 口) have found a job or style of life that is pleasant, well paid, etc 找到了挣钱多的工作或愉快的生活方式等. be `seeing things (infml 口) have hallucinations 产生幻觉
*Am I seeing things or is that Bill over there? I thought he was dead. 是我看花眼了呢, 还是在那儿的人是比尔呢?我以为他死了. a close/near `thing a fine balance between success and failure, life and death, doing or not doing sth, etc （成败、生死、做与不做某事等）险些非此即彼
*We just managed to win, but it was a close thing. 我们好不容易才获胜, 真险哪. do one's own `thing (infml 口) follow one's own interests and inclinations; be independent 照个人的爱好和意愿行事; 独立自主; 不受约束. first/last `thing early in the morning/late in the evening 一早[夜晚最後]（做的事）
*I always take the dog for a short walk last thing before going to bed. 我总是在晚上就寝以前带狗去散散步. first things first => first1. for `one thing (used to introduce a reason for sth 用以引出某事的理由)
*For one thing, I've no money; and for another I'm too busy. 一来我没钱, 二来我太忙. have a thing about sb/sth (infml 口)
(a) be obsessed by sb/sth 对某人[某事物]耿耿于怀.
(b) have a prejudice against sb/sth 对某人[某事物]有偏见
*I've got a thing about men with beards. 我腻味留胡子的人. know a thing or two => know. make a `thing of sth (infml 口) make a fuss about sth 对某事物小题大做
*I don't want to make a (big) thing of it but you have been late for work three times this week. 我并非想小题大做, 但你本星期上班已迟到三次了. not know the first thingabout sth => know. (just) ,one of those `things an unfortunate event, experience, etc that one must accept as unavoidable 难免的倒霉事、经历等. one (damned, etc) thing after a`nother a succession of unpleasant or unwelcome happenings 不愉快的或讨厌的事情连续发生. other things being `equal provided that circumstances elsewhere remain the same 假若其他情况相同. sure thing => sure. take it/things easy => easy2. taking ,one thing with a`nother considering every aspect of the situation 考虑情况的各个方面. the ,thing `is the question to be considered is 要考虑的问题是
*The thing is, can we afford a holiday? 问题在于我们能否付得起度假的费用? a ,thing of the `past thing that is old-fashioned or out of date 老式的或过时的事物
*The art of writing letters seems to be a thing of the past. 讲求写信的技巧似已过时. ,things that go ,bump in the `night (joc 谑) strange or frightening noises, etc 奇怪的或可怕的声音等. what with ,one thing and a`nother (infml 口) because of various duties, commitments, happenings, etc 因为各种任务、承诺、事情等
*What with one thing and another, I forgot to tell you we couldn't come. 因为事情很多, 弄得我忘记告诉你我们不能来了.

n

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1【idea/action/feeling/fact】
2【object】
3【situation】
4【nothing】
5【person/animal】
6【make a comment】
7 the thing is
8 the last thing somebody wants/expects/needs etc
9 last thing
10 first thing
11【clothes/possessions】
12【equipment】
13 among other things
14 for one thing
15 be a thing of the past
16 it's a good thing (that)
17 something is just one of those things
18 the thing about/with somebody/something
19 all (other) things being equal
20 just the thing/the very thing
21 of all things
22 do your own thing
23 it's a girl/football/music etc thing
24 all things considered
25 be all things to all men/people
26 be onto a good thing
27 make a big thing of/about/out of something
28 the done thing
29 it's one thing to ..., (it's) another thing to ...,
30 what with one thing and another
31 have a thing about somebody/something
32 one thing leads to another
33 the (latest) thing
34 (do/try) the...thing
35 there is only one thing for it
36 one (damn/damned) thing after another
37 taking one thing with another
38 do things to somebody

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[Language: Old English;Origin:'meeting, council, thing']
【IDEA/ACTION/FEELING/FACT】[C]
an idea, action, feeling, or fact that someone thinks, does, says, or talks about, or that happens
　People say things they don't mean when they are angry.
　It was a horrible thing to happen.
　I plan to do all the things I've been meaning to do for ages.
　The first thing to do is to give them food and shelter.
　That's a terrible thing to say .
do the right/decent/honourable etc thing
　I kept wondering if I was doing the right thing.
this/that/what sort of thing
　A priest has to arrange funerals, marriages, that sort of thing.
　Getting more American ideas into British business would be a good thing .
　'I did no such thing ,' he protested.
　I know a thing or two (=a lot) about dogs.
　In a democracy, it is no bad thing to be able to compromise (=it is good, even though it may not seem good) .
【OBJECT】[C]
an object that you are talking about without saying its name, or whose name you do not know
　A red thing was caught in the branches.
　I'll just switch this thing off.
　There was a round metal thing on the path.
... and things
(=and other similar things)
　The shed is where we keep our tools and things.
【SITUATION】
things [plural]
life in general and the way it is affecting people
　By the end of 1942, things were starting to change.
　Things could be worse.
　As things turned out, we didn't have much time.
　How are things with you, Sarah?
make things easy/difficult/hard
　She would get angry quickly, which made things difficult for me.
　We can't change the way things are .
【NOTHING】 [singular, U]
used as part of a negative statement to mean 'anything'
not a thing
　I couldn't find a thing that I wanted to buy.
　He took his glasses off and couldn't see a thing.
　Don't worry about a thing.
　There's no such thing as ghosts (=they do not exist) .
【PERSON/ANIMAL】[C]
used to talk to or about a person or animal, when you are describing what they are like or showing sympathy for them
　The baby is a nice little thing when he's not screaming.
　She was terribly upset, poor thing .
【MAKE A COMMENT】 [C usually singular]
used to say something about a particular part of a situation, person etc
thing about
　The thing about teaching is that it takes more time to prepare than most people realize.
the funny/strange/best etc thing
　The funny thing is, I really enjoyed it, even though I hadn't expected to.
　It's a good thing you saw her before she saw you.
the thing is
spoken used when you are going to explain something, give the reason for something, or give an opinion
　'It sounds like a good idea. Why don't you invest?' 'Well, the thing is, I can't afford to.'
the thing is that
　The thing is that you can't always judge your own work.
the last thing sb wants/expects/needs etc
something that someone does not want, expect etc at all
　The last thing I want is to upset him.
　The last thing I should have done was let her move into my house.
last thing
BrE at the end of a day, afternoon, evening etc
　She likes a hot bath last thing at night .
first thing
at the beginning of a day, morning, afternoon etc
　Jean liked to go for a swim first thing in the morning .
【CLOTHES/POSSESSIONS】
things [plural]especially BrE clothes and possessions
American Equivalent: stuffsb's things
　Jim began to unpack his things.
　I want to sell some of my things, but they aren't worth much.
【EQUIPMENT】
things [plural]especially BrE the tools, equipment, clothes etc that you need for a particular job, sport etc
American Equivalent: stuffsb's writing/school/Christmas etc things
　I left my swimming things at home.
　the shed where he kept his gardening things
among other things
used when you are giving one fact, reason, effect etc but want to suggest that there are many others
　The substance is used in the manufacture of cosmetics and drugs, among other things.
for one thing
used to give one reason for something
　Well, for one thing, it's too big.
　He's not that wonderful. He's bad-tempered for one thing.
be a thing of the past
to no longer exist or happen
　Before AIDS, many health care experts believed that large-scale infectious diseases were a thing of the past.
it's a good thing (that)
spoken used to say that it is lucky or good that something has happened
　It's a good thing we brought some food with us.
sth is just one of those things
used to say that something unpleasant or unlucky cannot be prevented
　It wasn't really the driver's fault; it was just one of those things.
the thing about/with sb/sth
used to say what the problem with someone or something is
　The thing about talk shows is that you never know how they will turn out.
all (other) things being equal
used to say that something is true in general, but that other things may cause the situation to change
　All things being equal, smaller animals need smaller brains.
just the thing/the very thing
exactly the thing that you want or that is necessary
　A holiday is probably just the thing for you.
of all things
used to show that you are surprised or shocked by something that someone has done or said
　She gave up a promising career as a stockbroker to become a weaver, of all things.
do your own thinginformal
to do something in the way that you like instead of copying other people or following strict rules
　I just want to live my own life and do my own thing.
it's a girl/football/music etc thinginformal
used to say that something involves or affects a particular group of people only
　Computer games aren't just a guy thing.
all things considered
when you consider all the parts or events of a situation
　All things considered, we had surprisingly few injuries.
be all things to all men/people
to try to please or be useful to all of many different groups, often without succeeding
　In order to get votes, he tries to be all things to all men.
be onto a good thinginformal
if you are onto a good thing, you are in a situation that is very helpful, comfortable, or profitable for you
think/know you are onto a good thing
　Directors who take dividends instead of salary may think they are onto a good thing but could have problems on retirement.
make a big thing of/about/out of sth
to make something seem more important than it really is
　You can apologise without making a big thing out of it.
the done thing
BrE old-fashioned informal the way of behaving or doing something that is socially acceptable
　It is not the done thing for teachers to hit children.
it's one thing to ..., (it's) another thing to ...,
used to say that doing one thing is very different from doing another thing, especially where the second thing is more difficult, important, or serious
　It's one thing being able to run fast, but quite another to win a marathon.
what with one thing and another
BrE spoken used to explain that you have had a lot of work, problems, or jobs that you had to do
　I've been so busy these last few days, what with one thing and another.
have a thing about sb/sthinformal
to like or dislike someone or something very much, often without a good reason
　She's always had a thing about Peter.
one thing leads to another
used to explain how a series of events caused something to happen without giving any details
　One thing led to another and, before I knew it, I had invited her family to stay.
the (latest) thinginformal
something that is popular or fashionable at the moment
　When Amelia bought a new car it had to be the latest thing.
(do/try) the...thing
AmE spoken used to talk about an activity and everything that is involved with it
　Jody tried the college thing but finally dropped out.
there is only one thing for it
BrE spoken used to say that there is only one action that you can take
　There's only one thing for it. We'll have to call the police.
one (damn/damned) thing after another
used to say that a lot of unpleasant or unlucky things keep happening to you
taking one thing with another
BrE considering all the facts
do things to sb
to have a strong effect on someone
→amount/come to the same thingatsame¹ (4), the best thing since sliced breadatslice² (4), first things firstatfirst¹ (7), living thingsatliving¹ (1), be hearing thingsathear(10), be seeing thingsatsee¹ (28)