- anything */*/*/
- UK [ˈenɪˌθɪŋ] / US
pronoun
1) [usually in negatives or questions] used instead of "something" when saying or asking whether there is one thing or even a small amount of something
Do you know anything about cricket?
He never does anything to help.
If anything happens, call me.
hardly anything:I promise I won't do anything stupid.
anything else:It was so dark I could hardly see anything at all.
anything to do/see/say etc:Do you want anything else to eat?
what, if anything? (= used when you think there is probably nothing):Is there anything to eat in the house?
It is not clear what. if anything, we can do to improve the situation.
2) used when it is not important to say which thing, idea, action etc you are referring to, because what you are saying applies to everythingYou can buy anything you want on the Internet.
Anything made of wood needs to be protected from the weather.
almost anything/just about anything:She would do anything for her children.
Pigs will eat almost anything.
3) used with numbers to show that you are not giving exact information, but that any number is possible within the range you mentionA good diamond could cost anything from £10,000 to £300,000.
You may have to wait anything up to six months for an appointment.
•as ... as anything
— spoken used with adjectives or adverbs to mean "very" or "extremely"She was as nervous as anything.
not ... anything better/worse
— used for saying that something is the best/the worst thing you can think ofIt was wonderful to have a place of my own. I couldn't have asked for anything better.
not anything like/near
— not at all or not nearlynot anything like as ... as:They didn't get anything near the price they were asking.
The exam wasn't anything like as hard as I expected.
not ... for anything
— spoken used for emphasizing that you definitely will not do somethingI wouldn't get married again for anything.
...or anything
— spoken used for referring to or asking about other things of the same typeCan I get you a sandwich or anything?
He never brought me flowers or anything.
See:if I
English dictionary. 2014.