something */*/*/

UK [ˈsʌmθɪŋ] / US pronoun

1) used for referring to a thing without saying exactly what it is used for referring to a thing, idea, fact etc when you do not know or say exactly what it is

I could smell something burning.

Carl said something about an operation.

Whenever she sees something that she likes, she goes and buys it.

Her brother is something in advertising (= he has a job in advertising).

something important/better/wrong/special etc:

Be quiet – I have something important to tell you.

Jake looks pale – is there something wrong with him?

something else (= something different):

I'd love to quit my job and do something else with my life.

something to eat/drink/wear (= food, drink, or clothes):

Would you like something to drink?

something to do (= an activity):

There's always something to do at the farm.

something or other:

He's always complaining about something or other.

2) used for giving a description or amount that is not exact

a) used for giving a description that is not exact or that you are not certain of

something like:

They say creating a work of art is something like giving birth.

The house looks something like a medieval fortress.

something between:

The look on Max's face was something between puzzlement and anger.

b) used for giving an amount that is not exact or that you are not certain of

something like:

The building is going to be something like 12 storeys tall.

something between/around:

He's earning something between £20,000 and £25,000 a year.

An average house in the area costs something around £280,000.

3) spoken used for referring to information you do not remember used when you cannot remember the rest of someone's name, the rest of a number, the words of a song etc

I can't remember his name – Harry something, I think.

The account number was four-two-three-something-something-five.

•

be really/quite something — spoken to be very impressive

You should see the summer exhibition – it's quite something!

We took the new super-fast train, and that was really something.

What Noreen's done with the business is quite something.

be/have something to do with something — used for saying that something is related to something else, especially when you do not know or do not give the exact details

I can't always open my emails – it has something to do with the type of attachment they come with.

...or something (like that/of the sort) — used for referring to any of a group of things or possibilities without being specific

We should at least call or something and make sure she's all right.

He works as an investment banker or something like that.

- be something of a

- do something

- make something of yourself

- something for nothing

- that's saying something

- that's something

- there is something about

- there is something in something

See:

little II, up I, do with 3)