From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
some
adv 1: (of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct;
"lasted approximately an hour"; "in just about a minute";
"he's about 30 years old"; "I've had about all I can
stand"; "we meet about once a month"; "some forty people
came"; "weighs around a hundred pounds"; "roughly
$3,000"; "holds 3 gallons, more or less"; "20 or so
people were at the party" [syn: approximately, about,
close to, just about, some, roughly, {more or
less}, around, or so]
adj 1: quantifier; used with either mass nouns or plural count
nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity;
"have some milk"; "some roses were still blooming";
"having some friends over"; "some apples"; "some paper"
[ant: {all(a)}, {no(a)}]
2: relatively much but unspecified in amount or extent; "we
talked for some time"; "he was still some distance away"
3: relatively many but unspecified in number; "they were here
for some weeks"; "we did not meet again for some years"
4: remarkable; "that was some party"; "she is some skier"
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
-some \-some\ (-s[=o]m).
A combining form or suffix from Gr. sw^ma (gen. sw`matos) the
body; as in merosome, a body segment; cephalosome, etc.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
-some \-some\ (-s[u^]m). [AS. -sum; akin to G. & OHG. -sam,
Icel. samr, Goth. lustusams longed for. See Same, a., and
cf. Some, a.]
An adjective suffix having primarily the sense of like or
same, and indicating a considerable degree of the thing or
quality denoted in the first part of the compound; as in
mettlesome, full of mettle or spirit; gladsome, full of
gladness; winsome, blithesome, etc.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Some \Some\ (s[u^]m), a. [OE. som, sum, AS. sum; akin to OS.,
OFries., & OHG. sum, OD. som, D. sommig, Icel. sumr, Dan.
somme (pl.), Sw. somlige (pl.), Goth. sums, and E. same.
[root]191. See Same, a., and cf. -some.]
1. Consisting of a greater or less portion or sum; composed
of a quantity or number which is not stated; -- used to
express an indefinite quantity or number; as, some wine;
some water; some persons. Used also pronominally; as, I
have some.
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Some theoretical writers allege that there was a
time when there was no such thing as society.
--Blackstone.
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2. A certain; one; -- indicating a person, thing, event,
etc., as not known individually, or designated more
specifically; as, some man, that is, some one man. "Some
brighter clime." --Mrs. Barbauld.
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Some man praiseth his neighbor by a wicked intent.
--Chaucer.
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Most gentlemen of property, at some period or other
of their lives, are ambitious of representing their
county in Parliament. --Blackstone.
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3. Not much; a little; moderate; as, the censure was to some
extent just.
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4. About; near; more or less; -- used commonly with numerals,
but formerly also with a singular substantive of time or
distance; as, a village of some eighty houses; some two or
three persons; some hour hence. --Shak.
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The number slain on the rebel's part were some two
thousand. --Bacon.
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5. Considerable in number or quantity. "Bore us some leagues
to sea." --Shak.
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On its outer point, some miles away.
The lighthouse lifts its massive masonry.
--Longfellow.
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6. Certain; those of one part or portion; -- in distinction
from other or others; as, some men believe one thing,
and others another.
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Some [seeds] fell among thorns; . . . but other fell
into good ground. --Matt. xiii.
7, 8.
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7. A part; a portion; -- used pronominally, and followed
sometimes by of; as, some of our provisions.
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Your edicts some reclaim from sins,
But most your life and blest example wins. --Dryden.
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All and some, one and all. See under All, adv. [Obs.]
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Note: The illiterate in the United States and Scotland often
use some as an adverb, instead of somewhat, or an
equivalent expression; as, I am some tired; he is some
better; it rains some, etc.
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Some . . . some, one part . . . another part; these . . .
those; -- used distributively.
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Some to the shores do fly,
Some to the woods, or whither fear advised.
--Daniel.
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Note: Formerly used also of single persons or things: this
one . . . that one; one . . . another.
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Some in his bed, some in the deep sea. --Chaucer.
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