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there

Pronunciation: /ðɛː, ðə/
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Definition of there

adverb

  • 1in, at, or to that place or position:we went to Paris and stayed there ten days [with infinitive]:at the end of the day we are there to make money [after preposition]:I’m not going in there—it’s freezing
  • used when gesturing to indicate the place intended:there on the right
  • at that point (in speech, performance, writing, etc.):‘I’m quite—.’ There she stopped
  • in that respect; on that issue:I don’t agree with you there
  • 2used in attracting someone’s attention or calling attention to someone or something:hello there! there goes the phone
  • 3 (usually there is/are) used to indicate the fact or existence of something:there’s a restaurant round the corner there comes a point where you give up

exclamation

  • 1used to focus attention on something:there, I told you she wouldn’t mind!
  • 2used to comfort someone:there, there, you must take all of this philosophically

Phrases

been there, done that

informal used to express past experience of or overfamiliarity with something: I’ve been there, done that, got the video and the T-shirt

be there for

be available to provide support or comfort for (someone): this person was there for me when I was going through hell

have been there before

informal know all about a situation from experience: here are some helpful tips from mothers who’ve been there before

here and there

see here.

so there

informal used to express one’s defiance:you can’t share, so there!

there and then

immediately: he agreed to it there and then

there goes ——

used to express the destruction or failure of something:there goes my career

there it is

that is the situation:pretty ridiculous, I know, but there it is

there or thereabouts

in or very near a particular place or position.
approximately: forty years, there or thereabouts, had elapsed

there you are (or go)

informal
  • 1this is what you wanted:there you are—that’ll be £3.80 please
  • 2used to express confirmation, triumph, or resignation:there you are! I told you the problem was a political one sometimes it is embarrassing, but there you go

there you go again

used to criticize someone for behaving in a way that is typical of them.

there you have it

used to draw attention to a fact or to emphasize the simplicity of a process or action:simply turn the handle three times and there you have it

Origin:

Old English thǣr, thēr of Germanic origin; related to Dutch daar and German da, also to that and the

Do not confuse there with their or they‘re. There means 'in, at, or to that place' (it took an hour to get there); their means 'belonging to them' (I went to their house); they’re is short for they are (they’re a good team).

there in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of there in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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offing

/ ˈɒfɪŋ /
noun
the more distant part of the sea in view …