this

 
Pronunciation: /ðɪs/

pronoun (plural these /ðiːz/)

  • 1used to identify a specific person or thing close at hand or being indicated or experienced: is this your bag? he soon knew that this was not the place for him
  • used to introduce someone or something: this is the captain speaking listen to this
  • referring to the nearer of two things close to the speaker (the other, if specified, being identified by ‘that’): this is different from that
  • 2referring to a specific thing just mentioned: the company was transformed and Ward had played a vital role in bringing this about

determiner (plural these /ðiːz/)

  • 1used to identify a specific person or thing close at hand or being indicated or experienced: don’t listen to this guy these croissants are delicious
  • referring to the nearer of two things close to the speaker (the other, if specified, being identified by ‘that’): this one or that one?
  • 2referring to a specific thing just mentioned: there was a court case resulting from this incident
  • 3used with periods of time related to the present: I thought you were busy all this week how are you this morning?
  • referring to a period of time that has just passed: I haven’t left my bed these three days
  • 4 informal used in speech to draw attention to someone or something: I turned round and there was this big mummy standing next to us! I’ve slept in this here bed for forty years

adverb

[as submodifier]
  • to the degree or extent indicated: they can’t handle a job this big he’s not used to this much attention

Phrases

this and that (or this, that, and the other)

informal various unspecified things: they stayed up chatting about this and that

Origin:

Old English, neuter of thes, of West Germanic origin; related to that and the