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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sumthing, Som(e)thing, pron. and adv. Also: -thinge, -thyng(e, sumthingis, -thyngis. [ME and e.m.E. summ thing (Orm), sum-thing (Cursor M.), some-thing (c1510); Sum(e adj. and Thing n.]

A. pron. Some unspecified or indeterminate thing (either material or non-material). Also (once), some thing else.Freq. written as two words.(1) a1400 Leg. S. x 524.
Bot I hafe in the begynnynge Of this tale hecht to sa sum thinge ?1438 Alex. i 2507.
I trow he sall sone do sum thing ?1438 Alex. ii 4847.
We pray ȝow tell ws sum thing 1456 Hay I 159/20.
That thai have sum thing to lyve on, efter that he have payit his ransoun 1474 Acta Aud. 33/2.
[A mill lade and dam] to be … joysit be the said abbot & conuent, ay & quhill … William schew sum thing to ber it lauchfully fra thaim c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 148/66.
For tyme war now that this mane had sum thing That lange hes bene ane servand to the king a1538 Abell 71b.
Eftir sche had said this sche finȝet hir to seik sumthing tynt in ane nwk of the chalmir 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 247.
Sum thyng 15.. Clar. iii 810. 1570 Sat. P. x 108.
He did sum thing without vs, Howbeit that all his lyfetyme he did dout vs 1570 Bann. Memor. 356.
Sumthing mon be writtin … to counterpasse, at least in wordis, the murtheris … that the kingis gude subiectis hes sustenit 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 14.
Not esteming thame selfis of ony gret authoritie … , les nor thai had eikit sumthing to thair maisters erroris c1590 Fowler I 70/78. 1596 Dalr. II 220/21.
The king thinking … that sumthing thairof behoifet to be, wald haue probatioune of the mater 1604 Misc. Hist. Soc. II 246.
Apardone me to say sum thing for my selff(b) 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Eclogues viii 107.
Nescio quid … est, thair is some thing 1619 Ritchie Ch. S. Baldred 182.
Jhone Huid spak somthing to him about hering netis 1662 Soc. Ant. XXII 256.
The wrong off Androw Peacok by casting som thing at him, disabling him in his hench 1676 Welsh Gospel Summonds 23.
Ye man say something, yea, or nay 1679 Rothesay B. Rec. 368.
To give the herd his meit day about and something to buy cloathes(2) 1689 Leven & Melv. P. 52.
I am informed that some misconstruct me as if ther wer some thing els in it

b. To speik sumthing of, to say or write something about or concerning (a subject). c1475 Wall. v 482.
Off Inglismen ȝhett sum thing spek I will 1562-3 Winȝet I 4/31.
Sumthing of ȝour prais man we speik

c. In sumthing, ? in some degree, to some extent. 1460 Hay Alex. 3119.
I wald our gud will in sum thing mycht be kend Sen we ar sicker that succour sall be send 1535 Stewart 54825.
My author here misgone hes in sumthing

B. adv. In some degree; to some extent; a little.

a. Modifying a verb. c1420 Wynt. ix 2073.
Bot sumthing [C. sumthynge] to releve his fame, … He gert assailye dyspituously The hous a1500 Seven S. 103.
I stud he said sum thing abasit a1500 Seven S. 1981.
Hir wordis the burges sumthing trowit a1538 Abell 98b.
He accressit gretumlie sa thare sornem (sumthing changit, Hantone in Hammyltone) in gret nowmir is in Scotland c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 772.
Bot an ȝe plese refrane Ȝour present will, and sumthing be constrane Be thair aduise 15.. Clar. iv 482.
The wyfes was abaisit then sumthing a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 28.
For the quhilk caus, his father was sumthing displiceit 1569 Waus Corr. 63.
I am glaid that ye ar sumthing conuolessit 1616 Paterson Ayr & Wigton II 214.
Allexr. Kennedy of Drummellane, beand sumthing diseasit with seiknes, but haill in mynd and judgment 1686 Carmyllie Kirk S.
Given 4 s. for helping something about the bell

b. Modifying an adjective or pres. participle.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xi 93.
His visage lange but dele, & thar-with sum-thinge stoupand wes c1420 Wynt. viii 5912.
Thai trowyd that war Sum-thyng to the lauch contrare a1500 Seven S. 1793.
Ȝe wait gif we be sumthing sle c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 184.
He semys to be sumthing worth, that syphyr in bour 1516–17 Treas. Acc. V 113.
To by plastere and burd for my lord governouris chamir quhen he wes sumthing seik a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 153.
Nota this act is something obscuir 15.. Clar. iv 1871.
Sum thing scho was into her heart adreid 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 29.
Thair was ane stair, thocht sumthing narrow, ȝit wyde aneuch for Bothwell, to get up a1578 Pitsc. I 81/16.
He was sumthing stuburne to obey the command 1601 Mackie Denmilne MSS 39.
Our materis heiraway gois sumthing kittill 1675 Cramond Kirk S. II 5 Dec.
The velvet mortcloath, because worn something olde to pay only 30 shilling Scots(b) 1498–9 Halyb. 177.
Sald the salmond for 22 s., for it vas sum thyngis lopy

c. With comparative adjectives and adverbs.(1) 1503 Treas. Acc. II 217.
For xxix boltis of fustian to be xviij pair of fustianis, in ilk pair xxiiij elne and sumthing mair 1596 Dalr. I 12/15.
This cuntrey at the bordour is narow, bot in the midcuntrey it is sumthing … braider 1596 Dalr. I 118/11.
Bot because we heir haue perchance ouer lang insisted, and haue beine tedious to the reider, in sum particular materis and singular, in explicating the lawes … we sal be sumthing schorter(2) 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 9.
Thys classe sal reid Terence and Cicero sum thyng mair than classis onder thayme

d. With locative phrases. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Asl. MS II 91/79.
Sumthing fra him the fende eschewit 1535 Stewart 51442.
[King Robert] Intumulat in Drumfermling wes syne … Ben in the queir sum thing inwith his quene 1576 (1577) Reg. Great S. 753/2.
Ane merche stane set and put sumthing bewest the end of the said dyke