# there

Pronunciation: say "THAIR" US /ðɛɚ/, UK /ðɛə/

## Pronoun

1. Used as the subject of 'be', or of verbs such as 'exist', 'seem', or 'appear', to say that something exists or happens, the real subject coming after the verb.
   - Simple: Used with 'be' and verbs like 'seem' to say that something exists or happens, as in 'There is a problem'.
   - _There is a train at six._
   - _There have been complaints about the noise._
7. Added to a greeting or form of address for friendliness, or after 'you' as a summons. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Added to a greeting, as in 'hi there' or 'hello there'.
   - _Hey there, stranger, long time no see._
   - _You there, stop that at once!_
14. That, combined with a following preposition in compounds that are no longer newly formed.
   - Simple: Meaning 'that', at the start of old words like 'therefore' and 'thereafter'.
   - _The lease and all rights thereunder passed to his heirs._
   - _She hid the letter and never spoke of it thereafter._

## Adverb

2. In, at, or to a place that is stated or understood, away from the speaker.
   - Simple: In, at, or to that place, not here, as in 'I live there'.
   - _We spent a week in Lisbon and ate grilled sardines there almost every night._
   - _Look, there she is, by the gate._
3. In existence in some place or present somewhere, used after 'be'.
   - Simple: Existing somewhere, present, as in 'aliens are out there somewhere'.
   - _The original letter is still there, tucked away in a drawer._
   - _The fear is still there, somewhere in the back of my mind, years after the accident._
4. At that point, stage, or step, pictured as a place.
   - Simple: At that point or stage, as in 'he didn't stop there'.
   - _The argument should have ended there._
   - _Let me stop you there, because those numbers are from last year, not this one._
5. Available to give help, support, or care, used after 'be' and usually with 'for'.
   - Simple: Ready to help and support someone, as in 'I'll always be there for you'.
   - _Whatever happens, we'll be there for you._
   - _A good friend is someone who is simply there._
8. With 'go', into an undesirable or painful topic.
   - Simple: Into a subject that is best avoided, in 'don't go there'.
   - _We could discuss the money, but I'd rather not go there._
   - _Politics at dinner? Don't go there._
11. In that matter, respect, or point.
   - Simple: In that matter or point, as in 'I agree with you there'.
   - _I can't help you there, I'm afraid._
   - _She's got a point there._
12. Mentally sound and competent, used after 'be', usually with 'all', 'quite', or 'totally'. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Mentally sharp and sane, in 'all there' or 'not all there'.
   - _Poor old chap, he's not all there any more._
   - _Are you all there? You just put the milk in the cupboard._
13. Used after a person's name or description to point them out as located away from the speaker. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Used after someone's name to point them out, as in 'Jim there'.
   - _My friend there will vouch for me._
   - _Our man there at the back has a question._
15. After 'be', in its correct position, fully and properly fitted or inserted. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Fitted or pushed all the way into place, as in 'push until it's there'.
   - _Give the cartridge one more push; it's not quite there until it clicks._
   - _One more shove and the bolt was there._
16. Used after certain determiners, especially 'them', 'that', and 'those', to reinforce the pointing. *(dialectal)*
   - Simple: In dialect, used after 'that', 'them', or 'those' for emphasis, as in 'that there dog'.
   - _Who owns them there horses?_
   - _That there road goes to the mill._

## Noun

6. That place or position, or that point in a situation or process, already mentioned or understood.
   - Simple: That place, or that point in a situation or process.
   - _It's a long way from here to there._
   - _The trail from here to there climbs steeply for the first mile._

## Interjection

9. Used to comfort or encourage a child or someone distressed, usually doubled or with 'now'.
   - Simple: Said softly to comfort someone, usually twice, as in 'there, there'.
   - _There, there, it was only a dream._
   - _There now, sit down and get your breath._
10. Used to mark a job finished or a point proved, expressing completion or triumph.
   - Simple: Said when something is done or proved, as in 'there! That will hold'.
   - _There, the last screw is in._
   - _I won, so there!_

## Adverb

17. Where; in which place. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: In old English, 'where', as in 'the place there he was born'.

## Origin

This word comes from Middle English there, from Old English þǣr ("there; at that place"), going back through Proto-Germanic *þar to a Proto-Indo-European form built on the demonstrative base *to- ("the, that") plus an adverbial suffix. It is related to Dutch daar, German da, Swedish där, and Icelandic þar.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/there (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).