there
there
Pronunciation
IPA Phonetic Spelling: /ðɛr/
Syllable 1: /ðɛr/
/ð/: Voiced dental fricative (like the "th" in "this")
/ɛ/: Open-mid front unrounded vowel (like the "e" in "bed")
/r/: Alveolar approximant (like the "r" in "red")
Word Form Variations
"There" does not have typical variations like singular/plural, or different tenses, as it primarily functions as an adverb, pronoun, or interjection. It does, however, have homophones that are often confused with it:
Their: Possessive determiner (e.g., "It's their book.")
They're: Contraction of "they are" (e.g., "They're going home.")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adverb
Definition 1: In, at, or to that place or position.
Example: "The book is over there on the shelf."
Synonyms: Yonder, over yonder, in that place, at that spot.
Antonyms: Here, hither, nigh, close by.
Definition 2: To that point, degree, or stage. Often used to indicate completion or arrival at a particular status.
Example: "We're almost there with the project, just a few more steps."
Synonyms: Achieved, completed, done, finished, arrived.
Antonyms: Beginning, starting, unfinished, incomplete.
Definition 3: Used to introduce the subject of a sentence or clause, especially when the verb is a form of "be."
Example: "There is a fly in my soup."
Synonyms: (No direct synonyms in this grammatical function, as it's an expletive)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms in this grammatical function)
Pronoun
Definition 1: Used to introduce the subject of a sentence or clause when the true subject follows the verb. (Often referred to as an "expletive pronoun" or "dummy pronoun").
Example: "There are many reasons to be happy."
Synonyms: (Functions as a grammatical placeholder, so direct synonyms are not applicable.)
Antonyms: (Not applicable in this grammatical function.)
Interjection
Definition 1: Used to draw attention to something, express satisfaction or understanding, or offer comfort.
Example 1 (drawing attention): "There! I found my keys!"
Example 2 (satisfaction/understanding): "Oh, there you go, you finally understand."
Example 3 (comfort): "There, there, don't cry."
Synonyms: (Depends heavily on context) Lo, behold, presto, voila, shh, hush.
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms, as interjections are expressions of feeling.)
Examples of Use
Books:
"There was a pause, a moment of stillness, before the world exploded around them." (From The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, September 2008)
"But there were other things, deeper and more troubling, that she could not explain." (From Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, August 2018)
Newspapers:
"There's growing concern over the recent rise in interest rates." ( The Wall Street Journal)
"Police confirmed there were no fatalities in the incident on the highway." (Daily Nation)
Online Publications:
"Is there a link between screen time and declining mental health in teenagers?" ( The New York Times Online)
"Developers are confident there will be a significant increase in housing starts next quarter." (Bloomberg.com)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto. There's no place like home." (The Wizard of Oz, 1939)
Television Series: "There's always money in the banana stand!" (Arrested Development, November 2003)
Song Lyrics: "There's a place where I can go when I'm feeling low." (From "Nowhere Man" by The Beatles, December 1965)
Podcast: "And there you have it, another compelling episode of 'Serial.'" (Serial podcast, October 2014)
Video Game: "There's a monster around every corner in this dungeon." (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, November 2011)
General Public Discourse:
"Hey, is anyone there?" (Common phone conversation opener)
"I'll be there in five minutes." (Everyday promise for arrival)
"There, there, it's going to be okay." (Comforting phrase)
"There's no point in arguing about it now." (Statement of futility)
"Look over there! What's that?" (Pointing something out)
10 Quotes Using There
"There's no place like home." (Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz)
"Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness." (Lucius Annaeus Seneca)
"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self." (Ernest Hemingway)
"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique." (Martha Graham)
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." (Franklin D. Roosevelt, March 1933)
"You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching, Love like you'll never be hurt, Sing like there's nobody listening, And live like it's heaven on earth." (William W. Purkey)
"To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there." (Barbara Bush)
"Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there someday." (A. A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh)
"And, there are many reasons to be happy." (Unknown)
"There are no limits to what you can accomplish, except the limits you place on your own thinking." (Brian Tracy)
Etymology
The word "there" has a very old and interesting history, tracing its roots back thousands of years!
Imagine a very, very old form of English called Old English (spoken before the 12th century). In Old English, people used words like "þēr" or "þǣr" to mean "in or at that definite place." So, its very first known use and meaning was quite straightforward: pointing to a specific location away from the speaker.
This Old English word came from an even older language family called Proto-Germanic, where a similar word "þar" also meant "at that place" or "there."
Going even further back in time, this Proto-Germanic word itself comes from a super old language called Proto-Indo-European. In that language, a root sound like "tó-r" meant "there." This "tó-r" was made from a basic pointing word (like "that") combined with an ending that showed it was an adverb (a word that tells you "where," "when," or "how").
So, in simple terms, "there" has always been about pointing to a location, starting from the very earliest stages of the English language and even before that, in its ancient ancestors. Over time, it developed other uses, like introducing sentences ("There is a cat") or expressing emotion ("There, there"), but its core meaning of "that place" is where it all began.
Phrases + Idioms Containing There
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "there":
There you go: (Meaning: Confirmation or encouragement; indicating success or understanding)
Been there, done that: (Meaning: Experienced something before and no longer interested)
There, there: (Meaning: Used to comfort someone)
Get there: (Meaning: To achieve a goal or destination)
Thereabouts: (Meaning: Approximately, close to that place or time)
Not all there: (Meaning: Not mentally sound; a bit crazy)
There you have it: (Meaning: Presenting a conclusion or the outcome)
There's no telling: (Meaning: It's impossible to know)
Over there: (Meaning: Indicating a location at some distance)
There's no point in...: (Meaning: It's useless to do something)
From there: (Meaning: Starting from that point or consequence)
Be there for someone: (Meaning: To support or assist someone)
In there: (Meaning: Inside a specific place or included in something)
There and back: (Meaning: A round trip)
Is anyone there?: (Meaning: Asking if someone is present or listening)
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of there from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
