16 PHRASE If you say that something is the done thing , you mean it is the most socially acceptable way to behave. [BRIT ] □ It was not the done thing. In those days the man was supposed to be the provider.
17 PHRASE If you do something first thing , you do it at the beginning of the day, before you do anything else. If you do it last thing , you do it at the end of the day, before you go to bed or go to sleep. □ I'll go see her, first thing. □ I always do it last thing on a Saturday.
18 PHRASE If you have a thing about someone or something, you have very strong feelings about them. [INFORMAL ] □ I had always had a thing about red hair. □ He's got this thing about ties.
19 PHRASE You say it is a good thing to do something to introduce a piece of advice or a comment on a situation or activity. □ Can you tell me whether it is a good thing to prune an apple tree?
20 PHRASE If you make a thing of something or make a thing about it, you talk about it or do it in an exaggerated way, so that it seems much more important than it really is. [INFORMAL ] □ Gossips made a big thing about him going on shopping trips with her.
21 PHRASE You can say that the first of two ideas, actions, or situations is one thing when you want to contrast it with a second idea, action, or situation and emphasize that the second one is much more difficult, important, or extreme. [EMPHASIS ] □ It was one thing to talk about leaving; it was another to physically walk out the door.
22 PHRASE You can say for one thing when you are explaining a statement or answering a question, to suggest that you are not giving the whole explanation or answer, and that there are other points that you could add to it. □ She was a monster. For one thing, she really enjoyed cruelty.
23 PHRASE You can use the expression ' one thing and another ' to suggest that there are several reasons for something or several items on a list, but you are not going to explain or mention them all. [SPOKEN ] □ What with one thing and another, it was fairly late in the day when we returned to Shrewsbury.
24 PHRASE If you say it is just one of those things you mean that you cannot explain something because it seems to happen by chance. □ 'I wonder why.' Mr. Dambar shrugged. 'It must be just one of those things, I guess.'
25 PHRASE You say one thing led to another when you are explaining how something happened, but you do not really want to give the details or you think people will be able to imagine the details. □ He came by to see if she was lonely. One thing led to another and he stayed the night.
26 PHRASE If you do your own thing , you live, act, or behave in the way you want to, without paying attention to convention or depending on other people. [INFORMAL ] □ We accept the right of all men and women to do their own thing, however bizarre.
27 PHRASE If something is a thing of the past , it no longer exists or happens, or is being replaced by something new.
28 PHRASE [usu cont] If you say that someone is seeing or hearing things , you mean that they believe they are seeing or hearing something that is not really there. □ Dr Payne led Lana back into the examination room and told her she was seeing things.
29 PHRASE You can say there is no such thing as something to emphasize that it does not exist or is not possible. [EMPHASIS ] □ [+ as ] There really is no such thing as a totally risk-free industry.
30 PHRASE You say the thing is to introduce an explanation, comment, or opinion, that relates to something that has just been said. The thing is is often used to identify a problem relating to what has just been said. [SPOKEN ] □ 'What does your market research consist of?'—'Well, the thing is, it depends on our target age group.'
31 PHRASE If you say that something is just the thing or is the very thing , you are emphasizing that it is exactly what is wanted or needed. [EMPHASIS ] □ [+ for ] Kiwi fruit are just the thing for a healthy snack.
32 PHRASE If you say that a person knows a thing or two about something or could teach someone a thing or two about it, you mean that they know a lot about it or are good at it. □ [+ about ] Patricia Hewitt knows a thing or two about how to be well-organised. □ The peace movement has learnt a thing or two from Vietnam.
33 other things being equal → see equal
34 first things first → see first
35 the real thing → see real
36 the shape of things to come → see shape
thingum|my /θ I ŋəmi/ (thingummies ) N‑COUNT You refer to something or someone as thingummy , thingummyjig or thingummybob when you do not know or cannot be bothered to use the proper word or name for them. [INFORMAL , SPOKEN ] □ I once bought a thingummy out of one of those catalogues. □ I must say, I mean, it sounded like er thingummyjig all over again without the politics.
thingy /θ I ŋi/ (thingies ) N‑COUNT You refer to something or someone as thingy when you do not know or cannot be bothered to use the proper word or name for them. [INFORMAL , SPOKEN ] □ …the new phone thingy. □ …what's his name, Sir Jack Thingy.
think ◆◆◆ /θ I ŋk/ (thinks , thinking , thought )
1 VERB [no cont] If you think that something is the case, you have the opinion that it is the case. □ [V that] I certainly think there should be a ban on tobacco advertising. □ [be V -ed that] A generation ago, it was thought that babies born this small could not survive. □ [V + of/about ] Tell me, what do you think of my theory? □ [V ] Peter is useless, far worse than I thought. □ [V adj] He manages a good deal better than I thought possible. □ [V so ] 'It ought to be stopped.'—'Yes, I think so.' [Also V n to-inf]