Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - anything

pronoun 1 any thing, event, situation etc, when it does not matter exactly which  (Anything will do to wedge the door open. | If you believe that, you'll believe anything! | OK, you can borrow the car - anything for a quiet life. | anything red/cheap etc)  (She'll buy anything reduced in a sale. | anything else (=any different thing))  (It's got to be Dior - anything else just isn't good enough.) 2 used in questions, negatives, and statements expressing possibility to mean `nothing' or `something'  (You can't believe anything she says. | Have you heard anything about the new Garrison Keillor book? | anything to say/to do etc)  (It was a great health farm but there wasn't really anything to do in the evenings. | anything new/stupid etc)  (We've almost sealed the deal, so don't do anything stupid. | anything else (=any other thing, event etc))  (Would you like anything else to eat?) 3 anything but clear/happy etc used to emphasize that someone or something is not clear, happy etc  (The bridge is anything but safe. | We'd been warned he was a frail, withdrawn man but when I met him he was anything but.)  (- see also some) 4 anything like similar in any way to something or someone else  (Does she look anything like her mother?) 5 not anything like/near spoken used to emphasize that someone or something is not in a particular condition or state  (We don't have anything like enough money to buy a new car.) 6 as easy/fast etc as anything extremely easy, fast etc  (It was a long lecture and as boring as anything.) 7 or anything or something that is similar  (Would you like a gin and tonic or anything?) 8 for anything if you will not do something for anything, you will definitely not do it  (After what happened last time, I wouldn't work for them again for anything.) 9 like anything if you do something like anything, you do it a lot or to a great degree  (Tom only left last week and I already miss him like anything.) 10 anything you say used to tell someone you agree with what they suggest when actually you do not  (You ought to keep the flat more tidy. Anything you say.)