Some (sŭm),
a. [OE. som, sum, AS. sum; akin to OS., OFries., & OHG. sum, OD. som, D. sommig, Icel. sumr, Dan. somme (pl.), Sw. somlige (pl.), Goth. sums, and E. same. √191. See Same, a., and cf. -some.]
1. Consisting of a greater or less portion or sum; composed of a
quantity or number which is not stated; -- used to express an indefinite quantity or number; as,
some wine; some water; some persons. Used also pronominally; as, I have some.
Some theoretical writers allege that there was a time when there was no
such thing as society.
Blackstone. 2. A certain; one; -- indicating a person, thing, event, etc., as not known
individually, or
designated more specifically; as, some man, that is, some
one man. "Some brighter clime." Mrs. Barbauld.
Some man praiseth his neighbor by a wicked intent.
Chaucer.
Most gentlemen of
property, at some period or other of their lives, are ambitious of representing their county in Parliament.
Blackstone.
3. Not much; a little; moderate; as, the censure was to some extent just.
4. About; near; more or
less; -- used commonly with numerals, but formerly also with a singular substantive of time or distance; as, a village of
some eighty houses;
some two or three persons; some hour hence. Shak.
The number slain on the rebel's part
were some two thousand.
Bacon. 5. Considerable in number or quantity. "Bore us some leagues to sea." Shak.
On its outer point, some miles away.
The lighthouse lifts its massive masonry.
Longfellow.
6. Certain; those of one
part or portion; -- in distinction from other or others; as, some men believe one thing, and others another.
Some [seeds] fell among thorns; . . . but other fell into good ground.
Matt.
xiii. 7, 8. 7. A part; a portion; -- used pronominally, and followed
sometimes by of; as, some of our
provisions.
Your edicts
some reclaim from sins,
But most your life and blest example
wins.
Dryden. All and some, one and all. See under All, adv. [Obs.]
&fist; The illiterate in the United States and Scotland often use some as an adverb,
instead of somewhat, or an equivalent expression; as, I am some
tired; he is
some better; it rains some, etc.
Some . . . some,
one part . . . another part; these . . . those; -- used distributively.
Some to the
shores do fly,
Some to the
woods, or whither fear advised.
Daniel. &fist; Formerly used also of single persons or things: this one . . . that one; one . . . another.
Some in his
bed, some in the deep sea.
Chaucer.
-some (-sŭm).
[AS. -sum; akin to G. & OHG.
-sam, Icel. samr, Goth. lustusams longed for.
See Same, a., and cf. Some, a.]
An adjective suffix having primarily the sense of like or same, and indicating a considerable degree of the
thing or quality denoted in the first part of the compound; as in mettlesome, full of mettle or
spirit; gladsome, full of gladness; winsome, blithesome,
etc.
-some (-sōm).
A combining form or suffix from Gr. sw^ma (gen. sw`matos) the body; as in
merosome, a body segment; cephalosome, etc.
Hear it pronounced