This (&thlig;&ibreve;s), pron. &
a.; pl. These (&thlig;ēz).
[OE. this, thes, AS. ðēs, masc.,
ðeós, fem.,
ðis, neut.; akin to OS. these, D. deze, G. dieser, OHG. diser, deser, Icel.
þessi; originally from the definite article + a particle -se, -si;
cf. Goth. sai behold. See The, That, and cf. These, Those.]
1. As a demonstrative pronoun,
this denotes something that is present or
near in place or time, or something just mentioned, or that is just about to
be mentioned.
When they heard this, they were pricked in their heart.
Acts ii. 37.
But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what
watch the thief would come, he would have watched.
Matt. xxiv. 43. 2.
As an adjective, this has the same
demonstrative force
as the pronoun, but is followed by a noun; as, this book; this way to
town.
&fist; This may be
used as opposed or correlative to that, and sometimes as opposed to other or to a second this. See the Note
under That, 1.
This way
and that wavering sails
they bend.
Pope. A body of this or that denomination is produced.
Boyle.
Their judgment in this we may
not, and in
that we need not, follow.
Hooker. Consider the arguments which the author had to
write this, or to design
the other, before you arraign him.
Dryden. Thy crimes . . . soon by this or this will end.
Addison. &fist; This, like a, every, that, etc., may refer to
a number, as
of years, persons, etc., taken
collectively or as a whole.
This twenty years have I been with thee..
Gen. xxxi.
38. I have
not wept this years; but now
My mother comes afresh into my eyes.
Dryden.
Hear it pronounced