something (sum thing)

[ Baker , Chronicles, p. 113. A something hinting at grief. seemed to speak with that low thrilling voice of hers. Thackeray , Henry Esmond, xi. I'll give you a drop of something to keep the cold out. T. Hughes, Tom Brown at Rugby, i. 4. 2. An actual thing; an entity: as, something or nothing. Sumdel of thy labour wolde I quyte. Chaucer , Parliament of Fowls, 1. 112. Then Brenne... sayd in his game, ryche goddes must gyue to men somedele of theyr ryche e. Fabyan , Chron., xxx i. some dealt (sum'dēl), adv . [ sum del, etc.; the noun used adverbially.] In some measure or degree; somewhat; partly; partially. Chaucer eather., 1. 446. She was somdel deef and that was scathe. This is the truth, though I'll not justify The other, but he may be some - deal faulty. B. Jonson, Volpone, v. 6. somegate (sum'gāt), adv . [ gate2 .] Somewhere; in some way; somehow. [Scotch.] somehow (sum'hou), adv . [ somehow he never succeeded; things must be done somehow . He thought of resigning his place, but, somehow or other, stumbled upon a negotiation. Walpole , Letters, II. 411. Somehow or other a little bird whispers to me we shall Disraeli , Henrietta Temple, i. 9. yet be very happy. somert. A Middle English form of summer1, summer2, summer3. somersault (sum'er-salt), n. [Also summer sault, somersaut, summer saut (also summerset, somerset, sommerset, etc.: see somerset1 ); early mod. E. somersaut, somersault, summer saut, som bersalt, sobresault, So doth the salmon vaut, And if at first he fail, his second summer - saut He instantly a ays. Drayton, Polyolbion, vi. 52. Mr. Evans walks on the Slack Rope, and throws himself a somerset through a Hogshead hanging eight foot high. Quoted in Ashton's Social Life in Reign of Queen Anne, [I. 266. Leaping and turning with the heels over the head in the air, termed the somersault , corruptly called a somerset. Strutt , Sports and Pastimes, p. 317. Double somersault, two complete turns of the body during one spring in the air. A third such turn is accomplished by a few acrobats.