noth·ing
[nuhth-ing] –noun
1.no thing; not anything; naught: to say nothing.
2.no part, share, or trace (usually fol. by of ): The house showed nothing of its former magnificence.
3.something that is nonexistent.
4.nonexistence; nothingness: The sound faded to nothing.
5.something or someone of no importance or significance: Money is nothing when you're without health.
6.a trivial action, matter, circumstance, thing, or remark: to exchange a few nothings when being introduced.
7.a person of little or no importance; a nobody.
8.something that is without quantity or magnitude.
9.a cipher or naught: Nothing from nine leaves nine.
10.(used in conventional responses to expressions of thanks): Think nothing of it. It's nothing. Nothing to it.
It's rather interesting to me that there would be ten different definitions for the word 'nothing'. It must be the fact that to know 'nothing' is to have been 'nothing.' What is nothing? How does one be nothing? Do we want to be nothing or would we rather be something.
Oh, yes. Nothing is also the word that is commonly yelled when caught in some action that might be disapproved by parents. I often find myself squeaking the word 'nothing' as well when caught by a friend looking at things that I find comical but would not be generally considered funny. I feel that children learn the word 'nothing' very soon in life to be excused from questionable activities.
