Idioms for there

    been there, done that, Informal. (used to say that you have experienced or are familiar with something and now think it is boring or of little worth): A big house in the suburbs? Been there, done that.

Origin of there

before 900; Middle English (adv.), Old English thǣr thēr, cognate with Dutch daar, Old High German dār; akin to Gothic, Old Norse thar; cf. that

usage note for there

7. The verb following there is singular or plural according to the number of the subject that follows the verb: There is a message for you. There are patients in the waiting room. With compound subjects in which all the coordinate words are singular, a singular verb often occurs, although the plural may also be used: There was (or were ) a horse and a cow in the pasture. When a compound subject contains both singular and plural words, the verb usually agrees with the subject closest to the verb, although a plural verb sometimes occurs regardless, especially if the compound has more than two elements: There were staff meetings and a press conference daily. There was (or were ) a glass, two plates, two cups, and a teapot on the shelf.
11. It is nonstandard usage to place there between a demonstrative adjective and the noun it modifies: that there car. The same is true of here : these here nails. Placed after the noun, both there and here are entirely standard: that car there; these nails here.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH there

their there they're

Definition for there (2 of 3)

-there

a combining form meaning “wild animal, beast,” used in the formation of compound words, usually denoting extinct mammals, as adaptions of zoological taxa ending in -therium or -theria: baluchithere.

Origin of -there

< New Latin -therium (singular), -theria (plural) < Greek thēríon, derivative of thḗr beast of prey; akin to feral1, fierce

Definition for there (3 of 3)

there's
[ th airz ]
/ ðɛərz /

contraction of there is: There's the hotel we were looking for.
contraction of there has: There's been entirely too much said on the subject.

usage note for there's

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH there's

theirs there's

British Dictionary definitions for there

Word Origin for there

Old English thǣr; related to Old Frisian thēr, Old Saxon, Old High German thār, Old Norse, Gothic thar

usage for there

In correct usage, the verb should agree with the number of the subject in such constructions as there is a man waiting and there are several people waiting. However, where the subject is compound, it is common in speech to use the singular as in there's a police car and an ambulance outside

Idioms and Phrases with there

there