from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Anything \A"ny*thing\, n.
1. Any object, act, state, event, or fact whatever; thing of
any kind; something or other; aught; as, I would not do it
for anything.
[1913 Webster]
Did you ever know of anything so unlucky? --A.
Trollope.
[1913 Webster]
They do not know that anything is amiss with them.
--W. G.
Sumner.
[1913 Webster]
2. Expressing an indefinite comparison; -- with as or like.
[Colloq. or Lowx]
[1913 Webster]
I fear your girl will grow as proud as anything.
--Richardson.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Any thing, written as two words, is now commonly used
in contradistinction to any person or anybody. Formerly
it was also separated when used in the wider sense.
"Necessity drove them to undertake any thing and
venture any thing." --De Foe.
[1913 Webster]
{Anything but}, not at all or in any respect. "The battle was
a rare one, and the victory anything but secure."
--Hawthorne.
{Anything like}, in any respect; at all; as, I can not give
anything like a fair sketch of his trials.
[1913 Webster]