it

it

it¹ [it]

pron.

[ME hit, it < OE hit, akin to Du het, Goth hita, this: IE base as in HE¹: basic sense “this one” ]

1. pl. they the animal or thing previously mentioned or under discussion: neuter personal pronoun in the third person singular: it is the nominative and objective form, its the possessive, and itself the reflexive and intensive; its is the possessive pronominal adjective

2. it is also used as:

a) the subject of an impersonal verb without reference to agent [it is snowing]

b) the grammatical subject of a clause of which the actual subject is another clause or phrase following [it is clear that he wants to go]

c) an object of indefinite sense in certain idiomatic expressions [to lord it over someone ]; often, specif., an unpleasant consequence [now you're in for it; let him have it]

d) the antecedent of a relative pronoun from which it is separated by a predicate [it is your support that we want]

e) a term of reference to something indefinite but understood, as the state of affairs [it's all right — I didn't hurt myself ]

☆ f) Informal an emphatic predicate pronoun referring to the person, thing, situation, etc. which is considered ultimate, final, or perfect [zero hour is here: this is it]

n.

1. the player in a game who must do some essential thing, as the one in a game of tag who must try to catch another

2. Informal any of various attractive personal qualities, as charm, charisma, or sex appeal

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☆ with it

Slang alert, informed, or hip

it²

abbrev.

italic(s)