- Such or such
- Such Such, a. [OE. such, sich, sech, sik, swich, swilch,
swulch, swilc, swulc, AS. swelc, swilc, swylc; akin to
OFries. selik, D. zulk, OS. sulic, OHG. sulih, solih, G.
solch, Icel. sl[=i]kr, OSw. salik, Sw. slik, Dan. slig, Goth.
swaleiks; originally meaning, so shaped. [root]192. See {So},
{Like}, a., and cf. {Which}.]
1. Of that kind; of the like kind; like; resembling; similar;
as, we never saw such a day; -- followed by that or as
introducing the word or proposition which defines the
similarity, or the standard of comparison; as, the books
are not such that I can recommend them, or, not such as I
can recommend; these apples are not such as those we saw
yesterday; give your children such precepts as tend to
make them better.
[1913 Webster]
And in his time such a conqueror That greater was there none under the sun. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
His misery was such that none of the bystanders could refrain from weeping. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]
Note: The indefinite article a or an never precedes such, but is placed between it and the noun to which it refers; as, such a man; such an honor. The indefinite adjective some, several, one, few, many, all, etc., precede such; as, one such book is enough; all such people ought to be avoided; few such ideas were then held. [1913 Webster]
2. Having the particular quality or character specified. [1913 Webster]
That thou art happy, owe to God; That thou continuest such, owe to thyself. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
3. The same that; -- with as; as, this was the state of the kingdom at such time as the enemy landed. ``[It] hath such senses as we have.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]
4. Certain; -- representing the object as already particularized in terms which are not mentioned. [1913 Webster]
In rushed one and tells him such a knight Is new arrived. --Daniel. [1913 Webster]
To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year. --James iv. 13. [1913 Webster]
Note: Such is used pronominally. ``He was the father of such as dwell in tents.'' --Gen. iv. 20. ``Such as I are free in spirit when our limbs are chained.'' --Sir W. Scott. Such is also used before adjectives joined to substantives; as, the fleet encountered such a terrible storm that it put back. ``Everything was managed with so much care, and such excellent order was observed.'' --De Foe. [1913 Webster]
Temple sprung from a family which . . . long after his death produced so many eminent men, and formed such distinguished alliances, that, etc. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster] Such is used emphatically, without the correlative. [1913 Webster]
Now will he be mocking: I shall have such a life. --Shak. [1913 Webster] Such was formerly used with numerals in the sense of times as much or as many; as, such ten, or ten times as many. [1913 Webster]
{Such and such}, or {Such or such}, certain; some; -- used to represent the object indefinitely, as already particularized in one way or another, or as being of one kind or another. ``In such and such a place shall be my camp.'' --2 Kings vi. 8. ``Sovereign authority may enact a law commanding such and such an action.'' --South.
{Such like} or {Such character}, of the like kind. [1913 Webster]
And many other such like things ye do. --Mark vii. 8. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
