any

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1.
use with singular or plural nouns.
Any can be used with a singular or plural noun, or with an uncountable noun such as homework and happiness, to denote choice from three or more people or things (for choice from two, either is used):

The most basic of data security precautions for any individual or company employing microcomputers is the making of back-ups—Times, 1985

This letter is addressed to you and is not being copied to any other party—Daily Telegraph, 1986

At any moment a change in voltage can wipe out what one has written—Listener, 1985

Any food found in passengers' luggage will be confiscated

Neither government was behind it, nor were there any sponsors, angels, captains of commerce or industry—Los Angeles Times, 1986.

When used with a singular countable noun (i.e. one that has a plural, such as book or person) it is always assertive in meaning: I did not want any book (= I wanted a particular book) as distinct from I did not want any books (normally = I wanted none) and I did not want any sugar (normally = I wanted no sugar).

2.
as a pronoun.
Any functions as a pronoun as well as a determiner:

By dialling 1, 0, a three-digit access code and the area code and number, a caller can use any of eight different long distance companies—New York Times, 1985

If you keep ferrets don't let any escape

It's as good an excuse as any to buy a new car.

3.
with comparatives and superlatives.
It is better to use a comparative with any other than a superlative with any: not ☒ the most brutal piece of legislation of any passed by this government but a more brutal piece of legislation than any other passed by this government. An alternative is to use all instead of any: the most brutal piece of legislation of all those passed by this government.

4.
any one and anyone.
As one word, anyone means the same as anybody and is interchangeable with it (Anyone could do that / Anybody could do that). As two words, it means 'any single person or thing', as in You can have any one you like (any you like would include the possibility of more than one). Examples:

The virtual photon rematerializes into any one of a very large number of possible combinations of new particles—Scientific American, 1978

If you think you could help in any one of the areas, please talk to the Parish Priest—Sligo Weekender, 2004.

5.
other one-word and two-word forms.
Any more is used chiefly after a negative and is usually written as two words in British English

(He is not lying there any more—Penelope Lively, 1987)

, although it is found more often as one word in other varieties and increasingly also in British English

(He wasn't a schoolkid anymore—M. du Plessis, SAfr 1983

No one talks about emigrating anymore—Metropolis Magazine, American English 2002

That's not happening anymore because they're all finding better conditions abroad—Evening News (Edinburgh), 2007).

Perhaps it is needless to point out that when more modifies a following adjective any has to be a separate word

(It doesn't get any more real than when the acrid smoke from a pile of green logs in a circular stone-flanked hearth doesn't escape from an Iron Age roundhouse—Birmingham Post, 2007).

Anyhow is only written as one word and is a (usually more informal) alternative for anyway

(Anyhow I'm carving out a career there teaching the boss's daughter to read novels—Thomas Keneally, 1985

Home is not the place for charm anyway—London Review of Books, 1987).

Note that any way is spelt as two words to retain their separate meaning, as in Is there any way I can help? and Do it any way you like.

Any place and any time are also often spelt as single words in American English:

She said she would vote for him anytime—New Yorker, 1987

I wouldn't have wanted to know her as a child, but once a man, anytime—M. Doane, 1988

Content is available anytime, anyplace, and on whatever device the owner desires—Business Week Magazine, American English 2002.

The archaic adverbial form any ways survives in the Book of Common Prayer (All those who are any ways afflicted...in mind, body, or estate) and in the Authorized Version of the Bible (And if the people of the land doe any wayes hide their eyes from the men). Otherwise it is restricted to informal American English: So who promised this guy anything anyways?

6.
as an adverb.
Any is correctly used as an adverb to emphasize a comparative adjective or adverb (They are not treated like schoolgirls any longer / He can't play any better / She refuses to go any further). In informal American English, and occasionally in British English, it can stand alone with the meaning 'at all':

We're used to responsibility. Doesn't worry us any—Agatha Christie, 1937

It's not going to help any with my exams—New Yorker, 1988.

Previous:	anxious, anticipate, anterior
Next:	apart from, aside from, apartheid, apex

Idioms beginning with any:
any number of
any old
anything
anything but
anything goes

See also at any rate; by any means; go to any length; in any case; under any (no) circumstances.

IN BRIEF: One or some.

That's all there is, there isn't any more. — Ethel Barrymore (1879-1959,) American actress with dignity & warmth from closing line af a play with Miss Barrymore.

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pron
pron

to be not having any to want no part in something; to turn down a proposition or to reject an overture of friendship. Also, more positively, to refuse to tolerate a situation. (1902 —) .
A. L. Rowse Lady Mary Hastings was thought of for promotion to the bed of Ivan the Terrible. She was not having any (1955).

Previous:	antsy, ant, anorak
Next:	ape, ape-shit, apple

For a list of words related to any, see:

• Approximations and Generalizations

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See words rhyming with "any."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Any.

Dansk (Danish)
det. - noget som helst, nogen som helst, noget overhovedet, nogen overhovedet, enhver, ethvert
pron. - nogen, noget
adv. - overhovedet, spor
adj. - noget som helst, nogen som helst, nogen overhovedet, noget overhovedet, enhver, ethvert

idioms:

• any one    nogen, enhver
• anymore    mere, længere, nogen sinde

Nederlands (Dutch)
enig(e), ieder(e), iets, enigszins, iemand, de eerste de beste, om het even hoeveel

Français (French)
det. - ne pas, le/la moindre, aucun(e), du/de/des, n'importe quel/quelle, tout, chaque
pron. - ne pas, aucun, un (quelconque), quelqu'un, quelque, n'importe lequel
adv. - nullement, en aucune façon, aucunement, un peu, si peu que ce soit, rien du tout
adj. - aucun(e), ne pas, pas le moindre, de, du, des, de l', ou de la, sans la moindre, d'autre(s), quelque, quelqu'un, quelque chose, quel qu'il soit, le moindre

idioms:

• any more    ne plus, ne pas, nullement, aucunement
• any one    quiconque, n'importe qui, quelqu'un, personne, qui, un autre

Deutsch (German)
det. - einer, eine, eins, welcher, welche, welches, irgendeiner, irgendeine, irgendeins, irgendwelche
pron. - jeder, der nächstbeste, ein beliebiger, irgendein, ein nennenswerter, einige
adv. - irgend, etwas
adj. - ein, einige, jeder

idioms:

• any more    noch mehr
• any one    irgend jemand

Ελληνική (Greek)
pron. - κανένας, καθόλου, οποιοσδήποτε, κάθε

idioms:

• any one    καθένας, όλοι, οποιοσδήποτε
• anymore    ακόμα, πια

Italiano (Italian)
qualsiasi, qualche

Português (Portuguese)
pron. - qualquer um ou uma, qualquer parte ou quantidade, algum, alguma

idioms:

• any one    qualquer um, alguém
• anymore    nunca mais

Русский (Russian)
любой, какой-нибудь, какой бы то ни было, несколько

idioms:

• any one    кто-то
• anymore    более не

Español (Spanish)
det. - uno, alguno, todos
pron. - alguno, alguna, algunos, alguien, ninguno, ninguna, nadie
adv. - en alguna extensión, en algún grado, algo
adj. - cualquiera, todo, alguno, ninguno, unos

idioms:

• any more    más
• any one    cualquiera

Svenska (Swedish)
pron. - någon, något, vilken som helst

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
任何的, 所有的, 任何一种的, 每一, 无论那一个, 任何, 少许, 稍微

idioms:

• any one    任何一个的
• anymore    再也不, 不再

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
det. - 任何的, 所有的, 任何一種的, 每一
pron. - 無論那一個, 任何
adv. - 少許, 稍微
adj. - 任何的, 所有的, 任何一種的, 每一

idioms:

• any one    任何一個的
• anymore    再也不, 不再

한국어 (Korean)
det. - 어떤
pron. - 무언가, 얼마든지
adv. - 얼마간
adj. - 어떤, 조금도, 누구든지

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - いくらかの, 少しの…も, どの…でも, なにも, なにか
adv. - 少しは, 少しでも
pron. - いくらか, どれか, 少しも, どれでも

idioms:

• any one    どれか一つの

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(ضمير) أي, أيما‏

עברית (Hebrew)
det. - ‮איזשהו/ם, כלשהו/ם, כל, גדול, שום, במידה כלשהי‬
pron. - ‮כל, מישהו/ם‬
adv. - ‮בכלל, במידה כלשהי‬
adj. - ‮במידה כלשהי, גדול‬

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