thankthank /θæŋk/ ●●● S1 W2 verb [transitive] 
I haven’t had a chance to thank him yet.thank somebody for (doing) something Did you thank Uncle Ron for the present? Madeleine thanked everyone for coming.2thank God/goodness/heavens used to show that you are very glad about something: Thank God that’s over! I’ve never been so nervous in my life!thank for ‘Only ten miles to go.’ ‘Thank heavens for that!’3thank your lucky stars spoken used to tell someone that they are very lucky, especially because they have avoided an unpleasant or dangerous situation: You should thank your lucky stars I got here when I did!4only have yourself to thank (for something) spoken used to say that you are responsible for something bad that has happened to you: She has only herself to thank if she doesn’t have any friends.5you’ll thank me spoken used to tell someone not to be annoyed with you for doing or saying something, because it will be helpful to them later: You’ll thank me for this one day, Laura.6somebody won’t thank you (for doing something) used to tell someone that another person will be annoyed because of what they have done: I know you’re just trying to help, but he won’t thank you for telling him how to do it.7I’ll thank you to do something spoken formal used to tell someone in an angry way not to do something because it is annoying you: I’ll thank you to mind your own business.8have somebody to thank for (doing) something to say that you are grateful to someone who is responsible for something good happening. This expression is sometimes used humorously to mean that you are not grateful for what someone has done: I have Phil to thank for getting me my first job. And who do I have to thank for that mess on my desk? → thank youTHESAURUSthank to tell someone that you are pleased and grateful for something they have given you or done for you: · She thanked them for the presents.· You don’t need to thank me.· He thanked her for coming and showed her to her car.say thank you to thank someone by saying the words ‘thank you’, or by giving them something: · I just wanted to say thank you for all your help.· This gift is our way of saying thank you to everyone who worked so hard.· Make sure you say thank you for your birthday presents.express your gratitude formal to thank someone for something they have done – used in speeches and letters: · I would like to express my gratitude to all those who have sent me letters of support.show your appreciation formal to thank someone by giving them something, or by doing something special for them: · To show our gratitude for all your hard work, we are paying you a special bonus.acknowledge to publicly do or say something to thank someone for their help or support: · The building will be named the John Laird Centre, to acknowledge the contribution of the Laird family to the area.· He acknowledged the applause with a small bow.
WORD ORIGINthank
Origin:
Old English thancianVERB TABLE
thank
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | thank |
| he, she, it | thanks | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | thanked |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have thanked |
| he, she, it | has thanked | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had thanked |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will thank |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have thanked |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am thanking |
| he, she, it | is thanking | |
| you, we, they | are thanking | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was thanking |
| you, we, they | were thanking | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been thanking |
| he, she, it | has been thanking | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been thanking |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be thanking |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been thanking |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- A relieved Mr Maxwell thanked his lawyer profusely.
- I spent three hours helping her and she didn't even thank me.
- The Governor publicly thanked the people of Arizona for supporting him during his campaign.
- We must write and thank Cathy for the present.
- After that lots of people stood up and thanked everybody.
- He was probably even now thanking his lucky stars for a narrow escape.
- I thank all who have assisted the Bill's passage through the House.
- It is intended to accredit these individually as used but we would like to take the opportunity of thanking Mr Gilson now.
- She did not thank this nun for making her the centre of attention.
THESAURUS
to tell someone that you are pleased and grateful for something they have given you or done for you: · She thanked them for the presents.· You don’t need to thank me.· He thanked her for coming and showed her to her car.
to thank someone by saying the words ‘thank you’, or by giving them something: · I just wanted to say thank you for all your help.· This gift is our way of saying thank you to everyone who worked so hard.· Make sure you say thank you for your birthday presents.
formal to thank someone for something they have done – used in speeches and letters: · I would like to express my gratitude to all those who have sent me letters of support.
formal to thank someone by giving them something, or by doing something special for them: · To show our gratitude for all your hard work, we are paying you a special bonus.
to publicly do or say something to thank someone for their help or support: · The building will be named the John Laird Centre, to acknowledge the contribution of the Laird family to the area.· He acknowledged the applause with a small bow.
Longman Language Activatorwhat you say when you thank someone say this when you want to thank someone politely: · "Would you like to come to dinner with us on Sunday?" "Thank you, I'd love to."thank you for: · Thank you for a splendid evening. I really enjoyed myself.· Thank you for letting me stay.thank you very much: · It's lovely. Thank you very much.
spoken use this to thank someone for something they have just done or given you: · "Here's your coffee." "Thanks, Mom."thanks for: · Thanks for coming. Hope we see you again next year.thanks to somebody (=used in speeches): · Thanks to everyone for all the cards and flowers. They really cheered me up.thanks a lot/a million: · "Here, let me help you." "Thanks a lot. That's great."
British informal spoken say this when you want to thank someone for something they have just done or given you: · "Here's the book you wanted." "Ta."· "I've made you a cup of tea." "Cheers."
formal spoken say this when someone has generously offered to do something for you: · "Here, you can have my seat." "Thank you, that's very kind of you."· "Would you like me to carry your shopping?" "That's very good of you!"
spoken say this when you want to thank someone who has done a lot to help you: · Thanks for helping out on a Sunday - I appreciate it.I really appreciate it: · I couldn't have managed without your support and encouragement. I really appreciate it.
spoken say this when you want to thank someone who has given you something, especially something expensive: · What a beautiful ring! Oh Mike, you shouldn't have!
spoken use this to thank someone who has got you out of a difficult situation, or solved a problem for you: · You've saved my life, Jim! Thank goodness you were here.
spoken use this to thank someone in a formal speech: · I would like to thank everyone who helped at the school fair.I'd like to thank somebody for (doing) something: · I'd like to thank Betty and Jim for organizing this wonderful party.
use this to thank someone, especially when writing a letter: · We received the pictures on Wednesday. Many thanks.many thanks for: · Many thanks for your letter of the other day.
to say thank you to someone to tell someone that you are pleased and grateful for something they have given you or done for you: · I spent three hours helping her and she didn't even thank me.thank somebody for (doing) something: · We must write and thank Cathy for the present.· The Governor publicly thanked the people of Arizona for supporting him during his campaign.thank somebody profusely (=thank someone a lot in a very obvious way): · A relieved Mr Maxwell thanked his lawyer profusely.
to thank someone for what they have done: · I wanted to come round and say thank you in person.say thank you to: · This little gift is our way of saying thank you to everyone who worked so hard.say thank you for: · Make sure you say thank you for your birthday presents.
formal to show someone that you are grateful for something they have done, by giving them something or by doing something special for them: · He found a special way of showing his appreciation -- dinner at the Ritz.show your appreciation for: · We have decided to pay a special bonus to everyone on the staff to show our appreciation for their hard work during the year.
formal to say how grateful you are to someone for something they have done - use this in a speech or in a letter: express your thanks/gratitude for: · I should like to express my thanks for all that you have done.express your thanks/gratitude to: · He made a short speech expressing his gratitude to all those who had sent him letters of support.
to tell people publicly that someone has done something to help you and that you are grateful for it: · In his speech he acknowledged the help his parents gave him at the start of his career.· I did a lot of work on that book. It annoys me that the editor never acknowledged it.
also recognise British if a country or a large organization recognizes something important that someone has done for them, they officially and publicly thank them, by giving them something or doing something special for them: · The government recognized his bravery in the battle by awarding him the Military Cross.· Her contribution to horticulture was recognized when a new rose was named after her.
if you are given something in recognition of something you have done, it is publicly given to you as a way of thanking you: · He was awarded a knighthood in recognition of his work for charity.
when you feel that you want to thank someone feeling that you want to thank someone, especially because they have done something for you and helped you a lot: · Dr Shah has received hundreds of letters from grateful patients.grateful for: · I'm really grateful for everything you've done for me.grateful to: · My daughter was rescued safely, and I am very grateful to the firemen.
grateful that someone has done something, because if they had not done it the situation would have been much worse: · Take what they give you, and be thankful.thankful for: · I am always thankful for their enthusiasm and commitment.thankful that: · She was thankful that Louise had insisted she travel first class.
to be grateful to someone for something that they have done for you, because you realize that they did not have to do it or that they made a big effort to do it for you: · We really appreciate everything you've done for our daughter.· Alan asked me to tell you how much he appreciated your hospitality when he was in London.
showing that you are pleased and grateful for someone's help or kindness: · He wrote a warm, appreciative letter, thanking her for everything she had done.· They weren't particularly appreciative the last time I helped them. I don't think I'll bother again.appreciative of: · Our new boss is a real joy to work for. She's so appreciative of anything you do for her.
formal to feel very grateful to someone for something they have given you or done for you: · We are indebted to the National Archives for permission to print these photographs.be greatly/deeply indebted to somebody: · She said that she was greatly indebted to everyone who had supported her campaign.
if you say you owe someone something, you are grateful because they have helped you to succeed at something or to improve your life, and without their help this might not have been possible: owe a lot/a great deal to somebody: · I owe a great deal to my publishers, who helped me to finish writing the book.owe it all/everything to somebody: · I owe it all to you. You were the only one who believed in me.owe somebody a lot/a great deal: · "I owe my parents a lot," he admitted. "They worked real hard to put me through college."owe a debt of gratitude to somebody: · We all owe a debt of gratitude to Mrs Stevenson, who kindly donated the money for the project.
when you feel grateful, especially because someone has been kind to you: express/show gratitude (for something): · He wrote again, expressing gratitude for the help he had received.a sense of gratitude: · She felt a deep sense of gratitude to the teacher who had encouraged her to go on to university.in gratitude (=because you are grateful): · "I'll take the van back, shall I?" he asked, and Elise nodded in gratitude.
a feeling that you want to thank someone for their help or service and to show them that you think it was important and valuable: show your appreciation: · To show his appreciation of her kindness he sent her some flowers.in appreciation of something (=in order to show appreciation of): · In appreciation of Mr Mainwaring's years of service, the company presented him with a gold watch.token of somebody's appreciation (=a sign of someone's appreciation): · We'd like you to accept this gift as a small token of our appreciation.
something that you say or do to thank someone what you say or do to thank someone: · He won't get any thanks from them for being so honest.thanks for: · Please accept this bottle of champagne as our thanks for organizing the seminar.letter/message etc of thanks (=expressing thanks): · He wrote me a short letter of thanks.without a word of thanks (=without saying thank you): · She got up and left without a word of thanks.a vote of thanks (=a formal, public expression of thanks, especially at a meeting): · I'd like to propose a vote of thanks to Sandra for organizing the whole evening.
a letter that you send to someone to thank them, for example when they have given you a present or when you have stayed at their house: · We spent three days after the wedding writing thank-you letters for all the presents we'd had.
a note at the end or beginning of a book, article etc, in which the writer thanks all the people who helped him or her to produce it: · In the acknowledgements the authors thanked everyone who'd contributed to the book.· Her book was based on her ex-husband's letters and yet his name did not even appear in the acknowledgements.
what you say to someone when they thank you spoken · "Thanks for the lift!" "Oh, don't mention it!"
informal spoken · "Thank you so much for looking after the children." "That's all right. I enjoyed having them."
especially American, spoken · "Thanks a lot." "You're welcome!"
formal spoken · "It was very good of you to sing for us at such short notice." "My pleasure!"· "Thanks for dinner" "Not at all - I enjoyed it".
spoken say this when someone has thanked you a lot for something you have done because they think it was very difficult for you to do: · "You shouldn't have gone to so much trouble, you know!" "Oh, think nothing of it."· "Thank you for all your help. I couldn't have done it without you." "Don't mention it. It was nothing."
informal spoken say this to show that what someone has thanked you for was really a very easy thing for you to do: · "Thank you for coming all the way out here." "No problem, lady."
American spoken used as a reply to someone who has thanked you for something: · "Thanks for the ride." "Sure, no problem."
when someone does not thank you someone who is ungrateful does not thank you when you do something for them, and this makes you annoyed or upset: · Our children are so ungrateful - they don't realize how much we do for them.· I am not prepared to go to jail for that ungrateful woman!
a lack of any feeling of being grateful when someone has given you something or does something for you: · Such ingratitude! After all I've done for him, he treats me like dirt.· They were shocked by her ingratitude -- she didn't seem to appreciate the trouble they had gone to.
to expect someone to help you or do things for you because they always have done, and never thank them or show them that you are grateful: · Like many married couples, we had started to take each other for granted.· Kids usually take their mother for granted.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES I’d like to extend my thanks to all the catering staff. Our grateful thanks go to all who participated. ‘Do you want any more?’ ‘No thanks.’ I would like to say a sincere thank you to everyone who has helped and supported me.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN
(=say thank you to someone, in a speech)· On behalf of the team, I’d like to express our appreciation for all your efforts.
I’d like to extend my thanks to all the catering staff. spoken (=used when telling someone that you do not want any more when they offer you something) ‘More coffee?’ ‘No, I’m fine, thanks.’
‘More coffee?’ ‘No, I’m fine, thanks.’ Our grateful thanks go to all who participated.· I'll have to write a letter thanking Martha for the invitation to her wedding.
(=said when thanking someone very politely for their invitation or offer)
· Mum made me write thank-you letters for all my birthday presents.
· I finally got a letter of apology from the company.
‘Do you want any more?’ ‘No thanks.’· I just wanted to say thank you for being there.
I would like to say a sincere thank you to everyone who has helped and supported me.· Mr. Hayward I thank my hon. Friend for that answer.· Mr. Needham I am sure that all the people of Belfast would like to thank my hon. Friend for her comments.· Mrs. Heal I thank my hon. Friend for that helpful intervention.· We thank all our friends at Q.P.B.C. for their encouragement to us and for the love they have shown us.
· But not Security trained, thank the gods.
· Father in heaven, I thank you for your great love which banishes fear from my life.
· He then thanked them for their help during the appraisal period.· Even as I thanked her for her help, I foresaw, with despair, what was going to come next.· After he survived the vote, Mr Major went to the Whips' office to thank them for their help.· Good-bye, Miss Morrow, and thanks for your help, which I suppose I will recover from.· Anyway, thank you for your help.· I thanked him for his help.· On her way out of the library she thanked Molly for her help.· The superintendent thanked him for his help and bade him goodnight but with a distracted air as though her attention were elsewhere.
· Bill had written one letter to thank me.· If you have already posted a renewal or a new coupon since we prepared this letter thank you.· The letters are arriving so thank you very much and please keep them coming.· Only yesterday he received a letter from Mr Clinton thanking him for his support.· Bob was wondering whether you got his letter thanking you for the book.
· It won't last, thank the Lord.· Then his cab got stuck in traffic, for which I thanked the Lord.· She thanked the Lord there had been none since Lily.· Then they sank back into armchairs, thanking the Lord that never again in their lives would they move house.
· I send it to the individual's home and I include a personal note from me thanking him for his achievement.
· Tonight I want to take the opportunity to thank her for her patience and support.· I hope you will not be too disappointed and would take this opportunity to thank you for the interest you have shown.· We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you and wish her a very happy retirement.· It is intended to accredit these individually as used but we would like to take the opportunity of thanking Mr Gilson now.· As usual the Dinner was used as an opportunity to say thank you to those from outside Convocation who had discharged some service.· May I take this opportunity to thank you for your continuing support of the Society.· We would like to take this opportunity to thank the many people who have written to us.
· He was probably even now thanking his lucky stars for a narrow escape.· The Bruins this morning are thanking their lucky stars for goaltender Bill Ranford.
VERB· The Singers would like to thank everyone who contributed.· I would like to thank you for the interest you have shown in this post.· On behalf of Council 80 of Stockport, I would like to thank everyone who made it such a successful evening.· I would like to thank the headteacher and staff of the school and the local advisers for making this study possible.· It would, however, like to thank Terry Mansfield, National Magazine's managing director.
· And to say thank you for that lovely picnic.· I don't - I just say thank you and goodbye, then I go off up the road.· Looking for a way to say thank you to some one special in your life?· The chorus girls kissed him on the cheek for gratitude and the men smiled and said thank you.· She said thank you only when ordered to do so.· I think it's whisky or summat, so I say no thank you.· She looks up at the sky and says thank you.
· Staff want to thank shopkeepers who support the hospice by keeping collection boxes on their counters.· Rusty and I both want to thank you for taking the time to meet.· Well, I wanted to say thank you.· As she leaves, she has a list of 14 people and places she wants to thank.· Mrs Adams wanted to say thank you publicly.· I want to thank you for your support of me.· She left a message on his answering machine: Nick, I wanted to thank you for last night.
· I particularly wish to thank the Casualty department and Ward 9 from where I was released.· I wish to thank the Endsleigh Community for hosting our meetings in Hull.· We wish to thank both these bodies for the support without which the Conference could not have taken place.· The Humane Research Trust raised £160.30 during a collection in Huyton recently, and wish to thank the people for their generosity.· We wish to thank everyone who has contributed directly or indirectly to the preparation of this document.· I wish to thank each and every one of you for the part you played during 1991.· Cicely wishes to thank everyone who offered items.
· Bill had written one letter to thank me.· I must write Victor a thank you.· If you like the program, write and thank the developers.· We had a splendid time and I just feel I had to write and thank you.· He wrote back to thank me for it.· Horrified, she realised she would have to write and thank everyone.· One widow wrote to thank the organisers and said it was the most moving service she had ever attended.· I am writing to thank you for the Morrissey article.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► somebody won’t thank you (for doing something)► only have yourself to thank (for something)PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► a chorus of thanks/disapproval/protest etc► I don’t know how to thank you/repay you► thank-you letter/note/card
- I'll thank you to mind your own business.
- Do we have Lady Thatcher to thank for the improved state of the nation's teeth?
- I have Phil to thank for my first break on the Cutters.
- I have you to thank for that.
- In fact, I always have remembered - and I have Monty Lee to thank for that.
- Perhaps we have Pat Buchanan to thank for at least some of this raising of consciousness.
- We have Alan Austin to thank for this character-building little outing - an experience you won't forget in a hurry!
- We have Sigmund Freud to thank for a rather curious state of affairs.
- Thank God the semester's almost over!
- A spare room with no room mate was available, thank goodness, at the Loch Leven Hotel.
- All I can say in these hectic times is thank goodness for Marks & Spencer's prepared meals.
- And the politicians, thank goodness, have only so much money with which to rip each other to shreds.
- He was leaving, thank goodness!
- There was no sign of him now, thank goodness.
- Thank your lucky stars the boy wasn't seriously hurt.
- He was probably even now thanking his lucky stars for a narrow escape.
- The Bruins this morning are thanking their lucky stars for goaltender Bill Ranford.
- You'll thank me for this one day, Laura.
- In addition to that great teacher of prayer, there were others to whom I owe a debt of gratitude.
- Some say it is because of Baba Firdaus and his holy life, others say because Amanullah Khan paid his debt of gratitude.
- The present writer owes him a particularly deep debt of gratitude.
- Their varied tasks in the Library have all contributed to its success and we owe them a very real debt of gratitude.
- We all owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we wish him well.
- We all owe Solly a deep debt of gratitude for his services to the cause of jazz for so many years.
- Many thanks for your letter of the other day.
- We received the pictures on Wednesday. Many thanks.
- Finally very many thanks are again due to everyone who contributed to this edition.
- Finally, many thanks to the parents and all the other folk who helped us by being part of the duty rota.
- I stood up swiftly, telling him many thanks for bothering.
- In anticipation, many thanks for your assistance.
- Letter from the Chairman Very many thanks to all of you who returned the questionnaire.
- Once again, many thanks for your assistance in this matter.
- Thanks to Sam Wright for the transcription and many thanks for reading.
- Very many thanks for your help.
- "Would you like some more coffee?'' "No, thank you, I'm fine.''
- Chairman Gerald Davies proposed a vote of thanks.
- I did listen to him proposing a vote of thanks occasionally, and I was always glad when he sat down.
- And a word of advice just you be careful of that old goat, Moreton.
- And a word of warning - when you arrive in Hye-on-Wye beware of the second-hand bookshops.
- But business advisors in the city have sounded a word of caution.
- He would hand her a sheaf of uncounted bank notes, which she received without a word of thanks.
- However, a word of caution is in order.
- Now a word of warning about the stitch patterns in the pattern book.
- Take a word of advice, Mr Watt.
- You won't mind a word of advice?
WORD FAMILYnounthanksthankfulnessadjectivethankfulthanklessverbthankadverbthankfully
1to tell someone that you are pleased and grateful for something they have done, or to be polite about it: I haven’t had a chance to thank him yet.thank somebody for (doing) something Did you thank Uncle Ron for the present? Madeleine thanked everyone for coming.2thank God/goodness/heavens used to show that you are very glad about something: Thank God that’s over! I’ve never been so nervous in my life!thank for ‘Only ten miles to go.’ ‘Thank heavens for that!’3thank your lucky stars spoken used to tell someone that they are very lucky, especially because they have avoided an unpleasant or dangerous situation: You should thank your lucky stars I got here when I did!4only have yourself to thank (for something) spoken used to say that you are responsible for something bad that has happened to you: She has only herself to thank if she doesn’t have any friends.5you’ll thank me spoken used to tell someone not to be annoyed with you for doing or saying something, because it will be helpful to them later: You’ll thank me for this one day, Laura.6somebody won’t thank you (for doing something) used to tell someone that another person will be annoyed because of what they have done: I know you’re just trying to help, but he won’t thank you for telling him how to do it.7I’ll thank you to do something spoken formal used to tell someone in an angry way not to do something because it is annoying you: I’ll thank you to mind your own business.8have somebody to thank for (doing) something to say that you are grateful to someone who is responsible for something good happening. This expression is sometimes used humorously to mean that you are not grateful for what someone has done: I have Phil to thank for getting me my first job. And who do I have to thank for that mess on my desk? → thank youTHESAURUSthank to tell someone that you are pleased and grateful for something they have given you or done for you: · She thanked them for the presents.· You don’t need to thank me.· He thanked her for coming and showed her to her car.say thank you to thank someone by saying the words ‘thank you’, or by giving them something: · I just wanted to say thank you for all your help.· This gift is our way of saying thank you to everyone who worked so hard.· Make sure you say thank you for your birthday presents.express your gratitude formal to thank someone for something they have done – used in speeches and letters: · I would like to express my gratitude to all those who have sent me letters of support.show your appreciation formal to thank someone by giving them something, or by doing something special for them: · To show our gratitude for all your hard work, we are paying you a special bonus.acknowledge to publicly do or say something to thank someone for their help or support: · The building will be named the John Laird Centre, to acknowledge the contribution of the Laird family to the area.· He acknowledged the applause with a small bow.- collected
- collection
- collection box
- collection plate
- collective
- collective bargaining
- collective farm
- collectively
- collective noun
- collectivism
- collectivist
- collectivization
- collectivize
- collector
- collector's item
- colleen
- college
- College Boards
- collegian
- collegiate
- collide
- collider
- collie
- collier
- colliery