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same

same [ saym ] CORE MEANING: a word indicating that one thing or person is involved rather than two or more different things or people

(adj) I can't drive and talk at the same time.

(adj) He lives on the same street as I do.

Definition:

1. adjective identical: identical, or alike in every significant respect

(adj) They turned up at the party wearing the same dress.

(adj) All the houses looked exactly the same.

(adj) Look - their curtains are the same as ours!

(pron) All the experts say the same.

2. adjective previously mentioned: previously mentioned, or as previously described or identified ( used as a pronoun without "the" in business and legal contexts; see Usage note below )

(adj) She left because she was bored, and I left two months later for the same reason.

(pron) Wool should always be washed carefully. The same applies to silk.

(pron) "Are you Lee Smith?" - "The same."

3. adjective unchanged: not changed or changing

After the accident, he just wasn't the same person.

The house looked the same as always.

I want things to stay the same.

[12th century. < Old Norse samr< Indo-European, "one"]

same·ness noun

all or just the same

1. despite a particular situation or comment

All the same, I wish she hadn't said it.

They tried to stop us but we took it just the same.

2. nevertheless

same old, same old used to say that a situation is unchanged or unexciting (informal)

the same as in the identical way that (informal)

He wants to win, the same as I do.

Word Usage


	The use of same as a pronoun as in We have received your order and have pleasure in completing same is characteristic of commercial and legal language; it is not normally found in general use, except with special or humorous effect: The dog excavated a huge bone and consumed same.