such Meaning, Definition & Usage

Such adjective

Etymology

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. slikr, OSw. salik, Sw. slik, Dan. slig, Goth. swaleiks; originally meaning, so shaped. *192. See So, Like, a., and cf. Which.

Definitions

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.

   And in his time such a conqueror That greater was there none under the sun. Chaucer.

   His misery was such that none of the bystanders could refrain from weeping. Macaulay.

   ✍ 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.
2. Having the particular quality or character specified.

   That thou art happy, owe to God; That thou continuest such, owe to thyself. Milton.

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.
4. Certain; -- representing the object as already particularized in terms which are not mentioned.

   In rushed one and tells him such a knight Is new arrived. Daniel.

   To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year. James iv. 13.

   ✍ 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.

   Temple sprung from a family which . . . long after his death produced so many eminent men, and formed such distinguished alliances, that, etc. Macaulay.

   Such is used emphatically, without the correlative.

   Now will he be mocking: I shall have such a life. Shak.

   Such was formerly used with numerals in the sense of times as much or as many; as, such ten, or ten times as many.

   And many other such like things ye do. Mark vii. 8.