any

[en-ee] /ˈɛn i/
adjective
1.
one, a, an, or some; one or more without specification or identification:
If you have any witnesses, produce them. Pick out any six you like.
2.
whatever or whichever it may be:
cheap at any price.
3.
in whatever quantity or number, great or small; some:
Do you have any butter?
4.
every; all:
Any schoolboy would know that. Read any books you find on the subject.
5.
(following a negative) at all:
She can't endure any criticism.
pronoun
6.
an unspecified person or persons; anybody; anyone:
He does better than any before him.
7.
a single one or ones; an unspecified thing or things; a quantity or number:
We don't have any left.
adverb
8.
in whatever degree; to some extent; at all:
Do you feel any better?
Idioms
9.
any which way, in any manner whatever; indifferently or carelessly:
Doing your work any which way is just not good enough.
Origin
before 950; Middle English eni, ani, Old English ǣnig (Old English ān one + -ig -y1)
Synonyms
3. See some.
Usage note
See anybody, anyone, anyplace, anyway, either, they.
Examples from the web for any
  • Students set up another free speech wall, this time taping over any language that could be deemed offensive.
  • First, her lack of any undergraduate degree whatsoever.
  • New engine technology makes wind power more efficient in any weather.
  • That's the sound of doom for any smug boulder that thought it had defeated me.
  • The atmospheric phenomena can be seen globally in any season-and even on other worlds.
  • But almost any technical photographic challenge interested him.
  • Then this year it's the number one topic-more questions about peonies than any other subject.
  • The whole pixel can thus be tuned to reflect any desired colour.
  • The pd of any object sets its relative potential to its neighbours.
  • And in any case, stellar wobbles give no clue as to whether a planet is barren and rocky or bursting with alien beasties.
British Dictionary definitions for any

any

/ˈɛnɪ/
determiner
1.
  1. one, some, or several, as specified, no matter how much or many, what kind or quality, etc: any cheese in the cupboard is yours, you may take any clothes you like
  2. (as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural): take any you like
2.
(usually used with a negative)
  1. even the smallest amount or even one: I can't stand any noise
  2. (as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural): don't give her any
3.
whatever or whichever; no matter what or which: any dictionary will do, any time of day
4.
an indefinite or unlimited amount or number (esp in the phrases any amount or number): any number of friends
adverb
5.
(usually used with a negative)
  1. (foll by a comparative adjective) to even the smallest extent: it isn't any worse now
  2. (not standard) at all: he doesn't care any
Word Origin
Old English ǣnig; related to Old Frisian ēnig, Old High German einag, Old Norse einigr anyone, Latin ūnicus unique; see an1, one
Word Origin and History for any
adj.

Old English ænig "any, anyone," literally "one-y," from Proto-Germanic *ainagas (cf. Old Saxon enig, Old Norse einigr, Old Frisian enich, Dutch enig, German einig), from PIE *oi-no- "one, unique" (see one). The -y may have diminutive force here.

Emphatic form any old ______ (British variant: any bloody ______) is recorded from 1896. At any rate is recorded from 1847. Among the large family of compounds beginning with any-, anykyn "any kind" (c.1300) did not survive, and Anywhen (1831) is rarely used, but OED calls it "common in Southern [British] dialects."

Idioms and Phrases with any

any

also see: