Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - there

Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. There is used as the subject of the verb ‘be’ to say that something exists or does not exist, or to draw attention to it. There are roadworks between Camblesforth and Carlton... Are there some countries that have been able to tackle these problems successfully?... There were differences of opinion, he added, on very basic issues... PRON: PRON be n 2. You use there in front of certain verbs when you are saying that something exists, develops, or can be seen. Whether the verb is singular or plural depends on the noun which follows the verb. There remains considerable doubt over when the intended high-speed rail link will be complete... There appeared no imminent danger... PRON: PRON v n 3. There is used after ‘hello’ or ‘hi’ when you are greeting someone. Oh, hi there. You must be Sidney. CONVENTION 4. If something is there, it exists or is available. The group of old buildings on the corner by the main road is still there today... The book is there for people to read and make up their own mind... ADV: be ADV, oft ADV for n, ADV to-inf 5. You use there to refer to a place which has already been mentioned. The next day we drove the 33 miles to Siena (the Villa Arceno is a great place to stay while you are there) for the Palio... ‘Come on over, if you want.’—‘How do I get there?’... It’s one hell of a train trip, about five days there and back... ADV: be ADV, ADV with v, n ADV, oft prep ADV 6. You use there to indicate a place that you are pointing to or looking at, in order to draw someone’s attention to it. There it is, on the corner over there... There she is on the left up there... The toilets are over there, dear... ADV: ADV with be, ADV after v, oft prep ADV 7. You use there in expressions such as ‘there he was’ or ‘there we were’ to sum up part of a story or to slow a story down for dramatic effect. (SPOKEN) So there we were with Amy and she was driving us crazy... ADV: ADV cl 8. You use there when speaking on the telephone to ask if someone is available to speak to you. Hello, is Gordon there please? ADV: ADV with be 9. You use there to refer to a point that someone has made in a conversation. I think you’re right there John... ADV: ADV after v 10. You use there to refer to a stage that has been reached in an activity or process. We are making further investigations and will take the matter from there... ADV: ADV with cl, oft prep ADV 11. You use there to indicate that something has reached a point or level which is completely successful. We had hoped to fill the back page with extra news; we’re not quite there yet... Life has not yet returned to normal but we are getting there. ADV: be ADV, ADV after v 12. You can use there in expressions such as there you go or there we are when accepting that an unsatisfactory situation cannot be changed. (SPOKEN) I’m the oldest and, according to all the books, should be the achiever, but there you go... ADV: ADV cl 13. You can use there in expressions such as there you go and there we are when emphasizing that something proves that you were right. (SPOKEN) You see? There you go. That’s why I didn’t mention it earlier. I knew you’d take it the wrong way... ADV: ADV cl c darkgreen]emphasis 14. You use there again to introduce an extra piece of information which either contradicts what has been said or gives an alternative to it. At 18 stone, I can’t run around the way I used to. There again, some people say I never did... PHRASE: PHR cl 15. Phrases such as there you go again are used to show annoyance at someone who is repeating something that has annoyed you in the past. (SPOKEN) ‘There you go again, upsetting the child!’ said Shirley... PHRASE: V inflects 16. You can add ‘so there’ to what you are saying to show that you will not change your mind about a decision you have made, even though the person you are talking to disagrees with you. (INFORMAL) I think that’s sweet, so there. PHRASE: cl PHR 17. If something happens there and then or then and there, it happens immediately. Many felt that he should have resigned there and then... PHRASE: PHR after v, PHR with cl 18. You say ‘there there’ to someone who is very upset, especially a small child, in order to comfort them. (SPOKEN) ‘There, there,’ said Mum. ‘You’ve been having a really bad dream.’ CONVENTION 19. You say ‘there you are’ or ‘there you go’ when you are offering something to someone. (SPOKEN) Nora picked up the boy, and gave him a biscuit. ‘There you are, Lennie, you take the nice biscuit.’ CONVENTION c darkgreen]formulae 20. If someone is there for you, they help and support you, especially when you have problems. (INFORMAL) Despite what happened in the past I want her to know I am there for her. PHRASE: V inflects