thank (thanks plural & 3rd person present) (thanking present participle) (thanked past tense & past participle )
1 convention You use thank you or, in more informal English, thanks to express your gratitude when someone does something for you or gives you what you want., (formulae)
Thank you very much for your call..., Thanks for the information..., Thanks a lot, Suzie. You've been great.
2 convention You use thank you or, in more informal English, thanks to politely accept or refuse something that has just been offered to you., (formulae)
`You'd like a cup as well, would you, Mr Secombe?'<emdash10001`Thank you, Jane, I'd love one.'..., `Would you like a cigarette?'—`No thank you.'...
3 convention You use thank you or, in more informal English, thanks to politely acknowledge what someone has said to you, especially when they have answered your question or said something nice to you., (formulae)
The policeman smiled at her. `Pretty dog.'<emdash10001`Oh well, thank you.'..., `It's great to see you.'—`Thanks. Same to you.'
4 convention You use thank you or thank you very much in order to say firmly that you do not want someone's help or to tell them that you do not like the way that they are behaving towards you., (emphasis)
I can stir my own tea, thank you..., We know where we can get it, thank you very much.
5 verb When you thank someone for something, you express your gratitude to them for it.
I thanked them for their long and loyal service... V n for n
When the decision was read out Mrs Gardner thanked the judges. V n
6 n-plural When you express your thanks to someone, you express your gratitude to them for something.
They accepted their certificates with words of thanks.
8 You say `Thank God', `Thank Goodness', or `Thank heavens' when you are very relieved about something.
thank God phrase oft PHR with cl, PHR that (feelings)
I was wrong, thank God..., Thank heavens we have you here.
9 If you say that you have someone to thankfor something, you mean that you are grateful to them because they caused it to happen.
have sb to thank phrase V inflects, oft PHR for n
I have her to thank for my life...
10 If you say that something happens thanks to a particular person or thing, you mean that they are responsible for it happening or caused it to happen.
thanks to phrase PHR n, usu PHR with cl, v-link PHR, PHR after v
It is thanks to this committee that many new sponsors have come forward...
11 If you say that something happens no thanks to a particular person or thing, you mean that they did not help it to happen, or that it happened in spite of them.
no thanks to phrase PHR n, usu PHR with cl, v-link PHR
It is no thanks to the Government that net assets did rise.
