any

/ˈɛni/

/ˈɛni/

Use the word any when you're talking about every possible quantity of something — whether it's one, a few, or many. You might ask an ice cream truck driver, "Do you have any ice cream sandwiches?"

Any refers to non-specific amounts of something, as when you ask your friend, "Do you have any advice about what movie I should see?" or you ask a bakery worker, "Do you have any chocolate croissants left?" It also means "at all," like when you complain, "That pep talk didn't make me feel any better." In Old English, the word was ænig, which meant both "any" and "anyone," or literally, "one-y."

Definitions of any

1. adverb

   to some extent or degree, as in "Does she feel any better today" or "I don't follow that group any longer"
2. pronoun

   an unspecified number of persons or things, as in "There aren't any working" or "I'd like any of those smaller sizes"
3. adjective

   whichever or whatever, that is available or possible, as in "He couldn't help us in any way" or "Is there any time left to complete the assignment?"
4. adjective

   one or some or every or all without specification
   “give me any peaches you don't want”

   “not any milk is left”

   “any child would know that”

   “pick any card”

   “any day now”

   “cars can be rented at almost any airport”

   “at twilight or any other time”

   “beyond any doubt”

   “need any help we can get”

   synonyms: whatever, whatsoever

   some

   quantifier; used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
5. adverb

   to any degree or extent
   “it isn't any better”