Summat

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈsÊŒmÉ™t/, /ˈzÊŒmÉ™t/

Alternative forms

• sumet (17th century)
• summut, zum'ot, summot (18th – 19th centuries)
• sumat, summet, zumat, zummat, zummet, zummut (19th century)

Origin

Dialectical variant of somewhat attested from the 18th century

Full definition of summat

Pronoun

1. (British, regional) Something.
• 1809, Theodore Hook, "Killing No Murder" in The Sporting Magazine, vol. 34, no. 202, p. 185...every gentleman tips us summat, we looks for it as natural as possible.
• 1825 October 12, Walter Scott, Letters (published 1935), IX.245They require the atmosphere of a cigar and the amalgam of a sum'mat comfortable.
2. 1859, George Eliot, Adam Bede, I.i.i.10
3. A man must learn summat beside Gospel to make them things.
• 1947, Thomas Armstrong, King Cotton, p. 53Does he think I’ve been soaping up to the Governor or summat?
4. 1997, J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, iv:
5. ‘Got summat fer yeh here – I mighta sat on it at some point, but it’ll taste all right.’
• 2006, Robin Jarvis, Thomas, p. 20Why go all the way to find summat that ain’t there?

Adverb

1. (British, regional) Somewhat, to a limited extent or degree
• 1859, George Eliot, Adam Bede, I.i.viii.172It's summat-like to see such a man as that i' the desk of a Sunday!----