Etimology
From Middle English such, swuch, swich, swilch, swulch, from Old English swelċ, from Proto-West Germanic *swalīk, from Proto-Germanic *swalīkaz (“so formed, so like”), equivalent to so + like. Cognate with Scots swilk, sic, sik (“such”), Saterland Frisian suk (“such”), West Frisian suk, sok (“such”), Dutch zulk (“such”), Low German sölk, sulk, sülk, suk (“such”), German solch (“such”), Danish slig (“like that, such”), Swedish slik (“such”), Icelandic slíkur (“such”). More at so, like.
determiner
such
(demonstrative) Like this, that, these, those; used to make a comparison with something implied by context.
(particularly used in formal documents) Any.
(degree) Used as an intensifier roughly equivalent to very much (of), quite or rather.
(obsolete) A certain; representing the object as already particularized in terms which are not mentioned.
Examples
I’ve never seen such clouds in the sky before. Such is life
I had occasion […] to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return […] I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting, […], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town. I was completely mystified at such an unusual proceeding.
She was a fat, round little woman, richly apparelled in velvet and lace, […] ; and the way she laughed, cackling like a hen, the way she talked to the waiters and the maid, […]—all these unexpected phenomena impelled one to hysterical mirth, and made one class her with such immortally ludicrous types as Ally Sloper, the Widow Twankey, or Miss Moucher.
An artificial kidney these days still means a refrigerator-sized dialysis machine. Such devices mimic the way real kidneys cleanse blood and eject impurities and surplus water as urine.
the above address or at such other address as may be provided
The party was such a bore. "Bottomless" is such a lie.
They burned the old gun that used to stand in the dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he did not come by his death fairly. Otherwise his pelt would not have been so perfect. And why else was he put away up there out of sight?—and so magnificent a brush as he had too. […].
Mr. Cooke at once began a tirade against the residents of Asquith for permitting a sandy and generally disgraceful condition of the roads. So roundly did he vituperate the inn management in particular, and with such a loud flow of words, that I trembled lest he should be heard on the veranda.
Charles had not been employed above six months at Darracott Place, but he was not such a whopstraw as to make the least noise in the performance of his duties when his lordship was out of humour.
Synonym: what
Such hypocrisy!
Such bouncy children you have.
Why, I was absolutely spellbound. She sings with such passion!
In rushed one and tells him such a knight / Is new arrived.
To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year.
pronoun
such
A person, a thing, people, or things like the one or ones already mentioned.
Examples
These oraculous proficients are day and night employed in deep searches for the direction of such as run astray after their lost goods : but at present they are more particularly serviceable to their country in foretelling the fate of such as have chances in the public lottery.
'Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed.
Some are just no-good locals—drunks and such—who’d just as soon beg or steal as work.
noun
such (plural suches)
(philosophy) Something being indicated that is similar to something else.
Examples
But granted that Plato does not accept the this-such distinction, why saddle him with the view that all things are thises, rather than all suches or perhaps even neither?