make nothing of

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

noth•ing /ˈnʌθɪŋ/   pron. 

1. not anything:
   He was warned to say nothing about the affair.
2. no trace:
   The house showed nothing of its former splendor.
3. something of no importance, significance, or value:
   Money means nothing to him.
4. (used to express the opinion that some action is not a great effort, or is no trouble, etc.):
   Carry four bags? Nothing to it.

n.  

5. an unimportant action, matter, circumstance, thing, or remark:
   [countable] whispering sweet nothings.
6. [countable] a person of little or no importance;
   a nobody.
7. zero;
   a cipher:
   [uncountable] Five minus five leaves nothing.

adv. 

8. in no respect or degree;
   not at all:
   It was nothing like that.

adj. [before a noun]

9. amounting to nothing:
   He did a nothing job on that last report.

Idioms

10. Idioms for nothing:
    • Idioms free of charge:
      He towed the car for nothing.
    • Idioms for no apparent reason or motive:
      flew into a rage for nothing.
    • Idioms for no gain:
      We went to all that trouble for nothing.
11. Idioms in nothing flat, in very little time:
    He drove the twenty miles in nothing flat.
12. Idioms make nothing of, [~ + object]
    • Idioms to fail to understand or comprehend:
      I can make nothing of this handwriting.
13. nothing but, only;
    just:
    I could see nothing but corn everywhere I looked.
14. Idioms nothing doing, [Informal.]
    • certainly not:
      "So do I get the raise?'' —"Nothing doing!''
15. Idioms think nothing of, [~ + object] to regard or consider as unimportant, insignificant, or easy:
    thought nothing of running ten miles a day.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

noth•ing  (nuth′ing), n. 

1. no thing;
   not anything;
   naught:
   to say nothing.
2. no part, share, or trace (usually fol. by of ):
   The house showed nothing of its former magnificence.
3. something that is nonexistent.
4. nonexistence;
   nothingness:
   The sound faded to nothing.
5. something or someone of no importance or significance:
   Money is nothing when you're without health.
6. a trivial action, matter, circumstance, thing, or remark:
   to exchange a few nothings when being introduced.
7. a person of little or no importance;
   a nobody.
8. something that is without quantity or magnitude.
9. a cipher or naught:
   Nothing from nine leaves nine.
10. (used in conventional responses to expressions of thanks):
    Think nothing of it. It's nothing. Nothing to it.
11. for nothing:
    • Idioms free of charge.
    • Idioms for no apparent reason or motive.
    • Idioms futilely;
      to no avail:
      They had gone to a great deal of expense for nothing.
12. Idioms in nothing flat, in very little time:
    Dinner was finished in nothing flat.
13. make nothing of:
    • Idioms to treat lightly;
      regard as easy.
    • Idioms to be unsuccessful in comprehending:
      He could make nothing of the complicated directions.
14. Idioms nothing but, nothing other than;
    only:
    We could see nothing but fog.
15. nothing doing:
    • Idioms [Informal.] emphatically no;
      certainly not.
    • Idioms no activity, inducement, advantage, etc., present to the eye:
      We drove through the town but there seemed to be nothing doing.
16. Idioms nothing less than or short of, absolutely;
    completely:
    She was used to nothing less than the best.
17. think nothing of:
    • Idioms to treat casually.
    • Idioms to regard as insignificant:
      He thinks nothing of lying to conceal his incompetence.

adv. 

18. in no respect or degree;
    not at all:
    It was nothing like that. Nothing dismayed, he repeated his question.

adj. 

19. amounting to nothing, as in offering no prospects for satisfaction, advancement, or the like:
    She was stuck in a nothing job.

• bef. 900; Middle English; Old English nānthing, nathing; see no², thing¹

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

make of verb (tr, preposition)

1. to interpret as the meaning of
2. to produce or construct from: houses made of brick
3. make little of, make nothing of ⇒ not to understand
4. to attribute little or no importance to
5. to gain little or no benefit from
6. make much of, make a lot of ⇒ (used with a negative) to make sense of: he couldn't make much of her babble
7. to give importance to
8. to gain benefit from
9. to pay flattering attention to: the reporters made much of the film star