thanks

1 interjection

1 used to tell someone that you are grateful for something they have given you or done for you; thank you: “Pass the salt, please ... thanks.” | thanks for (doing) sth: I'd love to go to the party. Thanks for asking me. | Thanks for the ride home - see you tomorrow! | thanks a lot informal: Thanks a lot for the drink. | many thanks (=often used in a formal business letter): Dear Mr Williams, Many thanks for the articles you sent me last week.

2 used as a polite way of accepting something that someone has offered you: “Do you want another cup of coffee?” “Oh, thanks.”

3 fine thanks spoken used when politely answering someone's question: “Hi, Bill, how are you?” “Fine, thanks.”

4 no thanks used to say politely that you do not want something: “How about some cake?” “Oh, no thanks, I'm on a diet.”

2 noun (plural)

1 the things you say or do to show that you are grateful to someone: Joe got up and left without a word of thanks.

2 thanks to

a) used to say that someone has done something very helpful or useful: Thanks to Germaine's tireless efforts, the concert was a huge success.

—see owing

b) used to say, angrily or humorously that someone has caused a problem: It was supposed to be a surprise, but thanks to your big mouth she knows all about it now.

c) used to say that something good is caused by something else: Thanks to the warm Autumn, our fuel bills have been very low.

3 no thanks to spoken an expression meaning `in spite of ', used when someone should have helped you but did not: It was no thanks to you that we managed to win the game.

—see also: vote of thanks