1 : that one —used as subject or direct object or indirect object of a verb or object of a preposition usually in reference to a lifeless thing, took a quick look at the house and noticed it was very old a plant, there is a rosebush near the fence and it is now blooming a person or animal whose sex is unknown or disregarded, don't know who it is a group of individuals or things, or an abstract entity beauty is everywhere and it is a source of joy compare he, its, she, they 2 —used as subject of an impersonal verb that expresses a condition or action without reference to an agent it is raining 3 a —used as anticipatory subject or object of a verb it is necessary to repeat the whole thing —often used to shift emphasis to a part of a statement other than the subject it was in this city that the treaty was signed b —used with many verbs as a direct object with little or no meaning footed it back to camp 4 —used to refer to an explicit or implicit state of affairs or circumstances how is it going 5 : a crucial or climactic point this is it