it: [OE] It (or hit, as it was in Old English) comes ultimately from the same prehistoric Germanic demonstrative stem form. *khi-, as produced he. The possessive form its is a comparatively recent development, dating from the end of the 16th century; until then, his was used for ‘its’. => he
it (pron.)
Old English hit, neuter nominative and accusative of third person singular pronoun, from Proto-Germanic demonstrative base *khi- (cognates: Old Frisian hit, Dutch het, Gothic hita "it"), from PIE *ko- "this" (see he). Used in place of any neuter noun, hence, as gender faded in Middle English, it took on the meaning "thing or animal spoken about before."
Whether the charmer sinner it or saint it,
If the folly grow romantic, I must paint it.
[Pope, "Moral Essays," 1735]
The h- was lost due to being in an unemphasized position, as in modern speech the h- in "give it to him," "ask her," "is only heard in the careful speech of the partially educated" [Weekley]. It "the sex act" is from 1610s; meaning "sex appeal (especially in a woman)" first attested 1904 in works of Rudyard Kipling, popularized 1927 as title of a book by Elinor Glyn, and by application of It Girl to silent-film star Clara Bow (1905-1965). In children's games, meaning "the one who must tag the others" is attested from 1842.
实用例句
1. In " It's a bloody miracle! ", " bloody " is used as an intensive word.
在 “ It‘sabloodymiracle! ” 一句中, bloody是用作加强语气的词.
来自《简明英汉词典》
2. "It's" (with an apostrophe) should be used only as a contraction for "it is".
it's（带撇号）只能用作itis的缩约形式。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Beauty is an attitude. It has nothing to do with age.
美是一种态度，与年龄无关。
来自金山词霸
4. English has hurt me a thousand times, but I still regard it as my first love.
英语伤我千百遍，我待英语如初恋。
来自金山词霸 每日一句
5. Success is not guaranteed. It is not handed to you. Success is earned.
