Noah Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language

1. (pron. & a.) As a demonstrative pronoun, this denotes something that is present or near in place or time, or something just mentioned, or that is just about to be mentioned.

2. (pron. & a.) As an adjective, this has the same demonstrative force as the pronoun, but is followed by a noun; as, this book; this way to town.