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What - what...what |(h)w?t, (h)wät| pronoun 1 [ interrogative pronoun ] asking for information specifying something: what is your name? | I'm not sure what you mean. • asking for repetition of something not heard or confirmation of something not understood: what? I can't hear you | you did what? 2 [ relative pronoun ] the thing or things that (used in specifying something): what we need is a commitment. • (referring to the whole of an amount) whatever: I want to do what I can to make a difference. • dialect who or that: the one what got to my house. 3 (in exclamations) emphasizing something surprising or remarkable: what some people do for attention! determiner 1 [ interrogative determiner ] asking for information specifying something: what time is it? | do you know what excuse he gave me? 2 [ relative determiner ] (referring to the whole of an amount) whatever: he had been robbed of what little money he had. 3 (in exclamations) how great or remarkable: [ as determiner ] : what luck! | [ as predeterminer ] : what a fool she was. adverb 1 to what extent?: what does it matter? 2 used to indicate an estimate or approximation: see you, what, about four? 3 informal, dated used for emphasis or to invite agreement: pretty poor show, what? PHRASES and (or or ) what have you informal and/or anything else similar: for a binder try soup, gravy, cream, or what have you. and what not informal and other similar things. give someone what for see give. what about ——? 1 used when asking for information or an opinion on something: what about the practical angle? 2 used to make a suggestion: what about a walk? what-d'you-call-it (or what's-its name ) informal another term for whatchamacallit. what ever used for emphasis in questions, typically expressing surprise or confusion: what ever did I do to deserve him? what for? informal for what reason? what if ——? 1 what would result if ——?: what if nobody shows up? 2 what does it matter if ——?: what if our house is a mess? I'm clean. what is more and as an additional point; moreover. what next see next. what of ——? what is the news concerning ——? what of it? why should that be considered significant? what's-his (or -its ) -name another term for whatshisname. what say ——? used to make a suggestion: what say we take a break? what's what informal what is useful or important: I'll teach her what's what. what with because of (used usually to introduce several causes of something): what with the drought and the neglect, the garden is in a sad condition. ORIGIN Old English hwæt, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wat and German was, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin quod . usage: On the distinction between what ever and whatever, see usage at whatever.
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