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Definition of What

Babylon English

to what extent
Really? (used to express surprise)
word used in a question to request more information; which; how much; don't you agree?
word used in a question to begin a prepositional phrase; which; to what extent; how much; word used in a question to stress a certain situation
word used in question to request specific information; which
word used in a question to inquire about a thing
What Definition from Arts & Humanities Dictionaries & Glossaries
English-Latin Online Dictionary
qui quae que quod, quisnam; quidnam
What Definition from Language, Idioms & Slang Dictionaries & Glossaries
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
(pron., a., & adv.)
(pron., a., & adv.)
(pron., a., & adv.)
(pron., a., & adv.)
(pron., a., & adv.)
(pron., a., & adv.)
(pron., a., & adv.)
(pron., a., & adv.)
(pron., a., & adv.)
(pron., a., & adv.)
As a relative pronoun
Something; thing; stuff.
(interrog. adv.)
Why? For what purpose? On what account?
hEnglish - advanced version

\what\ (?), pron., a., & adv. [as. hw?t, neuter of hwā who; akin to os. hwat what, ofries. hwet, d. & lg. wat, g. was, ohg. waz, hwaz, icel. hvat, sw. & dan. hvad, goth. hwa. ?182. see who.]
1. as an interrogative pronoun, used in asking questions regarding either persons or things; as, what is this? what did you say? what poem is this? what child is lost? what see'st thou in the ground? what is man, that thou art mindful of him? viii. 4. what manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! viii. 27.
note: originally, what, when, where, which, who, why, etc., were interrogatives only, and it is often difficult to determine whether they are used as interrogatives or relatives. what in this sense, when it refers to things, may be used either substantively or adjectively; when it refers to persons, it is used only adjectively with a noun expressed, who being the pronoun used substantively.
2. as an exclamatory word: (a) used absolutely or independently; -- often with a question following. "what welcome be thou." what, could ye not watch with me one hour? xxvi. 40. (b) used adjectively, meaning how remarkable, or how great; as, what folly! what eloquence! what courage! what a piece of work is man! o what a riddle of absurdity!
note: what in this use has a or an between itself and its noun if the qualitative or quantitative importance of the object is emphasized. (c) sometimes prefixed to adjectives in an adverbial sense, as nearly equivalent to how; as, what happy boys! what partial judges are our love and hate!
3. as a relative pronoun: (a) used substantively with the antecedent suppressed, equivalent to that which, or those [persons] who, or those [things] which; -- called a compound relative. with joy beyond what victory bestows. i'm thinking captain lawton will count the noses of what are left before they see their whaleboats. ooper. what followed was in perfect harmony with this beginning. i know well how little you will be disposed to criticise what comes to you from me. h. newman. (b) used adjectively, equivalent to the which; the sort or kind of which; rarely, the on, or at, which. see what natures accompany what colors. to restrain what power either the devil or any earthly enemy hath to work us woe. we know what master laid thy keel, what workmen wrought thy ribs of steel. (c) used adverbially in a sense corresponding to the adjectival use; as, he picked what good fruit he saw.
4. whatever; whatsoever; what thing soever; -- used indefinitely. "what after so befall." whether it were the shortness of his foresight, the strength of his will, or what it was.
5. used adverbially, in part; partly; somewhat; -- with a following preposition, especially, with, and commonly with repetition. what for lust [pleasure] and what for lore. thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, i am custom shrunk. the year before he had so used the matter that what by force, what by policy, he had taken from the christians above thirty small castles.
note: in such phrases as i tell you what, what anticipates the following statement, being elliptical for what i think, what it is, how it is, etc. "i tell thee what, corporal bardolph, i could tear her." here what relates to the last clause, "i could tear her;" this is what i tell you. what not is often used at the close of an enumeration of several particulars or articles, it being an abbreviated clause, the verb of which, being either the same as that of the principal clause or a general word, as be, say, mention, enumerate, etc., is omitted. "men hunt, hawk, and what not." --becon. "some dead puppy, or log, orwhat not." kingsley. "battles, tournaments, hunts, and what not." hence, the words are often used in a general sense with the force of a substantive, equivalent to anything you please, a miscell
The Phrase Finder
Cliche, often spoken by cowboy characters in B feature westerns.
From Shakespeare's Macbeth. Usually used just as 'come what may'.
From the Bible. Matthew 6:3. 'But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.'
From the christian marriage ceremony. 'Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.' Taken from the Bible; Matthew 19:6.
From Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Query applied to someone who has done something stupid or outrageous and the questioner can't think of anything to compare them with.
Appears to be of recent Irish origin although now (1998) is used extensively in the UK, mostly by the young.
From Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
From Bugs Bunny cartoons.
The notion that to be fit and healthy you need to eat good food.
Originated in the hippy era in the USA. The food of choice of the champions of this notion was macrobiotic wholefood.
Concise English-Irish Dictionary v. 1.1
céard?, cad, caidé, cé, ceurd
what for: cad chuige, cad ina thaobh, cén fáth
what I see: an rud a fheicim
English Phonetics

JM Welsh <=> English Dictionary
Adfer = n. what is restored
Agoriad = n. what opens; a key
Areiliad = n. what guards
Beth = pron. MUTATION OF PETH; what
Breithell = n. what is of varied texture; a cawl; a conflict
Canoliad = n. what is central
Cawd = n. what incloses
Chwythigell = n. what is inflated
Cloigen = n. what is tied at the end; a hitch, a whisk of straw
Coflaid = n. what is embraced; a bosom friend; a darling
Cras = what is parclied; a toast, a. parched, acrid; saucy
Crebach = n. what is shrunk, a shrunk, withered
Creiddyn = n. what juts into
Crinell = n. what is clung
Cyrchell = n. what surrounds
Da = n. what is had; goods, chattels, stock, cattle, a. good, well, adv.
Dadegru = v. to make brisk what is flat, or stale
Daig = n. what is effused
Diffodd = n. what is extinct; v. to extinguish
Durf = n. what is dense
Dwf = n. what glides; a glider
Dws = n. what oozes out
Dychlyd = n. what is carried
Dyfnad = n. what is inured
Dyhewyn = n. what is matured
Dylusg = n. what is drifted on shore, by floods
Echlur = n. what causes paleness; a. of a pale hue, livid
Echw = n. what has a motion; a horse
Elyd = n. what is fused
Ermyg = n. what claims respect
Esg = n. what shoots out
Estl = n. what ranges
Ffa = n. what is enveloped
Ffag = n. what tends to unite
Ffain = n. what is conical
Ffangyl = n. what covereth; safety
Ffe = n. what is outward
Ffedon = what screens; a screen
Ffer = a what is solid; a severe cold; a concrete; the ankle, a. dense; fixed; solid, strong with cold
Fflag = n. what parts from, or rifted
Fforchaid = n. what is taken upon a fork
Ffwg = n. what is volatile
Glesyn = n. what is blue
Gni = n. what pervades; shock
Gobrid = n. what is somewhat dear; a. somewhat dear
Godid = n. what is out of order
Gorch = n. what encompasses
Gorddyfniad = n. what habituates
Gorddygai = n. what draws away; an abductor
Gorth = n. what stands opposite
Graban = n. what is clustered
Grae = n. what is asperate, sharp, or rough
Greiau = n. what gives heat
Gres = n. what is warm
Gruff = n. what is fierce; a griffon
Gwain = n. what serves or supports; a carriage; a sheath, a. smart, neat,
Gwaint = n. what is smart or lively, a. smart, neat; brisk
Gwasarn = n. a foundation; what is strewed; litter; booty
Gwdd = n. what twists or turns
Gweladwy = a. what may be seen
Gwener = n. what yields bliss, Venus, Dydd Gwener, Friday
Gwes = n. what is moving
Gwrag = n. what curves off; a bracer
Gwraid = n. what is ardent
Gwrch = n. what is upon
Gwrith = n. what is apparent
Gwrtaeth = n. what improves, manure
Gwyf = n. what extends
Gwyg = n. what is flaccid
Gwyn = n. white; what is fair, a. white; fair; blessed
Gwyst = n. what is shrunk or low
Hain = n. what spreads through
Haint = n. what is prevalent, an infection, disease, sickness. Haint y
Hais = n. what is full of points
Han = n. what proceeds from; a. produced; separated, prep. from, out of
Haw = n. what is full; an ass
Heistain = n. what whets scythes
Hewyn = n. what is mature
Hof = n. what hangs or hovers
Honw = n. what is full of motion
Horth = n. what is spread over
Hotyn = n. what covers as a cap
Hu = n. what is apt to pervade, a. apt to pervade; bold
Huad = n. what cents; a hound
Huddwg = n. what is dusky
Huenyd = n. what encircles
Hufen = n. what mantles; cream
Hwdwl = n. what is stark mad
Hwm = n. what is apt to sink
Ias = n. what pervades; mature, disposition; a shock; a shiver
Lle = n. a place; stead, room, ad. where, at what place
Llwyth = n. what is borne, a load
Llych = n. what is flat; a squat, a sculk
Llychwr = n. what spreads along
Llyfi = n. what is slimy; snivel
Llyfr = n. what drags, the heel of a drag = n. a book
Llym = n. what is sharp or keen
Llyryad = n. what glides
Llyth = n. what is tender, a. flat; flaccid, soft; base
Madd = n. what tends to divest
Mael = n. gain, profit, advantage, what is worked; iron
Maer = n. what tends; a steward, mayor
Maf = n. what is clustering
Magdan = n. a combustible, tinder, what supports fire
Maid = n. what separates or limits
Malen = n. what is of iron; one accustomed to violence; a shield; Bellona
Malur = n. what is reduced small, or mouldered; a mole-hill
Mar = n. what is laid flat
Marth = n. what is flat, plain, or open; sadness; what is sure
Mau = n. what is owned by one's-self, pron. my, my own
Maw = n. what expands
Mawd = n. what is expanding
Medd = n. a centre of motion; what causes a turning; utterance; mead; what
Meddalai = n. what softens; mallows
Meddygyn = n. what heals; the violet
Merthyr = n. what is open; a martyr
Merydd = n. what is sluggish; a plash; sluggard; sea sedge
Mesig = a. what may be chewed
Misyriad = n. what is a month old
Moll = n. what extends round
Mon = n. what is isolated; a point
Mudw = n. what is on the move
Mun = n. what forms; a hand
Mur = n. what is firm; a wall, a. firm, fixed, established
Mw = n. what is upon or about
Mwn = n. what spires up; a particle; a mine, ore
Mwr = n. what tends to fall or happen
Mwrth = n. what tends forward
Mws = n. what shoots out; effluvia, a. of strong scent, rank
Mwyd = n. what is soaked
Myldardd = n. what is in grains
Mym = n. what is incipient
Mynegai = n. what indicates, an index
Mynud = n. what is courteous; courteous; social
Myw = n. what has activity; an ant
Nadd = n. what is wrought or chipped
Naf = n. what forms; a creator
Nan = adv. what
Nedd = n. what turns; a dingle
Ner = n. what has self-energy; the Lord
Nest = n. what is compact or close
New = n. what is proceeding
Newydd = n. what is new, news, a. new, novel; fresh
Nid = n. what is impending, adv. not
Nig = n. what is straitened
Nill = n. what is repeated
Nith = n. what is pure, niece
Niw = n. what is violent
No = n. what stops or keeps in, adv. than
Nof = n. what moves or flows
Nwy = n. what pervades; spirit gas
O = n. what goes or proceeds, prep. from; of, out, of; by, conj. if, pron.
Od = n. what is clear; snow, a notable, excellent; odd, conj. it
Odd = n. what tends out or from; prep. from of, out of; by
Odiaeth = n. what is notable, rarity
Oged = n. what stirs; a harrow
Om = n. what stretches round
On = n. what is superior; what is in continuity; an ash
Onc = n. what is headlong
Osg = n. what tends out or from
Ostr = n. what is spread
Pa = n. what is in continuity, a. what
Pad = n. what keeps together; what contains
Padd = n. what keeps a course
Paen = n. what spreads; peacock
Pai = n. what is objective
Panan = n. what involves or works together
Pant = n. what involves; a depression, a hollow, a low place
Parsel = n. what is aimed at, a butt
Parwydd = n. what is cognitive of acting or causing; a verb
Pathawr = adv. what matters it
Paw = n. what extends round
Pe = n. what is causative, an agent, conj. if, though
Pebyr = n. what is uttered
Ped = n. what bears onward, a foot
Pedryael = n. what has four skirts; square
Pedryfal = n. what is of four pieces
Peithyn = n. what is open; open surface; a tile; slay of a loom; a cog
Penrhaith = n. what has chief right, the chief of the law
Per = n. what pervades; sweet fruit, a. delicious, sweet, luscious
Perthyn = n. what is appropriate, v. to appertain, to belong
Peryg = n. what is extreme
Pil = n. what hovers; a serjeant; a peal; a creek
Pilc = n. what turns about
Pith = n. what is granulated
Pla = n. what breaks out; the plague
Plast = n. what is spread out
Pludd = n. what is flodble
Plw = n. what spreads out
Ply = n. what is flexible or soft
Plym = n. what agonises
Po = n. what comprehends, conj. if, by how much
Pond = adv. is it not ? what else?
Ponid = adv. what not? is it not?
Por = n. what is over, supreme
Porth = n. aid, help what bears; sustenance; a carriage; a ferry; a port; a gateway
Poth = n. what bulges; a boss
Prin = n. what is of slight trace = a. scarce, rare, scant, spare, adv. scarcely
Print = n. what forms a notch, a print
Prwy = n. what reaches forward; an agent
Prwysg = n. what is impending or surmounting
Prwyst = n. what causes anxiety
Prydd = n. what is productive, a. teeming, luxuriant
Pryf = a what is generated; vermin, a worm
Pryned = n. what takes hold; a hand
Prysg = n. what is over, brushwood
Pud = n. what tends to allure
Pul = n. what tends to straiten
Pun = n. what is equal or even, a. equal, equivalent
Pur = n. what is pure, a. pure, adv. essentially; very
Pwg = n. what pushes or swells out
Pwr = n. what extends; a worm
Py = n. what is involved, a. what
Pyb = n. what is energetic
Pyn = n. what is in contact
Pyr = n. what spires; a fir, adv. forward, toward
Rha = n. what forces; ertness;
Rhaol = n. a forcing; impulse
Rhach = n. what is forced out
Rhaint = n. what is pervasive
Rhawch = n. what is extreme
Rhawel = n. what is clustered
Rhechdor = n. what breaks out or ravages
Rhem = n. what runs out
Rhew = n. what is slippery; frost
Rhi = n. what is specific; a chief
Rhif = n. what divides; number
Rhiff = n. what divides or parts
Rhifft = n. what is divided, a rift
Rhin = n. what pervades; a channel; a virtue, a secret; a charm
Rhis = n. what is broken into points
Rho = n. what is put off; a gift
Rhuf = n. what breaks out; a flush
Rhug = n. what has breaks or points
Rhum = n. what projects or swells
Rhwch = n. what is rough; a grunt
Rhwf = n. what swells or puffs out
Rhwg = n. what projects; a ruff
Rhwn = what covers over
Rhwnt = n. what covers over
Rhwyf = n. what impels; ambition; a ruler; an oar
Rhwyth = n. what pervades; juice
Rhym = n. what stretches round
Sai = n. what is still or at rest
Sardd = n. what is recumbent
Saw = n. what hems in; a stop
Sawf = n. what stops or stands
Se = n. what is fixed; a star, adv. as stated, to wit, so
Sib = n. what tends to involve
Sidanen = n. what is silken
Sider = n. what twirls; fringe
Silied = n. what is produced; hulled corn
Sim = n. what is flippant or light
Sioch = n. what is bushy
Su = n. what pervades; a buzz
Sudd = n. what pervades; juice
Sul = n. what extends round; the Sun. Dydd Sul, Sunday
Sw = n. what remains; what is on
Swbach = n. what is shrunk up
Swci = n. what is soaked
Swr = n. what is surly or sullen
Swy = n. what is on or over
Swyd = n. what extends over
Swyfedd = n. what is scummed, suet
Syfag = n. what spreads out
Syfyd = n. what forms a space
Syllt = n. what is fair or clear
Sym = n. what is whole
Syml = n. what is simple, a. simple
Sythi = n. what stiffens; a beam
Taf = n. what is spread, a flat space
Tafar = n. what spreads out
Tafarth = n. what is dilated
Talwrn = n. what projects
Tamp = n. what is pervasive
Tarw = n. what bursts through; a bull
Tas = n. what binds; a fascia
Te = n. what is spread; tea
Tel = n. what is fair; a regulator, a measure of capacity, a regular; compact; fair
Teng = n. what is tenacious; a. tough
Tent = n. what strained; a tightly strained
Teryg = n. what is clotted; crust
Ti = n. what is in; what is distinct, pron. thee, thou
Toc = what is abrupt; a cap, adv. instantly, presently
Toci = n. what is cut out; a share
Toddaid = n. what is melting; a metre
Tolws = n. what roars; a roarer
Tored = a. what expands, a. vast
Torm = what is stretched round
Torth = n. what sustains; a loaf
Trad = n. what spreads out
Traig = n. what tends over
Trasg = n. what is laid together
Trest = n. what is stretched
Trusi = n. what is a guard
Trwb = n. what is rubbed
Trwth = n. what tends to expand
Trydon = n. what pervades; agrinony = a. thoroughly toned, four days hence
Tryf = n. what is pervasive
Tryfol = n. what is all belly
Tryrdd = n. what is through
Tun = n. what pervades
Tus = n. what is warpped, a whisp
Twdd = n. what pokes or juts out
Twl = n. what is rounded; a toft
Twt = n. what is complete, n. complete, neat, smart
Ty = n. what includes; a house
Tyd = n. what is continuous
Tyw = n. what overspreads
Ub = n. what is high; a howl
Udd = n. what is over; a chief
Uf = n. what is over or spread
Ufelier = n. what flames out
Ug = n. what is enveloping
Ul = n. what is humid; closeness = a. damp; close, muggy
Ull = n. what is abrupt or quick
Untro = n. what is of one turn, a. one turn
Ur = n. what is essential or pure
Us = n. what is external; chaff, a. triffling, light, frail
Wl = n. what is subtle or fine
Wrch = n. what is high or round
Wsg = n. what separates
Wt = n. what is extreme or out, n. light grain of corn
Wth = n. what expands
Wy = n. what is produced; an egg, pron. of him, of her, of it
Wybriad = n. what exists in air
Yd = n. what is; being; corn, adv. it; that; doth; that it
Yl = n. what pervades or moves
Yll = n. what tends to part
Ynfyd = n. what is mad or silly, a. furious, mad; foolish
Yng = n. what is close upon; a bare touch; a slight hint
Yr = n. what is opposite or off, a. the (before vowels)
Ysglyf = n. what seeks for prey
Ysgrad = n. what is rigid or stiff
Ysgraf = n. what scrapes off
Ysgrain = n. what is crawling
Ystel = n. what stretches out
Yster = n. what is ardent
Ystern = n. what is ardent, a. of ardent tendency
Ystid = n. what forms a wreath
Ystraff = n. what strews about
Ystraill = n. what is trailed; a mat
Ystref = n. what forms a dwelling
Ystrem = n. what is made to appear
Ystrwy = n. what passes through
Ystrych = n. what forms a scope
Ystun = n. what is irritating
Ystwyr = n. what stretches out
Yswail = n. what ejects
Yswid = n. what turns quickly
Yswyr = n. what dawns; the east
Yswyth = n. what pervades
Yth = n. what stretches out, pron. thee, thy
Yw = v. is, it is, n. what exists, a yew tree
Australian Slang
exclamation used to express a positive answer to a question; certainly: “Do you remember?”; “Do I what!”
exclamation implying exaggerated agreement: “Stoked or what!”; “Brilliant or what!”
exclamation of contempt, dismissal, etc.: “What does that matter?”
very talkative (too much tongue)
smb. is let down by something
someone that is not too smart, silly
interrogative requesting someone's opinion: “What about that guy the other night? Wasn't he freaky?”
(jocular) what can I do for you?
sarcastic expression used to belittle someone who is showing off
severe treatment, punishment, or violence
somebody tells someone something not true
what motivates one's behaviour
exclamation of surprise
exclamation of contempt, dismissal, etc.
smb. is ugly
request to be told what is happening
you'll see!
request to repeat smth.
how does one proceed from here?
what is happening; what is the latest news; often used as a form of greeting: “What's up down in Melbourne?”
What would you like to drink?
What are you up to?
term for someone who's name you cannot remember
What Definition from Science & Technology Dictionaries & Glossaries
ICAO aircraft designation codes
What Definition from Encyclopedia Dictionaries & Glossaries
English Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia
What or WHAT may refer to

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Robert Pickering "Bo" Burnham (born August 21, 1990) is an American comedian, singer-songwriter, and poet. Writing comedic and satirical songs that comment on social issues, celebrity culture, and the nature of comedy itself, he achieved fame when his YouTube videos gained great popularity; as of April 2015 his videos had been watched more than 152 million times.

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What Definition from Entertainment & Music Dictionaries & Glossaries
English to Federation-Standard Golic Vulcan
English - Klingon
interrogative nuq
What Definition from Medicine Dictionaries & Glossaries
A Basic Guide to ASL
Pass the tip of the right index finger down over the left flat hand from index to little finger.