WHAT, pronoun relative or substitute. [G., L. See Wight.]

Fare; things; matter. [Not in use.] – Spenser.

1. That which. Say what you will, is the same as say that which you will.
2. Which part. Consider what is due to nature, and what to art or labor.
3. What is the substitute for a sentence or clause of a sentence. “I tell thee what, corporal, I could tear her.” Here what relates to the last clause, “I could tear her;” this is what I tell you.
4. What is used as an adjective, of both genders, often in specifying sorts or particulars. See what colors this silk exhibits. I know what qualities you desire in a friend; that is, I know the qualities which you desire.
5. What is much used in asking questions. What sort of character is this? What poem is this? What man is this we see coming?
6. What time, at the time or on the day when. What time the morn mysterious visions brings. – Pope.
7. To how great a degree. What partial judges are our love and hate! – Dryden.
8. Whatever. Whether it was the shortness of his foresight, the strength of his will … or what it was. – Bacon.
9. Some part, or some. "The year before, he had so used the matter, that what by force, what by policy, he had taken from the Christians above thirty castles;" that is, he had taken above thirty castles, a part or some by force, a part or some by policy; or what may be interpreted partly. – Knolles. Sometimes what has no verb to govern it, and it must be considered as adverbially used. "What with carrying apples and fuel, he finds himself in a hurry;" that is, partly, in part.
10. What is sometimes used elliptically for what is this, or how is this? What! could ye not watch with me one hour? – Matth. xxvi.
11. What is used interrogatively and elliptically, as equivalent to what will be the consequence? What will follow as in the phrase, what if I undertake this business myself? What though, that is, grant this or that; allow it to be so. What ho, an exclamation of calling.

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? Shak.

   What is man, that thou art mindful of him? Ps. viii. 4.

   What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! Matt. viii. 27.

   * 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. Something; thing; stuff.
   
   
   [Obs.]

   And gave him for to feed,
   Such homely what as serves the simple (?)lown. Spenser.

3. Why? For what purpose? On what account?
   
   
   [Obs.]

   What should I tell the answer of the knight. Chaucer.

   But what do I stand reckoning upon advantages and gains lost by the misrule and turbulency of the prelates? What do I pick up so thriftily their scatterings and diminishings of the meaner subject? Milton.

4. As an exclamatory word: -- (a) Used absolutely or independently; -- often with a question following.
   
   
   "What welcome be thou." Chaucer.

   What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Matt. xxvi. 40.

   (b)

5. As a relative pronoun
   
   
   : --

   (a)

6. Whatever; whatsoever; what thing soever; -- used indefinitely.
   
   
   "What after so befall." Chaucer.

   Whether it were the shortness of his foresight, the strength of his will, . . . or what it was. Bacon.

7. Used adverbially, in part; partly; somewhat; -- with a following preposition, especially, with, and commonly with repetition.
   
   

   What for lust [pleasure] and what for lore. Chaucer.

   Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am custom shrunk. Shak.

   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. Knolles.

   * 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." Shak. 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." C. Kingsley. "Battles, tournaments, hunts, and what not." De Quincey. Hence, the words are often used in a general sense with the force of a substantive, equivalent to anything you please, a miscellany, a variety, etc. From this arises the name whatnot, applied to an étagère, as being a piece of furniture intended for receiving miscellaneous articles of use or ornament.

   But what is used for but that, usually after a negative, and excludes everything contrary to the assertion in the following sentence. "Her needle is not so absolutely perfect in tent and cross stitch but what my superintendence is advisable." Sir W. Scott. "Never fear but what our kite shall fly as high." Ld. Lytton.

   What ho! an exclamation of calling. -- What if, what will it matter if; what will happen or be the result if. "What if it be a poison?" Shak. -- What of this? that? it? etc., what follows from this, that, it, etc., often with the implication that it is of no consequence. "All this is so; but what of this, my lord?" Shak. "The night is spent, why, what of that?" Shak. -- What though, even granting that; allowing that; supposing it true that. "What though the rose have prickles, yet't is plucked." Shak. -- What time, or What time as, when. [Obs. or Archaic] "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee." Ps. lvi. 3.

   What time the morn mysterious visions brings. Pope.