what

Etymology

From Middle English what, from Old English hwæt (“what”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwat, from Proto-Germanic *hwat (“what”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷód (“what”), neuter form of *kʷós (“who”). Cognate with Scots whit (“what”), North Frisian wat (“what”), Saterland Frisian wat (“what”), West Frisian wat (“what”), Dutch wat (“what”), Low German wat (“what”), German was (“what”), Danish hvad (“what”), Norwegian Bokmål hva (“what”), Swedish vad (“what”), Norwegian Nynorsk kva (“what”), Icelandic hvað (“what”), Latin quod (“what, which”).

det

1. (interrogative) Which, especially which of an open-ended set of possibilities.
   What colour are you going to use?
   What time is it?
   What kind of car is that?
2. (relative) Which; the ... that.
   I know what colour I am going to use.
   That depends on what answer is received.
3. (relative) Any ... that; all ... that; whatever.
   He seems to have lost what sense he had.
   What money I earn is soon spent.
4. Emphasises that something is noteworthy or remarkable in quality or degree, in either a good or bad way; may be used in combination with certain other determiners, especially 'a', less often 'some'.
   This shows what beauty there is in nature.
   You know what nonsense she talks.
   I found out what a liar he is.
   1. Used to form exclamations.
      What nonsense!
      Wow! What a speech.
      What some lovely weather we've been having!
      What beautiful children you have.
      With what passion she sings!
      Little Red Riding Hood, traditional folk tale “Oh Granny, what big eyes you have,” said Little Red Riding Hood.

pron

1. (interrogative) Which thing, event, circumstance, etc.: used in asking for the specification of an identity, quantity, quality, etc.
   What is your name?
   Ask them what they want.
   The gym is across from … what? — The gym is across from the lounge. — Across from the lounge. Right. Thanks! Audio (US) (file) 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)
2. (fused relative) That which; those that; the thing(s) that.
   He knows what he wants.
   What is amazing is his boundless energy.
   And, what's even worse, I have to work on Sunday too.
3. (fused relative) Anything that; all that; whatever.
   I will do what I can to help you.
   What is mine is yours.
4. (relative, nonstandard) That; which; who.
   'Ere! There's that bloke what I saw earlier!
   That’s her; that’s the thing what has stole his heart from me. 1902, J. M. Barrie, The Admirable Crichton
   For, it is a name what strikes fear in the heart of anyone what hears it. 2017, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

adv

1. (interrogative) In what way; to what extent.
   What does it matter?
   What do you care?
2. Used before a prepositional phrase to emphasise that something is taken into consideration as a cause or reason; usually used in combination with 'with' (see what with), and much less commonly with other prepositions.
   In short; what by the indiscretion of people here, what by the rebound which came often back from London, what by the private interests and ambitious views of persons in the French court, and what by other causes unnecessary to be examined now, the most private transactions came to light … 1787, Henry St. John, Lord Viscount Bolingbroke, Letters on the Study and Use of History: A Letter to Sir William Windham, page 83
   The Chinese of all ranks, and in every place, received my books gladly, and listened with patience to what I had to say about the true God.—So that what from opportunities of attending to the object of my Mission among the Chinese—what from seasons of religious instruction to Dutch and English—what from intercourse with gentlemen of education and knowledge of the world—what from occasions of stating clearly the object of Missions, and of endeavouring to remove prejudices against them—and what from the view of a highly cultivated country, happy under an enlightened and liberal government, I have much reason to be satisfied with this journey … 1815, Rev. Mr. Milne, letter reprinted in The Evangelical Magazine and Missionary Chronicle, Volume 23, page 82. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=EPE6AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA82&dq=%22what+from%22

intj

1. An expression of surprise or disbelief.
   What! That’s amazing!
2. What do you want? An abrupt, usually unfriendly enquiry as to what a person desires.
   What? I'm busy.
3. (Britain, colloquial, dated) Clipping of what do you say? Used as a type of tag question to emphasise a statement and invite agreement, often rhetorically.
   “That’s riled them,” said my compaion. “Good work, what?” 1918, Denis Garstin, The Shilling Soldiers, London: Hodder and Stoughton, page 83
   Chuffy: WHAT? No, no, no, no, no. My casa is your casa, what? May 12 1991, “Kidnapped!”, in Jeeves and Wooster, Series 2, Episode 5
   It’s a nice day, what?
4. What did you say? I beg your pardon?
   — Could I have some of those aarrrrrr mmmm ... — What?
5. Indicating a guess or approximation, or a pause to try to recall information.
   I must have been, what, about five years old.

noun

1. (obsolete, uncountable) Something; thing; stuff.
2. (countable) The identity of a thing, as an answer to a question of what.
   The emphasis on the interplay between the hows and whats of interpretive practice is paramount. 2005, Norman K. Denzin, Yvonna S. Lincoln, The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research, page 493
3. (countable) Something that is addressed by what, as opposed to a person, addressed by who.
   2012, "We Are Both", season 2, episode 2 of Once Upon a Time Regina: What are you? Rumplestiltskin: What? What? What? My, my, what a rude question! I am not a what.