whatdeterminer, pronoun, exclamation
uk/wɒt/us/wɑːt/what determiner, pronoun, exclamation (QUESTION)
A1 used to ask for information about people or things:
What time is it?
What books did you buy?
What did you wear?
What size shoes do you take?
What happened after I left?
What caused the accident?
used in questions that show you are surprised or do not believe something:
"I just told Peter." "What?/You did what?"
What's this I hear? You're leaving?
what... for?
B2 used to ask about the reason for something:
What are these tools for?
What are you doing that for?
"We need a bigger car." "What for?"
More examples
- What's the matter with you?
- What did you think of the film?
- What's on at the cinema this week?
- What did you say to him?
- What kind of dog is that?
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Linguistics: question words & expressions
- come
- devil
- extent
- how about...? idiom
- how, what, why, etc. on earth... idiom
- in God's/heaven's name idiom
- interrogative
- shall
- what the blazes...? idiom
- what's that (all) about (then)? idiom
- what's the score? idiom
- what/where/how/why the devil idiom
- whenever
- where
- which
- whither
- whose
- why
- world
- would you like...? idiom
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Idiom(s)
or what?
what about?
what if?
what is he, are they, etc. like?
what of it?
what's on
what's that (all) about (then)?
what's up?
what's what
whatpronoun
uk/wɒt/us/wɑːt/what pronoun (THAT WHICH)
B1 the thing(s) that; that which:
What I wanted to find out first was how long it was going to take.
What really concerned her was how unhappy the child was.
She wouldn't tell me what he said.
I didn't have much money on me but I gave them what I had.
The letter showed clearly what they were planning.
I can't decide what to do next.
Have you thought about what to send as a present?
used to introduce something you are going to say:
You'll never guess what - Laurie won first prize!
I'll tell you what - we'll pick up something to eat on our way home.
More examples
- His story of what happened that night didn't correspond with the witness's version.
- Please describe to the court exactly what you saw.
- If you'd told me what was wrong I could have helped.
- They need clear instructions on what to do next.
- It's unclear what actually happened that night.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Linguistics: relative forms
- howsoever
- or
- that
- whatever
- whence
- whenever
- where
- whereby
- wheresoever
- wherever
- which
- whichever
- whither
- who
- whoever
- whom
- whomever
- whose
- whosoever
- wot
Idiom(s)
and what have you
what with
what/whatever sb says goes
what's more
whatpredeterminer, determiner
uk/wɒt/us/wɑːt/what predeterminer, determiner (OPINION)
B1 used to introduce your opinion:
"She can't come." "What a shame/pity."
What an amazing view!
What nonsense!
What strange clothes he was wearing.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Expressing and asking opinions
- apothegm
- come out
- couch
- day
- editorialize
- express
- far
- for my money idiom
- pronounce
- propound
- put
- put yourself across
- remark
- run
- run sth by sb
- screed
- soapbox
- sound off
- talk
- talk sth over
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whatpronoun, exclamation
uk/wɒt/us/wɑːt/informalwhat pronoun, exclamation (QUESTION)
used to ask someone to say something again:
"I think we should leave at twelve." "What?" "I said I think we should leave at twelve."
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Linguistics: question words & expressions
- come
- devil
- extent
- how about...? idiom
- how, what, why, etc. on earth... idiom
- in God's/heaven's name idiom
- interrogative
- shall
- what the blazes...? idiom
- what's that (all) about (then)? idiom
- what's the score? idiom
- what/where/how/why the devil idiom
- whenever
- where
- which
- whither
- whose
- why
- world
- would you like...? idiom
See more results »