| 单词 | what |
| 释义 | what I. 1. a. (1) — used in direct or indirect questions as an interrogative pronoun expressing inquiry about the identity of an object or matter < what is this > < what did you say > < what are those things on the table > < what happened after that > < tell me what you are looking for > < I wonder what his motives were > < he knows what he should do > < he knows what to do > < he's looking for something, but I don't know what > < the controversy … centers largely on … who advocated what — Christian Science Monitor > — often used by itself especially to ask for repetition of an utterance not properly heard or understood or to indicate that the speaker has heard someone addressing him and is ready to listen to whatever the one addressing him wishes to say; often used in connection with another word or words to ask for repetition of the particular part of an utterance that has not been properly heard or understood < found what > (2) < what is man, that thou art mindful of him — Ps 8:4 (Authorized Version) > < what's Hecuba to him, … that he should weep for her — Shakespeare > < what is home without a mother — Septimus Winner > b. (1) archaic < is it but thought so? what are they that think it — Shakespeare > < lo what is he … is it not Lancelot — Alfred Tennyson > (2) — used predicatively in direct or indirect questions as an interrogative pronoun expressing inquiry about the character, occupation, position, or role of a person < what do you think I am, a fool > < ask him what he wants to be when he grows up > < you are the villain and she is the heroine, but what is he > c. < what do people generally tip — Richard Joseph > < to know what of any great man survives — Irwin Edman > d. (1) — used as an exclamation expressing surprise or excitement and frequently introducing a question < what, no breakfast > (2) chiefly dialect — used to call someone or to engage someone's attention in order to say something to him < what, Diggory? You are having a lonely walk — Thomas Hardy > — often followed by ho < what, ho! slave — Shakespeare > e. < what is she, that all our swains commend her — Shakespeare > < you know what he is about anything disagreeable — how he simply ignores its existence — Richard Bagot > < you know not what temptation is — Robert Browning > f. < what has God wrought — Num 23:23 (Revised Standard Version) > g. < I'll tell you what > < tell you what > < do you know what > < know what > h. — used after or at the end of a question to express inquiry about the possibilities not included in the immediately preceding word or series of words < is it a freak, or what > < is it a reptile, an amphibian, or what > < is it raining, or snowing, or what > i. chiefly Britain — used especially at the end of an utterance as a tag that is essentially meaningless but has the appearance of inviting agreement or disagreement with the statement just made < a clever play, what > 2. chiefly substandard — used as a function word to introduce a restrictive or nonrestrictive relative clause and to serve as a substitute within that clause for the substantive modified by that clause < the guy what says 'taint so — American Songbag > < the newspaper placard, what had kicked itself loose from one corner — Richard Llewellyn > — compare that IV 1, which II 3, who I 3 3. a. < the wind was … blowing in a direction opposite to what would carry the sparks to the lumber — W.L.Moore †1927 > < any imposts or duties on imports or exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing its inspection laws — U.S. Constitution > < attributed it to the folly of what he conceived to be irresponsible demagogues — Robert White > < has no income but what he gets from his writings > < have no children but what you see here > — sometimes used parenthetically or at the beginning of a sentence in reference to a clause or phrase that is yet to come or is not yet complete < but, what more amazed him, his wife had willingly accompanied their flight — John Dryden > < the number of summonses jumped … at a rate of close to 200,000 a year. What's more, the magistrates … give stiffened fines — G.S.Perry > < he brought also, what is rarer than depth of moralism, an art finely rounded — Carl Van Doren > — compare which II 3 b. < the individual soul … must struggle alone, with what of courage it can command — Bertrand Russell > < there are 34 candidates on the squad, nearly triple what reported for competition three years ago — Springfield (Massachusetts) Union > c. < the speech was very much what everyone expected > < a sleepy little town that is just what it was forty years ago > : equal to that which < countries whose economic strength is not what it was > 4. a. < come what may > < say what you will > b. obsolete < what in the world he is that names me traitor, villain-like he lies — Shakespeare > • - no matter what - what about - what an if - what else - what for - what have you - what if - what it takes - what of - what's o'clock - what's what - what's with - what though II. 1. obsolete < what should I stay — Shakespeare > 2. < what does it matter > 3. a. < what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am custom-shrunk — Shakespeare > < what through banks, and what through policemen, the concern has dwindled to nothing — Thomas DeQuincey > b. — used to introduce a prepositional phrase that expresses cause and has more than one object < what for poisons, conspiracies, and assassinations … there was no going there by day — Laurence Sterne > — used principally before phrases beginning with with < what with the drought and a strike in the mine, life is hard — Time > III. 1. a. (1) — used in direct or indirect questions as an interrogative adjective expressing inquiry about the identity or nature of a person, object, or matter < what minerals do we export > < what news have you had from him > < what arrangements have been made > < declaring what officer shall then act as president — U.S. Constitution > < the debate … as to who made what blunder — C.B.Randall b. 1891 > (2) < finally got it written — with what effort, and what joy, only the amateur writer knows — Elmer Davis > b. (1) < what a county for marine wonders — R.M.Lockley > < what a suggestion > < with what relief this priggish load of nonsense falls from our shoulders — Sean O'Faolain > < you can imagine what a struggle we had > < what a chance > < what fools these mortals be — Shakespeare > — usually followed by a or an when the following noun is a singular count noun (2) — used especially in exclamatory utterances and in dependent clauses of like nature before a combination of a descriptive adjective and its noun and serving to intensify the meaning of the adjective < what a charming girl > < remembering what great disappointment he had felt > < what partial judges are our love and hate — John Dryden > — usually followed by a or an when the noun is a singular count noun 2. a. (1) < serve what master you like > < invent what excuses you please > (2) < she wore not upon her person any female ornament of what kind soever — Sir Walter Scott > b. < the rescue ship came back with what survivors had been found > < to restrain what power either the devil or any earthly enemy hath to work us woe — John Milton > < what time we had left was spent on fruitless errands — Bruce Mason > • - what countryman - what price - what time - what way IV. 1. a. obsolete < such homely what as serves the simple clown — Edmund Spenser > b. 2. a. < the what and how of jazz — P.V.R.Key > b. V. substandard — used especially after than as a function word introducing a clause < she can run better than what I can — W.S.Maugham > |
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