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?
•
As an exclamatory word: -- (a) Used absolutely
or independently; -- often with a question following.
•
Used adjectively, meaning how remarkable, or
how great; as, what folly! what eloquence! what courage!
•
Sometimes prefixed to adjectives in an
adverbial sense, as nearly equivalent to how; as, what happy boys!
•
As a relative pronoun
•
Used substantively with the antecedent
suppressed, equivalent to that which, or those [persons] who, or those
[things] which; -- called a compound relative.
•
Used adjectively, equivalent to the . . .
which; the sort or kind of . . . which; rarely, the . . . on, or at,
which.
•
Used adverbially in a sense corresponding to
the adjectival use; as, he picked what good fruit he saw.
•
Whatever; whatsoever; what thing soever; --
used indefinitely.
•
Used adverbially, in part; partly; somewhat;
-- with a following preposition, especially, with, and commonly with
repetition.
