whopron.n.

Brit.

/huː/, U.S.

/hu/

Forms:

α. Old English chua (Northumbrian), Old English huæ (Northumbrian), Old English (early and Northumbrian)–early Middle English hua, Old English–early Middle English hwa, Old English (rare)–Middle English (early or northern) wa, late Old English–Middle English hwo, late Old English (Kentish)–Middle English (chiefly early or northern) wha, early Middle English hwao (Oxfordshire), early Middle English hwe (in a copy of an Old English charter), early Middle English hwoa (south-west midlands), early Middle English uo (south-west midlands), early Middle English wah (south-west midlands), early Middle English wea (south-west midlands), early Middle English whæ (south-west midlands), early Middle English woh (east midlands), early Middle English wu, early Middle English wua, Middle English ȝwo, Middle English hho, Middle English hoe, Middle English hoo, Middle English hoye, Middle English huo, Middle English wȝo, Middle English whe, Middle English wwo, Middle English–1500s ho, Middle English–1500s hou, Middle English–1500s how, Middle English–1500s wo, Middle English–1600s whoe, Middle English–1600s whoo, Middle English– who, 1600s howe; English regional (chiefly northern and midlands) 1600s wheay, 1600s 1800s how, 1700s–1800s whae, 1800s hoo, 1800s hooa, 1800s weea, 1800s weeah, 1800s whaa, 1800s whau, 1800s whay, 1800s wheah, 1800s wheeah, 1800s whoa, 1800s whoe, 1800s woa, 1800s woh, 1800s–1900s wha, 1800s–1900s whe, 1800s–1900s whea, 1800s–1900s wheea, 1800s–1900s whooa, 1800s–1900s wo, 1800s– whee, 1900s hoa, 1900s whoah; Scottish pre-1700 hua, pre-1700 uho, pre-1700 vha, pre-1700 vho, pre-1700 wu, pre-1700 1700s whay, pre-1700 1700s– wha, pre-1700 1700s– whae, pre-1700 1700s– who, 1800s–1900s whee, 1900s whea, 1900s– whar (Orkney); also Irish English (northern) 1800s– wha, 1900s whagh, 1900s– waw, 1900s– whae; N.E.D. (1924) also records the forms early Middle English hwoo, early Middle English wæ, late Middle English woo.

β. chiefly east midlands, East Anglian, and northern. early Middle English quuo, Middle English qhoo, Middle English qua (northern), Middle English quo, Middle English qwa (northern), Middle English qwho, Middle English qwo; Scottish pre-1700 qha, pre-1700 qhaa, pre-1700 qho, pre-1700 qua, pre-1700 quay, pre-1700 quhae, pre-1700 quhai, pre-1700 quhaw, pre-1700 quhay, pre-1700 quhe, pre-1700 quhey, pre-1700 quho, pre-1700 quhoe, pre-1700 quhoy, pre-1700 quo, pre-1700 qwa, pre-1700 qwha, pre-1700 qwhay, pre-1700 qwhey, pre-1700 qwho, pre-1700 (1700s–1800s archaic) quha.

γ. Scottish (northern) 1700s 1900s fa', 1700s– fa, 1800s fae, 1800s fah; Irish English (Wexford) 1800s fho.

δ. English regional (midlands) 1800s– ew, 1800s– o; See also oo pron.²

Origin: A word inherited from Germanic.

Etymology: Cognate with (with inflectional endings frequently influenced by analogy with other pronoun forms) Old Frisian hwā , hwa (West Frisian wa ), Old Dutch wie , wē (Middle Dutch, Dutch wie ), Old Saxon hwē , hwie (Middle Low German wē , wie , wi ), Old High German hwer , wer (Middle High German wer , German wer ), early Scandinavian (runic) huwaR , Old Icelandic hverr (formally a distinct formation ultimately from the same stem), Old Swedish hwar , hwa , hwo , ho (early modern Swedish var , ho ), Old Danish hwa , hwo (Danish hvo , now archaic), (all both masculine and feminine), and Gothic (masculine) hwas , (feminine) hwō , reflecting a Germanic interrogative pronoun developed ultimately from an Indo-European interrogative stem; although many of the details are uncertain, the Germanic forms probably show a mixture of forms derived immediately from an Indo-European interrogative pronoun and from a related interrogative adjective both derived ultimately from this same stem. For the reflexes of other case forms see whom pron., whose pron. and adj., whon pron., why adv., and compare note below. For the neuter see what pron.For interrogative forms in other Indo-European languages developed ultimately from the same stem compare: Sanskrit kaḥ (masculine), kā (feminine), kad (neuter), Avestan kō (masculine), kā (feminine), kaṯ (neuter), ancient Greek πότερος (Ionic κότερος ; compare whether pron.), classical Latin quī (masculine) who, quae (feminine) who, quod (neuter) what, Umbrian poi (masculine) who, Oscan pae (feminine) who, pod (neuter) what, Early Irish cía who, co how, where, Welsh pwy who, Old Welsh, Welsh pa what, Old Church Slavonic kŭto who, Russian kto who, Old Prussian kas who, Lithuanian kas who, what; and also: Sanskrit kiḥ (masculine) who, kim (neuter) what, cit (enclitic) even, also, Avestan ciš (masculine) who, cit̰ (neuter) what, ancient Greek τίς (masculine) who, τί (neuter) who ( < *τίδ ), classical Latin quis (masculine) who, quid (masculine) what, Umbrian sve-pis if any one, Oscan pis , pid , Early Irish cid what, Old Church Slavonic čĭto what, Russian čto . For the stem types as represented in derivative formations in English see when adv., conj., pron., int., and n., where adv. and n., whether pron., adj., conj.¹, and n., which adj. and pron., whither adv., and how adv. Uses in Old English. In Old English hwā , like its Germanic cognates, inflects for grammatical gender and case, although for gender only the neuter is distinguished, and only in the nominative and accusative, as hwæt (see what pron.). There are also two forms of the neuter instrumental, hwon (see whon pron.) and hwȳ (see why adv., for why adv.), but no masculine or feminine instrumental forms. For dative hwǣm and accusative hwone see the forms of whom pron.; for genitive hwæs see whose pron. and adj. In Old English hwā also occurs as second element in compounds, with indefinite sense (compare sense A. 6), especially in gehwā everyone, (also) every, each (compare similarly formed gehwilc : see each adj. and pron.). This compound also shows a fully inflected paradigm, but with some independent development. Compound forms survive very occasionally into early Middle English. Development of use as relative pronoun. It has frequently been suggested that various aspects of the development of use as a relative pronoun (see A. III.) were influenced by analogy with the uses of classical Latin and post-classical Latin quī and of Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French, French qui, but there remains no clear scholarly consensus on this matter. Pronunciation history. The Middle English reflexes show that Old English hwā had a long vowel, at least when stressed; a similar situation is found in Old Frisian. The details of the earlier sound development are not entirely clear. The usual modern pronunciation Brit.

/huː/, U.S.

/hu/ apparently reflects the raising influence of the originally preceding semivowel w. In early modern English there is evidence for the word variably showing either the reflex of Middle English long open ō (regularly developed from earlier ā) or, more commonly, (as a result of raising) the reflex of Middle English long close ō, the latter giving rise to the usual modern pronunciation. Abbreviated forms. In Older Scots the abbreviated forms qo, q^o are common.

A. pron.

I. As interrogative pronoun with singular or plural reference.

* As subject.

1. Used in asking the identity of a person or persons specified, indicated, or understood; what or which person or people.Corresponding to what used of things (what pron. 1a).Sometimes with partitive of (cf. quot. 1703 at sense A. 1a), where which is normally used (which pron. 2). In Old English sometimes with partitive genitive.

a. In direct questions.

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eOE Metrical Dialogue of Solomon & Saturn (Corpus Cambr. 422) i. 36 Ac hwa mæg eaðost ealra gesceafta ða halgan duru heofona rices torhte ontynan?

OE West Saxon Gospels: Mark (Corpus Cambr.) v. 30 Hwa æthran mines reafes?

c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 9755 Wha tahhte ȝuw. To fleon. & to forrbuȝhenn. Þatt irre þatt to cumenn iss?

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 359 Quo seide ðe ðat ðu wer naked?

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1959) Gen. xlviii. 8 Who ben þes?.. My sonnes þei ben.

a1500 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Trin. Dublin) l. 834* Whyne ert þou & who & what makys þou here?

1526 Bible (Tyndale) Matt. xii. f. xvij Who is my mother? or who are my brethren?

a1616 W. Shakespeare As you like It (1623) iii. ii. 183 Nay, but who is it?

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost i. 33 Who first seduc'd them to that fowl revolt? Th' infernal Serpent.

1703 N. Rowe Fair Penitent iv. i. G 2 b Who of my Servants wait there?

c1800 Jock o' the Side xvi, in A. Whitelaw Bk. Sc. Ballads (1857) 380/1 Whae's this kens my name sae weil..?

1863 M. E. Braddon Aurora Floyd III. v. 84 ‘Who can it be, dear?’..‘at such a time, too’.

1866 C. Kingsley Hereward the Wake I. x. 228 ‘And he is killed?’ ‘Who? Hereward?’

1904 S. J. Weyman Abbess of Vlaye iv And who—who does she say dared to commit this outrage?

1955 J. P. Donleavy Ginger Man xvii. 187 Who's been meddling with the dresser and the drawers?

2017 S. K. Ali Saints & Misfits 168 Who are these people? I click on names and see faces I don't recognize.

b. In indirect questions, or clauses of similar meaning. †In early use also with that (that conj. 7).For the distinction between the dependent interrogative and the relative, cf. note at what pron. 1b.

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OE Beowulf (2008) 52 Men ne cunnon secgan.., hæleð under heofenum, hwa þæm hlæste onfeng.

lOE Laws of Edward the Elder (Rochester) ii. i. §1. 142 He agsode hy þa, hwa to ðære bote cyrran wolde & on ðære geferræddenne beon.

a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 159 Lusteð nu wich maiden þat is..and hware he was fet and hwo hire ledde and wu and hwider.

a1300 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Jesus Oxf.) (1935) l. 1195 Ic wot hwo sal beo an honge.

c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 985 Wan a child were ibore & me in doute were Wo were þe fader.

c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Mark ix. 33 Thei disputiden among hem in the weie, who of hem schulde be more.

c1425 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Harl.) 40 Among hem..stryf me myȝte se, Wuche mest maistres were, & hoo schulde lord be.

1469 M. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 337 If he happed to dye how shuld come after hym ye wote neuer.

a1500 (?a1400) Morte Arthur (1903) l. 47 That ladyes..might se Who that beste were of dede.

c1500 (?a1437) Kingis Quair (1939) lvii Does thou not see Who, yonder, comes?

?1566–7 G. Buchanan Opinion Reformation Univ. St. Andros in Vernacular Writings (1892) 13 The examinatouris..sal declair to the rectour..quha ar worthy of promotion.

a1616 W. Shakespeare King John (1623) ii. i. 400 Shall we..lay this Angiers euen with the ground, Then after fight who shall be king of it?

1617 S. Collins Epphata to F. T. ix. 374 It might put him in minde of who had beene there sometime.

1677 E. Ravenscroft Wrangling Lovers v. i. 67 Did he know who I was?

1800 F. Lathom Dash of Day v. i Tell the young gentleman..a gentleman wishes to see him immediately; don't say who, but bring him hither directly.

1803 G. Rose Diaries (1860) II. 56 Not having a guess of who he was.

1882 W. Besant All Sorts of Men II. xxiv. 142 What her obligations were, and who this lady was, belongs in no way to this history.

1922 G. M. Trevelyan Brit. Hist. 19th Cent. xxiii. 373 The British people, when left to themselves, neither knew nor cared who massacred whom between the Danube and the Ægean.

1950 I. Asimov I, Robot (1996) i. 32 The robot engineer had also dashed in..demanding who of the gathering crowd had tampered with the machine.

2007 Guardian 10 Dec. (G2 section) 2/4 If there is anyone more vulnerable than a disabled teenage rape victim, I certainly can't think who it might be.

2. In a rhetorical question, suggesting or implying an emphatic contrary assertion.e.g. who would..? ‘no one would..’, who would not..? ‘any one would..’, who knows..? ‘no one knows..’, who but..? ‘no one but, no one else than..’ (cf. but conj. 3), etc. See also who not at Phrases 3c(a). Cf. what pron. 3, where adv. 3.Sometimes with partitive of, as in sense A. 1, or (in Old English) with partitive genitive.

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eOE Metres of Boethius (2009) xxviii. 5 Hwa is moncynnes þæt ne wundrie ymb þas wlitegan tungl?

OE Ælfric Old Eng. Hexateuch: Gen. (Claud.) xxi. 7 Hwa wolde gelyfan þæt Sarra lecgan sceolde cild to hyre breoste to gesoce on ylde?

a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 11 Hwa is ðat nis ofdradd of ðese muchele ðþunresleiȝ ðe cumþ ut of godes auȝene muðe?

?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 281 Ȝef þeaxe necurue ne spitel stef ne dulue..hwa kepte ham to halden.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 454 Qua herd euer a warr auntur?

c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 427 Þe croune fro hyr [sc. Mary] quo moȝt remwe, Bot ho hir passed in sum fauour?

1526 Bible (Tyndale) Rom. viii. 35 Who shall seperate vs from goddes loue?

1633 G. Herbert Quip in Temple iv Then came brave Glorie puffing by, In silks that whistled, who but he!

1651 Mercurius Elencticus No. 3. 17 'Tis merry when Jovial Maltmen meet; Who knows what haps to morrow?

1735 A. Pope Epist. to Arbuthnot (new ed.) 213–14 Who but must laugh, if such a man there be? Who would not weep if Atticus were he?

1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop ii. lxxiii. 222 Of course he married, and who should be his wife but Barbara?

1855 Ld. Tennyson Maud xii. ii, in Maud & Other Poems 41 Where was Maud? in our wood; And I, who else, was with her.

1914 R. Kipling For All we Have 39 Who stands if freedom fall?

2001 Independent 2 Mar. 11/6 Who of us will be able to resist the great black storm-trooper coat, buttoned at the waist?

3. Used in asking the character, function, etc., of a person or people, in direct and (occasionally) indirect questions. Only in predicative use. Cf. what pron. 2a.In rhetorical questions often approaching or merging with sense A. 2.who am I to talk?: see talk v. 3f.

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OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Luke v. 21 Quis est hic qui loquitur blasphemia : hua is ðes seðe spreces ebolsongas?

c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Rom. xiv. 4 Who art thou, that demest anothir [a1425 L.V. anothris] seruaunt?

a1450 (c1405) On translating Bible (Trin. Cambr.) in Medium Ævum (1938) 7 173 (MED) Wo am I þat may forbede God?

1526 Bible (Tyndale) Acts xix. 15 Jesus I knowe, and Paul I knowe: but who are ye?

1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Matt. xv. 16 Who saye ye that I am?

1611 Bible (King James) Exod. v. 2 Who is the Lord that I should obey him?

1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple I. viii. 95 I asked of a bye-stander who these people were, and he told me that they were dock-yard mateys.

1840 R. Browning Sordello ii. 635 Who were The Mantuans, after all, that he should care About their recognition?

1892 J. T. Grein tr. L. Couperus Eline Vere xxiv. 233 Who do you think you are, eh?.. Do you imagine you are a princess, and can do exactly as you like?

1898 Belgravia Aug. 462 ‘Who is he?’ ‘Mr. Legge—Eustace Legge.’ ‘Yes. But who is he?’ ‘I don't know.’

1975 S. Bellow Humboldt's Gift (1976) 180 I don't care who she is and what she knows, compared to Polly she's a bush leaguer.

2003 G. Mitchell Loyal Women iii. 27 Terry: Who is this Mark character? Brenda: A friend. Terry: No such thing.

4. Standing for the name of a person of whom an explanation is asked. Cf. what pron. 5c.

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1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones VI. xvi. ii. 8 ‘I come..by the Command of my Lord Fellamar.’ ‘My Lord who?’

1836 C. Dickens Pickwick Papers (1837) xx. 206 ‘I heard 'em laughing, and saying how they'd done old Fireworks.’ ‘Old who?’ said Mr. Pickwick.

1841 S. Warren Ten Thousand a Year i. ii ‘What's your names?’ ‘Mr. Tittlebat Titmouse,’ answered that gentleman..‘Mr. who?’ exclaimed the old woman.

1931 ‘R. West’ Ending in Earnest 100 In florid, peruqued lettering the inscription began: Ludovici Jussu..Ludovicus? Ludovicus who?

2004 C. Bateman Driving Big Davie viii. 75 ‘You and Karen.’ ‘Me and Karen who?’ ‘You tell me, you slabber.’

** As object of a verb or preposition.

5. Used in senses corresponding to those in branch A. I.*; = whom pron. 1, 1b.Formerly colloquial, but since the later 19th century increasingly displacing whom even in formal usage.

a. As the object of a verb.

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1449 M. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 229 I rehersyd no name, but me thowt be hem þat þei wost ho I ment.

1540 T. Cranmer Let. 14 June in Remains (1833) I. 299 Who shall your Grace trust hereafter, if you might not trust him?

1546 J. Heywood Dialogue Prouerbes Eng. Tongue i. xi. sig. Dii At syght of me he asked, who haue we there?

1598 W. Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost iv. i. 70 To whom came he?.. What saw he?.. Who ouercame he?

1681 Heraclitus Ridens 25 Oct. 1/2 Who have we to thank..but the Whigs?

1712 R. Steele Spectator No. 266. ⁋4 Who should I see there but the most artful Procuress in the Town.

1745 Considerations Conduct of Dutch 38 Who can we blame?

1807 R. Southey Lett. from Eng. III. lvi. 68 This leads to a discussion..who the son married,—whether the daughter died single [etc.].

1898 A. B. Gomme Trad. Games II. 426 The last boy or girl to pop down has to tell who he (or she) is courting.

1922 T. S. Eliot Waste Land (1923) ii. 12 Then I'll know who to thank, she said, and give me a straight look.

1989 J. Tyman Inside Out (1995) ii. 150 I was heading for a hotel by the police station..when who should I see walking my way but Rob.

2009 Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) 11 June 6/3 He made the point that this was a fundamental undermining of the rule of law and if we can't trust the JSC, who can we trust?

b. As the object of a preposition, usually following at the end of the clause, sometimes preceding (now chiefly when who stands for a noun or pronoun as in sense A. 4, e.g. in quot. 2011).

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a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 1 (1623) iii. vii. 62 Who ioyn'st thou with?

1664 J. Wilson Cheats i. i. 2 Who should I meet with but our old Gang, some of St. Nicholas's Clerks.

1696 M. Pix Spanish Wives iii. 36 Canst thou convey a Letter to her?—Why how now mon, zed I, who dost take me for, a Pimp?

1720 J. Leigh Kensington-Gardens v. 93 Mel. I am marry'd already. Sir Van. The Deaux you are!—To who? Sir Pol. To me, young Fop;—And what then?

1874 T. Hardy Far from Madding Crowd I. xxx. 328 Who are you speaking of?

1881 W. H. Mallock Romance 19th Cent. II. 154 I know..who it comes from.

1941 V. Woolf Between Acts 101 Who was she looking for?

1969 Listener 13 Nov. 664/1 One of the policemen..went up to him and almost shouted: ‘Who do you think you're talking to?’

2011 R. L. Orey Hunt for President's Wife xx. 116 ‘I was on my way to meet my godfather..to help him look for Talita Ruiz, the wife of the presidente of Mexico...’ ‘Look for who, did you say? Talita Ruiz?’

†II. As an indefinite pronoun, used as subject.

6. Anyone, someone, one; a person. Cf. as who at Phrases 1.

a. In general use. Obsolete.

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OE West Saxon Gospels: John (Corpus Cambr.) xv.13 Næfð nan man maran lufe þonne ðeos ys þæt hwa [c1200 Hatton hwa] sylle his lif for his freondum.

OE Wulfstan Homily: Larspell (Corpus Cambr. 421) in A. S. Napier Wulfstan (1883) 272 Utan geþencean, þæt hit is nyr þisse worulde ende, þonne hwa gelyfan wylle.

lOE tr. Alcuin De Virtutibus et Vitiis (Vesp.) in R. D.-N. Warner Early Eng. Homilies (1917) 92 Hwæt helpð..þæt hwa secge, þæt he geleafe habbe, þonne he þa gode weorc næfeð?

b. In a subordinate clause introduced by but, if, or though. Obsolete.

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OE Ælfric Catholic Homilies: 2nd Ser. (Cambr. Gg.3.28) xxviii. 251 Ðeah ðe hwa fede ænne ðearfan oððe ma for godes naman, hu mæg he þæt to micclum tellan?

lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough interpolation) anno 656 Gif hwa þis tobrekeþ æni þing, Sancte Petre mid his sweord him adylige.

a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 41 Gif hwa wule witen hwa erest bi-won reste þam wrecche saule..ic eow segge.

c1400 (?a1387) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Huntington HM 137) (1873) C. viii. l. 307 Ac þe wey ys so wyckede bote ho [emended in ed. to ho so] hadde a gyde Þat myght folwen ous ech fot, for drede of mys-tornynge.

III. As a relative pronoun. Formerly often with that (see that conj. 7); also rarely with as.On the occasional difficulty of distinguishing dependent interrogative use and fully relative use in the early periods, see note at what pron. 10a.

* As a nominal relative pronoun (combining antecedent and relative), used as subject.

†7. In indefinite use, introducing a clause specifying a future purpose or hypothetical requirement: someone (in negative contexts, anyone) that fulfils the requirement or purpose specified. Obsolete.Chiefly with verbs such as have in the main clause and subjunctive (or equivalent modal) in the subordinate clause. Cf. sense A. 6.Quot. ?c1225 shows nes hwa in sense ‘there was no one who’.

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OE Beowulf (2008) 2252 Nah hwa sweord wege.

OE West Saxon Gospels: John (Corpus Cambr.) xii. 48 Se þe me forhigð & mine word ne underfehð he hæfþ hwa him deme [c1200 Hatton hwa him deme].

?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 164 Nes hwa me hulpe.

a. As nominal relative in general or indefinite sense, as the subject of a clause: any person that, whoever: = whoever pron. 1.Rare Old English examples could perhaps alternatively be interpreted as showing use in sense A. 6.The usual equivalent construction in Old English is swā hwā swā (see discussion at whoso pron.).

†(a) With pronominal correlative in following clause. Obsolete (archaic in later use).In quot. OE¹ with þe (the pron.¹ b); compare later use with that conj. 7b (see e.g. quot. a1250). In quot. OE² (a clearer example) it remains possible that a conjunction (e.g. if) may have been erased before the clause; cf. sense A. 6b.

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OE Manumission, Durham in W. de G. Birch Cartularium Saxonicum (1893) III. 539 Hwa þe heom þises bereafie God ælmihtig sie heom wrað.

OE Homily (Hatton 115) in D. G. Scragg Vercelli Homilies & Related Texts (1992) 161 Se preost se þe hæbbe nunnan oð his ende, oððe læwde man se þe hæbbe cyfese ofer his æwe..[eleven letters erased], oððe hwa him to gesybne man hæbbe oð his endedæg, syn hi ealle amansumude.

a1250 (?c1200) Hali Meiðhad (Titus) (1940) l. 233 Hwa þat sehe þenne hu þe engles beoð isweamed..stani were his heorte ȝif ha ne mealte i teares.

c1350 (a1333) William of Shoreham Poems (1902) 8 Who þat entreþ þer He his sauff euere more.

c1390 King of Tars (Vernon) l. 990 in Englische Studien (1889) 11 58 Ho þat nolde do bi heore red, Cristen men tak of heore hed.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 6781 Wha dose..þat wriched pliȝt he salle be done to dede.

c1400 Simonie (Peterhouse) (1991) l. 373 Who þat is in suche offys, ne come he ner so pore, He fareþ within a while as he had seluere in horde.

c1475 Wisdom (Folger) (1969) l. 71 (MED) To yowr loue wo dothe repeyer, All felycyte yn þat creature ys.

1485 Malory's Morte Darthur (Caxton) i. vii. sig. av Who that holdeth ageynst it we wille slee hym.

1490 W. Caxton tr. Foure Sonnes of Aymon (1885) xx. 453 Who that had be there than, he sholde have seen grete faytes of armes.

a1500 (a1400) Awntyrs Arthure (Douce) l. 243 But ho his bidding brekes, bare þei bene of blys.

1568 ( D. Lindsay Satyre (Bannatyne) l/ 199 in Wks. (1931) II. 26 Quha wald haif weir god send thame littill rest.

1580 T. Tusser Fiue Hundred Pointes Good Husbandrie (new ed.) f. 20^v Who soweth in raine, he shall reape it with teares.

a1656 Bp. J. Hall Davids Psalms Metaphr. i, in Wks. (1808) X. 261 Who hath not walkt astray,..Oh, how that man Thrice blessed is!

1892 R. Kipling Barrack-room Ballads 77 Who rides at the tail of a Border thief, he sits not long at his meat.

(b) Without correlative. Now archaic or literary.Surviving chiefly in the motto of the British Special Air Service (see quot. 1944) and adaptations of this (cf. quot. 1992).

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1340 Ayenbite (1866) 7 Huo þet brekþ þane zonday..zeneȝeþ dyadliche.

c1350 Apocalypse St. John: A Version (Harl. 874) (1961) 105 (MED) Who þat haþ vnderstondyng, telle þe name of þe beeste.

a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 2379 Ho wol winne his wareson, now wiȝtly him spede forto saue my sone, or for sorwe i deye.

a1450 ( in J. Kail 26 Polit. Poems (1904) 5 (MED) Who that takeþ fro pore to eke with his, ffor that wrong is worthy wo.

c1480 (a1400) St. Peter 211 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 13 Þat, quha to hym ferme treutht gafe, he suld euire luf oure þe lafe.

1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) i. l. 33 Quha likis till haif mar knowledge in that part Go reid.

1601 J. Marston et al. Iacke Drums Entertainm. i. sig. B Let who will climbe ambitious glibbery rowndes.

1602 W. Watson Decacordon Ten Quodlibeticall Questions 101 (margin) Let who as list be blinded with these patches.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Julius Caesar (1623) i. iii. 79 Cask. 'Tis Cæsar that you meane: Is it not, Cassius? Cassi. Let it be who it is.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Othello (1622) iii. iii. 162 Who steales my purse, steals trash.

1650 Earl of Monmouth tr. J. F. Senault Man become Guilty 25 Visible to the Eyes of who shall consider them.

1712 J. Arbuthnot Lewis Baboon iv. ii. 12 I shall throw down the Burden amongst them, take it up who dares.

1811 J. Austen Sense & Sensibility II. viii. 134 When a young man, be he who he will,..promises marriage, he has no business to fly off from his word.

1856 C. Kingsley Farewell in Poems 9 Be good, sweet maid, and let who can be clever.

1871 R. Browning Balaustion 2 I passionately cried to who would hear.

1896 A. Austin England's Darling ii. iv Who holds the sea, perforce doth hold the land, And who lose that must lose the other too.

1924 A. A. Milne When we were very Young 99 Hush! Hush! whisper who dares, Christopher Robin is saying his prayers.

1944 Aberdeen Press & Jrnl. 28 Aug. 3/7 The regimental badge of the S.A.S. is a winged dagger, bearing the words, ‘Who Dares Wins’.

1992 Economist 30 May 4/1 Business schools and management gurus should indeed be teaching that ‘who cares, wins’.

†b. Introducing an adverbial clause with conditional or concessive force: if any person; (also) no matter what person: = whoever pron. 2. Obsolete.Cf. earlier use as indefinite pronoun in conditional and concessive clauses (sense A. 6b).

ΚΠ

c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 2235 Inolde noȝt abbe uorsake þat lond, wo me adde ibroȝt þerto.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 42 Þis fruit bitakens alle oure dedis, Both gode and ille qua rightly redis.

a1450 (?c1421) J. Lydgate Siege Thebes (Arun.) (1911) l. 2117 And in despit, who that was lief or loth, A sterne pas thorgh the halle he goth.

1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) i. 391 Quha in battaill mycht him se, All othir contenance had he.

c1500 Melusine (1895) 285 I were not so joyous who that had gyuen me a C thousand besans of gold, as I am to haue fond the.

c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 6^v Hit is told..wo þat trawe lyst..he highyt vnto helle yates.

a1542 T. Wyatt Coll. Poems (1969) lxxvii. 16 Twixt lyff and deth, say what who sayth, There lyveth no lyff that draweth breth.

1556 W. Lauder Compend. Tractate Dewtie of Kyngis sig. A3 Christe..sched also, quha vnderstude Als gret abundance of his blude For the pure sely nakit thyng As he sched for, the Potent kyng.

†c. Introducing a clause expressing comparison, containing a superlative corresponding to the adjective or adverb in the main clause. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

1602 W. Watson Decacordon Ten Quodlibeticall Questions 347 I euer detesting [heresy] as much as who can detest it most.

1644 H. Hall Heaven Ravished 51 Oh, say we, that this were to be violent for the Kingdom of heaven, for then we would list our Names, and be as forward as who most.

1658 W. Gurnall Christian in Armour: 2nd Pt. 87 Elijah, who did as great wonders..by prayer, as who greatest?

1660 J. Hacon Rev. of Mr. Horn's Catechisme 50 It might touch the Anabaptists, whom they opposed, as much as who most.

†9. As nominal relative, with plural (or less frequently singular) reference, as the subject of a clause: the persons (or person) that. Obsolete.Chiefly as a deliberate Latinism, especially in There are who…, after Latin Sunt qui….

ΚΠ

1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1895) II. 90 (margin) Quha pape was in thir days, allowit al at the kings requeist.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) i. iii. 107 Macb. The Thane of Cawdor liues: Why doe you dresse me in borrowed Robes? Ang. Who was the Thane, liues yet.

1628 J. Doughty Disc. Divine Myst. 20 There are who hold no art or science to be extant, which [etc.].

1644 J. Milton in tr. M. Bucer Ivdgem. conc. Divorce To Parl. B4^v If thir own works be not thought sufficient to defend them, there livs yet who will be ready..to debate..this matter.

1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. T. Boccalini Ragguagli di Parnasso ii. xxiv. 262 Through the ingratitude of who commands [It. di chi domanda].

1713 T. Tickell in J. Addison Cato sig. A6^v Who think like Romans, could like Romans fight.

1805 W. Wordsworth Ode to Duty ii There are who ask not if thine eye Be on them.

1871 R. Browning Prince Hohenstiel-Schwangau 70 He should know, sitting on the throne, how tastes Life to who sweeps the doorway.

1903 F. W. Maitland in Cambr. Mod. Hist. II. xvi. 569 There were who held that the Queen was Supreme Head iure divino.

** As a simple relative pronoun with singular or plural reference, used as subject.

10. Introducing a clause defining or restricting the antecedent, esp. a clause essential to the identification of the antecedent, and thus completing its sense: = that pron.² 1.In modern printing usually distinguished from A. 11 by the absence of a comma before the relative: cf. which pron. 3.

a. Used to refer to individual people.In quot. c1325 with have in the main clause and modal verb in the subordinate clause, cf. earlier sense A. 7.Before the 16th cent. much less common than that pron.² 1.

ΚΠ

c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 1977 He nadde bote an doȝter wo miȝte is eir be.

a1425 (?c1350) Northern Passion (Harl. 4196) l. 382* Als men may here wha takes entent.

1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) i. 445 Lordingis quha likis for till her, Ye romanys now begynnys her.

1600 W. Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing iii. iii. 61 A man who hath anie honestie in him.

1633 G. Herbert Church Porch in Temple i A verse may finde him, who a sermon flies.

1707 Sel. Charters Trad. Comp. (Selden Soc.) 257 All and every other person and persons who shall be a subscriber or subscribers to the fund.

1717 A. Pope Ess. Crit. in Wks. 95 As those move easiest who have learn'd to dance.

1768 O. Goldsmith Good Natur'd Man iv. 55 I must disclaim his friendship, who ceases to be a friend to himself.

1819 J. Lingard Hist. Eng. I. i. 11 The first who exported this metal..were certain Phenician adventurers from Cadiz.

1864 J. H. Newman Apologia 329 The men who had driven me from Oxford were distinctly the Liberals.

1893 M. Pemberton Iron Pirate i One who..can command and be obeyed in ten cities.

1962 E. Gibbons Stalking Wild Asparagus 235 Any neighbor who happened to locate a bee tree would usually report it to Grandpa.

1992 Economist 11 July 56/2 To change the entry age for free kindergarten schooling from children who are five by December 1st to those who are five by the next September.

2019 D. Werb City of Omens i. 13 It became clear that the virus was killing absolutely everyone who got infected.

b. Used with an antecedent denoting or connoting a group of people collectively. Usually with plural agreement.

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1618 W. Raleigh Let. 22 Mar. (1999) 354 Hee had noe reason to enritch a company who, after my sonnes death made no account of him.

1676 W. Allen Serious & Friendly Addr. Non-conformists 101 The whole body of a Nation who are baptized into the Universal Church..are in that respect subject matter of a Church.

a1731 D. Defoe Mrs. Christian Davies in Wks. (1883) IV. 497 The company who set me to play this roll, were highly diverted with the performance on all hands.

1889 Pall Mall Gaz. 13 Feb. 3/1 Large jobbing houses who handle all the new and standard publications in considerable numbers to supply small dealers.

1990 Amateur Stage Aug. 8/1 There has been a growth in the number of theatres and companies who offer interpretative performance of their productions.

2012 Vanity Fair Jan. 49/3 Many people will, when standing in front of a group who have assembled expressly to hear them speak, act in a way that suggests that the situation is a surprise to them.

c. Used instead of which with reference to an inanimate thing or things, chiefly with personification (sometimes also with suggestion of personality); sometimes, as when referring to a ship, approaching sense A. 10b. Now rare.

ΚΠ

1647 W. Lilly Christian Astrol. vi. 49 Almuten, of any house is that Planet who hath most dignities in the Signe ascending or descending upon the Cusp of any house.

1652 Mercurius Politicus No. 107. 1683 To hear that the ship who came in to relieve Tromp, lost thirty men.

1812 J. Wilson Isle of Palms iii. 8 Some wandering Ship who hath lost her way.

1823 Literary Examiner 30 Aug. 131 The handmaid stars who wait upon ‘the Endymionian Goddess’.

1992 Guadalupe Rev. Oct. 22/1 The stars clap, as do the half-asleep flowers, prickly pear and Chinaberry tree who drink exhaust into their roots, into the earth.

d. Used with reference to an animal or animals, usually with implication of personality, but sometimes merely a substitute for which.

ΚΠ

1696 W. Hope Suppl. Horsemanship xxiv. 67 in tr. J. de Solleysel Parfait Mareschal Of a horse who will not Obey, or Answer the Heels.

1748 J. Thomson Castle of Indolence ii. xl Like wily fox who roosted cock doth spy.

1884 P. Brooks New Starts in Life xviii. 306 Even the lowest creature who floats on the pool's surface..feels..some..half-conscious pleasure in the mere act of living.

1904 Daily Chron. 26 Feb. 9/3 An animal who is to be condemned to the drudgery of timber-topping.

2000 Cats Dec. 12/2 I've had good success using a pet fountain, especially with cats who like to drink out of faucets.

11. Introducing a clause stating something additional about the antecedent, the sense of the main clause being complete without the relative clause (sometimes equivalent to ‘and he’, ‘and she’, or ‘and they’). Cf. which pron. 4.Formerly often placed at a distance from the antecedent (one or more nouns intervening), with consequent obscurity or ambiguity: see quots. 1534 at sense A. 11a, 1655 at sense A. 11a.

a. Used to refer to individual people.

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1426 W. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 7 I submitte me and alle þis matier to yowr good discrecion, and euere gremercy God and ye, who euere haue yow and me in his gracious gouernaunce.

1466–7 in Manners & Househ. Expenses Eng. (1841) 172 Be the grase of God, ho amend ȝower desposysyon.

c1515 Ld. Berners tr. Bk. Duke Huon of Burdeux (1882–7) lx. 208 Thus they compleynyd them one to another, and Huon, who was nere them, vnderstode them well.

1534 T. More Treat. Passion in Wks. 1292/1 And he sayd vnto theym, what will ye gyue me and I shall delyuer hym to you, whoe whan they heard hym, were well apaid.

1556 W. Lauder Compend. Tractate Dewtie of Kyngis sig. A4 That Kyng, that sitts all kyngis aboue Quha heiris, and seis all that is wrocht.

1611 Bible (King James) Matt. x. 4 Iudas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Julius Caesar (1623) iii. ii. 125 I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong: Who (you all know) are Honourable men.

1655 T. Fuller Church-hist. Brit. ix. 180 As for her Son, the King of Scots, from whom they expected a settlement of Popery in that land, their hopes were lately turned into despairs, who had his education on contrary principles.

1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 119. ¶4 Honest Will. Wimble, who I should have thought had been altogether uninfected with Ceremony.

1760 S. Johnson Idler 8 Mar. 73 How different..is thy Condition, who art doomed to the perpetual Torments of unsatisfied Desire.

1793 R. Burns Scots, wha Hae in Poems & Songs (1968) II. 707 Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled.

1882 W. Besant All Sorts of Men II. xxviii. 223 A chap like my cousin Dick, who's a clever fellow and a devil for fireworks.

a1933 J. A. Thomson Biol. for Everyman (1934) II. 1328 Identical twins, who are always of the same sex, arise in a different way, when one fertilized ovum develops simultaneously into two embryos.

2015 N.Y. Mag. 14 Dec. 26/1 Jones is..a tough, moody alcoholic who's trying to put her life back together..after being exploited by the mind-controlling Zebediah Kilgrave.

b. Used with an antecedent denoting or connoting a group of people collectively. Usually with plural agreement.

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1576 A. Fleming tr. Cicero in Panoplie Epist. 147 A great multitude, who for the regard of their health,..have recourse to these quarters.

1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II i. ii. 7 Put we our quarrell to the will of heauen, Who when they see the houres ripe on earth, Will raine hot vengeance on offenders heads.

1604 W. Shakespeare Hamlet iv. iii. 5 Hee's lou'd of the distracted multitude, Who like not in their iudgement, but theyr eyes.

1609 J. Skene tr. Stat. Alexander II in Regiam Majestatem , 14 Except in Galloway, quha hes their awne speciall and proper Lawes.

1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 112. ¶4 This Authority of the Knight..has a very good Effect upon the Parish, who are not polite enough to see any thing ridiculous in his Behaviour.

1771 O. Goldsmith Hist. Eng. II. 238 The Hanse-towns, who were then at war with both France and England.

1885 Pall Mall Gaz. 6 Jan. 12/2 The Midland, who first introduced American railway notions in their Pullman cars.

2005 Arena May 132/2 Lawyers have combined to sue Arab Bank, who are accused of helping to facilitate funds to further terrorism in the Palestinian territories.

c. Used instead of which with reference to an inanimate thing or things, chiefly with personification (sometimes also with suggestion of personality, e.g. of a lifelike statue); sometimes, as when referring to a ship, approaching sense A. 11b.

ΚΠ

1583 H. Howard Defensatiue sig. Gg.j The Moone who beares the greatest stroke in Genitura nocturna, in the birth night, was then most prosperous in Domo. mortis.

1600 Abp. G. Abbot Expos. Prophet Ionah xix. 402 The snow and raine, who come downe from aboue.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Tempest (1623) i. ii. 7 A braue vessell (Who had no doubt some noble creature in her) Dash'd all to peeces.

1633 G. Herbert Providence in Temple xxiii The windes, who think they rule the mariner, Are rul'd by him.

1659 in E. Nicholas Nicholas Papers (1920) IV. 95 3 Spanish men of warre..who..came vp with vs and fired at vs.

a1774 O. Goldsmith Surv. Exper. Philos. (1776) II. 263 The sun, who is the great fountain of both [light and heat].

1917 M. T. Jackson Museum ii. 33 The Venus de Milo, who has stood for so many years..in the Louvre.

1977 L. Murray Coll. Poems (1991) 150 The New Moon who has poured out her rain, the moon of the Planting-times.

d. Used with reference to an animal or animals, usually with implication of personality, but sometimes merely a substitute for which.

ΚΠ

1591 R. Turnbull Expos. Epist. St. Iames f. 146 Which Saint Iames expresseth by two similitudes: the one of horses, who are gouerned by the bitte and cheeke of the bridle.

1597 A. Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 16 I sawe the Hurchone and the Haire, quha fed amang the flowers faire.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Julius Caesar (1623) i. iii. 21 Against the Capitoll I met a Lyon, Who glaz'd vpon me, and went surly by.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) iv. vii. 34 As is the Aspray to the Fish, who takes it By Soueraignty of Nature.

1774 O. Goldsmith Grecian Hist. II. iii. 163 He..lost his horse,..who was killed with the thrust of a sword.

1860 C. Dickens Uncommerc. Traveller in All Year Round 26 May 157/2 Two honest dogs..who perform in Punch's shows.

1974 W. Condry Woodlands iv. 59 Enterprising insects who have learnt to take advantage of the food and shelter offered by the galls.

2005 R. Tope Cotswold Killing x. 131 ‘You stay here,’ she told the dogs, who seemed relieved to be spared the uninviting weather.

†12. In specific uses involving redundancy (with both restrictive and non-restrictive relative clauses).

a. With a pleonastic personal pronoun in the latter part of the relative clause, so that who serves only to link the clauses together. Cf. which pron. 8a. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. f. xliii^v/1 Now let vs returne to sir Loyes of Spayne, who whan he was at the porte of Guerand.., he and his company sayled forth.

1590 H. Swinburne Briefe Treat. Test. & Willes ii. f. 39 An Idiote, or a naturall foole is he, who notwithstanding he bee of lawfull age, yet he is so witlesse, that hee can not number to twentie.

1594 W. Shakespeare Titus Andronicus iii. i. 37 I tell my sorrowes to the stones, who though they cannot answere my distresse, Yet in some sort they are better than the Tribunes.

1619 Sir R. Naunton in S. R. Gardiner Fortescue Papers (1871) 105 He is well knowen to..divers others, who if they shold see him about the Court, it would make him uncapable to do the service.

b. Preceded by redundant and. Cf. which pron. 9b. Obsolete. rare.

ΚΠ

1831 W. Scott Castle Dangerous xii, in Tales of my Landlord 4th Ser. IV. 286 The very same place in which Sir Aymer de Valence held an interview with the old sexton; and who now, drawing into a separate corner some of the straggling parties whom he had collected,..kept on the alert.

†13. Used as correlative to such; = as conj. 17a. Cf. which pron. 5b. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

a1614 J. Melville Autobiogr. & Diary (1842) 174 To..mak his eares patent to sic wha could alienat his mynd from the guid cause.

1662 E. Stillingfleet Origines Sacræ ii. i. §2 Such a person..who gave..evidence..that he acted no private design.

1713 R. Steele in Guardian 14 Mar. 1/1 And instruct such who are not as wise as himself.

*** As nominal or simple relative pronoun, used as object of a verb or preposition.

14. Used, as object of a verb or preposition, in senses corresponding to those in branches A. III.*, A. III.**: (as nominal relative) any person that, whoever; (as simple relative) whom, that; = whom pron. III.Now chiefly colloquial but uncommon in comparison with alternative expressions.

a. As the object of a verb.

ΚΠ

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) l. 4007 Qua þat godd helpis wid-all, Traistli may he wend ouer-all.

1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. f. ciii^v/1 The kynge of Englande..had great prouision for his oost, by the meanes of Iohn Alenson who he founde at Flauigny.

c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 92^v Then leuet he the lede launchet on ferre Mony dange to þe ded with dynt of his hond Who happit hym to hitte harmyt nomo.

1596 E. Spenser Second Pt. Faerie Queene vi. i. sig. Aa^v The sad Briana..Who comming forth yet full of late affray, Sir Calidore vpcheard.

1612 W. Symonds Proc. Eng. Colonie Virginia in Narr. Early Virginia (1907) 161 The President..resolved with Captaine Waldo (who he knew to be sure in time of need), to surprise Powhatan and al his provision.

1641 Earl of Monmouth tr. G. F. Biondi Hist. Civil Warres Eng. I. iv. 42 A great Prince who I forbeare to name.

1725 D. Defoe New Voy. round World ii. 17 Our Surgeons, who we all call Doctors at Sea.

1849 J. A. Froude Nemesis of Faith 134 He has a right..to choose who he will have for a teacher.

1858 R. S. Surtees Ask Mamma xxxi Not being able to ask exactly who he liked.

1984 Times 6 Feb. 12/3 Just over half..of our sample who we assessed as working class concurred.

1996 H. Fielding Bridget Jones's Diary 287 People should be allowed to invite who they want to their parties without others pettily getting upset.

b. As the object of a preposition.

ΚΠ

1727 A. Hamilton New Acct. E. Indies I. Ded. p. iii I have known some Scriblers, or Authors, dedicate their Works to great Men who they hardly knew any more of than their illustrious Names.

a1774 A. Tucker Light of Nature (1834) II. 442 Persons who in his best judgment he sees reason to confide in.

1985 M. Baker Cops (1986) ii. 91 He gets out the door, she'll be fucking the guy who he's fighting with her about now.

2019 K. Hudson Lowborn iv. 27 The people who I played kiss chase with.

B. n.

†1. old who: the right man. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > suitability or appropriateness > [noun] > that which is suitable or appropriate > the appropriate person

man1535

old who1594

my man1611

1594 T. Nashe Vnfortunate Traveller sig. G3 He must haue exquisite courtship in him or else he is not old who.

2. A person, indefinitely or abstractly; a ‘someone’.

ΘΚΠ

the world > people > person > [noun] > some person

maneOE

someonec1305

somewho1390

somebodya1400

quidam1579

who1654

monkey1815

1654 R. Whitlock Ζωοτομία 149 We have seen the Pittifull who's, and..the slender whats are against modest Learning.

1904 Strand Mag. May 516/1 ‘What ever made you think of it?’ ‘It wasn't a what; it was a who’.

2002 N. Walker Blackbox (2003) 16 He'd made inquiries and was sure that Unfunny John was a who. A bona fide who.

3. With the. (The answer to) the question ‘who?’

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > enquiry > [noun] > act or instance of > with specific form

why1532

how1533

what1556

whoa1774

wh-question1957

why-question1973

1683 G. Hascard Disc. Novelty Reformed Church of Eng. 30 It may serve some honest purposes, to know, the who, and the when, the where, and the how, and other circumstances of its beginning, and proceeding.

a1774 O. Goldsmith Haunch of Venison (1776) 2 I was puzzled again, With the how, and the who, and the where, and the when.

1955 Bull. Atomic Scientists June 228/3 The ‘who’ and ‘why’ of ethical judgments may lie in the realm of metaphysics; but the ‘how’ are phenomena in the natural world.

2013 P. D. Miller Stewards Myst. God 150 When the Bible speaks of the stranger, or sojourner..it has something quite specific in mind with reference both to the who and the what.

Phrases

P1. as who (in relative use).

a. With the verb say.

†(a) as who saith (also say).

(i) Commenting on a preceding statement: that is to say, in other words, which is as much as to say that. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

c1300 Life & Martyrdom Thomas Becket (Harl. 2277) (1845) l. 1521 ‘Eche lond,’ he seide, ‘is contray to the stronge. As ho saith, theȝ ȝe beo in strange contray ibroȝt, If ȝe beoth strong in Godes lawe, hit ne schal ȝou grevi noȝt.’

a1425 J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) II. 127 Pilat answeride, Þat Y have writun, I have writun; as who seiþ, þis writing shal stonde.

c1430 N. Love Mirror Blessed Life (Brasenose e.9) (1908) 213 I haue ouercomen the worlde, als who seye: And so schulle ȝe.

c1585 R. Browne Answere to Cartwright 9 Walke before me, and be thou vpright, and I will make my couenant betweene me and thee. As who say, one condition..of the couenant is our vpright and good profession.

(ii) Commenting on a preceding or following word or phrase: in a manner of speaking, as it were, you might say, as they say. Obsolete.In quot. a1400: in the manner of, as you might say.

ΚΠ

a1325 St. Patrick (Corpus Cambr.) l. 386 in C. D'Evelyn & A. J. Mill S. Eng. Legendary (1956) 98 Þis seli gostes..quakede and clyuerede [read chyuerede] faste in drede & pine stronge And abide as wo seiþ hore tyme hore deþ forto auonge.

a1400 (c1303) R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne (Harl.) l. 7046 Alle þat spake of syre Troyle Was skraped a-wey, as who sey oyle.

c1500 (?a1437) Kingis Quair (1939) lxxvii Sodaynly, as quho sais at a thoght, It opnyt.

1559 W. Baldwin et al. Myrroure for Magistrates Thomas of Woodstock xiv To bridle the prince of a realme, Is euen (as who sayeth) to striue with the streame.

(iii) Commenting on a preceding action: as if to say, as though saying. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

a1425 J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1869) I. 282 (MED) In tokene of þis chaffare, þei beggen after þat þei have prechid, as who seiþ, ȝyve me þi moneie, þat Y am worþi bi my preching.

c1450 (c1386) G. Chaucer Envoy to Bukton (Fairf. 16) (1879) l. 4 Whan of Criste our kyng Was axed, what ys trouthe..He nat a worde answerde to that axinge As who saith, noo man is al trew I gesse.

a1500 Gesta Romanorum (Gloucester) (1971) 745 (MED) The fyrst ymage hylde ouȝt his honde vn-to me, As who say, ‘Take þis Ryng of my Ȝyf.’

1611 W. Sclater Key (1629) 14 Papists hence inferre [that the Scriptures are] not to be permitted to lay-people, in their Mother-tongue: abusing to this purpose the saying of Christ, Mat. 7. 6. as who say all Gods people were Dogges.

(b) as who should say: as if saying, as if one should say, as one may say, as much as to say. archaic.

ΚΠ

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 8611 Ho turned hir ouer..as qua sulde sai I. knaw na harme.

1527 W. Tyndale Parable Wicked Mammon (1528) 36 If I preache (sayeth he) I haue nought to reioyse in, for necessyte is put vnto me, as who shulde say, god hathe made me so.

1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice i. ii. 45 Hee doth nothing but frowne (as who should say, & you will not haue me, choose..).

1661 R. L'Estrange Interest Mistaken 127 This is but another Alarm, as who should say; Look to your selves my Masters.

1718 S. Centlivre Bold Stroke for Wife i. ii. 9 They command Regard, as who should say, We are your Defenders.

1841 C. Dickens Barnaby Rudge xliv. 191 Mr. Dennis coughed and shook his head, as who should say, ‘A mystery indeed!’

1905 H. G. Wells Kipps ii. ix. §1 Sid beamed at Kipps, as who should say, ‘You don't meet a character like this every dinner-time’.

1935 Archit. Rev. 77 270/3 He straightened his back and gave me an old-fashioned look as who should say ‘And I dare you to laugh at me in your damn superior way, blast you.’

2001 S. Heaney Electric Light 28 Butter wouldn't melt in that smiler's mouth So I smile straight back, as who should say, ‘Good God, You know you're absolutely right.’

†(c) as who would say: as if saying, as if one should say, as one may say, as much as to say. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

?1533 W. Tyndale Expos. Mathew v. f. xxxvij They sayde to the Apostles: ye wolde brynge this mannes bloude vppon vs, as who wolde saye, we slue him not.

1579 T. North tr. Plutarch Liues 74 Those which the Grecians call Irenophylaces, as who would saye, peacekeepers.

1664 J. Wilson Andronicus Comnenius i. i They all lookt wistly one on t'other, As who would say, 'twas true enough, but yet [etc.].

1675 R. Burthogge Cavsa Dei 19 He shall come..in Divine Majesty, as who would say, that when he Judges..He will show himself like God.

b. With other verbs (frequently followed by would or should). As or like one who. Hence (with loss of relative force): as if one. Obsolete (archaic in later use).

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > relationship > similarity > [adverb] > as if or as though

asOE

as ifc1175

askancesc1350

as whoc1380

like asa1393

like1405

like as and1523

c1400 J. Wyclif On the Seven Deadly Sins (Bodl. 647) in Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) III. 123 Þei sellen Gods worde, as who schulde selle an oxe.

c1400 (?a1387) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Huntington HM 137) (1873) C. xi. l. 39 Þauh he falle, he falleþ nat bote as ho fulle in a bote, Þat ay is saf and sounde.

c1450 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Ashm.) l. 4649 (MED) We erd noȝt in elementis as euirmare to duell, Bot as qua pas a pilgrymage fra Parysch to rome.

1483 W. Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende f. cclxxxxiiii^v/2 He..pressyd her..bytwene foure greete stones, as who shold presse olyues.

1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid vi. vii. 60 Sic wys as quha throw cluddy skyis saw.

1606 P. Holland tr. Suetonius Hist. Twelve Caesars Annot. 14 His courteous cariage and affabilitie: as who was readie to accept of petitions and requests.

1659 T. Fuller Appeal Iniured Innocence i. 2 The Tanner was the Worst of all Masters to his Cattle, as who would not onely load them soundly whilest living, but Tan their Hides when dead.

a1677 I. Barrow Several Serm. Evil-speaking (1678) x. 132 Every Man gladly would be Neighbour to a quiet Person, as who..doth afford all the pleasure of Conversation, without any..trouble.

1873 J. Morley Rousseau I. vi. 210 Such speech..was probably..a mere freak of the tongue,..as who should go to a masked ball in guise of Mephistopheles.

1887 W. Morris tr. Homer Odyssey I. xi. 212 With his bow..in his hand and the arrow laid on the string, And peering round about him as who would loose at a thing.

†P2. but who: except (one, those) who, who..not. Obsolete.Now replaced by but what at what pron., adv., int., adj.¹, conj., and n. Phrases 1a.

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1675 R. Burthogge Cavsa Dei 158 Should none arrive at Heaven but who had first arrived to a State of Perfection.., Heaven would be empty.

1757 Bp. W. Warburton Lett. (1809) 249 I don't meet with one but who singly says yes.

1774 Ld. Kames Sketches Hist. Man I. i. i. 31 There is scarce a peasant but who has a chess-board and men.

P3. In interrogative use.

a. Forming clauses.

(a) who is who (also who's who): (chiefly in subordinate clauses) who is one and who is the other; who each of a number of people is, or what position each holds. Cf. what pron., adv., int., adj.¹, conj., and n. Phrases 2b, which adj. and pron. Phrases 1b.

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a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) vii. l. 2001 (MED) Noman wiste who was who Ne which was frend ne which was fo.

c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Reeve's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 380 She saugh hem bothe two But sikerly she nyste who was who.

1598 Chaucers Dreame in T. Speght Wks. G. Chaucer f. 361^v/1 Neither knew I kirke ne saint Ne what was what, ne who was who.

1713 J. Swift Jrnl. to Stella 4 Jan. (1948) II. 596 I shewd the Bp..at Court who was who.

1860 E. Eden Semi-attached Couple ii Though she could not distinguish who was who, yet she had a right to say she had seen ‘the marquess’.

1902 E. Banks Autobiogr. Newspaper Girl 76 With the exception of those persons of art and letters who were celebrated in my own country as well as in England, I knew nothing of ‘who was who’ in London.

1961 R. Gover One Hundred Dollar Misunderstanding 33 He don' know who. He say, Firs' time in any cathouse, how he sposed t'know who's who.

2013 C. Doctorow Homeland ix. 243 If you want to run more than a couple fake people at a time, you need good tools to help you keep track of who's who in your imaginary world.

†(b) who and who are (or who's) together: who is allied with whom; (sometimes also) who is engaged to whom. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

1679 J. W. Rochester Artesima to Cloe 3 You expect to hear at least, what Loves have past In this lewd Town; What Change hath hapned of Intrigues, and whether The old Ones last; or who and who's together.

1700 T. Brown Amusem. Serious & Comical vi. 70 Let's..take a Trip into the Land of Marriage, and see Who and Who are together.

1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 35. ⁋3 A general Knowledge of who and who's together.

1720 Mrs. Bradshaw Let. Apr. in Countess of Suffolk Lett. (1824) I. 50 Pray let me hear a little how your court goes, who and who are together.

1840 C. G. Jenkins Miss Aylmer I. 254 There is nothing like a ball, or a party of pleasure for sifting matters right, for showing how people stand, and for telling who and who are together.

(c) who does what?: which person will do which task?; hence (as modifier) designating discussion about the allocation of roles, esp. a demarcation dispute about members of which trade union will do a certain job.

ΚΠ

1922 H. Walpole Cathedral ii. iii. 194 But who's going to decide who does what?.. We're not much in the sewing line.

1960 Guardian 13 Sept. 3/2 A who-does-what dispute between the Amalgamated Engineering Union and the Electrical Trades Union.

1962 Economist 13 Oct. 118/1 The squabble over who-does-what.

1992 Independent 8 July 19/5 To do this..will need careful career planning and a renegotiation of the ‘who does what’ element of the partnership contract.

2011 Atlantic Nov. 44/3 The American family circa 2011 is, after all, an acutely self-conscious and self-interrogating unit: How does one ‘parent?’ Who does what, which ‘role’?

(d) you and who else?: a contemptuous expression of incredulity, conveying scepticism about a person's ability to do some past or threatened deed, esp. of violence. Originally U.S.With quot. 1951 cf. oo pron.²

ΚΠ

1927 Life 13 Oct. 34/1 Hey! Whose feet ya walkin' on, huh? Yeah? Ya will? You and who else? For two cents I'll wrap ya around that lamp post.

1929 ‘E. Queen’ Roman Hat Myst. xviii. 260 ‘Forget, and I'll dip you into the East River.’ ‘You and who else?’ breathed Djuna.

1951 P. Branch Lion in Cellar iii. 38 ‘'Oo creased 'im?’ he asked... ‘I did,’ he said firmly... ‘You an' 'oo else?’ he jeered.

1971 A. Morice Murder in Married Life xiii. 124 Julian: ‘Then I'll throw you out.’ Murderer: ‘You and who else, ha ha.’

2019 J. Sealey If A Wicked Man 139 ‘No man talks to me like that, I'm going to do you, English man!’ he shouted at John. ‘You and who else?’ John said, turning around to face him.

b. With intensive additions, as in who the deuce, who the devil, who the dickens, who in the world, who on earth, etc.: see also the nouns.

ΚΠ

1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) v. l. 743 Quha dewill thaim maid so galy for to ryd?

a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. xiv. 168 Certys, that boy shall dere aby... Shall he be kyng thus hastely? Who the dewill made hym knyght?

1525 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles II. ii. A iij Some therat dide murmure and..sayd: Who the deuyll hath sent for theym?

1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones V. xv. v. 229 Why, who the Devil are you?

a1777 S. Foote Cozeners (1778) ii. 30 The family above..are a strange unaccountable tribe: Pray, who the deuce are they?

1847 A. S. Mayhew & H. Mayhew Greatest Plague of Life vii. 87 I wanted to ask her who the dickens she took me for.

a1849 H. Coleridge Ess. & Marginalia (1851) I. 255 Who upon earth could ever paint the bare sea?

1921 Amer. Woman Jan. 15/3 Why, it was just like a city shop—who in the world had started it here?

1982 P. Redmond Brookside (Mersey TV shooting script) (O.E.D. Archive) Episode 1. 59 I don't know who the hell you are, Pal; or what your game is but carry on like this and I'll spread you all over that car.

2001 People (Sydney) 13 Aug. 16/2 This means some punters now know who the fuck she is.

c. Used as nouns or adjectives.

†(a) who not: any one whatever, any one and every one, all kinds of people (cf. sense A. 2 and what-not n. 1) Obsolete.

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a1586 Sir P. Sidney Apol. Poetrie (1595) sig. D 2 Innumerable examples,..as Brutus, Alphonsus.., and who not.

1691 A. Wood Athenæ Oxonienses I. 18 He was great with..Erasmus, Grocyn, Latimer, Tonstall, and who not.

†(b) who-say: a vague report, a rumour; (in quot. ?a1600) a pretended excuse. Obsolete (regional in later use).

ΚΠ

?a1600 ( R. Sempill Legend Bischop St. Androis in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xlv. 379 Half way hameward vp the calsay, [He] Said to his servandis for a quha say: ‘Alace! the porter is foryett’.

1825 J. Jennings Observ. Dial. W. Eng. 83 Whosay, or Hoosay, a wandering report; an observation of no weight.

†(c) who-do-you-think ( †who-dost-think), substituted for the name of a person to be guessed. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

1615 R. Brathwait Strappado 131 Heere stood I musing..Till Iockie wha dost thinke speard vp to me.

(d)

(i) God knows who, the Lord knows who, etc.: some person or people unknown, or of unknown origin, status, etc.; cf. sense A. 3.

ΚΠ

1704 D. Baillie Let. 8 Feb. in Acct. Proc. Privy Council Scotl. against D. Baillie 9 Some all Commendations and Services to the Lord knows who, to the Acquainted and Unacquainted.

1744 M. Bishop Life Matthew Bishop 99 To throw herself away upon the Lord knows who.

1822 Ld. Byron Werner iv. i. 50 The country (nominally now at peace) Is over-run with—God knows who.

2007 G. Hurley One Under i. 17 Had the victim stumbled down this way, dragged by God knows who, maybe roped, maybe injured?

(ii) I don't know (also †I know not) who, etc.: some person or persons unknown, or of unknown origin, status, etc. (cf. sense A. 3).

ΚΠ

1823 R. Southey Hist. Peninsular War I. v. 249 (note) St. Antonio on one side, and St. I know not who on the other.

1905 E. Glyn Vicissitudes Evangeline 5 Mamma's father was a lord, and her mother I don't know who.

2005 S. Rushdie Shalimar the Clown 250 He just wants to kill everyone now... His wife, okay, that was a problem before, but now it's also the philandering ambassador, and the whole army, and I don't know who else.

(iii) colloquial. I don't know (also heaven knows, etc.) who all: various other unknown or unspecified people; cf. I don't know what all at what pron., adv., int., adj.¹, conj., and n. Phrases 5a(a).

ΚΠ

1844 T. C. Haliburton Attaché 2nd Ser. II. i. 17 And then he'd go over a whole string—Mason, Mickle, Burns, and I don't know who all.

1877 Testimony Court Martial Captain Alexander Moore 14 I was present for one, and I think Lieut. Burke, and perhaps Lieut. Morton, Mr. Strahorn, and I don't know who all.

1932 D. Hammett Man called Spade in Nightmare Town (1999) 294 If I don't come across I've got to stand for riding from the captain, the chief, the newspapers, and heaven knows who all.

1990 G. G. Liddy Monkey Handlers vii. 109 Without gettin' my ass shot off by the Border Patrol, the INS, Customs agents, and Christ knows who all else.

2012 E. M. Lorance & P. W. Floyd Out of Darkness into Light xv. 92 We were doing a television show one time with Arnold Williams, Dillard Parsley, and I don't know who all—just a big group of guys from State Farm.

†(e) who's-afraid: (as an adjectival phrase) defiant, swaggering. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

1837 C. Dickens Pickwick Papers xl. 437 A vagabondish who's-afraid sort of bearing.

1854 H. H. Riley Puddleford v. 75 Next came the sun-fish, jerking along, filled with fire and fury, with a kind of who's-afraid sort of look.

1915 G. B. Shaw in New Statesman 8 May 109/2 Nothing that I have read in Butler, or gathered from his conversation, conveys the very faintest suggestion of terror or of the ‘who’s afraid’ attitude.

d. says who?: see say v.¹ and int. Phrases 10g.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2022; most recently modified version published online December 2022).

单词	who
释义	whopron.n. Brit. /huː/, U.S. /hu/ Forms: α. Old English chua (Northumbrian), Old English huæ (Northumbrian), Old English (early and Northumbrian)–early Middle English hua, Old English–early Middle English hwa, Old English (rare)–Middle English (early or northern) wa, late Old English–Middle English hwo, late Old English (Kentish)–Middle English (chiefly early or northern) wha, early Middle English hwao (Oxfordshire), early Middle English hwe (in a copy of an Old English charter), early Middle English hwoa (south-west midlands), early Middle English uo (south-west midlands), early Middle English wah (south-west midlands), early Middle English wea (south-west midlands), early Middle English whæ (south-west midlands), early Middle English woh (east midlands), early Middle English wu, early Middle English wua, Middle English ȝwo, Middle English hho, Middle English hoe, Middle English hoo, Middle English hoye, Middle English huo, Middle English wȝo, Middle English whe, Middle English wwo, Middle English–1500s ho, Middle English–1500s hou, Middle English–1500s how, Middle English–1500s wo, Middle English–1600s whoe, Middle English–1600s whoo, Middle English– who, 1600s howe; English regional (chiefly northern and midlands) 1600s wheay, 1600s 1800s how, 1700s–1800s whae, 1800s hoo, 1800s hooa, 1800s weea, 1800s weeah, 1800s whaa, 1800s whau, 1800s whay, 1800s wheah, 1800s wheeah, 1800s whoa, 1800s whoe, 1800s woa, 1800s woh, 1800s–1900s wha, 1800s–1900s whe, 1800s–1900s whea, 1800s–1900s wheea, 1800s–1900s whooa, 1800s–1900s wo, 1800s– whee, 1900s hoa, 1900s whoah; Scottish pre-1700 hua, pre-1700 uho, pre-1700 vha, pre-1700 vho, pre-1700 wu, pre-1700 1700s whay, pre-1700 1700s– wha, pre-1700 1700s– whae, pre-1700 1700s– who, 1800s–1900s whee, 1900s whea, 1900s– whar (Orkney); also Irish English (northern) 1800s– wha, 1900s whagh, 1900s– waw, 1900s– whae; N.E.D. (1924) also records the forms early Middle English hwoo, early Middle English wæ, late Middle English woo. β. chiefly east midlands, East Anglian, and northern. early Middle English quuo, Middle English qhoo, Middle English qua (northern), Middle English quo, Middle English qwa (northern), Middle English qwho, Middle English qwo; Scottish pre-1700 qha, pre-1700 qhaa, pre-1700 qho, pre-1700 qua, pre-1700 quay, pre-1700 quhae, pre-1700 quhai, pre-1700 quhaw, pre-1700 quhay, pre-1700 quhe, pre-1700 quhey, pre-1700 quho, pre-1700 quhoe, pre-1700 quhoy, pre-1700 quo, pre-1700 qwa, pre-1700 qwha, pre-1700 qwhay, pre-1700 qwhey, pre-1700 qwho, pre-1700 (1700s–1800s archaic) quha. γ. Scottish (northern) 1700s 1900s fa', 1700s– fa, 1800s fae, 1800s fah; Irish English (Wexford) 1800s fho. δ. English regional (midlands) 1800s– ew, 1800s– o; See also oo pron.² Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Cognate with (with inflectional endings frequently influenced by analogy with other pronoun forms) Old Frisian hwā , hwa (West Frisian wa ), Old Dutch wie , wē (Middle Dutch, Dutch wie ), Old Saxon hwē , hwie (Middle Low German wē , wie , wi ), Old High German hwer , wer (Middle High German wer , German wer ), early Scandinavian (runic) huwaR , Old Icelandic hverr (formally a distinct formation ultimately from the same stem), Old Swedish hwar , hwa , hwo , ho (early modern Swedish var , ho ), Old Danish hwa , hwo (Danish hvo , now archaic), (all both masculine and feminine), and Gothic (masculine) hwas , (feminine) hwō , reflecting a Germanic interrogative pronoun developed ultimately from an Indo-European interrogative stem; although many of the details are uncertain, the Germanic forms probably show a mixture of forms derived immediately from an Indo-European interrogative pronoun and from a related interrogative adjective both derived ultimately from this same stem. For the reflexes of other case forms see whom pron., whose pron. and adj., whon pron., why adv., and compare note below. For the neuter see what pron.For interrogative forms in other Indo-European languages developed ultimately from the same stem compare: Sanskrit kaḥ (masculine), kā (feminine), kad (neuter), Avestan kō (masculine), kā (feminine), kaṯ (neuter), ancient Greek πότερος (Ionic κότερος ; compare whether pron.), classical Latin quī (masculine) who, quae (feminine) who, quod (neuter) what, Umbrian poi (masculine) who, Oscan pae (feminine) who, pod (neuter) what, Early Irish cía who, co how, where, Welsh pwy who, Old Welsh, Welsh pa what, Old Church Slavonic kŭto who, Russian kto who, Old Prussian kas who, Lithuanian kas who, what; and also: Sanskrit kiḥ (masculine) who, kim (neuter) what, cit (enclitic) even, also, Avestan ciš (masculine) who, cit̰ (neuter) what, ancient Greek τίς (masculine) who, τί (neuter) who ( < τίδ ), classical Latin quis* (masculine) who, quid (masculine) what, Umbrian sve-pis if any one, Oscan pis , pid , Early Irish cid what, Old Church Slavonic čĭto what, Russian čto . For the stem types as represented in derivative formations in English see when adv., conj., pron., int., and n., where adv. and n., whether pron., adj., conj.¹, and n., which adj. and pron., whither adv., and how adv. Uses in Old English. In Old English hwā , like its Germanic cognates, inflects for grammatical gender and case, although for gender only the neuter is distinguished, and only in the nominative and accusative, as hwæt (see what pron.). There are also two forms of the neuter instrumental, hwon (see whon pron.) and hwȳ (see why adv., for why adv.), but no masculine or feminine instrumental forms. For dative hwǣm and accusative hwone see the forms of whom pron.; for genitive hwæs see whose pron. and adj. In Old English hwā also occurs as second element in compounds, with indefinite sense (compare sense A. 6), especially in gehwā everyone, (also) every, each (compare similarly formed gehwilc : see each adj. and pron.). This compound also shows a fully inflected paradigm, but with some independent development. Compound forms survive very occasionally into early Middle English. Development of use as relative pronoun. It has frequently been suggested that various aspects of the development of use as a relative pronoun (see A. III.) were influenced by analogy with the uses of classical Latin and post-classical Latin quī and of Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French, French qui, but there remains no clear scholarly consensus on this matter. Pronunciation history. The Middle English reflexes show that Old English hwā had a long vowel, at least when stressed; a similar situation is found in Old Frisian. The details of the earlier sound development are not entirely clear. The usual modern pronunciation Brit. /huː/, U.S. /hu/ apparently reflects the raising influence of the originally preceding semivowel w. In early modern English there is evidence for the word variably showing either the reflex of Middle English long open ō (regularly developed from earlier ā) or, more commonly, (as a result of raising) the reflex of Middle English long close ō, the latter giving rise to the usual modern pronunciation. Abbreviated forms. In Older Scots the abbreviated forms qo, q^o are common. A. pron. I. As interrogative pronoun with singular or plural reference. * As subject. 1. Used in asking the identity of a person or persons specified, indicated, or understood; what or which person or people.Corresponding to what used of things (what pron. 1a).Sometimes with partitive of (cf. quot. 1703 at sense A. 1a), where which is normally used (which pron. 2). In Old English sometimes with partitive genitive. a. In direct questions. ΚΠ eOE Metrical Dialogue of Solomon & Saturn (Corpus Cambr. 422) i. 36 Ac hwa mæg eaðost ealra gesceafta ða halgan duru heofona rices torhte ontynan? OE West Saxon Gospels: Mark (Corpus Cambr.) v. 30 Hwa æthran mines reafes? c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 9755 Wha tahhte ȝuw. To fleon. & to forrbuȝhenn. Þatt irre þatt to cumenn iss? a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 359 Quo seide ðe ðat ðu wer naked? a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1959) Gen. xlviii. 8 Who ben þes?.. My sonnes þei ben. a1500 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Trin. Dublin) l. 834* Whyne ert þou & who & what makys þou here? 1526 Bible (Tyndale) Matt. xii. f. xvij Who is my mother? or who are my brethren? a1616 W. Shakespeare As you like It (1623) iii. ii. 183 Nay, but who is it? View more context for this quotation 1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost i. 33 Who first seduc'd them to that fowl revolt? Th' infernal Serpent. View more context for this quotation 1703 N. Rowe Fair Penitent iv. i. G 2 b Who of my Servants wait there? c1800 Jock o' the Side xvi, in A. Whitelaw Bk. Sc. Ballads (1857) 380/1 Whae's this kens my name sae weil..? 1863 M. E. Braddon Aurora Floyd III. v. 84 ‘Who can it be, dear?’..‘at such a time, too’. 1866 C. Kingsley Hereward the Wake I. x. 228 ‘And he is killed?’ ‘Who? Hereward?’ 1904 S. J. Weyman Abbess of Vlaye iv And who—who does she say dared to commit this outrage? 1955 J. P. Donleavy Ginger Man xvii. 187 Who's been meddling with the dresser and the drawers? 2017 S. K. Ali Saints & Misfits 168 Who are these people? I click on names and see faces I don't recognize. b. In indirect questions, or clauses of similar meaning. †In early use also with that (that conj. 7).For the distinction between the dependent interrogative and the relative, cf. note at what pron. 1b. ΚΠ OE Beowulf (2008) 52 Men ne cunnon secgan.., hæleð under heofenum, hwa þæm hlæste onfeng. lOE Laws of Edward the Elder (Rochester) ii. i. §1. 142 He agsode hy þa, hwa to ðære bote cyrran wolde & on ðære geferræddenne beon. a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 159 Lusteð nu wich maiden þat is..and hware he was fet and hwo hire ledde and wu and hwider. a1300 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Jesus Oxf.) (1935) l. 1195 Ic wot hwo sal beo an honge. c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 985 Wan a child were ibore & me in doute were Wo were þe fader. c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Mark ix. 33 Thei disputiden among hem in the weie, who of hem schulde be more. c1425 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Harl.) 40 Among hem..stryf me myȝte se, Wuche mest maistres were, & hoo schulde lord be. 1469 M. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 337 If he happed to dye how shuld come after hym ye wote neuer. a1500 (?a1400) Morte Arthur (1903) l. 47 That ladyes..might se Who that beste were of dede. c1500 (?a1437) Kingis Quair (1939) lvii Does thou not see Who, yonder, comes? ?1566–7 G. Buchanan Opinion Reformation Univ. St. Andros in Vernacular Writings (1892) 13 The examinatouris..sal declair to the rectour..quha ar worthy of promotion. a1616 W. Shakespeare King John (1623) ii. i. 400 Shall we..lay this Angiers euen with the ground, Then after fight who shall be king of it? View more context for this quotation 1617 S. Collins Epphata to F. T. ix. 374 It might put him in minde of who had beene there sometime. 1677 E. Ravenscroft Wrangling Lovers v. i. 67 Did he know who I was? 1800 F. Lathom Dash of Day v. i Tell the young gentleman..a gentleman wishes to see him immediately; don't say who, but bring him hither directly. 1803 G. Rose Diaries (1860) II. 56 Not having a guess of who he was. 1882 W. Besant All Sorts of Men II. xxiv. 142 What her obligations were, and who this lady was, belongs in no way to this history. 1922 G. M. Trevelyan Brit. Hist. 19th Cent. xxiii. 373 The British people, when left to themselves, neither knew nor cared who massacred whom between the Danube and the Ægean. 1950 I. Asimov I, Robot (1996) i. 32 The robot engineer had also dashed in..demanding who of the gathering crowd had tampered with the machine. 2007 Guardian 10 Dec. (G2 section) 2/4 If there is anyone more vulnerable than a disabled teenage rape victim, I certainly can't think who it might be. 2. In a rhetorical question, suggesting or implying an emphatic contrary assertion.e.g. who would..? ‘no one would..’, who would not..? ‘any one would..’, who knows..? ‘no one knows..’, who but..? ‘no one but, no one else than..’ (cf. but conj. 3), etc. See also who not at Phrases 3c(a). Cf. what pron. 3, where adv. 3.Sometimes with partitive of, as in sense A. 1, or (in Old English) with partitive genitive. ΚΠ eOE Metres of Boethius (2009) xxviii. 5 Hwa is moncynnes þæt ne wundrie ymb þas wlitegan tungl? OE Ælfric Old Eng. Hexateuch: Gen. (Claud.) xxi. 7 Hwa wolde gelyfan þæt Sarra lecgan sceolde cild to hyre breoste to gesoce on ylde? a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 11 Hwa is ðat nis ofdradd of ðese muchele ðþunresleiȝ ðe cumþ ut of godes auȝene muðe? ?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 281 Ȝef þeaxe necurue ne spitel stef ne dulue..hwa kepte ham to halden. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 454 Qua herd euer a warr auntur? c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 427 Þe croune fro hyr [sc. Mary] quo moȝt remwe, Bot ho hir passed in sum fauour? 1526 Bible (Tyndale) Rom. viii. 35 Who shall seperate vs from goddes loue? 1633 G. Herbert Quip in Temple iv Then came brave Glorie puffing by, In silks that whistled, who but he! 1651 Mercurius Elencticus No. 3. 17 'Tis merry when Jovial Maltmen meet; Who knows what haps to morrow? 1735 A. Pope Epist. to Arbuthnot (new ed.) 213–14 Who but must laugh, if such a man there be? Who would not weep if Atticus were he? 1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop ii. lxxiii. 222 Of course he married, and who should be his wife but Barbara? 1855 Ld. Tennyson Maud xii. ii, in Maud & Other Poems 41 Where was Maud? in our wood; And I, who else, was with her. 1914 R. Kipling For All we Have 39 Who stands if freedom fall? 2001 Independent 2 Mar. 11/6 Who of us will be able to resist the great black storm-trooper coat, buttoned at the waist? 3. Used in asking the character, function, etc., of a person or people, in direct and (occasionally) indirect questions. Only in predicative use. Cf. what pron. 2a.In rhetorical questions often approaching or merging with sense A. 2.who am I to talk?: see talk v. 3f. ΚΠ OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Luke v. 21 Quis est hic qui loquitur blasphemia : hua is ðes seðe spreces ebolsongas? c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Rom. xiv. 4 Who art thou, that demest anothir [a1425 L.V. anothris] seruaunt? a1450 (c1405) On translating Bible (Trin. Cambr.) in Medium Ævum (1938) 7 173 (MED) Wo am I þat may forbede God? 1526 Bible (Tyndale) Acts xix. 15 Jesus I knowe, and Paul I knowe: but who are ye? 1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Matt. xv. 16 Who saye ye that I am? 1611 Bible (King James) Exod. v. 2 Who is the Lord that I should obey him? 1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple I. viii. 95 I asked of a bye-stander who these people were, and he told me that they were dock-yard mateys. 1840 R. Browning Sordello ii. 635 Who were The Mantuans, after all, that he should care About their recognition? 1892 J. T. Grein tr. L. Couperus Eline Vere xxiv. 233 Who do you think you are, eh?.. Do you imagine you are a princess, and can do exactly as you like? 1898 Belgravia Aug. 462 ‘Who is he?’ ‘Mr. Legge—Eustace Legge.’ ‘Yes. But who is he?’ ‘I don't know.’ 1975 S. Bellow Humboldt's Gift (1976) 180 I don't care who she is and what she knows, compared to Polly she's a bush leaguer. 2003 G. Mitchell Loyal Women iii. 27 Terry: Who is this Mark character? Brenda: A friend. Terry: No such thing. 4. Standing for the name of a person of whom an explanation is asked. Cf. what pron. 5c. ΚΠ 1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones VI. xvi. ii. 8 ‘I come..by the Command of my Lord Fellamar.’ ‘My Lord who?’ 1836 C. Dickens Pickwick Papers (1837) xx. 206 ‘I heard 'em laughing, and saying how they'd done old Fireworks.’ ‘Old who?’ said Mr. Pickwick. 1841 S. Warren Ten Thousand a Year i. ii ‘What's your names?’ ‘Mr. Tittlebat Titmouse,’ answered that gentleman..‘Mr. who?’ exclaimed the old woman. 1931 ‘R. West’ Ending in Earnest 100 In florid, peruqued lettering the inscription began: Ludovici Jussu..Ludovicus? Ludovicus who? 2004 C. Bateman Driving Big Davie viii. 75 ‘You and Karen.’ ‘Me and Karen who?’ ‘You tell me, you slabber.’ ** As object of a verb or preposition. 5. Used in senses corresponding to those in branch A. I.; = whom pron. 1, 1b.Formerly colloquial, but since the later 19th century increasingly displacing whom* even in formal usage. a. As the object of a verb. ΚΠ 1449 M. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 229 I rehersyd no name, but me thowt be hem þat þei wost ho I ment. 1540 T. Cranmer Let. 14 June in Remains (1833) I. 299 Who shall your Grace trust hereafter, if you might not trust him? 1546 J. Heywood Dialogue Prouerbes Eng. Tongue i. xi. sig. Dii At syght of me he asked, who haue we there? 1598 W. Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost iv. i. 70 To whom came he?.. What saw he?.. Who ouercame he? View more context for this quotation 1681 Heraclitus Ridens 25 Oct. 1/2 Who have we to thank..but the Whigs? 1712 R. Steele Spectator No. 266. ⁋4 Who should I see there but the most artful Procuress in the Town. 1745 Considerations Conduct of Dutch 38 Who can we blame? 1807 R. Southey Lett. from Eng. III. lvi. 68 This leads to a discussion..who the son married,—whether the daughter died single [etc.]. 1898 A. B. Gomme Trad. Games II. 426 The last boy or girl to pop down has to tell who he (or she) is courting. 1922 T. S. Eliot Waste Land (1923) ii. 12 Then I'll know who to thank, she said, and give me a straight look. 1989 J. Tyman Inside Out (1995) ii. 150 I was heading for a hotel by the police station..when who should I see walking my way but Rob. 2009 Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) 11 June 6/3 He made the point that this was a fundamental undermining of the rule of law and if we can't trust the JSC, who can we trust? b. As the object of a preposition, usually following at the end of the clause, sometimes preceding (now chiefly when who stands for a noun or pronoun as in sense A. 4, e.g. in quot. 2011). ΚΠ a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 1 (1623) iii. vii. 62 Who ioyn'st thou with? View more context for this quotation 1664 J. Wilson Cheats i. i. 2 Who should I meet with but our old Gang, some of St. Nicholas's Clerks. 1696 M. Pix Spanish Wives iii. 36 Canst thou convey a Letter to her?—Why how now mon, zed I, who dost take me for, a Pimp? 1720 J. Leigh Kensington-Gardens v. 93 Mel. I am marry'd already. Sir Van. The Deaux you are!—To who? Sir Pol. To me, young Fop;—And what then? 1874 T. Hardy Far from Madding Crowd I. xxx. 328 Who are you speaking of? 1881 W. H. Mallock Romance 19th Cent. II. 154 I know..who it comes from. 1941 V. Woolf Between Acts 101 Who was she looking for? 1969 Listener 13 Nov. 664/1 One of the policemen..went up to him and almost shouted: ‘Who do you think you're talking to?’ 2011 R. L. Orey Hunt for President's Wife xx. 116 ‘I was on my way to meet my godfather..to help him look for Talita Ruiz, the wife of the presidente of Mexico...’ ‘Look for who, did you say? Talita Ruiz?’ †II. As an indefinite pronoun, used as subject. 6. Anyone, someone, one; a person. Cf. as who at Phrases 1. a. In general use. Obsolete. ΚΠ OE West Saxon Gospels: John (Corpus Cambr.) xv.13 Næfð nan man maran lufe þonne ðeos ys þæt hwa [c1200 Hatton hwa] sylle his lif for his freondum. OE Wulfstan Homily: Larspell (Corpus Cambr. 421) in A. S. Napier Wulfstan (1883) 272 Utan geþencean, þæt hit is nyr þisse worulde ende, þonne hwa gelyfan wylle. lOE tr. Alcuin De Virtutibus et Vitiis (Vesp.) in R. D.-N. Warner Early Eng. Homilies (1917) 92 Hwæt helpð..þæt hwa secge, þæt he geleafe habbe, þonne he þa gode weorc næfeð? b. In a subordinate clause introduced by but, if, or though. Obsolete. ΚΠ OE Ælfric Catholic Homilies: 2nd Ser. (Cambr. Gg.3.28) xxviii. 251 Ðeah ðe hwa fede ænne ðearfan oððe ma for godes naman, hu mæg he þæt to micclum tellan? lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough interpolation) anno 656 Gif hwa þis tobrekeþ æni þing, Sancte Petre mid his sweord him adylige. a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 41 Gif hwa wule witen hwa erest bi-won reste þam wrecche saule..ic eow segge. c1400 (?a1387) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Huntington HM 137) (1873) C. viii. l. 307 Ac þe wey ys so wyckede bote ho [emended in ed. to ho so] hadde a gyde Þat myght folwen ous ech fot, for drede of mys-tornynge. III. As a relative pronoun. Formerly often with that (see that conj. 7); also rarely with as.On the occasional difficulty of distinguishing dependent interrogative use and fully relative use in the early periods, see note at what pron. 10a. * As a nominal relative pronoun (combining antecedent and relative), used as subject. †7. In indefinite use, introducing a clause specifying a future purpose or hypothetical requirement: someone (in negative contexts, anyone) that fulfils the requirement or purpose specified. Obsolete.Chiefly with verbs such as have in the main clause and subjunctive (or equivalent modal) in the subordinate clause. Cf. sense A. 6.Quot. ?c1225 shows nes hwa in sense ‘there was no one who’. ΚΠ OE Beowulf (2008) 2252 Nah hwa sweord wege. OE West Saxon Gospels: John (Corpus Cambr.) xii. 48 Se þe me forhigð & mine word ne underfehð he hæfþ hwa him deme [c1200 Hatton hwa him deme]. ?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 164 Nes hwa me hulpe. 8. a. As nominal relative in general or indefinite sense, as the subject of a clause: any person that, whoever: = whoever pron. 1.Rare Old English examples could perhaps alternatively be interpreted as showing use in sense A. 6.The usual equivalent construction in Old English is swā hwā swā (see discussion at whoso pron.). †(a) With pronominal correlative in following clause. Obsolete (archaic in later use).In quot. OE¹ with þe (the pron.¹ b); compare later use with that conj. 7b (see e.g. quot. a1250). In quot. OE² (a clearer example) it remains possible that a conjunction (e.g. if) may have been erased before the clause; cf. sense A. 6b. ΚΠ OE Manumission, Durham in W. de G. Birch Cartularium Saxonicum (1893) III. 539 Hwa þe heom þises bereafie God ælmihtig sie heom wrað. OE Homily (Hatton 115) in D. G. Scragg Vercelli Homilies & Related Texts (1992) 161 Se preost se þe hæbbe nunnan oð his ende, oððe læwde man se þe hæbbe cyfese ofer his æwe..[eleven letters erased], oððe hwa him to gesybne man hæbbe oð his endedæg, syn hi ealle amansumude. a1250 (?c1200) Hali Meiðhad (Titus) (1940) l. 233 Hwa þat sehe þenne hu þe engles beoð isweamed..stani were his heorte ȝif ha ne mealte i teares. c1350 (a1333) William of Shoreham Poems (1902) 8 Who þat entreþ þer He his sauff euere more. c1390 King of Tars (Vernon) l. 990 in Englische Studien (1889) 11 58 Ho þat nolde do bi heore red, Cristen men tak of heore hed. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 6781 Wha dose..þat wriched pliȝt he salle be done to dede. c1400 Simonie (Peterhouse) (1991) l. 373 Who þat is in suche offys, ne come he ner so pore, He fareþ within a while as he had seluere in horde. c1475 Wisdom (Folger) (1969) l. 71 (MED) To yowr loue wo dothe repeyer, All felycyte yn þat creature ys. 1485 Malory's Morte Darthur (Caxton) i. vii. sig. av Who that holdeth ageynst it we wille slee hym. 1490 W. Caxton tr. Foure Sonnes of Aymon (1885) xx. 453 Who that had be there than, he sholde have seen grete faytes of armes. a1500 (a1400) Awntyrs Arthure (Douce) l. 243 But ho his bidding brekes, bare þei bene of blys. 1568 ( D. Lindsay Satyre (Bannatyne) l/ 199 in Wks. (1931) II. 26 Quha wald haif weir god send thame littill rest. 1580 T. Tusser Fiue Hundred Pointes Good Husbandrie (new ed.) f. 20^v Who soweth in raine, he shall reape it with teares. a1656 Bp. J. Hall Davids Psalms Metaphr. i, in Wks. (1808) X. 261 Who hath not walkt astray,..Oh, how that man Thrice blessed is! 1892 R. Kipling Barrack-room Ballads 77 Who rides at the tail of a Border thief, he sits not long at his meat. (b) Without correlative. Now archaic or literary.Surviving chiefly in the motto of the British Special Air Service (see quot. 1944) and adaptations of this (cf. quot. 1992). ΚΠ 1340 Ayenbite (1866) 7 Huo þet brekþ þane zonday..zeneȝeþ dyadliche. c1350 Apocalypse St. John: A Version (Harl. 874) (1961) 105 (MED) Who þat haþ vnderstondyng, telle þe name of þe beeste. a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 2379 Ho wol winne his wareson, now wiȝtly him spede forto saue my sone, or for sorwe i deye. a1450 ( in J. Kail 26 Polit. Poems (1904) 5 (MED) Who that takeþ fro pore to eke with his, ffor that wrong is worthy wo. c1480 (a1400) St. Peter 211 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 13 Þat, quha to hym ferme treutht gafe, he suld euire luf oure þe lafe. 1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) i. l. 33 Quha likis till haif mar knowledge in that part Go reid. 1601 J. Marston et al. Iacke Drums Entertainm. i. sig. B Let who will climbe ambitious glibbery rowndes. 1602 W. Watson Decacordon Ten Quodlibeticall Questions 101 (margin) Let who as list be blinded with these patches. a1616 W. Shakespeare Julius Caesar (1623) i. iii. 79 Cask. 'Tis Cæsar that you meane: Is it not, Cassius? Cassi. Let it be who it is. View more context for this quotation a1616 W. Shakespeare Othello (1622) iii. iii. 162 Who steales my purse, steals trash. View more context for this quotation 1650 Earl of Monmouth tr. J. F. Senault Man become Guilty 25 Visible to the Eyes of who shall consider them. 1712 J. Arbuthnot Lewis Baboon iv. ii. 12 I shall throw down the Burden amongst them, take it up who dares. 1811 J. Austen Sense & Sensibility II. viii. 134 When a young man, be he who he will,..promises marriage, he has no business to fly off from his word. View more context for this quotation 1856 C. Kingsley Farewell in Poems 9 Be good, sweet maid, and let who can be clever. 1871 R. Browning Balaustion 2 I passionately cried to who would hear. 1896 A. Austin England's Darling ii. iv Who holds the sea, perforce doth hold the land, And who lose that must lose the other too. 1924 A. A. Milne When we were very Young 99 Hush! Hush! whisper who dares, Christopher Robin is saying his prayers. 1944 Aberdeen Press & Jrnl. 28 Aug. 3/7 The regimental badge of the S.A.S. is a winged dagger, bearing the words, ‘Who Dares Wins’. 1992 Economist 30 May 4/1 Business schools and management gurus should indeed be teaching that ‘who cares, wins’. †b. Introducing an adverbial clause with conditional or concessive force: if any person; (also) no matter what person: = whoever pron. 2. Obsolete.Cf. earlier use as indefinite pronoun in conditional and concessive clauses (sense A. 6b). ΚΠ c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 2235 Inolde noȝt abbe uorsake þat lond, wo me adde ibroȝt þerto. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 42 Þis fruit bitakens alle oure dedis, Both gode and ille qua rightly redis. a1450 (?c1421) J. Lydgate Siege Thebes (Arun.) (1911) l. 2117 And in despit, who that was lief or loth, A sterne pas thorgh the halle he goth. 1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) i. 391 Quha in battaill mycht him se, All othir contenance had he. c1500 Melusine (1895) 285 I were not so joyous who that had gyuen me a C thousand besans of gold, as I am to haue fond the. c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 6^v Hit is told..wo þat trawe lyst..he highyt vnto helle yates. a1542 T. Wyatt Coll. Poems (1969) lxxvii. 16 Twixt lyff and deth, say what who sayth, There lyveth no lyff that draweth breth. 1556 W. Lauder Compend. Tractate Dewtie of Kyngis sig. A3 Christe..sched also, quha vnderstude Als gret abundance of his blude For the pure sely nakit thyng As he sched for, the Potent kyng. †c. Introducing a clause expressing comparison, containing a superlative corresponding to the adjective or adverb in the main clause. Obsolete. ΚΠ 1602 W. Watson Decacordon Ten Quodlibeticall Questions 347 I euer detesting [heresy] as much as who can detest it most. 1644 H. Hall Heaven Ravished 51 Oh, say we, that this were to be violent for the Kingdom of heaven, for then we would list our Names, and be as forward as who most. 1658 W. Gurnall Christian in Armour: 2nd Pt. 87 Elijah, who did as great wonders..by prayer, as who greatest? 1660 J. Hacon Rev. of Mr. Horn's Catechisme 50 It might touch the Anabaptists, whom they opposed, as much as who most. †9. As nominal relative, with plural (or less frequently singular) reference, as the subject of a clause: the persons (or person) that. Obsolete.Chiefly as a deliberate Latinism, especially in There are who…, after Latin Sunt qui…. ΚΠ 1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1895) II. 90 (margin) Quha pape was in thir days, allowit al at the kings requeist. a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) i. iii. 107 Macb. The Thane of Cawdor liues: Why doe you dresse me in borrowed Robes? Ang. Who was the Thane, liues yet. View more context for this quotation 1628 J. Doughty Disc. Divine Myst. 20 There are who hold no art or science to be extant, which [etc.]. 1644 J. Milton in tr. M. Bucer Ivdgem. conc. Divorce To Parl. B4^v If thir own works be not thought sufficient to defend them, there livs yet who will be ready..to debate..this matter. 1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. T. Boccalini Ragguagli di Parnasso ii. xxiv. 262 Through the ingratitude of who commands [It. di chi domanda]. 1713 T. Tickell in J. Addison Cato sig. A6^v Who think like Romans, could like Romans fight. 1805 W. Wordsworth Ode to Duty ii There are who ask not if thine eye Be on them. 1871 R. Browning Prince Hohenstiel-Schwangau 70 He should know, sitting on the throne, how tastes Life to who sweeps the doorway. 1903 F. W. Maitland in Cambr. Mod. Hist. II. xvi. 569 There were who held that the Queen was Supreme Head iure divino. As a simple relative pronoun with singular or plural reference, used as subject. 10.** Introducing a clause defining or restricting the antecedent, esp. a clause essential to the identification of the antecedent, and thus completing its sense: = that pron.² 1.In modern printing usually distinguished from A. 11 by the absence of a comma before the relative: cf. which pron. 3. a. Used to refer to individual people.In quot. c1325 with have in the main clause and modal verb in the subordinate clause, cf. earlier sense A. 7.Before the 16th cent. much less common than that pron.² 1. ΚΠ c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 1977 He nadde bote an doȝter wo miȝte is eir be. a1425 (?c1350) Northern Passion (Harl. 4196) l. 382* Als men may here wha takes entent. 1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) i. 445 Lordingis quha likis for till her, Ye romanys now begynnys her. 1600 W. Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing iii. iii. 61 A man who hath anie honestie in him. View more context for this quotation 1633 G. Herbert Church Porch in Temple i A verse may finde him, who a sermon flies. 1707 Sel. Charters Trad. Comp. (Selden Soc.) 257 All and every other person and persons who shall be a subscriber or subscribers to the fund. 1717 A. Pope Ess. Crit. in Wks. 95 As those move easiest who have learn'd to dance. 1768 O. Goldsmith Good Natur'd Man iv. 55 I must disclaim his friendship, who ceases to be a friend to himself. 1819 J. Lingard Hist. Eng. I. i. 11 The first who exported this metal..were certain Phenician adventurers from Cadiz. 1864 J. H. Newman Apologia 329 The men who had driven me from Oxford were distinctly the Liberals. 1893 M. Pemberton Iron Pirate i One who..can command and be obeyed in ten cities. 1962 E. Gibbons Stalking Wild Asparagus 235 Any neighbor who happened to locate a bee tree would usually report it to Grandpa. 1992 Economist 11 July 56/2 To change the entry age for free kindergarten schooling from children who are five by December 1st to those who are five by the next September. 2019 D. Werb City of Omens i. 13 It became clear that the virus was killing absolutely everyone who got infected. b. Used with an antecedent denoting or connoting a group of people collectively. Usually with plural agreement. ΚΠ 1618 W. Raleigh Let. 22 Mar. (1999) 354 Hee had noe reason to enritch a company who, after my sonnes death made no account of him. 1676 W. Allen Serious & Friendly Addr. Non-conformists 101 The whole body of a Nation who are baptized into the Universal Church..are in that respect subject matter of a Church. a1731 D. Defoe Mrs. Christian Davies in Wks. (1883) IV. 497 The company who set me to play this roll, were highly diverted with the performance on all hands. 1889 Pall Mall Gaz. 13 Feb. 3/1 Large jobbing houses who handle all the new and standard publications in considerable numbers to supply small dealers. 1990 Amateur Stage Aug. 8/1 There has been a growth in the number of theatres and companies who offer interpretative performance of their productions. 2012 Vanity Fair Jan. 49/3 Many people will, when standing in front of a group who have assembled expressly to hear them speak, act in a way that suggests that the situation is a surprise to them. c. Used instead of which with reference to an inanimate thing or things, chiefly with personification (sometimes also with suggestion of personality); sometimes, as when referring to a ship, approaching sense A. 10b. Now rare. ΚΠ 1647 W. Lilly Christian Astrol. vi. 49 Almuten, of any house is that Planet who hath most dignities in the Signe ascending or descending upon the Cusp of any house. 1652 Mercurius Politicus No. 107. 1683 To hear that the ship who came in to relieve Tromp, lost thirty men. 1812 J. Wilson Isle of Palms iii. 8 Some wandering Ship who hath lost her way. 1823 Literary Examiner 30 Aug. 131 The handmaid stars who wait upon ‘the Endymionian Goddess’. 1992 Guadalupe Rev. Oct. 22/1 The stars clap, as do the half-asleep flowers, prickly pear and Chinaberry tree who drink exhaust into their roots, into the earth. d. Used with reference to an animal or animals, usually with implication of personality, but sometimes merely a substitute for which. ΚΠ 1696 W. Hope Suppl. Horsemanship xxiv. 67 in tr. J. de Solleysel Parfait Mareschal Of a horse who will not Obey, or Answer the Heels. 1748 J. Thomson Castle of Indolence ii. xl Like wily fox who roosted cock doth spy. 1884 P. Brooks New Starts in Life xviii. 306 Even the lowest creature who floats on the pool's surface..feels..some..half-conscious pleasure in the mere act of living. 1904 Daily Chron. 26 Feb. 9/3 An animal who is to be condemned to the drudgery of timber-topping. 2000 Cats Dec. 12/2 I've had good success using a pet fountain, especially with cats who like to drink out of faucets. 11. Introducing a clause stating something additional about the antecedent, the sense of the main clause being complete without the relative clause (sometimes equivalent to ‘and he’, ‘and she’, or ‘and they’). Cf. which pron. 4.Formerly often placed at a distance from the antecedent (one or more nouns intervening), with consequent obscurity or ambiguity: see quots. 1534 at sense A. 11a, 1655 at sense A. 11a. a. Used to refer to individual people. ΚΠ 1426 W. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 7 I submitte me and alle þis matier to yowr good discrecion, and euere gremercy God and ye, who euere haue yow and me in his gracious gouernaunce. 1466–7 in Manners & Househ. Expenses Eng. (1841) 172 Be the grase of God, ho amend ȝower desposysyon. c1515 Ld. Berners tr. Bk. Duke Huon of Burdeux (1882–7) lx. 208 Thus they compleynyd them one to another, and Huon, who was nere them, vnderstode them well. 1534 T. More Treat. Passion in Wks. 1292/1 And he sayd vnto theym, what will ye gyue me and I shall delyuer hym to you, whoe whan they heard hym, were well apaid. 1556 W. Lauder Compend. Tractate Dewtie of Kyngis sig. A4 That Kyng, that sitts all kyngis aboue Quha heiris, and seis all that is wrocht. 1611 Bible (King James) Matt. x. 4 Iudas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. View more context for this quotation a1616 W. Shakespeare Julius Caesar (1623) iii. ii. 125 I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong: Who (you all know) are Honourable men. View more context for this quotation 1655 T. Fuller Church-hist. Brit. ix. 180 As for her Son, the King of Scots, from whom they expected a settlement of Popery in that land, their hopes were lately turned into despairs, who had his education on contrary principles. 1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 119. ¶4 Honest Will. Wimble, who I should have thought had been altogether uninfected with Ceremony. 1760 S. Johnson Idler 8 Mar. 73 How different..is thy Condition, who art doomed to the perpetual Torments of unsatisfied Desire. 1793 R. Burns Scots, wha Hae in Poems & Songs (1968) II. 707 Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled. 1882 W. Besant All Sorts of Men II. xxviii. 223 A chap like my cousin Dick, who's a clever fellow and a devil for fireworks. a1933 J. A. Thomson Biol. for Everyman (1934) II. 1328 Identical twins, who are always of the same sex, arise in a different way, when one fertilized ovum develops simultaneously into two embryos. 2015 N.Y. Mag. 14 Dec. 26/1 Jones is..a tough, moody alcoholic who's trying to put her life back together..after being exploited by the mind-controlling Zebediah Kilgrave. b. Used with an antecedent denoting or connoting a group of people collectively. Usually with plural agreement. ΚΠ 1576 A. Fleming tr. Cicero in Panoplie Epist. 147 A great multitude, who for the regard of their health,..have recourse to these quarters. 1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II i. ii. 7 Put we our quarrell to the will of heauen, Who when they see the houres ripe on earth, Will raine hot vengeance on offenders heads. View more context for this quotation 1604 W. Shakespeare Hamlet iv. iii. 5 Hee's lou'd of the distracted multitude, Who like not in their iudgement, but theyr eyes. View more context for this quotation 1609 J. Skene tr. Stat. Alexander II in Regiam Majestatem , 14 Except in Galloway, quha hes their awne speciall and proper Lawes. 1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 112. ¶4 This Authority of the Knight..has a very good Effect upon the Parish, who are not polite enough to see any thing ridiculous in his Behaviour. 1771 O. Goldsmith Hist. Eng. II. 238 The Hanse-towns, who were then at war with both France and England. 1885 Pall Mall Gaz. 6 Jan. 12/2 The Midland, who first introduced American railway notions in their Pullman cars. 2005 Arena May 132/2 Lawyers have combined to sue Arab Bank, who are accused of helping to facilitate funds to further terrorism in the Palestinian territories. c. Used instead of which with reference to an inanimate thing or things, chiefly with personification (sometimes also with suggestion of personality, e.g. of a lifelike statue); sometimes, as when referring to a ship, approaching sense A. 11b. ΚΠ 1583 H. Howard Defensatiue sig. Gg.j The Moone who beares the greatest stroke in Genitura nocturna, in the birth night, was then most prosperous in Domo. mortis. 1600 Abp. G. Abbot Expos. Prophet Ionah xix. 402 The snow and raine, who come downe from aboue. a1616 W. Shakespeare Tempest (1623) i. ii. 7 A braue vessell (Who had no doubt some noble creature in her) Dash'd all to peeces. View more context for this quotation 1633 G. Herbert Providence in Temple xxiii The windes, who think they rule the mariner, Are rul'd by him. 1659 in E. Nicholas Nicholas Papers (1920) IV. 95 3 Spanish men of warre..who..came vp with vs and fired at vs. a1774 O. Goldsmith Surv. Exper. Philos. (1776) II. 263 The sun, who is the great fountain of both [light and heat]. 1917 M. T. Jackson Museum ii. 33 The Venus de Milo, who has stood for so many years..in the Louvre. 1977 L. Murray Coll. Poems (1991) 150 The New Moon who has poured out her rain, the moon of the Planting-times. d. Used with reference to an animal or animals, usually with implication of personality, but sometimes merely a substitute for which. ΚΠ 1591 R. Turnbull Expos. Epist. St. Iames f. 146 Which Saint Iames expresseth by two similitudes: the one of horses, who are gouerned by the bitte and cheeke of the bridle. 1597 A. Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 16 I sawe the Hurchone and the Haire, quha fed amang the flowers faire. a1616 W. Shakespeare Julius Caesar (1623) i. iii. 21 Against the Capitoll I met a Lyon, Who glaz'd vpon me, and went surly by. View more context for this quotation a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) iv. vii. 34 As is the Aspray to the Fish, who takes it By Soueraignty of Nature. View more context for this quotation 1774 O. Goldsmith Grecian Hist. II. iii. 163 He..lost his horse,..who was killed with the thrust of a sword. 1860 C. Dickens Uncommerc. Traveller in All Year Round 26 May 157/2 Two honest dogs..who perform in Punch's shows. 1974 W. Condry Woodlands iv. 59 Enterprising insects who have learnt to take advantage of the food and shelter offered by the galls. 2005 R. Tope Cotswold Killing x. 131 ‘You stay here,’ she told the dogs, who seemed relieved to be spared the uninviting weather. †12. In specific uses involving redundancy (with both restrictive and non-restrictive relative clauses). a. With a pleonastic personal pronoun in the latter part of the relative clause, so that who serves only to link the clauses together. Cf. which pron. 8a. Obsolete. ΚΠ 1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. f. xliii^v/1 Now let vs returne to sir Loyes of Spayne, who whan he was at the porte of Guerand.., he and his company sayled forth. 1590 H. Swinburne Briefe Treat. Test. & Willes ii. f. 39 An Idiote, or a naturall foole is he, who notwithstanding he bee of lawfull age, yet he is so witlesse, that hee can not number to twentie. 1594 W. Shakespeare Titus Andronicus iii. i. 37 I tell my sorrowes to the stones, who though they cannot answere my distresse, Yet in some sort they are better than the Tribunes. View more context for this quotation 1619 Sir R. Naunton in S. R. Gardiner Fortescue Papers (1871) 105 He is well knowen to..divers others, who if they shold see him about the Court, it would make him uncapable to do the service. b. Preceded by redundant and. Cf. which pron. 9b. Obsolete. rare. ΚΠ 1831 W. Scott Castle Dangerous xii, in Tales of my Landlord 4th Ser. IV. 286 The very same place in which Sir Aymer de Valence held an interview with the old sexton; and who now, drawing into a separate corner some of the straggling parties whom he had collected,..kept on the alert. †13. Used as correlative to such; = as conj. 17a. Cf. which pron. 5b. Obsolete. ΚΠ a1614 J. Melville Autobiogr. & Diary (1842) 174 To..mak his eares patent to sic wha could alienat his mynd from the guid cause. 1662 E. Stillingfleet Origines Sacræ ii. i. §2 Such a person..who gave..evidence..that he acted no private design. 1713 R. Steele in Guardian 14 Mar. 1/1 And instruct such who are not as wise as himself. ***** As nominal or simple relative pronoun, used as object of a verb or preposition. 14.** Used, as object of a verb or preposition, in senses corresponding to those in branches A. III., A. III.: (as nominal relative) any person that, whoever; (as simple relative) whom, that; = whom pron. III.Now chiefly colloquial* but uncommon in comparison with alternative expressions. a. As the object of a verb. ΚΠ a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) l. 4007 Qua þat godd helpis wid-all, Traistli may he wend ouer-all. 1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. f. ciii^v/1 The kynge of Englande..had great prouision for his oost, by the meanes of Iohn Alenson who he founde at Flauigny. c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 92^v Then leuet he the lede launchet on ferre Mony dange to þe ded with dynt of his hond Who happit hym to hitte harmyt nomo. 1596 E. Spenser Second Pt. Faerie Queene vi. i. sig. Aa^v The sad Briana..Who comming forth yet full of late affray, Sir Calidore vpcheard. View more context for this quotation 1612 W. Symonds Proc. Eng. Colonie Virginia in Narr. Early Virginia (1907) 161 The President..resolved with Captaine Waldo (who he knew to be sure in time of need), to surprise Powhatan and al his provision. 1641 Earl of Monmouth tr. G. F. Biondi Hist. Civil Warres Eng. I. iv. 42 A great Prince who I forbeare to name. 1725 D. Defoe New Voy. round World ii. 17 Our Surgeons, who we all call Doctors at Sea. 1849 J. A. Froude Nemesis of Faith 134 He has a right..to choose who he will have for a teacher. 1858 R. S. Surtees Ask Mamma xxxi Not being able to ask exactly who he liked. 1984 Times 6 Feb. 12/3 Just over half..of our sample who we assessed as working class concurred. 1996 H. Fielding Bridget Jones's Diary 287 People should be allowed to invite who they want to their parties without others pettily getting upset. b. As the object of a preposition. ΚΠ 1727 A. Hamilton New Acct. E. Indies I. Ded. p. iii I have known some Scriblers, or Authors, dedicate their Works to great Men who they hardly knew any more of than their illustrious Names. a1774 A. Tucker Light of Nature (1834) II. 442 Persons who in his best judgment he sees reason to confide in. 1985 M. Baker Cops (1986) ii. 91 He gets out the door, she'll be fucking the guy who he's fighting with her about now. 2019 K. Hudson Lowborn iv. 27 The people who I played kiss chase with. B. n. †1. old who: the right man. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > suitability or appropriateness > [noun] > that which is suitable or appropriate > the appropriate person man1535 old who1594 my man1611 1594 T. Nashe Vnfortunate Traveller sig. G3 He must haue exquisite courtship in him or else he is not old who. 2. A person, indefinitely or abstractly; a ‘someone’. ΘΚΠ the world > people > person > [noun] > some person maneOE someonec1305 somewho1390 somebodya1400 quidam1579 who1654 monkey1815 1654 R. Whitlock Ζωοτομία 149 We have seen the Pittifull who's, and..the slender whats are against modest Learning. 1904 Strand Mag. May 516/1 ‘What ever made you think of it?’ ‘It wasn't a what; it was a who’. 2002 N. Walker Blackbox (2003) 16 He'd made inquiries and was sure that Unfunny John was a who. A bona fide who. 3. With the. (The answer to) the question ‘who?’ ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > enquiry > [noun] > act or instance of > with specific form why1532 how1533 what1556 whoa1774 wh-question1957 why-question1973 1683 G. Hascard Disc. Novelty Reformed Church of Eng. 30 It may serve some honest purposes, to know, the who, and the when, the where, and the how, and other circumstances of its beginning, and proceeding. a1774 O. Goldsmith Haunch of Venison (1776) 2 I was puzzled again, With the how, and the who, and the where, and the when. 1955 Bull. Atomic Scientists June 228/3 The ‘who’ and ‘why’ of ethical judgments may lie in the realm of metaphysics; but the ‘how’ are phenomena in the natural world. 2013 P. D. Miller Stewards Myst. God 150 When the Bible speaks of the stranger, or sojourner..it has something quite specific in mind with reference both to the who and the what. Phrases P1. as who (in relative use). a. With the verb say. †(a) as who saith (also say). (i) Commenting on a preceding statement: that is to say, in other words, which is as much as to say that. Obsolete. ΚΠ c1300 Life & Martyrdom Thomas Becket (Harl. 2277) (1845) l. 1521 ‘Eche lond,’ he seide, ‘is contray to the stronge. As ho saith, theȝ ȝe beo in strange contray ibroȝt, If ȝe beoth strong in Godes lawe, hit ne schal ȝou grevi noȝt.’ a1425 J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) II. 127 Pilat answeride, Þat Y have writun, I have writun; as who seiþ, þis writing shal stonde. c1430 N. Love Mirror Blessed Life (Brasenose e.9) (1908) 213 I haue ouercomen the worlde, als who seye: And so schulle ȝe. c1585 R. Browne Answere to Cartwright 9 Walke before me, and be thou vpright, and I will make my couenant betweene me and thee. As who say, one condition..of the couenant is our vpright and good profession. (ii) Commenting on a preceding or following word or phrase: in a manner of speaking, as it were, you might say, as they say. Obsolete.In quot. a1400: in the manner of, as you might say. ΚΠ a1325 St. Patrick (Corpus Cambr.) l. 386 in C. D'Evelyn & A. J. Mill S. Eng. Legendary (1956) 98 Þis seli gostes..quakede and clyuerede [read chyuerede] faste in drede & pine stronge And abide as wo seiþ hore tyme hore deþ forto auonge. a1400 (c1303) R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne (Harl.) l. 7046 Alle þat spake of syre Troyle Was skraped a-wey, as who sey oyle. c1500 (?a1437) Kingis Quair (1939) lxxvii Sodaynly, as quho sais at a thoght, It opnyt. 1559 W. Baldwin et al. Myrroure for Magistrates Thomas of Woodstock xiv To bridle the prince of a realme, Is euen (as who sayeth) to striue with the streame. (iii) Commenting on a preceding action: as if to say, as though saying. Obsolete. ΚΠ a1425 J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1869) I. 282 (MED) In tokene of þis chaffare, þei beggen after þat þei have prechid, as who seiþ, ȝyve me þi moneie, þat Y am worþi bi my preching. c1450 (c1386) G. Chaucer Envoy to Bukton (Fairf. 16) (1879) l. 4 Whan of Criste our kyng Was axed, what ys trouthe..He nat a worde answerde to that axinge As who saith, noo man is al trew I gesse. a1500 Gesta Romanorum (Gloucester) (1971) 745 (MED) The fyrst ymage hylde ouȝt his honde vn-to me, As who say, ‘Take þis Ryng of my Ȝyf.’ 1611 W. Sclater Key (1629) 14 Papists hence inferre [that the Scriptures are] not to be permitted to lay-people, in their Mother-tongue: abusing to this purpose the saying of Christ, Mat. 7. 6. as who say all Gods people were Dogges. (b) as who should say: as if saying, as if one should say, as one may say, as much as to say. archaic. ΚΠ a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 8611 Ho turned hir ouer..as qua sulde sai I. knaw na harme. 1527 W. Tyndale Parable Wicked Mammon (1528) 36 If I preache (sayeth he) I haue nought to reioyse in, for necessyte is put vnto me, as who shulde say, god hathe made me so. 1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice i. ii. 45 Hee doth nothing but frowne (as who should say, & you will not haue me, choose..). View more context for this quotation 1661 R. L'Estrange Interest Mistaken 127 This is but another Alarm, as who should say; Look to your selves my Masters. 1718 S. Centlivre Bold Stroke for Wife i. ii. 9 They command Regard, as who should say, We are your Defenders. 1841 C. Dickens Barnaby Rudge xliv. 191 Mr. Dennis coughed and shook his head, as who should say, ‘A mystery indeed!’ 1905 H. G. Wells Kipps ii. ix. §1 Sid beamed at Kipps, as who should say, ‘You don't meet a character like this every dinner-time’. 1935 Archit. Rev. 77 270/3 He straightened his back and gave me an old-fashioned look as who should say ‘And I dare you to laugh at me in your damn superior way, blast you.’ 2001 S. Heaney Electric Light 28 Butter wouldn't melt in that smiler's mouth So I smile straight back, as who should say, ‘Good God, You know you're absolutely right.’ †(c) as who would say: as if saying, as if one should say, as one may say, as much as to say. Obsolete. ΚΠ ?1533 W. Tyndale Expos. Mathew v. f. xxxvij They sayde to the Apostles: ye wolde brynge this mannes bloude vppon vs, as who wolde saye, we slue him not. 1579 T. North tr. Plutarch Liues 74 Those which the Grecians call Irenophylaces, as who would saye, peacekeepers. 1664 J. Wilson Andronicus Comnenius i. i They all lookt wistly one on t'other, As who would say, 'twas true enough, but yet [etc.]. 1675 R. Burthogge Cavsa Dei 19 He shall come..in Divine Majesty, as who would say, that when he Judges..He will show himself like God. b. With other verbs (frequently followed by would or should). As or like one who. Hence (with loss of relative force): as if one. Obsolete (archaic in later use). ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > relationship > similarity > [adverb] > as if or as though asOE as ifc1175 askancesc1350 as whoc1380 like asa1393 like1405 like as and1523 c1400 J. Wyclif On the Seven Deadly Sins (Bodl. 647) in Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) III. 123 Þei sellen Gods worde, as who schulde selle an oxe. c1400 (?a1387) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Huntington HM 137) (1873) C. xi. l. 39 Þauh he falle, he falleþ nat bote as ho fulle in a bote, Þat ay is saf and sounde. c1450 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Ashm.) l. 4649 (MED) We erd noȝt in elementis as euirmare to duell, Bot as qua pas a pilgrymage fra Parysch to rome. 1483 W. Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende f. cclxxxxiiii^v/2 He..pressyd her..bytwene foure greete stones, as who shold presse olyues. 1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid vi. vii. 60 Sic wys as quha throw cluddy skyis saw. 1606 P. Holland tr. Suetonius Hist. Twelve Caesars Annot. 14 His courteous cariage and affabilitie: as who was readie to accept of petitions and requests. 1659 T. Fuller Appeal Iniured Innocence i. 2 The Tanner was the Worst of all Masters to his Cattle, as who would not onely load them soundly whilest living, but Tan their Hides when dead. a1677 I. Barrow Several Serm. Evil-speaking (1678) x. 132 Every Man gladly would be Neighbour to a quiet Person, as who..doth afford all the pleasure of Conversation, without any..trouble. 1873 J. Morley Rousseau I. vi. 210 Such speech..was probably..a mere freak of the tongue,..as who should go to a masked ball in guise of Mephistopheles. 1887 W. Morris tr. Homer Odyssey I. xi. 212 With his bow..in his hand and the arrow laid on the string, And peering round about him as who would loose at a thing. †P2. but who: except (one, those) who, who..not. Obsolete.Now replaced by but what at what pron., adv., int., adj.¹, conj., and n. Phrases 1a. ΚΠ 1675 R. Burthogge Cavsa Dei 158 Should none arrive at Heaven but who had first arrived to a State of Perfection.., Heaven would be empty. 1757 Bp. W. Warburton Lett. (1809) 249 I don't meet with one but who singly says yes. 1774 Ld. Kames Sketches Hist. Man I. i. i. 31 There is scarce a peasant but who has a chess-board and men. P3. In interrogative use. a. Forming clauses. (a) who is who (also who's who): (chiefly in subordinate clauses) who is one and who is the other; who each of a number of people is, or what position each holds. Cf. what pron., adv., int., adj.¹, conj., and n. Phrases 2b, which adj. and pron. Phrases 1b. ΚΠ a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) vii. l. 2001 (MED) Noman wiste who was who Ne which was frend ne which was fo. c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Reeve's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 380 She saugh hem bothe two But sikerly she nyste who was who. 1598 Chaucers Dreame in T. Speght Wks. G. Chaucer f. 361^v/1 Neither knew I kirke ne saint Ne what was what, ne who was who. 1713 J. Swift Jrnl. to Stella 4 Jan. (1948) II. 596 I shewd the Bp..at Court who was who. 1860 E. Eden Semi-attached Couple ii Though she could not distinguish who was who, yet she had a right to say she had seen ‘the marquess’. 1902 E. Banks Autobiogr. Newspaper Girl 76 With the exception of those persons of art and letters who were celebrated in my own country as well as in England, I knew nothing of ‘who was who’ in London. 1961 R. Gover One Hundred Dollar Misunderstanding 33 He don' know who. He say, Firs' time in any cathouse, how he sposed t'know who's who. 2013 C. Doctorow Homeland ix. 243 If you want to run more than a couple fake people at a time, you need good tools to help you keep track of who's who in your imaginary world. †(b) who and who are (or who's) together: who is allied with whom; (sometimes also) who is engaged to whom. Obsolete. ΚΠ 1679 J. W. Rochester Artesima to Cloe 3 You expect to hear at least, what Loves have past In this lewd Town; What Change hath hapned of Intrigues, and whether The old Ones last; or who and who's together. 1700 T. Brown Amusem. Serious & Comical vi. 70 Let's..take a Trip into the Land of Marriage, and see Who and Who are together. 1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 35. ⁋3 A general Knowledge of who and who's together. 1720 Mrs. Bradshaw Let. Apr. in Countess of Suffolk Lett. (1824) I. 50 Pray let me hear a little how your court goes, who and who are together. 1840 C. G. Jenkins Miss Aylmer I. 254 There is nothing like a ball, or a party of pleasure for sifting matters right, for showing how people stand, and for telling who and who are together. (c) who does what?: which person will do which task?; hence (as modifier) designating discussion about the allocation of roles, esp. a demarcation dispute about members of which trade union will do a certain job. ΚΠ 1922 H. Walpole Cathedral ii. iii. 194 But who's going to decide who does what?.. We're not much in the sewing line. 1960 Guardian 13 Sept. 3/2 A who-does-what dispute between the Amalgamated Engineering Union and the Electrical Trades Union. 1962 Economist 13 Oct. 118/1 The squabble over who-does-what. 1992 Independent 8 July 19/5 To do this..will need careful career planning and a renegotiation of the ‘who does what’ element of the partnership contract. 2011 Atlantic Nov. 44/3 The American family circa 2011 is, after all, an acutely self-conscious and self-interrogating unit: How does one ‘parent?’ Who does what, which ‘role’? (d) you and who else?: a contemptuous expression of incredulity, conveying scepticism about a person's ability to do some past or threatened deed, esp. of violence. Originally U.S.With quot. 1951 cf. oo pron.² ΚΠ 1927 Life 13 Oct. 34/1 Hey! Whose feet ya walkin' on, huh? Yeah? Ya will? You and who else? For two cents I'll wrap ya around that lamp post. 1929 ‘E. Queen’ Roman Hat Myst. xviii. 260 ‘Forget, and I'll dip you into the East River.’ ‘You and who else?’ breathed Djuna. 1951 P. Branch Lion in Cellar iii. 38 ‘'Oo creased 'im?’ he asked... ‘I did,’ he said firmly... ‘You an' 'oo else?’ he jeered. 1971 A. Morice Murder in Married Life xiii. 124 Julian: ‘Then I'll throw you out.’ Murderer: ‘You and who else, ha ha.’ 2019 J. Sealey If A Wicked Man 139 ‘No man talks to me like that, I'm going to do you, English man!’ he shouted at John. ‘You and who else?’ John said, turning around to face him. b. With intensive additions, as in who the deuce, who the devil, who the dickens, who in the world, who on earth, etc.: see also the nouns. ΚΠ 1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) v. l. 743 Quha dewill thaim maid so galy for to ryd? a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. xiv. 168 Certys, that boy shall dere aby... Shall he be kyng thus hastely? Who the dewill made hym knyght? 1525 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles II. ii. A iij Some therat dide murmure and..sayd: Who the deuyll hath sent for theym? 1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones V. xv. v. 229 Why, who the Devil are you? View more context for this quotation a1777 S. Foote Cozeners (1778) ii. 30 The family above..are a strange unaccountable tribe: Pray, who the deuce are they? 1847 A. S. Mayhew & H. Mayhew Greatest Plague of Life vii. 87 I wanted to ask her who the dickens she took me for. a1849 H. Coleridge Ess. & Marginalia (1851) I. 255 Who upon earth could ever paint the bare sea? 1921 Amer. Woman Jan. 15/3 Why, it was just like a city shop—who in the world had started it here? 1982 P. Redmond Brookside (Mersey TV shooting script) (O.E.D. Archive) Episode 1. 59 I don't know who the hell you are, Pal; or what your game is but carry on like this and I'll spread you all over that car. 2001 People (Sydney) 13 Aug. 16/2 This means some punters now know who the fuck she is. c. Used as nouns or adjectives. †(a) who not: any one whatever, any one and every one, all kinds of people (cf. sense A. 2 and what-not n. 1) Obsolete. ΚΠ a1586 Sir P. Sidney Apol. Poetrie (1595) sig. D 2 Innumerable examples,..as Brutus, Alphonsus.., and who not. 1691 A. Wood Athenæ Oxonienses I. 18 He was great with..Erasmus, Grocyn, Latimer, Tonstall, and who not. †(b) who-say: a vague report, a rumour; (in quot. ?a1600) a pretended excuse. Obsolete (regional in later use). ΚΠ ?a1600 ( R. Sempill Legend Bischop St. Androis in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xlv. 379 Half way hameward vp the calsay, [He] Said to his servandis for a quha say: ‘Alace! the porter is foryett’. 1825 J. Jennings Observ. Dial. W. Eng. 83 Whosay, or Hoosay, a wandering report; an observation of no weight. †(c) who-do-you-think ( †who-dost-think), substituted for the name of a person to be guessed. Obsolete. ΚΠ 1615 R. Brathwait Strappado 131 Heere stood I musing..Till Iockie wha dost thinke speard vp to me. (d) (i) God knows who, the Lord knows who, etc.: some person or people unknown, or of unknown origin, status, etc.; cf. sense A. 3. ΚΠ 1704 D. Baillie Let. 8 Feb. in Acct. Proc. Privy Council Scotl. against D. Baillie 9 Some all Commendations and Services to the Lord knows who, to the Acquainted and Unacquainted. 1744 M. Bishop Life Matthew Bishop 99 To throw herself away upon the Lord knows who. 1822 Ld. Byron Werner iv. i. 50 The country (nominally now at peace) Is over-run with—God knows who. 2007 G. Hurley One Under i. 17 Had the victim stumbled down this way, dragged by God knows who, maybe roped, maybe injured? (ii) I don't know (also †I know not) who, etc.: some person or persons unknown, or of unknown origin, status, etc. (cf. sense A. 3). ΚΠ 1823 R. Southey Hist. Peninsular War I. v. 249 (note) St. Antonio on one side, and St. I know not who on the other. 1905 E. Glyn Vicissitudes Evangeline 5 Mamma's father was a lord, and her mother I don't know who. 2005 S. Rushdie Shalimar the Clown 250 He just wants to kill everyone now... His wife, okay, that was a problem before, but now it's also the philandering ambassador, and the whole army, and I don't know who else. (iii) colloquial. I don't know (also heaven knows, etc.) who all: various other unknown or unspecified people; cf. I don't know what all at what pron., adv., int., adj.¹, conj., and n. Phrases 5a(a). ΚΠ 1844 T. C. Haliburton Attaché 2nd Ser. II. i. 17 And then he'd go over a whole string—Mason, Mickle, Burns, and I don't know who all. 1877 Testimony Court Martial Captain Alexander Moore 14 I was present for one, and I think Lieut. Burke, and perhaps Lieut. Morton, Mr. Strahorn, and I don't know who all. 1932 D. Hammett Man called Spade in Nightmare Town (1999) 294 If I don't come across I've got to stand for riding from the captain, the chief, the newspapers, and heaven knows who all. 1990 G. G. Liddy Monkey Handlers vii. 109 Without gettin' my ass shot off by the Border Patrol, the INS, Customs agents, and Christ knows who all else. 2012 E. M. Lorance & P. W. Floyd Out of Darkness into Light xv. 92 We were doing a television show one time with Arnold Williams, Dillard Parsley, and I don't know who all—just a big group of guys from State Farm. †(e) who's-afraid: (as an adjectival phrase) defiant, swaggering. Obsolete. ΚΠ 1837 C. Dickens Pickwick Papers xl. 437 A vagabondish who's-afraid sort of bearing. 1854 H. H. Riley Puddleford v. 75 Next came the sun-fish, jerking along, filled with fire and fury, with a kind of who's-afraid sort of look. 1915 G. B. Shaw in New Statesman 8 May 109/2 Nothing that I have read in Butler, or gathered from his conversation, conveys the very faintest suggestion of terror or of the ‘who’s afraid’ attitude. d. says who?: see say v.¹ and int. Phrases 10g. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2022; most recently modified version published online December 2022). > as lemmas W.H.O. W.H.O. n. World Health Organization. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > [noun] > good health > state of being conducive to > organization Sokol1910 World Health Organization1945 W.H.O.1946 ASH1968 1946 N.Y. Times 28 July iv. 2/3 Dr Thomas Parran..described the constitution of the WHO as a major contribution to world peace. 1960 New Statesman 2 Apr. 478/3 The Americans are..working with the WHO to build hospitals and eliminate malaria. 1977 G. Scott Hot Pursuit xi. 98 If this was a WHO team..we could be passing up the one opportunity we had. extracted from Wn. < pron.n.eOE as lemmas
随便看	free-heartedly free-heartedness free-list free-liver free-living free-loveism free-lover free-loving free-luncher free-market fundamentalism free-market fundamentalist free-marketeering free-miened free-milling free-minded free-mindedness free-mouthed free-moving free-placer free-quarter free-quarterer free-radical damage free-radical mechanism free-radical scavenger free-radical scavenging

whopron.n.

Phrases

> as lemmas