释义 |
what /wɒt /pronoun1 [interrogative pronoun] Asking for information specifying something: what is your name? I’m not sure what you mean...- You could be run over by the car of bad luck tomorrow, and what will it all have been for?
- If we did it in a normal car it would have been easier to do but what's the fun in that?
- If he was a fool, what were those his folly whipped into orgies of vicious mockery?
1.1Asking for repetition of something not heard or confirmation of something not understood: what? I can’t hear you you did what? 2 [relative pronoun] The thing or things that (used in specifying something): what we need is a commitment...- No one expects us to win, so we just have to go out and give it our all, have a go at them and with a bit of luck who knows what we might achieve.
- Of course, you need to build on your luck and that's what we aim to do against Coventry this weekend.
- She would have wanted us all to be happy and to have fun so that is what we will do.
2.1(Referring to the whole of an amount) whatever: I want to do what I can to make a difference...- She should be able to have fun and do what she wants and not have people antagonising her.
- The coherent arrangement of the pictures allows one to seek out what one wishes to view.
3(In exclamations) emphasizing something surprising or remarkable: what some people do for a crust! determiner1 [interrogative determiner] Asking for information specifying something: what time is it? do you know what excuse he gave?...- She only cycles at walking pace, so what excuse has she for not obeying the law and dismounting?
- So what excuse does the council have for not allowing food waste in the green bins, it all rots down?
- Send us an email explaining what you feel you can bring to the station and what genre of music you play.
2 [relative determiner] (Referring to the whole of an amount) whatever: he had been robbed of what little money he had...- Much of the debate centred on what money and powers the Government would give assemblies.
- This is just a small amount of what cruelty actually happens, and this is only in Britain as well.
- Stop ruining what little enjoyment some of us poor souls can manage to eke out of the average tedious day.
3(In exclamations) how great or remarkable: [as determiner]: what luck! [as predeterminer]: what a fool she was...- He remarks what a lovely and expensive machine it is and that he will take care of it for you.
- I should have known better than to comment on what a lovely morning it was this morning.
- Only a simple plaque at the graveyard entrance hints at what a remarkable man he was.
interrogative adverb1To what extent? what does it matter? 2Used to indicate an estimate or approximation: see you, what, about four? 3 informal, dated Used for emphasis or to invite agreement: pretty poor show, what? Phrases and (or or) what have you and what not what about ——? what-d'you-call-it (or what's-its-name) what for? what if ——? what is more what next what of ——? what of it? what's-his (or -its) -name what say ——? what's what what with what's with ——? Origin Old English hwæt, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wat and German was, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin quod. Rhymes allot, begot, Bernadotte, blot, bot, capot, clot, cocotte, cot, culotte, dot, forgot, garrotte (US garrote), gavotte, got, grot, hot, jot, knot, lot, Mayotte, motte, not, Ott, outshot, plot, pot, rot, sans-culotte, Scot, Scott, shallot, shot, slot, snot, sot, spot, squat, stot, swat, swot, tot, trot, undershot, Wat, Watt, wot, yacht |