noun something; thing; stuff.
2. what (·pron, ·adj, ·adv) as a relative pronoun.
3. what (interrogative ·adv) why? for what purpose? on what account?.
4. what (·pron, ·adj, ·adv) whatever; whatsoever; what thing soever;
used indefinitely.
5. what (·pron, ·adj, ·adv) as an exclamatory word:
(a) used absolutely or independently;
often with a question following.
6. what (·pron, ·adj, ·adv) used adverbially in a sense corresponding to the adjectival use; as, he picked what good fruit he saw.
7. what (·pron, ·adj, ·adv) used adjectively, meaning how remarkable, or how great; as, what folly! what eloquence! what courage!.
8. what (·pron, ·adj, ·adv) sometimes prefixed to adjectives in an adverbial sense, as nearly equivalent to how; as, what happy boys!.
9. what (·pron, ·adj, ·adv) used adjectively, equivalent to the ... which; the sort or kind of ... which; rarely, the ... on, or at, which.
10. what (·pron, ·adj, ·adv) used adverbially, in part; partly; somewhat;
with a following preposition, especially, with, and commonly with repetition.
11. what (·pron, ·adj, ·adv) used substantively with the antecedent suppressed, equivalent to that which, or those who, or those which;
called a compound relative.
12. what (·pron, ·adj, ·adv) as an interrogative pronoun, used in asking questions regarding either persons or things; as, what is this? what did you say? what poem is this? what child is lost?.