[that] pron, pl those [ME, fr. OE thaet, neut. demonstrative pron. & definite article; akin to OHG daz, neuter demonstrative pron. & definite article, Gk to, L istud, neut. demonstrative pron.] (bef. 12c) 1 a: the person, thing, or idea indicated, mentioned, or understood from the situation "~ is my father" b: the time, action, or event specified "after ~ I went to bed" c: the kind or thing specified as follows "the purest water is ~ produced by distillation" d: one or a group of the indicated kind "~'s a cat -- quick and agile"
2. a: the one farther away or less immediately under observation or discussion "those are maples and these are elms" b: the former one 3 a--used as a function word after and to indicate emphatic repetition of the idea expressed by a previous word or phrase "he was helpful, and ~ to an unusual degree" b--used as a function word immediately before or after a word group consisting of a verbal auxiliary or a form of the verb be preceded by there or a personal pronoun subject to indicate emphatic repetition of the idea expressed by a previous verb or predicate noun or predicate adjective "is she capable? She is ~"
4. a: the one: the thing: the kind: something, anything "the truth of ~ which is true" "the senses are ~ whereby we experience the world" "what's ~ you say" b pl: some persons "those who think the time has come" -- all that : everything of the kind indicated "tact, discretion, and all that" -- at that 1: in spite of what has been said or implied
2: in addition:
[2]besides
[2]that conj (bef. 12c) 1 a (1)--used as a function word to introduce a noun clause that is usu. the subject or object of a verb or a predicate nominative "said ~ he was afraid" (2)--used as a function word to introduce a subordinate clause that is anticipated by the expletive it occurring as subject of the verb "it is unlikely ~ he'll be in" (3)--used as a function word to introduce a subordinate clause that is joined as complement to a noun or adjective "we are certain ~ this is true" "the fact ~ you are here" (4)--used as a function word to introduce a subordinate clause modifying an adverb or adverbial expression "will go anywhere ~ he is invited" b--used as a function word to introduce an exclamatory clause expressing a strong emotion esp. of surprise, sorrow, or indignation "~ it should come to this]"
2. a (1)--used as a function word to introduce a subordinate clause expressing purpose or desired result "cutting down expenses ~ her son might inherit an unencumbered estate --W. B. Yeats" (2)--used as a function word to introduce a subordinate clause expressing a reason or cause "rejoice ~ you are lightened of a load --Robert Browning" (3)--used as a function word to introduce a subordinate clause expressing consequence, result, or effect "are of sufficient importance ~ they cannot be neglected --Hannah Wormington" b--used as a function word to introduce an exclamatory clause expressing a wish "oh, ~ he would come" 3--used as a function word after a subordinating conjunction without modifying its meaning "if ~ thy bent of love be honorable --Shak." [3]that adj, pl those (13c) 1 a: being the person, thing, or idea specified, mentioned, or understood b: being the one specified--usu. used for emphasis "~ rarity among leaders" "~ brother of yours" c: so great a: such
2: the farther away or less immediately under observation or discussion "this chair or ~ one" [4]that pron [ME, fr. OE thaet, neut. rel. pron., fr. thaet, neut. demonstrative pron.] (bef. 12c) 1--used as a function word to introduce a restrictive relative clause and to serve as a substitute within that clause for the substantive modified by the clause "the house ~ Jack built" "I'll make a ghost of him ~ lets me --Shak."
2. a: at which: in which: on which: by which: with which: to which "each year ~ the lectures are given" b: according to what: to the extent of what--used after a negative "has never been here ~ I know of" 3 a archaic: that which b obs: the person who usage That, which, who: In current usage that refers to persons or things, which chiefly to things and rarely to subhuman entities, who chiefly to persons and sometimes to animals. The notion that that should not be used to refer to persons is without foundation; such use is entirely standard. Because that has no genitive form or construction, of which or whose must be substituted for it in contexts that call for the genitive. usage That, which: Although some handbooks say otherwise, that and which are both regularly used to introduce restrictive clauses in edited prose. Which is also used to introduce nonrestrictive clauses. That was formerly used to introduce nonrestrictive clauses; such use is virtually nonexistent in present-day edited prose, though it may occas. be found in poetry. [5]that adv (15c) 1: to such an extent "a nail about ~ long"
2: very, extremely--usu. used with the negative "did not take the festival ~ seriously --Eric Goldman"