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This vs What - What's the difference?

this | what |

As determiners the difference between this and what

is that this is while what is which; which kind of.

As a pronoun what is

(interrogative) which thing, event, circumstance, etc: used interrogatively in asking for the specification of an identity, quantity, quality, etc.

As an adverb what is

in some manner or degree; in part; partly; usually followed by with .

As an interjection what is

.

As a noun what is

(obsolete) something; thing; stuff.

this

English

(wikipedia this)

Determiner

  • The (thing) here (used in indicating something or someone nearby).
  • The known (thing) (used in indicating something or someone just mentioned).
  • The known (thing) (used in indicating something or someone about to be mentioned).
  • A known (thing) (used in first mentioning a person or thing that the speaker does not think is known to the audience). Compare with "a ... ".
  • (Of a unit of time) which is .

    • Related terms

    * that, these, those

    Derived terms

    * thisness *

    Adverb

    (-)
  • To the degree or extent indicated.
    • I need this much water.
    We've already come this far, we can't turn back now.

    Pronoun

    (en-pron)
  • The thing, item, etc. being indicated.
    • This is the excellent foppery of the world, that, when we are sick in fortune,—often the surfeit of our own behaviour,—we make guilty of our disasters the sun, the moon, and the stars'' — Shakespeare, ''King Lear , Act 1. Scene 2.

    Related terms

    * that, these, those

    Noun

    (es)
  • (philosophy) Something being indicated that is here; one of these.
  • * 2001 , James G. Lennox, Aristotle's Philosophy of Biology (page 151)
    • Terms like 'house', 'sphere', 'animal', and 'human' do not refer to other thises distinct from these ones here — they refer to the sort of thing these ones here are.

    Interjection

    (-)
  • (Internet slang)
    • Synonyms
    * , like * IAWTP

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * * * * * 100 English basic words English third person pronouns 1000 English basic words ----

    what

    English

    (wikipedia what)

    Pronoun

    (English Pronouns)
  • (interrogative) Which thing, event, circumstance, etc.: used interrogatively in asking for the specification of an identity, quantity, quality, etc.
  • (relative, nonstandard) That; which.
  • * 1902 , , (The Admirable Crichton) :
    • That’s her; that’s the thing what has stole his heart from me.
  • (relative) That which; those that; the thing that.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-21, author=(Oliver Burkeman)
    • , volume=189, issue=2, page=48, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= The tao of tech , passage=The dirty secret of the internet is that all this distraction and interruption is immensely profitable. Web companies like to boast […, or offering services that let you "stay up to date with what your friends are doing",

    Adverb

    (-)
  • In some manner or degree; in part; partly; usually followed by with .
  • Such.
  • (label) Why?
  • * (rfdate) (Chaucer)
    • What should I tell the answer of the knight?
  • * (rfdate) (John Milton)
    • But what do I stand reckoning upon advantages and gains lost by the misrule and turbulency of the prelates?
  • Used to introduce each of two coordinate phrases or concepts; both…and.
  • * :
    • And as for on C good knyghtes I haue my self / but I fawte / l / for so many haue ben slayne in my dayes / and so Ladegreans delyuerd his doughter Gweneuer vnto Merlyn / and the table round with the C knyghtes / and so they rode fresshly with grete royalte / what' by water and ' what by land / tyl that they came nyghe vnto london

    Synonyms

    * such

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • * 1605 Wm. Shakespeare, King Lear
    • What , have his daughters brought him to this pass?
    What ! That’s amazing.
  • (British, colloquial, dated) Is that not true?
    • It’s a nice day, what'''?'' (sometimes repeated, e.g.: '''''What'''-'''what ? )

    Determiner

    (en determiner)
  • Which; which kind of.
    • What shirt are you going to wear?
    What time is it?
    What kind of car is that?
  • How much; how great (used in an exclamation).
    • What talent he has!
    What a talent!

    Derived terms

    * wat * what ho * whatness * what's what

    Noun

    (-)
  • (obsolete) something; thing; stuff
  • * Spenser
    • They prayd him sit, and gave him for to feed / Such homely what as serves the simple clowne, / That doth despise the dainties of the towne

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * 100 English basic words English interrogative pronouns English terms with homophones 1000 English basic words