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Whale vs What - What's the difference?

whale | what |

As nouns the difference between whale and what

is that whale is any of several species of large sea mammals of the order cetacea while what is (obsolete) something; thing; stuff.

As a verb whale

is to hunt for whales.

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 determiner what is

which; which kind of.

whale

English

(wikipedia whale) (Cetacea)

Noun

(en noun)
  • Any of several species of large sea mammals of the order Cetacea.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-03, volume=408, issue=8847, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= Yesterday’s fuel , passage=The dawn of the oil age was fairly recent. Although the stuff was used to waterproof boats in the Middle East 6,000 years ago, extracting it in earnest began only in 1859 after an oil strike in Pennsylvania.
  • (figuratively) Something, or someone, that is very large.
  • * 1920 September, “A Reformed Free Lance” (pseudonym), “Doctoring a Sick Encyclopedia”, in The Writer , Volume XXXII, Number 9, page 131:
    • It was a whale of a job. It took two months, and the fair blush of youth off my cheeks.
  • * 1947 May 19, John Chamberlain, “Will Clayton and his Problem”, in , page 120:
    • But when it comes to his business life and business career, is not as other men; he is such a whale of a lot better that it suggests a qualitative as well as a quantitative difference.
  • (gambling) (In a casino) a person who routinely bets at the maximum limit allowable.
  • * 2003 , Jeff Wuorio, How to Buy and Sell (Just About) Everything ,
    • These are often no-limit games as maximum bets cramp a whale ’s style.
  • * 2004 , Norm Clarke, Vegas Confidential: Norm! Sin City's Ace Insider 1,000 Naked Truths, Hot Spots and Cool Stuff ,
    • A handful of the richest whales routinely play for $200,000 a hand. Australian media mogul Kerry Packer not only regularly bets that much, but has plunked down $200,000 bets for the dealer as a form of a tip.
  • * 2008', Deke Castleman, '''''Whale Hunt in the Desert ,
    • The high roller who had the most ferocious reputation for trying to run the business of the casinos where he played, before he died on December 26, 2006, was Kerry Packer. In the casino world, Packer was the Prince of Whales .

    Derived terms

    * blue whale * fin whale * have a whale of a time * humpback whale * killer whale * narwhal * pilot whale * sperm whale * whale catfish * whaler * whale fall * whalefish * whalelore * whale shark * whale watching * whaling

    See also

    (other associated terms) * baleen * cachalot * cete * orca * gam * pod * rorqual

    Verb

  • To hunt for whales.
  • To flog, to beat.

    • Anagrams

    *

    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

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    Anagrams

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