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What vs Identify - What's the difference?

what | identify |

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.

As a noun what

is (obsolete) something; thing; stuff.

As a verb identify is

to establish the identity of someone or something.

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

    *

    identify

    English

    Verb

  • To establish the identity of someone or something.
  • *
  • (biology) To establish the taxonomic classification of an organism.
  • *
  • To equate or make the same; to unite or combine into one.
  • * D. Ramsay
  • Every precaution is taken to identify the interests of the people and of the rulers.
  • * Burke
  • Let us identify , let us incorporate ourselves with the people.
  • (reflexive) To have a strong affinity (with); to feel oneself to be modelled on or connected to.
  • * 1999 , Joyce Crick, translating Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams , Oxford 2008, p. 117:
  • The dream is given a new interpretation if in her dream she means not herself but her friend, if she has put herself in the place of her friend, or, as we may say, she has identified herself with her.
  • To associate oneself with some group.
  • *
  • To claim an identity; to describe oneself as a member of a group; to assert the use of a particular term to describe oneself.
  • * {{quote-magazine
  • , year=2010 , author= , title=Youth Who Self-Identify as Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual at Higher Suicide Risk, Say Researchers , date=Feb. 6, 2010 , magazine=Science Daily citation , passage="The main message is that it's the interface between individuals and society that causes students who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual the most distress," said study first author Yue Zhao. }}

    Synonyms

    * to ID