What is the difference between what and why?
what | why |
(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) :
(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= In some manner or degree; in part; partly; usually followed by with .
Such.
(label) Why?
* (rfdate) (Chaucer)
* (rfdate) (John Milton)
Used to introduce each of two coordinate phrases or concepts; both…and.
* :
* 1605 Wm. Shakespeare, King Lear
(British, colloquial, dated) Is that not true?
Which; which kind of.
How much; how great (used in an exclamation).
(obsolete) something; thing; stuff
* Spenser
For what cause, reason, or purpose.
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* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-20, volume=408, issue=8845, magazine=(The Economist)
, title= reason
An exclamation used to express indignation, mild surprise, or impatience. "Well, I'll tell you...".
* Daniel Defoe
(UK, dialect) A young heifer.
As adverbs the difference between what and why
is that what is in some manner or degree; in part; partly; usually followed by with while why is for what cause, reason, or purpose.As interjections the difference between what and why
is that what is An expression of surprise or disbelief.why is an exclamation used to express indignation, mild surprise, or impatience. "Well, I'll tell you...".As nouns the difference between what and why
is that what is something; thing; stuff while why is reason.As a pronoun what
is which thing, event, circumstance, etc.: used interrogatively in asking for the specification of an identity, quantity, quality, etc.As a determiner what
is which; which kind of.what
English
(wikipedia what)Pronoun
(English Pronouns)- That’s her; that’s the thing what has stole his heart from me.
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
(-)- What should I tell the answer of the knight?
- But what do I stand reckoning upon advantages and gains lost by the misrule and turbulency of the prelates?
- 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
* suchInterjection
(en interjection)- What , have his daughters brought him to this pass?
- What ! That’s amazing.
- It’s a nice day, what'''?'' (sometimes repeated, e.g.: '''''What'''-'''what ? )
Determiner
(en determiner)- What shirt are you going to wear?
- What time is it?
- What kind of car is that?
- What talent he has!
- What a talent!
Derived terms
* wat * what ho * whatness * what's whatNoun
(-)- 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
*why
English
(wikipedia why)Etymology 1
From (etyl), from (etyl) . See (l).Adverb
(-)- Why is the sky blue?
- Why did you do that?
- I don’t know why he did that
- Tell me why the moon changes phase.
- Why spend money on something you already get for free?
- Why not tell him how you feel?
- Why''' him? '''Why not someone taller?
Welcome to the plastisphere, passage=Plastics are energy-rich substances, which is why many of them burn so readily. Any organism that could unlock and use that energy would do well in the Anthropocene. Terrestrial bacteria and fungi which can manage this trick are already familiar to experts in the field.}}
Synonyms
* how come, whereforeNoun
(en noun)- A good article will cover the who, the what, the when, the where, the why and the how .
Synonyms
* whereforeInterjection
(en interjection)- “Why , child, I tell thee if I was thy mother I would not disown thee; don't you see I am as kind to you as if I was your mother?”
Derived terms
* whyever * why in God's name * why not * why on Earth * whys and wherefores * why the Devil * why the dickens * why the fuckEtymology 2
Noun
(whies)- (Grose)