Chapter Weyve to Wheal of W by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

1. As an interrogative pronoun, used in asking questions regarding either persons or things; as, what is this? what did you say? what poem is this? what child is lost?

What see'st thou in the ground?

Shak.

What is man, that thou art mindful of him?

Ps. viii. 4.

What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

Matt. viii. 27.

Originally, what, when, where, which, who, why, etc., were interrogatives only, and it is often difficult to determine whether they are used as interrogatives or relatives.

What in this sense, when it refers to things, may be used either substantively or adjectively; when it refers to persons, it is used only adjectively with a noun expressed, who being the pronoun used substantively.

2. As an exclamatory word: — (a) Used absolutely or independently; — often with a question following. "What welcome be thou." Chaucer.

What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Matt. xxvi. 40.

(b) Used adjectively, meaning how remarkable, or how great; as, what folly! what eloquence! what courage!

What a piece of work is man!

Shak.

O what a riddle of absurdity!

Young.

What in this use has a or an between itself and its noun if the qualitative or quantitative importance of the object is emphasized.

(c) Sometimes prefixed to adjectives in an adverbial sense, as nearly equivalent to how; as, what happy boys!

What partial judges are our love and hate!

Dryden.

3. As a relative pronoun: —

(a) Used substantively with the antecedent suppressed, equivalent to that which, or those [persons] who, or those [things] which; — called a compound relative.

With joy beyond what victory bestows.

Cowper.

I'm thinking Captain Lawton will count the noses of what are left before they see their whaleboats.

Cooper.

What followed was in perfect harmony with this beginning.

Macaulay.

I know well . . . how little you will be disposed to criticise what comes to you from me.

J. H. Newman.

(b) Used adjectively, equivalent to the . . . which; the sort or kind of . . . which; rarely, the . . . on, or at, which.

See what natures accompany what colors.

Bacon.

To restrain what power either the devil or any earthly enemy hath to work us woe.

Milton.

We know what master laid thy keel,
What workmen wrought thy ribs of steel.

Longfellow.