what: [OE] What traces its history right back to Indo-European *qwod, which also produced Latin quod ‘what’. The Germanic descendant of this was *khwat, which has evolved into German was, Dutch wat, Swedish vad, Danish hvad, and English what.
what (pron.)
Old English hwæt, referring to things in abstraction; also "why, wherefore; indeed, surely, truly," from Proto-Germanic pronoun *hwat (cognates: Old Saxon hwat, Old Norse hvat, Danish hvad, Old Frisian hwet, Dutch wat, Old High German hwaz, German was, Gothic hva "what"), from PIE *kwod, neuter singular of *kwos "who" (see who). Corresponding to Latin quid.
Meaning "what did you say?" is recorded from c. 1300. As an adjective and adverb, in Old English. As a conjunction in late Old English. Exclamatory use was in Old English. What the _____ (devil, etc.) as an exclamation of surprise is from late 14c. As an interrogative expletive at the end of sentences from 1891; common in affected British speech. Or what as an alternative end to a question is first attested 1766. What have you "anything else one can think of" is from 1925. What's up? "what is happening?" first recorded 1881.
"To give one what for is to respond to his remonstrant what for? by further assault" [Weekley]. The phrase is attested from 1873; what for? as introducing a question is from 1760. To know what is what is from c. 1400; I'll tell you what to emphasize what is about to be said is in Shakespeare.
实用例句
1. For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?
我们活着是为了什么？不就是给邻居当笑柄，再反过来笑他们。
来自《傲慢与偏见》
2. Instead of complaining about what's wrong, be grateful for what's right.
别抱怨不好的事，要对好的事心存感恩。
来自金山词霸 每日一句
3. A fellow doesn't last long on what he has done. He's got to keep on delivering as he goes along.--Carl Hubbell, Baseball Player
靠过去完成的无法让人保有成功，必须在路上持续交出成绩。
来自金山词霸 每日一句
4. The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do.
你是什么样的人和你想成为什么样的之间的差距就是，你做了什么。
来自金山词霸 每日一句
5. Remember, happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely upon what you think.--Dale Carnegie
