Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

That

That

,
p
ron.
,
Adj.
, c
onj.
, &
adv.
[AS.
ðaet
, neuter nom. & acc. sing. of the article (originally a demonstrative pronoun). The nom. masc.
sē
, and the nom. fem.
seó
are from a different root. AS.
ðaet
is akin to D.
dat
, G.
das
, OHG.
daz
, Sw. & Dan.
det
, Icel.
þat
(masc.
sā
, fem.
sō
), Goth.
þata
(masc.
sa
, fem.
sō
), Gr. [GREEK] (masc. [GREEK], fem. [GREEK]), Skr.
tat
(for
tad
, masc.
sas
, fem.
sā
); cf. L. is
tud
that. √184. Cf.
The
,
Their
,
They
,
Them
,
This
,
Than
,
Since
.]
1.
As a demonstrative pronoun (
pl.
Those
), that usually points out, or refers to, a person or thing previously mentioned, or supposed to be understood. That, as a demonstrative, may precede the noun to which it refers;
as,
that
which he has said is true;
those
in the basket are good apples.
The early fame of Gratian was equal to
that
of the most celebrated princes.
Gibbon.
☞ That may refer to an entire sentence or paragraph, and not merely to a word. It usually follows, but sometimes precedes, the sentence referred to.
That
be far from thee, to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked.
Gen. xviii. 25.
And when Moses heard
that
, he was content.
Lev. x. 20.
I will know your business, Harry,
that
I will.
Shakespeare
☞ That is often used in opposition to this, or by way of distinction, and in such cases this, like the Latin hic and French ceci, generally refers to that which is nearer, and that, like Latin ille and French cela, to that which is more remote. When they refer to foreign words or phrases, this generally refers to the latter, and that to the former.
Two principles in human nature reign;
Self-love, to urge, and Reason, to restrain;
Nor
this
a good, nor
that
a bad we call.
Pope.
If the Lord will, we shall live, and do
this
or
that
.
James iv. 16.
2.
As an adjective, that has the same demonstrative force as the pronoun, but is followed by a noun.
It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for
that
city.
Matt. x. 15.
The woman was made whole from
that
hour.
Matt. ix. 22.
☞ That was formerly sometimes used with the force of the article the, especially in the phrases that one, that other, which were subsequently corrupted into th’tone, th'tother (now written t'other).
Upon a day out riden knightes two . . .
That one
of them came home,
that other
not.
Chaucer.
3.
As a relative pronoun, that is equivalent to who or which, serving to point out, and make definite, a person or thing spoken of, or alluded to, before, and may be either singular or plural.
He
that
reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame.
Prov. ix. 7.
A judgment
that
is equal and impartial must incline to the greater probabilities.
Bp. Wilkins.
☞ If the relative clause simply conveys an additional idea, and is not properly explanatory or restrictive, who or which (rarely that) is employed; as, the king that (or who) rules well is generally popular; Victoria, who (not that) rules well, enjoys the confidence of her subjects. Ambiguity may in some cases be avoided in the use of that (which is restrictive) instead of who or which, likely to be understood in a coordinating sense.
Bain.

That was formerly used for that which, as what is now; but such use is now archaic.
We speak
that
we do know, and testify
that
we have seen.
John iii. 11.
That
I have done it is thyself to wite [blame].
Chaucer.
That , as a relative pronoun, cannot be governed by a preposition preceding it, but may be governed by one at the end of the sentence which it commences.
The ship
that
somebody was sailing in.
Sir W. Scott.
In Old English, that was often used with the demonstratives he, his, him, etc., and the two together had the force of a relative pronoun; thus, that he = who; that his = whose; that him = whom.
I saw to-day a corpse yborn to church
That
now on Monday last I saw
him
wirche [work].
Chaucer.
Formerly, that was used, where we now commonly use which, as a relative pronoun with the demonstrative pronoun that as its antecedent.
That
that
dieth, let it die; and that
that
is to cut off, let it be cut off.
Zech. xi. 9.
4.
As a conjunction, that retains much of its force as a demonstrative pronoun.
It is used, specifically: –
(a)
To introduce a clause employed as the object of the preceding verb, or as the subject or predicate nominative of a verb.
She tells them 't is a causeless fantasy,
And childish error,
that
they are afraid.
Shakespeare
I have shewed before,
that
a mere possibility to the contrary, can by no means hinder a thing from being highly credible.
Bp. Wilkins.
(b)
To introduce, a reason or cause; – equivalent to for that, in that, for the reason that, because.
He does hear me;
And
that
he does, I weep.
Shakespeare
(c)
To introduce a purpose; – usually followed by may, or might, and frequently preceded by so, in order, to the end, etc.
These things I say,
that
ye might be saved.
John v. 34.
To the end
that
he may prolong his days.
Deut. xvii. 20.
(d)
To introduce a consequence, result, or effect; – usually preceded by so or such, sometimes by that.
The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds
Attest their joy,
that
hill and valley rings.
Milton.
He gazed so long
That
both his eyes were dazzled.
Tennyson.
(e)
To introduce a clause denoting time; – equivalent to in which time, at which time, when .
So wept Duessa until eventide,
That
shining lamps in Jove's high course were lit.
Spenser.
Is not this the day
That
Hermia should give answer of her choice?
Shakespeare
(f)
In an elliptical sentence to introduce a dependent sentence expressing a wish, or a cause of surprise, indignation, or the like.
Ha, cousin Silence,
that
thou hadst seen that that this knight and I have seen!
Shakespeare
O God,
that
right should thus overcome might!
Shakespeare
☞ That was formerly added to other conjunctions or to adverbs to make them emphatic.
To try if
that
our own be ours or no.
Shakespeare
That is sometimes used to connect a clause with a preceding conjunction on which it depends.
When he had carried Rome and
that
we looked
For no less spoil than glory.
Shakespeare
5.
As adverb: To such a degree; so;
as, he was
that
frightened he could say nothing
.
[Archaic or in illiteral use.]
All that
,
everything of that kind; all that sort.

With singing, laughing, ogling, and
all that
.
Pope.
The rank is but the guinea's stamp,
The man's the gowd [gold] for
a'that
.
Burns.
–
For that
.
See under
For
,
p
rep.
–
In that
.
See under
In
,
p
rep.

Webster 1828 Edition

That

THAT

, an adjective, pronoun or substitute.
1.
That is a word used as a definitive adjective, pointing to a certain person or thing before mentioned, or supposed to be understood. 'Here is that book we have been seeking this hour.' 'Here goes that man we were talking of.'
It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city. Matt.10.
2.
That is used definitively, to designate a specific thing or person emphatically.
The woman was made whole from that hour. Matt.9.
In these cases, that is an adjective. In the two first examples,the may be substituted for it. 'Here is the book we have been seeking.' 'Here goes the man we were talking of.' But in other cases, the cannot supply its place, and that may be considered as more emphatically definite than the.
3.
That is used as the representative of a noun, either a person or a thing. In this use, it is often a pronoun and a relative. When it refers to persons, it is equivalent to who, and when it refers to a thing, it is equivalent to which. In this use, it represents either the singular number or the plural.
He that reproveth a scorner, getteth to himself shame. Prov.9.
They that hate me without a cause, are more than the hairs of my head. Ps.63.
A judgment that is equal and impartial, must incline to the greater probabilities.
They shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend. Matt.13.
4.
That is also the representative of a sentence or part of a sentence, and often of a series of sentences. In this case, that is not strictly a pronoun, a word standing for a noun; but is, so to speak, a pro-sentence, the substitute for a sentence, to save the repetition of it.
And when Moses heard that, he was content. Lev.10.
That here stands for the whole of what Aaron had said, or the whole of the preceding verse.
I will know your business,that I will.
Ye defraud, and that your brethren. 1 Cor.6.
That sometimes in this use, precedes the sentence or clause to which it refers.
That be far from thee, to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked. Gen.18.
That here represents the clause in italics.
5.
That sometimes is the substitute for an adjective. You allege that the man is innocent; that he is not.
6.
That, in the following use, has been called a conjunction. 'I heard that the Greeks had defeated the Turks.' But in this case, that has the same character as in No.4. It is the representative of the part of the sentence which follows, as may be seen by inverting the order of the clauses. 'The Greeks had defeated the Turks; I heard that.' 'It is not that I love you less.' That here refers to the latter clause of the sentence, as a kind of demonstrative.
7.
That was formerly used for that which, like what.
We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen. John 3. [This use is no longer held legitimate.]
8.
That is used in opposition to this, or by way of distinction.
9.
When this and that refer to foregoing words, this, like the Latin hie, and French ceci, refers to the latter, and that to the former. It is the same with these and those.
Self-love and reason to one end aspire,
Pain their aversion, pleasure their desire,
But greedy that, its object would devour,
This taste the honey, and not wound the flow'r.
10. That sometimes introduces an explanation of something going before. 'Religion consists in living up to those principles; that is, in acting in conformity to them.' Here that refers to the whole first clause of the sentence.
11. 'Things are preached, not in that they are taught, but in that they are published.' Here that refers to the words which follow it.
So when that begins a sentence, 'That we may fully understand the subject, let us consider the following propositions.' That denotes purpose, or rather introduces the clause expressing purposes, as will appear by restoring the sentence to its natural order. 'Let us consider the following propositions, that, [for the purpose expressed in the following clause,] we may fully understand the subject.' 'Attend that you may receive instruction;' that referring to the last member.
In that, a phrase denoting consequence, cause or reason; that referring to the following sentence.

Definition 2024

That

That

See also: that, thật, and þat

German

Noun

That f ‎(genitive That, plural Thaten)

  1. Obsolete spelling of Tat which was deprecated in 1902 following the Second Orthographic Conference of 1901.

that

that

See also: That, thật, and þat

English

Conjunction

that

  1. Introducing a clause which is the subject or object of a verb (such as one involving reported speech), or which is a complement to a previous statement.
    He told me that the book is a good read.
    I believe that it is true. — She is convinced that he is British.
  2. Introducing a subordinate clause expressing a reason or cause: because, in that.
    Be glad that you have enough to eat.
  3. (now uncommon) Introducing a subordinate clause that expresses an aim, purpose, or goal, and usually contains the auxiliaries may, might, or should: so, so that.
    • 1714, Alexander Pope, The Rape of the Lock, III.1:
      The hungry judges soon the sentence sign, and wretches hang that jurymen may dine.
    • 1833, Parley's Magazine, volume 1, page 23:
      Ellen's mamma was going out to pay a visit, but she left the children a large piece of rich plumcake to divide between them, that they might play at making feasts.
    • 1837, The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal (volume 23, page 222)
      That he might ascertain whether any of the cloths of ancient Egypt were made of hemp, M. Dutrochet has examined with the microscope the weavable filaments of this last vegetable.
    • 2009, Dallas R. Burdette, Biblical Preaching and Teaching (ISBN 1615790853), page 340:
      Jesus died that we might live "through" Him.
  4. Introducing — especially, but not exclusively, with an antecedent like so or such — a subordinate clause expressing a result, consequence, or effect.
    The noise was so loud that she woke up.
    The problem was sufficiently important that it had to be addressed.
    • 2008, Zoe Williams, The Guardian, 23 May 2008:
      My dad apparently always said that no child of his would ever be harassed for its poor eating habits, and then I arrived, and I was so disgusting that he revised his opinion.
  5. (archaic or poetic) Introducing a premise or supposition for consideration: seeing as; inasmuch as; given that; as would appear from the fact that.
    • 1623, William Shakespeare, The Comedy of Errors:
      What, are you mad, that you do reason so?
    • 1859, Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities:
      In short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
    • c. 1911, D.H. Lawrence, third draft of what became Sons and Lovers, in Helen Baron (editor), Paul Morel, Cambridge University Press (2003), ISBN 978-0-521-56009-2, page 234:
      “She must be wonderfully fascinating,” said Mrs Morel, with scathing satire. “She must be very wonderful, that you should trail eight miles, backward and forward, after eight o’clock at night.”
  6. Introducing a subordinate clause modifying an adverb.
    Was John there? — Not that I saw.
    How often did she visit him? — Twice that I saw.
    • 1866 October 6, Anthony Trollope, The Claverings, part 8, in Littell's Living Age, number 1166 (series 4, number 27), page 27:
      " [<span title="Tell her from me," Lady Ongar had said, "that">…] I will go anywhere that she may wish if she will go with me,"
  7. Introducing an exclamation expressing a desire or wish.
    • 1864, T. S. Norgate's translation of the Iliad, book 10, page 613:
      "Would that my rage and wrath would somehow stir me, / Here as I am, to cut off thy raw flesh / And eat it."
    • 1892, Paolo Segneri, The Manna of the Soul: Meditations for Each Day of the Year:
      "Oh, that they would be wise, and would understand, […] "
  8. Introducing an exclamation expressing a strong emotion such as sadness or surprise.
    • 1610, William Shakespeare, The Tempest, act 1, scene 2, page 4:
      I pray thee, mark me — that a brother should / Be so perfidious! —

Usage notes

  • That can be used to introduce subordinate clauses, but can just as easily be omitted: one can say either "he told me that it's a good read" (in which case the second clause is a "that clause") or "he told me it's a good read" (in which case the second clause is a "bare clause").
  • Historically, "that" was usually preceded by a comma ("he told me, that it is a good read") — such usage was, for example, recommended by the grammarian Joseph Robertson in his 1785 essay On Punctuation — but this is now generally considered nonstandard.
  • Historically, that was sometimes used after a preposition to introduce a clause that was the object of the preposition, as in "after that things are set in order here, we'll follow them" (Shakespeare, 1 Henry VI), which simply means "after things are set in order..." and would be worded thus in modern English.[1]

Translations

Determiner

that ‎(plural those)

  1. The (thing, person, idea, etc) indicated or understood from context, especially if more remote physically, temporally or mentally than one designated as "this", or if expressing distinction.
    That book is a good read. This one isn't.‎
    That battle was in 1450.‎
    That cat of yours is evil.‎
    • 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 8, in The Celebrity:
      The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again; for, even after she had conquered her love for the Celebrity, the mortification of having been jilted by him remained.
    • 1922, Ben Travers, chapter 1, in A Cuckoo in the Nest:
      She was like a Beardsley Salome, he had said. And indeed she had the narrow eyes and the high cheekbone of that creature, and as nearly the sinuosity as is compatible with human symmetry.
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 20, in The China Governess:
      ‘No. I only opened the door a foot and put my head in. The street lamps shine into that room. I could see him. He was all right. Sleeping like a great grampus. Poor, poor chap.’

Derived terms

Translations

Pronoun

that

  1. (demonstrative) The thing, person, idea, quality, event, action, or time indicated or understood from context, especially if more remote geographically, temporally or mentally than one designated as "this", or if expressing distinction. [from 9thc.]
    • c. 1600, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Act 3, Scene 1:
      To be, or not to be: that is the question: / Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, / And by opposing end them?
    • 1888 July, The Original Secession Magazine, page 766:
      [He] was qualified and fitted, both intellectually and morally, — and that to an exceptional extent — to be the Head […]
    • 1909, Archibald Marshall, The Squire's Daughter, chapterII:
      "I was dragged up at the workhouse school till I was twelve. Then I ran away and sold papers in the streets, and anything else that I could pick up a few coppers by—except steal. I never did that. I always made up my mind I'd be a big man some day, and—I'm glad I didn't steal."
    • 1990, Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game (Folio Society 2010), page 310:
      However […], the British were unable to do much about it short of going to war with St Petersburg, and that the government was unwilling to do.
    • 2005, Joey Comeau, Lockpick Pornography (Loose Teeth Press):
      I've never seen someone beaten unconscious before. That’s lesbians for you.
    He went home, and after that I never saw him again.
  2. The known (thing); used to refer to something just said.
    They're getting divorced. What do you think about that?
  3. (demonstrative) The aforementioned quality; used together with a verb and pronoun to emphatically repeat a previous statement.
    The water is so cold! — That it is.‎
    • 1910, Helen Granville-Barker, An Apprentice to Truth, page 214:
      "She is very honourable," said Mrs. Thompson, solemnly. "Yes, one sees she is that, and so simple-minded."
  4. (relative) Which, who; representing a subject, direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition. [from 9thc.]
    The CPR course that she took really came in handy.
    The house that he lived in was old and dilapidated.
    • c. 1600, William Shakespeare, Hamlet, act 1, scene 4:
      By heaven, I'll make a ghost of him that lets me.
    • 2011 November 10, Jeremy Wilson, “England Under 21 5 Iceland Under 21 0: match report”, in Telegraph:
      His ability to run at defences is instantly striking, but it is his clever use of possession that has persuaded some shrewd judges that he is an even better prospect than Theo Walcott.
    • 2013 July 20, “Welcome to the plastisphere”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:
      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.
    1. (colloquial) Used in place of relative adverbs such as where or when; often omitted.
      the place (that [= where or to which]) I went last year
      the last time (that [= when]) I went to Europe

Usage notes

  • Some authorities prescribe that that should only be used in restrictive contexts (where the relative clause is part of the identification of the noun phrase) and which or who/whom should be used in non-restrictive contexts; in other words, they prescribe "I like the last song on the album, which John wrote". In practice, both that and which are found in both contexts.[2]
  • In a restrictive relative clause, that is never used as the object of a preposition unless the preposition occurs at the end of the clause; which is used instead. Hence "this is the car I spoke of" can be rendered as "this is the car that I spoke of" or "this is the car of which I spoke", but not as *"this is the car of that I spoke."
  • That refers primarily to people or things; which refers primarily to things, and who refers primarily to people. Some authorities insist who/whom be used when making reference to people, but others, such as the Merriam-Webster dictionary, write that such prescriptions are "without foundation" and use of that in such positions is common and "entirely standard".[2] Hence, one sees both "he is the man who invented the telephone" and "he is the man that invented the telephone."
  • When that (or another relative pronoun, like who or which) is used as the subject of a relative clause, the verb agrees with the antecedent of the pronoun. Thus "The thing that is...", "The things that are...", etc.
  • In the past, bare that could be used, with the meaning "the thing, person, etc indicated", where modern English requires that which or what. Hence the King James translation of John 3:11 is "We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen" while the New International Version has "we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen".

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Adverb

that ‎(not comparable)

  1. (degree) To a given extent or degree.
    "The ribbon was that thin." "I disagree, I say it was not that thin, it was thicker... or maybe thinner..."
  2. (degree) To a great extent or degree; very, particularly (in negative constructions).
    I'm just not that sick.
    I did the run last year, and it wasn't that difficult.
  3. (obsolete outside dialects) To such an extent; so, such. (in positive constructions).
    Ooh, I was that happy I nearly kissed her.
    • 1693, John Hacket, Scrinia reserata: a Memorial offered to the great Deservings of John Williams (Archbishop Williams):
      This was carried with that little noise that for a good space the vigilant Bishop was not awak'd with it.

Translations

Noun

that ‎(plural thats)

  1. (philosophy) Something being indicated that is there; one of those.
    • 1998, David L. Hall, Roger T. Ames, Thinking from the Han, page 247:
      As such, they do not have the ontological weight of "Being" and "Not-being," but serve simply as an explanatory vocabulary necessary to describe our world of thises and thats.

See also

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: to · in · I · #7: that · was · he · his

References

  1. ↑ The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia (1903)
  2. 1 2 “that” in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Online.

Acehnese

that

  1. many
  2. a lot

German

Verb

that

  1. First-person singular preterite of thun.
  2. Third-person singular preterite of thun.

Old Dutch

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *þat.

Pronoun

that n

  1. that, that one

Determiner

that n

  1. that

Descendants

  • Middle Dutch: dat

Old Saxon

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *þat.

Determiner

that

  1. Nominative and accusative singular neuter form of thē

Descendants

  • Low German: dat

Etymology

From Middle English that, from Old English þæt ‎(“the, that”, neuter definite article and relative pronoun), from Proto-Germanic *þat. Compare Saterland Frisian dät, West Frisian dat, Dutch dat, Low German dat, German dass and das, Danish det, Swedish det, Icelandic það.

Pronunciation

  • (stressed) enPR: thăt
  • Rhymes: -æt
  • (unstressed) enPR: thət, IPA(key): /ðət/
The pronoun and determiner that is usually stressed; the conjunction that is usually unstressed.

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