that
Language: English
Part of speech: conj
Pronunciation: enpr: thăt
ipa: /ˈðæt/
ipa: [ˈðat]
ipa: [ˈd̪aʔ]
ipa: /ˈðɛt/
note: Indic
ipa: /ˈd̪ʱaʈ/
note: Indic
ipa: /ˈd̪ʱəʈ/
note: Local Dublin
ipa: [ˈdäʔ]
note: Local Dublin
ipa: [ˈdä]
rhymes: -æt
enpr: thət
ipa: /ðət/
Forms: form: 'at
form: 't
form: dat
form: thet
form: yt
form: yᵗ
form: yͭ
form: yt.
Etymology: From Middle English that, from Old English þæt (“the, that”, neuter definite article and relative pronoun), from Proto-West Germanic *þat, from Proto-Germanic *þat. Cognate to Scots that, Saterland Frisian dät, West Frisian dat, Dutch dat, Low German dat and datt, German dass and das, Danish det, Swedish det, Icelandic það, Gothic 𐌸𐌰𐍄𐌰 (þata). Further from Proto-Indo-European *tód; compare Ancient Greek τό (tó), Sanskrit तद् (tád), Waigali ta, Lithuanian tai̇̃, Polish to.
Senses: examples: text: He told me that the book is a good read.
text: I believe that it is true.
text: I can see that the ladder won't reach.
text: Pidgin is a combination of expressions and phrases that are recognizable to those who speak it. To non-Pidgin speakers, it may sound like slang. For example, “dat” means that and “fadda” means father or dad.
ref: 2015 November 12, Bu Kerry Chan Laddaran, “Pidgin English now an official language of Hawaii”, in CNN:
glosses: Introducing a clause that is the object of a verb, especially a reporting verb or verb expressing belief, knowledge, perception, etc.
examples: text: It is almost certain that she will come.
text: It amazes me that people still believe this nonsense.
text: The boss ordered that the worker enter the room.
glosses: Introducing a clause that is the subject of a verb, especially the 'be' verb or a verb expressing judgement, opinion, etc.
As delayed subject.
examples: text: That she will come is almost certain.
text: That people still believe this nonsense amazes me.
glosses: Introducing a clause that is the subject of a verb, especially the 'be' verb or a verb expressing judgement, opinion, etc.
As direct subject.
examples: text: I'm sure that you are right.
text: She is convinced that he is British.
glosses: Introducing a clause that complements an adjective or passive participle.
examples: text: Be glad that you have enough to eat.
glosses: Introducing a clause that complements an adjective or passive participle.
Expressing a reason or cause: because, in that.
examples: text: Was John there? — Not that I saw.
text: How often did she visit him? — Twice that I saw.
text: "[…
ref: c. 1867, Anthony Trollope, The Claverings:
glosses: Introducing a subordinate clause modifying an adverb.
examples: text: I heard a rumour that they got married.
text: Reports that he left the country are circulating.
glosses: Introducing a clause that describes the information content of a preceding reporting noun.
examples: text: The noise was so loud that she woke up.
text: The problem was sufficiently important that it had to be addressed.
text: 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.
ref: 2008 May 23, Zoe Williams, “I swore I wouldn't be an embarrassing mother. But the key to being a success in life is changing your mind, right?”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 14 Aug 2014:
glosses: Introducing — especially, but not exclusively, with an antecedent like so or such — a subordinate clause expressing a result, consequence, or effect.
examples: text: He fought that others might have peace.
text: Baſſ[anio]. Be aſſured you may. / Shy[lock]. I will be aſſured I may: and that I may be aſſured, I will bethinke me, may I ſpeake with Anthonio?
ref: c. 1596–1598 (date written), W[illiam] Shakespeare, The Excellent History of the Merchant of Venice. […] (First Quarto), [London]: […] J[ames] Roberts [for Thomas Heyes], published 1600, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii], signature B2, verso:
text: When hungry Judges ſoon the Sentence ſign, / And Wretches hang that Jury-men may Dine; […]
ref: 1712 May, [Alexander Pope], “The Rape of the Locke. An Heroi-comical Poem.”, in Miscellaneous Poems and Translations. […], London: […] Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC, canto I, page 360:
text: 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.
ref: 1833, Parley's Magazine, volume 1, page 23:
text: 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.
ref: 1837, The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, volume 23, page 222:
text: […]Since one might well forget to weep who bore / Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby. / But love me for love's sake, that evermore / Thou may'st love on through love's eternity.
ref: c. 1845–1846, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “Sonnets from the Portuguese”, in Poems. […], new edition, volume II, London: Chapman & Hall, […], published 1850, →OCLC, sonnet XIV, page 451:
text: In the olden days people had a stronger belief in all kinds of witchery; now they pretend not to believe in it, that they may be looked upon as sensible and educated people, as you say.
ref: 1881, P. Chr. Asbjörnsen [i.e., Peter Christen Asbjørnsen], “Legends of the Mill”, in H. L. Brækstad, transl., Round the Yule Log. Norwegian Folk and Fairy Tales, London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, →OCLC, page 156:
text: Now one day of the days,[…]the Sultan cast his eyes upon her as she stood before him, and said to his Grand Wazir, "This be the very woman whereof I spake to thee yesterday, so do thou straightway bring her before me, that I may see what be her suit and fulfil her need."
ref: 1887, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “Alaeddin; or, The Wonderful Lamp. [Night 547.]”, in Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume III, [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC, page 108:
text: Jesus died that we might live "through" Him.
ref: 2009, Dallas R. Burdette, Biblical Preaching and Teaching, →ISBN, page 340:
glosses: Introducing a subordinate clause that expresses an aim, purpose, or goal ("final"), and usually contains the auxiliaries may, might, or should: so, so that, in order that.
examples: text: What are you mad, that you doe reaſon ſo?
ref: c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 91, column 2:
text: [I]n 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.
ref: 1859, Charles Dickens, “The Period”, in A Tale of Two Cities, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book I (Recalled to Life), page 1:
text: “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.”
ref: c. 1911, D.H. Lawrence, third draft of what became Sons and Lovers, in Helen Baron (editor), Paul Morel, Cambridge University Press (2003), page 234
glosses: Introducing a premise or supposition for consideration: seeing as; inasmuch as; given that; as would appear from the fact that.
examples: text: Oh that spring would come!
text: O that they were wiſe, and vnderſtoode, […]
ref: 1609, The Holie Bible, […] (Douay–Rheims Bible), Doway: Lavrence Kellam, […], →OCLC, Devteronomie 32:29, page 463:
text: 'Would that my rage and wrath would somehow stir me, / Here as I am, to cut off thy raw flesh / And eat it, […]
ref: 1864, T. S. Norgate's translation of the Iliad, book 10, page 613
glosses: Introducing an exclamation expressing a desire or wish.
examples: text: That men should behave in such a way!
text: Oh that I'd never set eyes on him!
text: That you could think such a thing!
text: I pray thee marke me, that a brother ſhould / Be ſo perfidious: […]
ref: 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 2, column 2:
glosses: Introducing an exclamation expressing a strong emotion such as sadness or surprise.
Derived terms: that clause
that'd