1. (pron.)what (used interrogatively as a request for specific information): What is the matter?
2. what (used interrogatively to inquire about the character, occupation, etc., of a person): What does he do?
3. what (used interrogatively to inquire as to the origin, identity, etc., of something): What are those birds?
4. what (used interrogatively to inquire as to the worth, usefulness, force, or importance of something): What is wealth without friends?
5. what (used interrogatively to request a repetition of words or information not fully understood, usu. used in elliptical constructions): You need what?
6. what (used interrogatively to inquire the reason or purpose of something, usu. used in elliptical constructions): What of it?
7. what how much?: What does it cost?
8. what (used relatively to indicate that which): I will send what was promised.
9. what whatever; anything that: Come what may.
10. what the kind of thing or person that: She said just what I was expecting.
11. what as much as; as many as: We should each give what we can.
12. what the thing or fact that (used in parenthetic clauses): He went to the meeting and, what was worse, insisted on speaking.
13. what (used to indicate more to follow, additional possibilities, alternatives, etc.): You know what?
14. what (used as an intensifier in exclamatory phrases, often fol. by an indefinite article): What luck! What an idea!
15. what Brit. don't you agree?: An unusual chap, what?
16. what Nonstandard. that; which; who: She's the one what told me.
17. (n.)what the true nature or identity of something, or the sum of its characteristics: the whats and hows of crop rotation.
18. (adj.)what (used interrogatively before nouns): What clothes shall I pack?
19. what whatever: Take what supplies you need.
20. (adv.)what to what extent or degree? how much?: What does it matter?
21. what (used to introduce a prepositional phrase beginning with with): What with storms and all, their return was delayed.
22. (interj.)what (used in exclamatory expressions, often fol. by a question): What, no kiss?
23. (conj.)what Older Use. as much as; as far as: He helps me what he can.
24. what Informal. but that: Who knows but what the sun may still shine.
25. what so what, (an expression of disinterest, disinclination, or contempt.)
26. what what for,
27. what why: What are you doing that for?
28. what a punishment or scolding: My mother will give me what for if I come home late again.
29. what what have you, other things of the same kind; so forth: money, jewels, and what have you.
30. what what if, what would be the outcome if; suppose that: What if we get lost?
31. what what it takes, whatever characteristics or aids will insure one's success, as intelligence, talent, good looks, or wealth.
32. what what's what, the true situation; all the facts: Ask someone who knows what's what.
Etymology: (bef. 900; ME; OE hwæt, c. OS huat, OHG (h)waz, ON hvat, Go hwa, L quod, Skt kād)
1. (determiner)what used to ask for specific information What time is the meeting tomorrow?; What type of food would you like?
2. what emphasizes a description What a terrible thing to do!; What beautiful children you have.
3. (pronoun)what used to ask for specific information What do you think she's going to say?; What did you do?
4. what the thing that is being talked about She told me what had happened.
5. what what ... for? used to ask about the purpose of sth What's this money for?; What did you do that for?
6. what what for? used to ask why "I told them to leave." "What for?"
7. what what if ...? used to introduce a possibility What if he doesn't come?; What if we try a different way.
8. what so what? indicates you do not think sth is important "You left your bike outside." "So what?"
9. (interjection)what used to ask sb to repeat sth that you did not hear What? Did you say 4,000?
10. what indicates you are listening "Mom!" "What?" "Can we watch TV now?"
11. what indicates surprise or anger What! The tickets are sold out?
Definition of 'what'
Webster Dictionary
1. (noun)what something; thing; stuff
2. what 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?
3. what as an exclamatory word: -- (a) Used absolutely or independently; -- often with a question following
4. what used adjectively, meaning how remarkable, or how great; as, what folly! what eloquence! what courage!
5. what sometimes prefixed to adjectives in an adverbial sense, as nearly equivalent to how; as, what happy boys!
6. what as a relative pronoun
7. what used substantively with the antecedent suppressed, equivalent to that which, or those [persons] who, or those [things] which; -- called a compound relative
8. what used adjectively, equivalent to the . . . which; the sort or kind of . . . which; rarely, the . . . on, or at, which
9. what used adverbially in a sense corresponding to the adjectival use; as, he picked what good fruit he saw
10. what whatever; whatsoever; what thing soever; -- used indefinitely
11. what used adverbially, in part; partly; somewhat; -- with a following preposition, especially, with, and commonly with repetition
Sense: used in questions etc when asking someone to point out, state etc one or more persons, things etc What street is this?; What's your name/address / telephone number?; What time is it?; What (kind of) bird is that?; What is he reading?; What did you say?; What is this cake made of?; `What do you want to be when you grow up?' `A doctor.'; Tell me what you mean; I asked him what clothes I should wear.
Definitions of what 
Afrikaans: wat
Arabic: ماذا، أي
Bulgarian: какво
Brazilian: (o) que
Czech: jaký, který, co
German: was (für)
Danish: hvad; hvilken; hvilke
Greek: ποιος, τι
Spanish: qué
Estonian: mis, mida
Farsi: کدام
Finnish: mitä
French: quel; qu'est-ce que; ce q
Hebrew: מַה
Hindi: क्या
Croatian: što
Hungarian: mi?, mit?; milyen?
Indonesian: apa
Icelandic: hvað, hvaða, hvers konar,
Italian: che, cosa, che cosa
Japanese: 何が
Korean: (의문 대명사) 무엇, 어떤 것
Lithuanian: koks, kokį, kas, ką
Latvian: kas; kāds; ko
Malay: apa
Dutch: wat, wat voor
Norwegian: hva (slags), hvilken
Polish: co, jak
Portuguese: (o) que
Romanian: ce; cât; cum
Russian: какой?; что?; кто?; кем?;
Slovak: aký, ktorý, čo
Slovenian: kateri; kaj
Serbian: šta
Swedish: vad, vilken, vilket, vilk
Thai: อะไร
Turkish: ne, neyi, neler, hangi
Taiwanese: 什麼
Ukrainian: який?; що?
Urdu: کون سا
Vietnamese: gì
Chinese: 什么
