that

English Online Dictionary. What means that‎? What does that mean?

English

Alternative forms

• 'at (colloquial, reduced form)
• 't (eye dialect, contraction)
• dat, thet (dialectal, nonstandard, pronunciation spellings)
• yt, y^t, yͭ, yt. (obsolete abbreviations)

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 Saterland Frisian dät, West Frisian dat, Dutch dat, Low German dat, 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 taĩ, Polish to.

Pronunciation

• (stressed) enPR: thăt
  • (UK, US, General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈðæt/
  • (Standard Southern British, Canada) IPA^(key): [ˈðat], [ˈd̪aʔ]
  • (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ˈðɛt/
  • (India) IPA^(key): /ˈd̪æt/, /ˈd̪ɛt/, /ˈd̪æʈ/, /ˈd̪ʱæʈ/
  • (Local Dublin) IPA^(key): [ˈdäʔ], [ˈdä]
• Rhymes: -æt
• (unstressed) enPR: thət, IPA^(key): /ðət/

The demonstrative pronoun and determiner that is usually stressed; the conjunction and relative pronoun that is usually unstressed.

Conjunction

that

1. Introducing a clause that is the object of a verb, especially a reporting verb or verb expressing belief, knowledge, perception, etc.

2. Introducing a clause that is the subject of a verb, especially the 'be' verb or a verb expressing judgement, opinion, etc.
   1. As delayed subject.

   2. (chiefly literary) As direct subject.

3. Introducing a clause that complements an adjective or passive participle.
   1. Expressing a reason or cause: because, in that.

4. Introducing a subordinate clause modifying an adverb.
5. Introducing a clause that describes the information content of a preceding reporting noun.

6. Introducing — especially, but not exclusively, with an antecedent like so or such — a subordinate clause expressing a result, consequence, or effect.
7. (dated) 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.
8. (archaic or poetic) Introducing a premise or supposition for consideration: seeing as; inasmuch as; given that; as would appear from the fact that.
   • c. 1911, D.H. Lawrence, third draft of what became Sons and Lovers, in Helen Baron (editor), Paul Morel, Cambridge University Press (2003), →ISBN, 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.”

9. (archaic or poetic) 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, […]

10. (archaic or poetic) Introducing an exclamation expressing a strong emotion such as sadness or surprise.

Usage notes

• That can be used to introduce subordinate clauses, but in most cases 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”). Generally speaking, the omission of that imparts an informal or conversational feel. In a few such patterns, that is mandatory; for example, in the archaic sense of "in order that", we must say "He fought that others might have peace", not "He fought others might have peace".
• Historically, that was usually preceded by a comma (“he told me, that it’s a good read”) — such usage was, for example, recommended by the grammarian Joseph Robertson in his 1785 An Essay on Punctuation — but this is now 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.
• See also the usage notes for which.

Derived terms

• that clause
• that'd

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.
   • 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)

     The gym is across from the lounge. It’s next to the mailroom. Go that way. — Thanks, Pete! — No, Anna! Not that way! Go that way!

Usage notes

• This is known as a "demonstrative adjective" in traditional terms.

Derived terms

Translations

Pronoun

that (plural those)

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 9^thc.]
   • 2005, Joey Comeau, Lockpick Pornography (Loose Teeth Press):

     I've never seen someone beaten unconscious before. That’s lesbians for you.

   1. Used to refer to a statement just made.

   2. Used to emphatically affirm or deny a previous statement or question.
2. (relative, plural that) In a relative clause, referring to a previously mentioned noun, as subject, direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition; which, who. [from 9^thc.]
3. (relative, colloquial) Used in place of relative adverbs such as where or when; often omitted.

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.
• 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". 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

• (antonym(s) of “that thing”): here, there, this, yon, yonder

Derived terms

Translations

Adverb

that (not comparable)

1. (degree) To a given extent or degree.
   1. Denoting an equal degree.

   2. Denoting 'as much', 'no less'.

2. (degree, in negative constructions) To a great extent or degree; very, particularly.

   Synonym: so

3. (informal, British, Australia, in positive constructions) To such an extent; so.

Translations

Noun

that (plural thats)

1. (philosophy) Something being indicated that is there; one of those.

See also

• which

References

Anagrams

• hatt, tath

Acehnese

Adverb

that

1. very

German

Verb

that

1. first/third-person singular preterite of thun

Middle English

Etymology

From Old English þæt, þat, þet (“the, that”), from Proto-Germanic *þat.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /θat/, /ðat/

Conjunction

that

1. that (connecting a noun clause)

Alternative forms

• þat, þt, tha, dat, yt, ȝat, thette; thet (Kent, early Southwest Midlands);
• yat (Northern, Northeast Midlands, East Anglia);
• at, atte (Northern); et (Northeast Midlands);
• ðed (Southwest); þad, þæt, þeth (Early Middle English); tat (after d, t or s)

Descendants

• English: that
• Scots: that
• Yola: at, et, thet, that, th', y'at

References

• “that, conj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Pronoun

that

1. that (relative & demonstrative pronoun)

Alternative forms

• (demonstrative): þat, thatte, thate; dat, ȝat (East Anglia); thet (Kent, early Southwest Midlands); yat (Northern, Northeast Midlands); þæt (Early Middle English); tat (after d)
• (relative): þat, thate, thad, tha, yat; dat (East Anglia); þeþ, det, thet (Kent); yt (North Midlands); at, atte (Northern, Northwest Midlands); þhet (Southwest Midlands); þæt, thet (Early Middle English); tat (after d or t)

Descendants

• English: that
• Scots: that

References

• “that, pron.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
• “that, rel. pron.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Determiner

that

1. that (what is being indicated)

Alternative forms

• þat, thate, þhat, thad, tha; dat, yat (East Anglia); det, þet (Kent); þut (Southwest); yat (Northern); þet, þæt, þath (Early Middle English); tat, tet (after d, t or s)

Descendants

• English: that
• Scots: that

References

• “that, def. art & adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Adverb

that

1. that (to a given extent or degree)

Descendants

• English: that
• Scots: that

References

• “that, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Mizo

Etymology

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *that, *thaʔ (“to kill”), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g/b-sat (“to kill”).

Verb

that

1. to kill; to slay

References

• Lorrain, J. Herbert (1940) “that”, in Dictionary of the Lushai language, Calcutta: Asiatic Society

Old Dutch

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *þat.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ðat/

Pronoun

that n

1. that, that one

Further reading

• “that (I)”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012
• “that (III)”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Determiner

that n

1. that

Inflection

Descendants

• Middle Dutch: dat
  • Dutch: dat, het
    • Afrikaans: dat
  • Limburgish: det

Further reading

• “that (I)”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012
• “that (III)”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Old Saxon

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *þat.

Determiner

that

1. nominative/accusative singular neuter of thē

Descendants

• Middle Low German: dat
  • Dutch Low Saxon: dat
  • German Low German: dat
  • Plautdietsch: daut

Scots

Alternative forms

• at, 'at
• dat (Shetland)

Pronoun

that (plural thae)

1. (demonstrative) that
2. (demonstrative, now rare except in set phrases) this

   that's a braw day ― this is a fine day; it's a lovely day

3. (relative) that, who, whom, which

Determiner

that (plural thae)

1. that

   Synonym: thon

2. (demonstrative) such

   Synonym: sic

3. (demonstrative, now rare) this
4. (Doric Scots, Orkney) those

   fat's come o' that men ― what's become of those men

Adverb

that

1. so, very, to such an extent

Yola

Conjunction

that

1. Alternative form of at (“that”)

Pronoun

that

1. Alternative form of at (“that”)

References

• Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 94