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whatever - 5 dictionary results

what⋅ev⋅er

  [hwuht-ev-er, hwot-, hwuht-, wuht-, wot-, wuht-]
Use whatever in a Sentence
–pronoun
1. anything that (usually used in relative clauses): Whatever you say is all right with me.
2. (used relatively to indicate a quantity of a specified or implied antecedent): Take whatever you like of these.
3. no matter what: Do it, whatever happens.
4. any or any one of a number of things whether specifically known or not: papers, magazines, or whatever.
5. what (used interrogatively): Whatever do you mean?
–adjective
6. in any amount; to any extent: whatever merit the work has.
7. no matter what: whatever rebuffs he might receive.
8. being what or who it may be: Whatever the reason, he refuses to go.
9. of any kind (used as an intensifier following the noun or pronoun it modifies): any person whatever.
–interjection
10. (used to indicate indifference to a state of affairs, situation, previous statement, etc.)
Origin:
1300–50; ME; see what, ever
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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what·ev·er   (hwŏt-ěv'ər, hwŭt-, wŏt-, wŭt-)   
pron.  
  1. Everything or anything that: Do whatever you please.
  2. What amount that; the whole of what: Whatever is left over is yours.
  3. No matter what: Whatever happens, we'll meet here tonight.
  4. Which thing or things; what: Whatever does he mean?
  5. Informal What remains and need not be mentioned; what have you: Please bring something to the party-pretzels, crackers, whatever.
adj.  
  1. Of any number or kind; any: Whatever requests you make will be granted.
  2. All of; the whole of: She applied whatever strength she had left to the task.
  3. Of any kind at all: No campers whatever may use the lake before noon.
interj.   Informal
Used to indicate indifference to or scorn for something, such as a remark or suggestion: We're having pizza tonight.-Whatever. I don't care.
Usage Note: Both whatever and what ever may be used in sentences such as Whatever (or What ever) made her say that? Critics have occasionally objected to the one-word form, but many respected writers have used it. The same is true of the forms whoever, whenever, wherever, and however. In adjectival uses, however, only the one-word form is used: Take whatever (not what ever) books you need. · When a clause beginning with whatever is the subject of a sentence, no comma should be used: Whatever you do is right. In most other cases, a comma is needed: Whatever you do, don't burn the toast. · When a noun followed by a restrictive clause is preceded by whichever or whatever, it is regarded as incorrect to introduce the clause with that in formal writing: whatever book that you want to look at; one should write instead Whatever book you want to look at will be sent to your office or Whichever book costs less (not that costs less) is fine with us. See Usage Notes at however, that.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Whatever

What*ev"er\, pron. Anything soever which; the thing or things of any kind; being this or that; of one nature or another; one thing or another; anything that may be; all that; the whole that; all particulars that; -- used both substantively and adjectively.

Whatever fortune stays from his word. --Shak.

Whatever Earth, all-bearing mother, yields. --Milton.

Whatever be its intrinsic value. --J. H. Newman.

Note: Whatever often follows a noun, being used elliptically. "There being no room for any physical discovery whatever" [sc. it may be]. --Whately.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : whatever
Spanish: todo(s) lo(s) … que,
German: alles was,
Japanese: ～するものは何でも
More Translations »

whatever 
c.1300, from what + ever. Variant form whatsoever is attested somewhat earlier (c.1250).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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whatever

see or whatever.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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