Idioms for what
Origin of what
before 900; Middle English; Old English
hwæt; cognate with German
was, Dutch
wat, Old Norse
hvat; akin to Gothic
hwa, Latin
quod, Greek
tí
usage note for what
25. See
doubt.
Words nearby what
British Dictionary definitions for what have you
Word Origin for what
Old English
hwæt; related to Old Frisian
whet, Old High German
hwaz (German
was), Old Norse
hvatr
usage for what
The use of
are in sentences such as
what we need are more doctors is common, although many people think
is should be used:
what we need is more doctors
Idioms and Phrases with what have you (1 of 2)
what have you
What remains and need not be mentioned; and the like. For example, The display room is full of stereos, TV's, and what have you. Although first recorded in 1920, this expression uses an archaic form of putting a question (using have you instead of do you have) as a noun clause, and what in the sense of “anything that.” The synonym who knows what is much older, dating from about 1700; for example, When we cleaned out the tool shed we found old grass seed, fertilizer, and who knows what other junk. Also see or whatever.
Idioms and Phrases with what have you (2 of 2)
what