Main Entry:

¹that

Pronunciation:

\ˈthat, thət\

Function:

pronoun

Inflected Form(s):

plural those \ˈthōz\

Etymology:

Middle English, from Old English thæt, neuter demonstrative pron. & definite article; akin to Old High German daz, neuter demonstrative pron. & definite article, Greek to, Latin istud, neuter demonstrative pron.

Date:

before 12th century

1 a: the person, thing, or idea indicated, mentioned, or understood from the situation <that is my father> b: the time, action, or event specified <after that I went to bed> c: the kind or thing specified as follows <the purest water is that produced by distillation> d: one or a group of the indicated kind <that's a cat — quick and agile>2 a: the one farther away or less immediately under observation or discussion <those are maples and these are elms> b: the former one3 a—used as a function word after and to indicate emphatic repetition of the idea expressed by a previous word or phrase <he was helpful, and that to an unusual degree> b—used as a function word immediately before or after a word group consisting of a verbal auxiliary or a form of the verb be preceded by there or a personal pronoun subject to indicate emphatic repetition of the idea expressed by a previous verb or predicate noun or predicate adjective <is she capable? She is that>4 a: the one : the thing : the kind : something, anything <the truth of that which is true> <the senses are that whereby we experience the world> <what's that you say> bplural : some persons <those who think the time has come>

— all that

: everything of the kind indicated <tact, discretion, and all that>

— at that

1: in spite of what has been said or implied2: in addition : ²besides