As indef. adj.;—sometimes followed by another adj.: (a) modifying animate nouns: some, any; also, with generalizing force: any (person) whatsoever; (b) modifying inanimate nouns: some, any; also, each, every; with generalizing force: any (thing) whatsoever; whiches kinnes other nede, any other need of any kind whatsoever; som ~, q.v.

As interrog. adj. in direct or rhetorical questions: (a) modifying animate nouns (including God or a pagan god): what?, what sort of?; also, to what (men)? [quot. a1225, 2nd]; also, followed by another adj.: ~ dere-worthe; (b) modifying inanimate nouns: what?, which?;—occas. in truncated or elliptical constructions; ~ wei, in which direction?, where?; ~ wise, in what way?, how?; for whiches kinnes thing, for what sort of cause?, why?

As rel. adj. in relative constructions introducing adj. clauses, usu. nonrestrictive, with rel. adj. modifying animate nouns: which: (a) modifying the subj.; also followed by additional adj. [quot. 1466]; also modifying the direct obj. [quot. 1469]; the ~; (b) modifying obj. of prep.; also modifying numeral used for animate noun [quot. c1385]; the ~.

As rel. adj. in relative constructions introducing adj. clauses, usu. nonrestrictive, with rel. adj. modifying inanimate nouns: which: (a) modifying the subj.;—sometimes followed by additional adj.; also modifying numeral used for inanimate noun [quots. a1425 & a1500 *Lanfranc]; the ~; (b) modifying the direct obj.; the ~; (c) modifying obj. of prep.; also with pleonastic prep. phrase following [quot. a1450]; the ~.

As rel. adj. in relative constructions introducing adj. clauses, usu. nonrestrictive, and bearing a loose relationship to previous antecedent, sentence element, or predication: which;—with rel. adj. modifying inanimate nouns used: (a) as subj. or pred. nom.; also in absolute construction [last quot.]; the ~; (b) as direct obj.; the ~; (c) in a rel. adv. phrase: ~ time, at which point, when; (d) as obj. of prep.; the ~; also, in formulaic phrases: in witnesse of ~ thing, in witnesse of (alle) ~ thinges, in witnessinge of the ~ thing, in witness whereof; (e) as obj. of prep. in a genitive relationship: the (consecration, fairness, wiles) of which, whose.

As rel. adj. in relative constructions serving to connect clauses in a loose relationship: and) the ~: (a) with rel. adj. modifying animate nouns: and the which, and these aforementioned; also, this aforementioned; (b) with rel. adj. modifying inanimate nouns: and the which, and this; also, the aforementioned.

In independent relative constructions introducing noun clauses, with rel. adj. modifying animate nouns: what, which; what sort of; also, with emphatic force: what a remarkable (god), how great a [quot. c1300]; in elliptical construction: what excellent (animals) [quot. c1275, 2nd]; also followed by additional adjectives [quot. a1375].

In independent relative constructions introducing noun clauses and inf. phrases, with rel. adj. modifying inanimate nouns: (a) what, which; what sort of;—occas. in truncated or elliptical constructions; ~…that; also, followed by additional adj.: ~ on; (b) in misc. phrases, chiefly with nouns of time and manner: ~ dai (tide, time), on which day, at what time, when; also in truncated construction [quot. a1300]; ~ gate (wei, wise), whiches weies, in what manner, by what means, how; also, in or from what direction [quots. c1392 & last]; whiches kinnes, of what kind; (c) with noun clauses functioning as obj. of prep., with the whole construction used usu. as direct obj. in main clause: what, which;—sometimes in truncated and elliptical constructions; also in legal phrase treated in isolation: for ~ sake; in (o, on) ~ wise, in ~ manere wise, o whiches kinnes wise, in what manner or way, how; (d) used with emphatic force: what a remarkable, an excellent, or an impressive; what remarkable, what fine; also followed by additional adj. [quot. c1275]; ~ a.

In independent relative constructions with indefinite or generalizing force introducing noun clauses, with rel. adj. modifying animate nouns: whatever, whichever; any…that; ?also, with conditional or concessive force: if any; no matter which; ~…so.

In independent relative constructions with indefinite or generalizing force introducing noun clauses, with rel. adj. modifying inanimate nouns: (a) whatever, any…whatever;—sometimes with noun clause functioning as an appositive to a noun or pron.; also as obj. of prep. in main clause [quot. 1463]; ~…so (that); (b) in noun clauses functioning as obj. of prep. used adverbially and adjectivally, usu. with concessive force: whatever, whichever, no matter what; also, followed by additional adj.: ~ other; bi (of) ~…so, in ~…so-ever, on so ~…so, to ~…that, etc.; on whiches kinnes wise, in whatever way.

In independent relative constructions with generalizing force introducing adv. and adj. clauses, usu. with concessive force, with rel. adj. modifying inanimate nouns: (a) in adv. clauses: whatever, no matter what; ~…that (that ever, the); ~ time, no matter when, at whatever time; ~ while so, ?for such time as; (b) in adj. clauses: of whatever; ~…so (that); ~ what, of whatever kind, regardless of what sort.

In exclamations, with emphatic force, indicating the striking or extraordinary character of the noun modified: what a remarkable, an excellent, or an impressive; what remarkable or fine: (a) with animate nouns; ~ a; wel ~ thre men, ?what an illustrious trio of men; (b) with inanimate nouns;—occas. in elliptical or truncated constructions; ~ a [cp. sense 4b.(d)].