Which (?), pron. [OE. which,
whilk, AS. hwilc, hwylc, hwelc, from the root
of hwā who + līc body; hence properly, of what
sort or kind; akin to OS. hwilik which, OFries. hwelik, D.
welk, G. welch, OHG. welīh, hwelīh,
Icel. hvīlīkr, Dan. & Sw. hvilken, Goth.
hwileiks, hw&?;leiks; cf. L. qualis.
&?;&?;&?;&?;. See Who, and Like, a., and
cf. Such.]
1. Of what sort or kind; what; what a; who.
[Obs.]
And which they weren and of what degree.
Chaucer.
2. A interrogative pronoun, used both substantively
and adjectively, and in direct and indirect questions, to ask for, or refer
to, an individual person or thing among several of a class; as,
which man is it? which woman was it? which is the
house? he asked which route he should take; which is best, to
live or to die? See the Note under What, pron.,
1.
Which of you convinceth me of sin?
John viii. 46.
3. A relative pronoun, used esp. in referring to an
antecedent noun or clause, but sometimes with reference to what is
specified or implied in a sentence, or to a following noun or clause
(generally involving a reference, however, to something which has
preceded). It is used in all numbers and genders, and was formerly used of
persons.
And when thou fail'st -- as God forbid the hour! --
Must Edward fall, which peril heaven forfend!
Shak.
God . . . rested on the seventh day from all his work
which he had made.
Gen. ii. 2.
Our Father, which art in heaven.
Matt. vi. 9.
The temple of God is holy, which temple ye
are.
1 Cor. iii. 17.
4. A compound relative or indefinite pronoun,
standing for any one which, whichever, that which,
those which, the . . . which, and the like; as, take
which you will.
&fist; The which was formerly often used for which. The
expressions which that, which as, were also sometimes used by
way of emphasis.
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which
ye are called?
James ii. 7.
&fist; Which, referring to a series of preceding sentences, or
members of a sentence, may have all joined to it adjectively. "All
which, as a method of a proclamation, is very convenient."
Carlyle.
Which (?), pron. [OE. which,
whilk, AS. hwilc, hwylc, hwelc, from the root
of hwā who + līc body; hence properly, of what
sort or kind; akin to OS. hwilik which, OFries. hwelik, D.
welk, G. welch, OHG. welīh, hwelīh,
Icel. hvīlīkr, Dan. & Sw. hvilken, Goth.
hwileiks, hw&?;leiks; cf. L. qualis.
&?;&?;&?;&?;. See Who, and Like, a., and
cf. Such.]
1. Of what sort or kind; what; what a; who.
[Obs.]
And which they weren and of what degree.
Chaucer.
2. A interrogative pronoun, used both substantively
and adjectively, and in direct and indirect questions, to ask for, or refer
to, an individual person or thing among several of a class; as,
which man is it? which woman was it? which is the
house? he asked which route he should take; which is best, to
live or to die? See the Note under What, pron.,
1.
Which of you convinceth me of sin?
John viii. 46.
3. A relative pronoun, used esp. in referring to an
antecedent noun or clause, but sometimes with reference to what is
specified or implied in a sentence, or to a following noun or clause
(generally involving a reference, however, to something which has
preceded). It is used in all numbers and genders, and was formerly used of
persons.
And when thou fail'st -- as God forbid the hour! --
Must Edward fall, which peril heaven forfend!
Shak.
God . . . rested on the seventh day from all his work
which he had made.
Gen. ii. 2.
Our Father, which art in heaven.
Matt. vi. 9.
The temple of God is holy, which temple ye
are.
1 Cor. iii. 17.
4. A compound relative or indefinite pronoun,
standing for any one which, whichever, that which,
those which, the . . . which, and the like; as, take
which you will.
&fist; The which was formerly often used for which. The
expressions which that, which as, were also sometimes used by
way of emphasis.
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which
ye are called?
James ii. 7.
&fist; Which, referring to a series of preceding sentences, or
members of a sentence, may have all joined to it adjectively. "All
which, as a method of a proclamation, is very convenient."
Carlyle.
