- Which
- Which Which, pron. [OE. which, whilk, AS. hwilc, hwylc, hwelc,
from the root of hw[=a] who + l[=i]c body; hence properly, of
what sort or kind; akin to OS. hwilik which, OFries. hwelik,
D. welk, G. welch, OHG. wel[=i]h, hwel[=i]h, Icel.
hv[=i]l[=i]kr, Dan. & Sw. hvilken, Goth. hwileiks, hw?leiks;
cf. L. qualis. ????. See {Who}, and {Like}, a., and cf.
{Such}.]
[1913 Webster]
1. Of what sort or kind; what; what a; who. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
And which they weren and of what degree. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
Which of you convinceth me of sin? --John viii. 46. [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
And when thou fail'st -- as God forbid the hour! Must Edward fall, which peril heaven forfend! --Shak. [1913 Webster]
God . . . rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. --Gen. ii. 2. [1913 Webster]
Our Father, which art in heaven. --Matt. vi. 9. [1913 Webster]
The temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. --1 Cor. iii. 17. [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
Note: The which was formerly often used for which. The expressions which that, which as, were also sometimes used by way of emphasis. [1913 Webster]
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? --James ii. 7. [1913 Webster]
Note: 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. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
