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The way I work emotionally is: I don't ever try to cry. I try not to, which is what for me produces organic emotion.
Condola Rashad

Meaning of "what for" in the English dictionary

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DICTIONARY
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PRONUNCIATION OF WHAT FOR

what for play
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WHAT DOES WHAT FOR MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Definition of what for in the English dictionary

The definition of what for in the dictionary is for what purpose? why?. Other definition of what for is (informal) a punishment or reprimand (esp in the phrase give (a person) what for).


WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE WHAT FOR

what
what a lark!
what about
what have you
what if
what is more
what makes someone tick
what matter
what price something?
what the doctor ordered
what you will
what-d´ye-call-her
what-d´ye-call-him
what-d´ye-call-it
what-d´you-call-it
what-for
what-ho
what-if
what´s the odds?
what´s up?

WORDS THAT END LIKE WHAT FOR

account for
as for
ask for
be all for
be in the market for
budget for
but for
except for
give a person what for
go for
go in for
have no time for
have no use for
hold out for
in line for
short for
so much for
stand up for
stick out for
up for

Synonyms and antonyms of what for in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

Translation of «what for» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF WHAT FOR

Find out the translation of what for to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of what for from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «what for» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

做什么的
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

para qué
570 millions of speakers

English

what for
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

किस लिए
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

ما ل
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

для чего
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

para que
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

কিসের জন্য
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

pourquoi
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

untuk apa
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

wozu
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

何のために
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

무엇을 위한
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Apa kanggo
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

gì cho
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

எதற்காக
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

कशासाठी
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

ne için
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

per che cosa
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

co za
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

для чого
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

ceea ce pentru
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

ό, τι για
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

wat vir
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

vad för
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

hva for
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of what for

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «WHAT FOR»

The term «what for» is quite widely used and occupies the 32.249 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Quite widely used
85
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «what for» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of what for
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «what for».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «WHAT FOR» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «what for» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «what for» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about what for

EXAMPLES

9 QUOTES WITH «WHAT FOR»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word what for.
1
Bernardo Bertolucci
'Dreamers' was because I really wanted to go back after I heard so much nonsense about '68. I wanted to go back to what for me was '68, when young people thought that they could change the world.
2
Danny DeVito
I didn't do it because of the underlying greed that's prevailing, but it is about greed, doing the right thing at the right time using your clout when you have it and what for and what reason.
3
Patrick Geddes
Instead of isolating our school and our many subjects from the every day world, we intend to plant it not merely in the French capital, but in what for next summer at least will be the focal point, the capital of the entire civilized world.
4
Margaret Hamilton
A great deal of my mail comes from fans of the 'Oz' picture - fans of all ages. The scholarly, the curious, the disbelievers write and ask how? why? when? what for? did you fly? melt? scream? cackle? appear? disappear? produce? sky-write? deal with monkeys? etc., etc., etc.
5
Carl Hubbell
They talk about those All-Star Games being exhibition affairs, and maybe they are, but I've seen very few players in my life who didn't want to win, no matter whom they were playing or what for.
6
Joe E. Lewis
I'm still chasing girls. I don't remember what for, but I'm still chasing them.
7
Boris Pasternak
What for centuries raised man above the beast is not the cudgel but the irresistible power of unarmed truth.
8
Condola Rashad
The way I work emotionally is: I don't ever try to cry. I try not to, which is what for me produces organic emotion.
9
Glenn Tipton
Then I decided I couldn't just crawl in the corner and die, so I started putting pen to paper and wrote some songs. I had no idea what for or who I was going to work with. I tried to find my way and direction.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «WHAT FOR»

Discover the use of what for in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to what for and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Robertson's Book of Firsts: Who Did What for the First Time
What's more, Robertson renders this massive reference with subtle but distinctive humor, and an eye for fascinating detail. Every entry in this book includes a first time in America, and many also have firsts from elsewhere in the world.
Patrick Robertson, 2011
2
What's for Dinner?: Delicious Recipes for a Busy Life
. A day-to-day guide packed with easy, mouthwatering recipes for every night of the week.”—Spry Living “The book features a ton of delicious recipes organized by a different theme for every day of the week.”—D Magazine From the ...
Curtis Stone, 2013
3
What's for Dinner?: Quirky, Squirmy Poems from the Animal World
Describes in poetic verse the predatory habits of a variety of animals and the foods that they eat.
Katherine B. Hauth, 2011
4
The "What's for Dinner?" Solution: Quick, Easy, and ...
After putting her 21-day plan into action, women will save time--with bulk shopping and cooking save money--no more last-minute phone calls to the delivery pizza place save their sanity--forget the last-minute scramble every night and know ...
Kathi Lipp, 2011
5
What's for Dinner?
Explores the lives of three small-town American households: the Catholic Delehanteys, coping with their twin teenage boys; seemingly happily married Lottie and Norris Taylor; and Mag, a recent widow looking for love.
James Schuyler, 1978
6
What's for Lunch?
Discusses what students eat for lunch around the world, including information on food culture and global issues surrounding food and nutrition.
Andrea Curtis, 2012
7
Oh No! What's for Dinner?
'Oh No! What's for Dinner? is not about "quick meals" per se, it is about organizing the meals, following menus and shopping for what you need for the coming week.The book includes five weeks of breakfast, lunch and dinner menus.
J. R. Dale, 2005
8
What's for Dinner: Over 200 Delicious Recipes That Work ...
Easy-to-follow and healthy, the recipes include tips for menu planning and call for ingredients that are readily available, affordable, and fresh. What's for Dinner? is real food for real people, sure to become a household favorite.
Maryana Vollstedt, 2012
9
War What For?
George R Kirkpatrick. two or three more nickels per day with which to buy better food for the young militiaman's own mother and his little brothers and sisters. This young man in the militia company can be ordered to shoot or bayonet his own ...
George R Kirkpatrick, 2014
10
What for Chop Today?
What For Chop Today? banishes news images of an emaciated and helpless Africa and journeys into the soul of a people.
Gail Haddock, 2001

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «WHAT FOR»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term what for is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Big Pharma's Profiteers: You Want Us to Pay What for These Meds?
It is no secret that the pill profit party is over for drug companies. Bestselling pills like Lipitor, Seroquel, Zyprexa, Singular, Concerta, Cymbalta and Abilify have ... «CounterPunch, Jul 15»
2
Europcar invoiced me for £300 … but I don't know what for
On top of the basic rental of £151 there was also an additional charge of over £300, with no explanation as to what this was for. We queried this with the man ... «The Guardian, Jun 15»
3
Strauss: Now what for the Cardinals?
The hope is for Holliday's on-base contributions to keep his stat line alive until the power jag arrives. Now the ... So back to the original question: Now what? «STLtoday.com, Jun 15»
4
If not A-10s, then what for Davis-Monthan?
Tucson, so far, has been passed over as a base for the new fighter jet. ... What do the community and local governments need to do to ensure that the Air Force ... «Arizona Daily Star, Jun 15»
5
Now what for the Duggars?
Will they or won't they? It's an open question as to whether the TLC network will keep the damaged Duggar family's show, 19 Kids and Counting, on the air now ... «USA TODAY, May 15»
6
Now What for Hillary?
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during a news conference at the United Nations in New York in this March 10, 2015 file photo. «Newsweek, Apr 15»
7
Album Review: Toro Y Moi, 'What For?'
If you're familiar with Chaz Bundick, a.k.a. Toro Y Moi, as one of the major players in the electronic movement known as “chillwave,” the first thing you should ... «Diffuser.fm, Apr 15»
8
What For?
Each one is usually accompanied by some ambitious change in aesthetic. Now that we have What For?, which sounds like a cross between Tame Impala and ... «Under the Radar Mag, Apr 15»
9
Album Review: Toro y Moi – What For?
What For?, Bundick's most recent foray into silky, nostalgic pop, hardly works toward dissolving that issue. It's an unproductive shrug of an album that can be ... «Consequence of Sound, Apr 15»
10
First Listen: Toro Y Moi, 'What For?'
The first sound you hear on Toro y Moi's fourth album is the buzz and roar of race-car engines on the speedway. For those who've followed Chaz Bundick since ... «NPR, Mar 15»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. What for [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/what-for>. May 2024 ».
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