Whom

Whom
Who Who, pron. [Possess. {whose}; object. {Whom}.] [OE. who, wha, AS. hw[=a], interrogative pron., neut. hw[ae]t; akin to OFries. hwa, neut. hwet, OS. hw[=e], neut. hwat, D. wie, neut. wat, G. wer, neut. was, OHG. wer, hwer, neut. waz, hwaz, Icel. hvat, neut., Dan. hvo, neut. hvad, Sw. ho, hvem, neut. hvad, Goth. hwas, fem. hw[=o], neut. hwa, Lith. kas, Ir. & Gael. co, W. pwy, L. quod, neuter of qui, Gr. po`teros whether, Skr. kas. [root]182. Cf. {How}, {Quantity}, {Quorum}, {Quote}, {Ubiquity}, {What}, {When}, {Where}, {Whether}, {Which}, {Whither}, {Whom}, {Why}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Originally, an interrogative pronoun, later, a relative pronoun also; -- used always substantively, and either as singular or plural. See the Note under {What}, pron., 1. As interrogative pronouns, who and whom ask the question: What or which person or persons? Who and whom, as relative pronouns (in the sense of that), are properly used of persons (corresponding to which, as applied to things), but are sometimes, less properly and now rarely, used of animals, plants, etc. Who and whom, as compound relatives, are also used especially of persons, meaning the person that; the persons that; the one that; whosoever. ``Let who will be President.'' --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]

[He] should not tell whose children they were. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

There thou tell'st of kings, and who aspire; Who fall, who rise, who triumph, who do moan. --Daniel. [1913 Webster]

Adders who with cloven tongues Do hiss into madness. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Whom I could pity thus forlorn. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

How hard is our fate, who serve in the state. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

Who cheapens life, abates the fear of death. --Young. [1913 Webster]

The brace of large greyhounds, who were the companions of his sports. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]

2. One; any; one. [Obs., except in the archaic phrase, as who should say.] [1913 Webster]

As who should say, it were a very dangerous matter if a man in any point should be found wiser than his forefathers were. --Robynson (More's Utopia). [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • whom — [ hum ] pronoun FORMAL *** Whom can be used instead of who when it is the object of a verb or preposition. It can be used in the following ways: as a relative pronoun (referring back to a person and starting a relative clause): Students for whom… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Whom — Whom, pron. [OE. wham, AS. dative hw[=a]m, hw?m. See {Who}.] The objective case of who. See {Who}. [1913 Webster] Note: In Old English, whom was also commonly used as a dative. Cf. {Him}. [1913 Webster] And every grass that groweth upon root She… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • whom — W1 [hu:m] pron [: Old English; Origin: hwam] the object form of who , used especially in formal speech or writing ▪ Desperate for money, she called her sister, whom she hadn t spoken to in 20 years. ▪ She brought with her three friends, none of… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • whom — whom; whom·ev·er; whom·so; whom·so·ev·er; …   English syllables

  • whom|ev|er — «HOOM EHV uhr», pronoun. 1. whom; any person whom. 2. no matter whom. Usage See whoever for usage note. (Cf. ↑whoever) …   Useful english dictionary

  • whom — see who and whom …   Modern English usage

  • whom — ► PRONOUN ▪ used instead of ‘who’ as the object of a verb or preposition. USAGE On the use of who and whom, see WHO(Cf. ↑who) …   English terms dictionary

  • whom|so|ev|er — «HOOM soh EHV uhr», pronoun. = whomever; any person whom …   Useful english dictionary

  • whom — O.E. hwam, the dative form of hwa (see WHO (Cf. who)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • whom — [ho͞om] pron. [ME < OE hwam, dat. of hwa, WHO] objective form of WHO: see the usage note at WHO …   English World dictionary

  • whom|so — «HOOM SOH», pronoun. = whomever. (Cf. ↑whomever) …   Useful english dictionary

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