that

Less common meanings

6. 6
   adverb

   To such a degree; very or so, especially in negative statements ('not that keen'), and informally in British and Australian positive ones ('it was that cold').

   I'm not that keen on going out tonight.

   He's not that much older than you.

   UsageOften strengthened with all, or used before much and a comparative: not all that good, not that much older.

   Similarso, very, particularly

7. 7
   this muchadverb

   To the extent or degree indicated or understood; as much as that.

   Hold your hands that far apart and I'll measure.

   Roll the dough out about that thick.

   UsageOften said with a gesture showing the size: about that big, that far apart.

   Similarso

8. 8
   purposeconjunctiondated

   Used to introduce a clause of purpose, usually with 'may', 'might', or 'should'; so that or in order that.

   The gates were locked at night that no one should wander in.

   Jesus died that we might live "through" Him.

   2009, Dallas R. Burdette, Biblical Preaching and Teaching

   Note

   Purpose clauses of this kind belong to Shakespeare, Pope and nineteenth-century prose: Shylock's 'that I may be assured', and Pope's wretches who hang 'that jury-men may dine'. The modal is the signal, because may, might or should marks an aim. That separates it from the result clause after 'so'. Modern writing says 'so that' or 'in order that', and this form now sounds solemn. Source

   Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

   • Shakespeare uses this purpose construction, and Shylock says 'that I may be assured' in The Merchant of Venice, Act 1, scene 3. folger.edu
   • Alexander Pope writes of wretches hanging 'that jury-men may dine' in The Rape of the Lock. gutenberg.org
   • Purpose clauses introduced by bare 'that' occur in nineteenth-century prose. gutenberg.org
9. 9
   reason for feelingconjunction

   Used after an adjective to express a reason or cause; because, in that.

   We were lucky that the storm passed to the north.

   He was angry that nobody had warned him.

   UsageCommon after adjectives of feeling: glad that, sorry that, angry that. Often left out in speech.

   Similarbecause

10. 10
    since (question)conjunctionarchaic

    Used to introduce a premise or supposition; seeing as, inasmuch as, or given that.

    What am I, that you should trust me with this?

    “She must be wonderfully fascinating,” said Mrs Morel, with scathing satire. “She must be very wonderful, that you should trail eight miles, backward and forward, after eight o’clock at night.”

    c. 1911, D.H. Lawrence, third draft of what became Sons and Lovers

    Note

    Here the clause supplies the evidence behind a question or judgment. 'What, are you mad, that you do reason so?' asks whether madness would explain the reasoning. Shakespeare uses it, and Lawrence gives it to a scornful mother: 'she must be very wonderful, that you should trail eight miles'. It is now archaic or poetic, often carries 'should', and tends toward irony. Source

    Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

    • The quotation occurs in Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors, Act 3, scene 2; Luciana speaks it to Antipholus of Syracuse. cdn2.rsc.org.uk
    • D. H. Lawrence gives the quoted words to Mrs Morel, speaking scornfully, in the draft published as Paul Morel. en.wiktionary.org
    • Mrs Morel is the mother addressing her son in this scene. gutenberg.org
11. 11
    as I recallconjunction

    Used to introduce a clause, usually after not, once or twice, that limits a statement to what the speaker knows or noticed.

    She called only once that I know of.

    'Did it rain?' 'Not that I noticed.'

    UsageUsually a short reply with not: Not that I know of, Not that I noticed.

    Note

    A hedge on what the speaker knows. 'Not that I saw' means 'not, as far as I saw', and 'twice that I saw' means 'twice, so far as I know'. The clause limits the answer to what the speaker witnessed, which makes it a natural short reply.

12. 12
    indeedpronoundemonstrative

    Used for emphasis when confirming or rejecting what has just been said or asked.

    'She's a fine singer.' 'Aye, that she is, and a kind woman too.'

    'Did he take the money?' 'No, that he did not.'

    UsageRepeat the helping verb: that it is, that I did not. It sounds hearty and a little old-fashioned.

    Note

    A reply that echoes the statement with the order turned round: 'That it is', 'That I would!', 'That I did not!'. The pronoun stands for what was just said, and putting it first gives the answer its force.

13. 13
    wishconjunctionarchaic

    Used in old or literary language to introduce an exclamation of wish, sorrow, or surprise, as in 'Oh that...' or 'Alas, that...'.

    Oh that we had listened to the old man!

    Would that I had never opened the letter.

    Note

    Wishes in this frame follow 'O' or 'would'. The 1609 Bible has 'O that they were wise', and an 1864 translation of the Iliad has 'would that my rage…'. The verb inside takes a past or 'would' form because the wish is unfulfilled. Outside verse, scripture and deliberate pastiche, the construction is rarely heard. Source

    Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

    • The cited Bible volume was first published in 1609. archive.org
    • The Bible quotation occurs in Deuteronomy 32:29, with spelling modernized in the item. en.wiktionary.org
    • The cited Iliad translation, by T. S. Norgate, was first published in 1864. en.wikisource.org
    • Norgate's translation contains the quoted opening words. en.wiktionary.org
14. 14
    noun

    In philosophy, something indicated as being there; one of the 'thats' of the world, as opposed to abstractions.