# that

Pronunciation: say "THAT" /ˈðæt/

## Determiner

1. Indicating a person, thing, or idea pointed out or understood, especially one more distant than 'this' or being contrasted.
   - Simple: Used before a noun to point to a thing already known, or one farther away than 'this' one.
   - _I prefer this chair to that one._
   - _Whose is that car parked outside?_

## Pronoun

2. Used to introduce a relative clause identifying or describing a preceding person, thing, place, or time.
   - Simple: Used after a noun to begin words that identify or describe it, as in 'the book that I read'.
   - _The letter that arrived yesterday was from the bank._
   - _Every problem that they found was fixed._
4. Used to refer to a person, thing, idea, or statement pointed out, understood, or just mentioned, often one more distant than 'this'.
   - Simple: Used for someone or something pointed out, understood, or just mentioned.
   - _They offered him the job, and that surprised everyone._
   - _The rent went up again. After that, we started looking elsewhere._
12. Used for emphasis when confirming or rejecting what has just been said or asked.
   - Simple: Used to strongly agree or disagree with what was just said.
   - _'She's a fine singer.' 'Aye, that she is, and a kind woman too.'_
   - _'Did he take the money?' 'No, that he did not.'_

## Conjunction

3. Used to introduce a clause that states a fact, thought, or what someone says, after a verb, noun, or adjective, after 'it', or as the subject of a sentence.
   - Simple: Begins words that give a fact or what someone says or thinks, as in 'He said that he was tired'.
   - _The doctor explained that the wound would heal._
   - _Nobody noticed that the door was open._
5. Introducing a clause of result or consequence, usually after 'so', 'such', or 'sufficiently'.
   - Simple: Used after 'so' or 'such' to say what happens as a result.
   - _The bridge was so badly damaged that it had to be closed._
   - _The problem is serious enough that the board must decide how to handle it._
9. Used after an adjective to express a reason or cause; because, in that.
   - Simple: Used after words like 'glad' or 'sorry' to give the reason for a feeling.
   - _We were lucky that the storm passed to the north._
   - _He was angry that nobody had warned him._
11. Used to introduce a clause, usually after not, once or twice, that limits a statement to what the speaker knows or noticed.
   - Simple: Used after words like 'not' or 'twice' to limit a statement to what you know.
   - _She called only once that I know of._
   - _'Did it rain?' 'Not that I noticed.'_

## Adverb

6. 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').
   - Simple: Very or so, mostly after 'not', as in 'not that good'.
   - _I'm not that keen on going out tonight._
   - _He's not that much older than you._
7. To the extent or degree indicated or understood; as much as that.
   - Simple: As much as shown or said, as in 'It's about that big'.
   - _Hold your hands that far apart and I'll measure._
   - _Roll the dough out about that thick._

## Conjunction

8. Used to introduce a clause of purpose, usually with 'may', 'might', or 'should'; so that or in order that. *(dated)*
   - Simple: Used to mean 'so that', usually with 'may' or 'might'.
   - _The gates were locked at night that no one should wander in._
   - _He wrote it down that it might not be forgotten._
10. Used to introduce a premise or supposition; seeing as, inasmuch as, or given that. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: Used after a question to mean 'seeing that' or 'given that'.
   - _What am I, that you should trust me with this?_
   - _Who is she, that everyone falls silent when she enters?_
13. Used in old or literary language to introduce an exclamation of wish, sorrow, or surprise, as in 'Oh that...' or 'Alas, that...'. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: An old use that begins a cry of wishing or strong feeling, as in 'Oh that I were young again!'
   - _Oh that we had listened to the old man!_
   - _Would that I had never opened the letter._

## Other meanings

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

## Origin

"That" comes from Middle English "that," from Old English "þæt," the neuter definite article and relative pronoun. It traces back through Proto-Germanic *þat to Proto-Indo-European *tód, and is related to Dutch "dat," German "das," and Swedish "det," among others.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/that (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).