Forms: 1–3 hwa, (1 hua), 2–3 hwo, hwoa, 2–4 wa, (2 wua, 3 whæ, wæ, wea, wah, hwoo, ȝwo), 3–5 hoo, 3–6 wo, 3–5, 6– Sc. wha, (4 huo), 4–6 ho, whoo, 4, 9 dial. whe, 5 woo, (Sc. vho, 5–9 dial. how, 6 hou, Sc. vha), 6–7 whoe, (9 Sc. whae), 3– who; 3–5 quo, (3 quuo), 4 qwo, qwa, 4–5, 6 Sc. qua, 4–8 Sc. quha, 5–6 Sc. quhay, 5–7 Sc. quho, (6 Sc. qwha, quhe). [OE. hwă = OFris. hwă, OS. hwe, hwie (MDu., Du. wie), OHG. hwer, wer (MHG., G. wer), ODa. hwa (Da. hvo), Goth. hwas, fem. hwo:—OTeut. *χwaz, *χwez:—Indo-eur. *qwos, *qwes. For oblique forms see WHOM, WHOSE. For the vocalism cf. TWO.
Indo-eur. qwo-, qwe-, qwā- are represented outside Germanic by Skr. ka, fem. kā, neut. kad (WHAT), Zend kô, kâ, kat, Lith. kàs, OSl. kŭ-to (Russ. кто), Gr. πότερος, Ionic κότερος, etc., L. quī, quæ, quod, Umbrian poi who, Oscan pod what, OIr. cia, cé, cad, ca-ch any one, ca-te, co-te what is, W. pwy who, pa what, paup any one, Gael. co who; the variant qwi- is represented by Skr. kis (interrog. particle), cid (indef. particle), kim what, how, why, etc., Zend čiš, Gr. τίς, τί (:—*τίδ), L. quis, quid, Umbrian sve-pis if any one, Oscan pis, pid, OSl. čĭ-to what (Russ. что), Ir., Gael. ciod. For the stem-types as represented in derivative formations in English see WHEN, WHERE, WHETHER, WHICH, WHITHER, WHON, WHY, and HOW adv.]
I. Interrogative and allied uses.
1. As the ordinary interrogative pronoun, in the nominative singular or plural, used of a person or persons: corresponding to what of things (WHAT A. 1).
Formerly sometimes with partitive of, where which is ordinarily used (WHICH 3 b).
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gram., xviii. (Z.), 113. Quis hoc fecit? hwa dyde ðis?
c. 1200. Ormin, 9755. Wha tahhte ȝuw To fleon & to forrbuȝhenn Þatt irre þatt to cumenn iss?
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 359. Quo seide ðe ðat ðu wer naked?
c. 1300. Harrow. Hell (L), 63. Who ys þat ych here þore?
c. 1375. Cursor M., 3725 (Fairf.). His fader asked him qua art þou, And he onsquared þi sone esau.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, ix. (Bertholomeus), 40. Quha is þat, we pray þe.
1382. Wyclif, Gen. xlviii. 8. Who ben thes?… My sones thei ben.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 834 (Dubl. MS.). Whyne ert þou & who & what makys þou here?
1526. Tindale, Matt. xii. 48. Who is my mother? or who are my brethren?
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., III. ii. 198. Nay, but who is it?
1663. Killigrew, Parson’s Wedd., III. v. Carel. How can that be? Joll. It is the Scrivener at the Corner.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 33. Who first seduc’d them to that fowl revolt? Th’ infernal Serpent.
1703. Rowe, Fair Penit., IV. i. G 2 b. Who of my Servants wait there?
c. 1800. Jock o’ the Side, xvi. in Whitelaw, Bk. Sc. Ballads (1857), 380/1. Whae’s this kens my name sae weil…?
1863. Miss Braddon, Aurora Floyd, xxx. ‘Who can it be, dear?’… ‘at such a time too.’
1865. Kingsley, Herew., x. ‘And he is killed?’ Who? Hereward?’
1904. Weyman, Abb. Vlaye, iv. And who—who does she say dared to commit this outrage?
b. With intensive additions, as who the devil, who on earth, etc.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, V. 743. Quha dewill thaim maid so galy for to ryd?
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. ii. A iij. Some therat dide murmure and … sayd: Who the deuyil hath sent for theym?
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XV. v. Why, who the Devil are you?
a. 1849. H. Coleridge, Ess. (1851), I. 255. Who upon earth could ever paint the bare sea?
c. In pregnant or emphatic sense, referring to a person’s origin, character, position, or the like; cf. WHAT A. 2.
In rhetorical questions often approaching or merging with 2.
1382. Wyclif, Rom. xiv. 4. Who art thou, that demest anothir [v.r. anothris] seruaunt?
1526. Tindale, Acts xix. 15. Jesus I knowe, and Paul I knowe: but who are ye?
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Matt. xv. 16. Who saye ye that I am?
1611. Bible, Exod. v. 2. Who is the Lord that I should obey him? Ibid., Isa. lxiii. 1. Who is this that commeth from Edom?
1840. Browning, Sordello, II. 635. Who were The Mantuans, after all, that he should care About their recognition?
1898. Verner Fenton, in Belgravia, Aug., 462. ‘Who is he?’
‘Mr. Legge—Eustace Legge.’
‘Yes. But who is he?’
‘I don’t know.’
d. Substituted for the name of a person in asking for explanation: cf. WHAT A. 4 b.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XVI. ii. ‘I am come … by the Command of my Lord Fellamar.’ ‘My Lord who?’
1837. Dickens, Pickw., xx. ‘I heerd ’em laughing, and saying how they’d done old Fireworks.’ ‘Old who?’ said Mr. Pickwick.
1841. S. Warren, Ten Thou., I. ii. ‘What’s your names?’ ‘Mr. Tittlebat Titmouse,’ answered that gentleman … ‘Mr. who?’ exclaimed the old woman.
2. In a rhetorical question, suggesting or implying an emphatic contrary assertion.
e.g., Who would…? = No one would…; Who would not…? = Any one would…; Who knows…? = No one knows…; Who but…? = No one but, no one else than…; etc. See also who not in 4 b. (Cf. WHAT A. 3, WHERE 4.)
a. 1000. Boeth. Metr., xxviii. 5. Hwa is moncynnes þæt ne wundrie?
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xxi. 7. Hwa wolde ʓelyfan, þæt Sarra sceolde lecgan cild to hyre breoste … on ylde?
a. 1300. Cursor M., 454. Qua herd euer a warr auntur?
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 427. Þe croune fro hyr [sc. Mary] quo moȝt remwe, Bot ho hir passed in sum fauour?
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 601. Who koude ryme in englyssh proprely His martirdom? for sothe it am nat I.
1526. Tindale, Rom. viii. 35. Who shall seperate vs from goddes loue?
1633. G. Herbert, Temple, Quip, iv. Then came brave Glorie puffing by, In silks that whistled, who but he!
1735. Pope, Ep. Arbuthnot, 213–14. Who but must laugh, if such a man there be? Who would not weep if Atticus were he?
1782. Cowper, Gilpin, 113. Away went Gilpin—who but he?
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, lxxiii. Of course he married, and who should be his wife but Barbara?
1855. Tennyson, Maud, I. XII. ii. Where was Maud? in our wood; And I, who else, was with her.
1914. Kipling, For all we have and are, 39. Who stands if freedom fall?
3. In a dependent question, or clause of similar meaning. † In early use also with that (THAT conj. 6).
For the distinction between the dependent interrogative and the relative, cf. note s.v. WHAT A. I.**.
Beowulf, 52. Men ne cunnon secgan … hwa þæm hlæste onfeng!
a. 1175. Cott. Hom., 231. To underȝeite wa an alle his cynerice him were frend oðer fend.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 159. Lusteð nu wich maiden þat is … and hware he was fet and hwo hire ledde and wu and hwider.
a. 1240. Lofsong, in O. E. Hom., I. 211. Ich … nabbe hwoa me froure.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1195. Ic wot hwo sal beo anhonge.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 985. Wan a child were ibore & me in doute were Wo were þe fader.
13[?]. Northern Passion, 803 (Camb. Gg. 5. 31). Tell us now who smate þe.
1340. Ayenb., 264. Me him acseþ huo he ys.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 2733. Þe werwolf went þer-to to wite ho were þere.
a. 1400. R. Glouc. Chron. (1724), 40 (MS. B.). Among hem … stryf me myȝte se, Wuche mest maistres were, & hoo schulde lord be.
1423. James I., Kingis Q., lvii. Maist thou noght se Quho commyth ȝond?
a. 1450. Le Morte Arth., 47. That ladyes … might se Who that beste were of dede.
1469. Paston Lett., Suppl. (1901), 129. If he happed to dye, how shuld come after hym ye wote never.
1563–7. Buchanan, Reform. St. Andros, Wks. (S.T.S.), 13. The examinatouris … sal declair to the rectour … quha ar worthy of promotion.
1595. Shaks., John, II. i. 400. Shall we … lay this Angiers euen with the ground, Then after fight who shall be king of it? Ibid. (1611), Wint. T., IV. iv. 612. They throng who should buy first.
1617. S. Collins, Epphata to F. T., 374. It might put him in minde of who had beene there sometime.
1677. Ravenscroft, Wrangling Lovers, V. i. 67. Did he know who I was?
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Highjinks, a Play at Dice who Drinks.
1800. Lathom, Dash of Day, V. i. Tell the young gentleman … a gentleman wishes to see him immediately; don’t say who, but bring him hither directly.
1803. G. Rose, Diaries (1860), II. 56. Not having a guess of who he was.
1882. Besant, All Sorts, xxiv. (1898), 167. What her obligations were, and who this lady was, belongs in no way to this history.
4. Phrases. a. Who is who (chiefly in dependent clause): who is one and who is the other; who each of a number of persons is, or what position each holds. (Cf. WHAT A. 8 a, WHICH 4 b.)
† Who and who are (or who’s) together: who is allied with or engaged to whom. Who’s Who, the title of a reference manual of contemporary biography, issued first in 1849, and in a new and enlarged form in 1897; also transf.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Reeve’s T., 380. She saugh hem bothe two But sikerly she nyste who was who.
a. 1500. [see WHAT A. 8 a].
1700. T. Brown, trans. Fresny’s Amusem., 70. Let’s take a Trip into the Land of Marriage, and see Who and Who are together.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 35, ¶ 3. A general Knowledge of who and who’s together.
1712–3. Swift, Jrnl. to Stella, 4 Jan. I showed the Bishop … at Court, who was who.
1720. Mrs. Bradshaw, in C’tess Suffolk’s Lett. (1824), I. 50. Pray let me hear a little how your court goes, who and who are together.
1849. Morn. Chron., 10 Jan., 8/2, Advt. Who’s Who, in 1849? This little book will contain the Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage, Members of Parliament, [etc.].
1860. Emily Eden, Semi-attached Couple, ii. Though she could not distinguish who was who, yet she had a right to say she had seen ‘the marquess.’
1902. Eliz. L. Banks, Newspaper Girl, 76. With the exception of those persons of art and letters who were celebrated in my own country as well as in England, I knew nothing of ‘who was who’ in London.
1918. Nat. Geogr. Mag., XXXIV. 61, 64. Of 48 Grand Viziers who have risen to prominence within the past four centures, those whose names would be in history’s ‘Who’s Who,’ only 12 have been Turks.
b. Phrases used as sbs., etc.
I know not (mod. I don’t know) who, Lord knows who, etc.: some person or persons unknown, or of unknown origin, status, etc. (cf. 1 c): so and I don’t know who all (colloq. rare: cf. WHAT A. 8 b), = ‘and various other persons unspecified’; who-do-you-think († who-dost-think), substituted for the name of a person to be guessed. Who not (cf. 2 above and WHAT-NOT 1); any one whatever, any one and every one, all kinds of people (now rare or obs.). Who-say (now dial.): a vague report, a rumor; in quot. 1583, a pretended excuse. Also who’s-afraid adj. phr., defiant, swaggering.
1583. Leg. Bp. St. Androis, 789. Half way hameward vp the calsay, [He] Said to his servandis for a quha say: ‘Alace! the porter is foryett.’
a. 1586. Sidney, Apol. Poetrie (1595), D 2. Innumerable examples,… as Brutus, Alphonsus…, and Who not.
1615. Brathwait, Strappado (1878), 131. Heere stood I musing … Till Iockie wha dost thinke speard vp to me.
1691. Wood, Ath. Oxon., I. 18. He was great with … Erasmus, Grocyn, Latimer, Tonstall, and who not.
1744. M. Bishop, Life, 99. To throw herself away upon the Lord knows who.
1823. Southey, Hist. Penins. War, I. v. 249, note. St. Antonio on one side, and St. I know not who on the other.
1825. Jennings, Obs. Dial. W. Eng., Whosay, or Hoosay, a wandering report; an observation of no weight.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., xli. A vagabondish who’s-afraid sort of bearing.
1844. Haliburton, Sam Slick in Eng., xlviii. (1858), 304. And then he’d go over a whole string—Mason, Mickle, Burns, and I don’t know who all.
1905. Elin. Glyn, Viciss. Evangeline, 5. Mamma’s father was a lord, and her another I don’t know who.
¶ 5. Used ungrammatically for the objective WHOM, in senses corresponding to any of the above.
Common in colloquial use as obj. of a verb, or of a preposition following at the end of the clause; formerly also of a preposition preceding (now only when substituted for a noun or pronoun as in 1 d).
1450. Paston Lett., I. 112. I rehersyd no name, but me thowt be hem that thei wost ho I ment.
1540. Cranmer, Remains (Parker Soc.), 401. Who shall your grace trust hereafter, if you might not trust him?
1546. J. Heywood, Prov. (1874), 52. At sight of me he asked, who have we there?
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., IV. i. 74. To whom came he?… What saw he?… Who ouercame he? Ibid. (1591), 1 Hen. VI., III. iii. 62. Who ioyn’st thou with?
1681. T. Flatman, Heraclitus Ridens, No. 39 (1713), I. 258. Who have we to thank … but the Whigs?
1753. Foote, Englishm. in Paris, II. Buck. Why, have you observ’d nothing? Mrs. Sub. About who?
1807. Southey, Espriella’s Lett. (1814), III. 68. This leads to a discussion … who the son married, whether the daughter died single [etc.].
1874. Hardy, Far from Mad. Crowd, xxx. Who are you speaking of?
1881. W. H. Mallock, Romance 19th Cent., II. 154. I know … who it comes from.
II. Relative uses (formerly often with that, THAT conj. 6, rarely with as).
6. As compound relative in the nominative in general or indefinite sense: Any one that: = WHOEVER 1. arch. or literary. a. with pronominal correlative in following clause.
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 23/233. Hwa þat sehe þenne hu þe engles beoð isweamed … stani were his heorte ȝif ha ne mealte i teares.
c. 1315. Shoreham, I. 195. Who þat entreþ þer He his sauff euere more.
c. 1325. Poem temp. Edw. II. (Percy), lxiii. Who that is in such offys, Ne come he ner so pore, He fareth witin a while As he had selver in horde.
c. 1330. King of Tars, 990. Ho that nolde do bi heore red, Cristen men tak of heore hed.
c. 1375. Cursor M., 6781 (Fairf.). Wha dose … þat wriched pliȝt He salle be done to dede.
c. 1400. Anturs of Arth., xix. But ho his bidding brekes, bare þei bene of blys.
c. 1460. Wisdom, 71, in Macro Plays, 38. To yowur loue wo dothe repeyer, All felycyte yn þat creatur ys.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, I. vii. 43. Who that holdeth ageynst it we wille slee hym.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, xx. 453. Who that had be there than, he sholde have seen grete faytes of armes.
c. 1540. Lyndesay, Auld Man & Wife, 199, Wks. 1879, II. 337. Quha wald haif weir, God send thame littill rest.
1573–80. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 47. Who soweth in raine, he shall reape it with teares.
1607. Bp. Hall, Ps. i. 1. Who hath not walkt astray,… Oh, how that man Thrice blessed is!
1892. Kipling, Barrack-room Ball., East & West, 24. Who rides at the tail of a Border thief, he sits not long at his meat.
b. without correlative.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 2379. Ho wol winne his wareson, now wiȝtly him spede Forto saue my sone, or for sorwe i deye.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, i. (Petrus), 211. Þat, quha to hym ferme treutht gafe, He suld euire luf oure þe lafe.
1400. 26 Pol. Poems, i. 145. Who that takeþ fro pore to eke with his, ffor that wrong is worthy wo.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, I. 33. Quha likis till haif mar knawlage in that part, Go reid.
1543. trans. Act 6 Edw. I., c. 5. Who that is attaynted or wast, shal lese the thing wasted.
1600. W. Watson, Decacordon (1602), 101, marg. Let who as list be blinded with these patches. Ibid., 186. To lie open to the spoile of who that first can catch it.
1600. Marston, etc., Jack Drum’s Entert., I. (1601), B. Let who will climbe ambitious glibbery rowndes.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., I. iii. 80. Cask. ’Tis Cæsar that you meane: Is it not, Cassius? Cassi. Let it be who it is. Ibid. (1604), Oth., III. iii. 156. Who steales my purse, steales trash.
1650. Earl Monm., trans. Senault’s Man bec. Guilty, 25. Visible to the Eyes of who shall consider them.
1797. Jane Austen, Sense & Sensib., xxx. When a young man, be he who he will,… promises marriage, he has no business to fly off from his word.
1855. Kingsley, Westw. Ho! v. Each shall slay his man, catch who catch can. Ibid. (1856), Poems, Farew., 9. Be good, sweet maid, and let who can be clever.
1871. Browning, Balaust., 22. I passionately cried to who would hear.
1896. A. Austin, England’s Darling, II. iv. Who holds the sea, perforce doth hold the land, And who lose that must lose the other too.
† c. In a dependent qualifying clause with loose construction (without correlative) and with conditional force: If any one: = WHOEVER 2. Obs.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 2235. Inolde noȝt abbe uorsake þat lond, wo me adde ibroȝt þerto.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 42. Þis fruit bitakens alle oure dedis, Both gode and ille qua rightly redis. Ibid., 1969. Qua þat slas or man or wijf, Þar gas na ransun bot liue for lijf.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 391. Quha in battaill mycht him se, All othir contenance had he.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 298. Hit is tolde … wo þat trawe lyst,… he highyt vnto helle yates.
1420–2. Lydg., Thebes, 2117. And in despit, who that was lief or loth A sterne pas thorgh the halle he goth.
c. 1500. Melusine, 285. I were not so joyous who that had gyuen me a C thousand besans of gold, as I am to have fond the.
a. 1536. Wyatt, Poems, To cause accord or to aggrie, 16. Twixt lyff and deth say what who sayth There lyveth no lyff that draweth breth.
1556. Lauder, Tractate of Kyngis, 69. Christe … sched, also quha vnderstude, Als gret abundance of his blude For the pure sely nakit thyng As he sched for the Potent kyng.
† d. Introducing a clause expressing comparison, with idiomatic superlative. Obs.
c. 1500. Melusine, 170. Thenne was the oost gretly mevyd, & came to the port who best coude.
1600. W. Watson, Decacordon (1602), 347. I euer detesting [heresy] as much as who can detest it most.
1658. Gurnall, Chr. in Arm., II. verse 14. vii. § 4. Elijah, who did as great wonders … by prayer, as who greatest? Ibid., 15. xviii. § 2. There was a time … that Paul loved the world as well as who most.
7. As who (freq. followed by would or should): as or like one who; hence (with loss of relative force), as if one. arch.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., II. 401. Al þis shal be bouȝt, as who bieþ an oxe or a cow. Ibid., III. 123. Þei sellen Gods worde, as who schulde selle an oxe.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 4649. We erd noȝt in elementis as euirmare to duell, Bot as qua pas a pilgrymage fra Parysch to rome.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 294 b/2. He … pressyd her … bytwene foure grete stones as who shold presse olyues.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VI. vii. 60. Sic wys as quha throw cluddy skyis saw.
1606. [see AS B. 12 a].
1659. Fuller, Appeal Inj. Innoc., I. ii. 2. The Tanner was the Worst of all Masters to his Cattle, as who would not onely load them soundly whilest living, but Tan their Hides when dead.
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm., Wks. 1687, 1. 305. Every man gladly would be neighbour to a quiet person, as who … doth afford all the pleasure of conversation, without any … trouble.
1873. Morley, Rousseau, I. vi. 210. Such speech … was probably … a mere freak of the tongue,… as who should go to a masked ball in guise of Mephistopheles.
1887. Morris, Odyss., XI. 608. With his bow … in his hand and the arrow laid on the string, And peering round about him as who would loose at a thing.
b. Most commonly with the vb. say: (a) † as who saith or say, as they say, as is commonly said, as the saying is; also = next; (b) as who should say (arch.), † (c) as who would (occas. might) say, as if saying, as if one should say, as one may say, as much as to say.
(a) 1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 24. Severne & temese; homber is þet þridde; & þanne is, as ȝwo seiþ, þat pur lond amidde.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 7046. Alle þat spake of syre Troyle Was skraped awey, as who sey oyle.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, cxliii. 6. Lorde helde þi heuens and descend … Aswhasay, we ere in feghtynge [etc.].
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., II. 127. Pilat answeride, Þat Y have writun, I have writun; as who seiþ, þis writing shal stonde.
1423. James I., Kingis Q., lxxvii. Sodaynly, as quho sais at a thoght, It opnyt.
1438. in Wars Eng. in France (Rolls), II. 438. His tarying here dothe … grete hurte, what for the wages of hym and his retenue, as who say lost.
1559. Mirr. Mag., Sir Thomas of Woodstock, xiv. To bridle the prince of a realme, Is euen (as who sayeth) to striue with the streame.
1611. W. Sclater, Key (1629), 14. Papists hence inferre [that the Scriptures are] not to be permitted to lay-people, in their Mother-tongue: abusing to this purpose the saying of Christ, Mat. 7. 6. as who say all Gods people were Dogges.
(b) c. 1375. Cursor M., 8611 (Fairf.). Ho turned hir ouer … As qua sulde sai, I knaw na harme.
1527. Tindale, Wicked Mammon (1528), 36. If I preache (sayeth he) I haue nought to reioyse in, for necessyte is put vnto me, as who shulde say, god hathe made me so.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., I. ii. 50. He doth nothing but frowne (as who should say, and you will not haue me, choose).
1661. R. L’Estrange, Interest Mistaken, 127. This is but another Alarm, as who should say; Look to your selves my Masters.
1717. Mrs. Centlivre, Bold Stroke for Wife, I. ii. They command Regard, as who should say, We are your Defenders.
1841. Dickens, Barn. Rudge, xliv. Mr. Dennis coughed and shook his head, as who should say, ‘A mystery indeed!’
1905. H. G. Wells, Kipps, II. ix. § 1. Sid beamed at Kipps, as who should say, ‘You don’t meet a character like this every dinner-time.’
(c) 1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 8. It was (as who myght saye) the hynder parte of god that they sawe.
1532. Tindale, Expos. Matt. v. (c. 1550), 32 b. They sayed to the Apostles: ye wolde bryng thys mans bloud vpon vs, as who wolde saye, we slue him not.
1664. J. Wilson, A. Comnenius, I. i. They all lookt wistly one on t’other, As who would say, ’twas true enough, but yet [etc.].
1675. Burthogge, Causa Dei, 19. He shall come … in Divine Majesty, as who would say, that when he Judges … He will show himself like God.
8. As compound relative in the nominative, of persons (less freq. a person): The persons (or person) that. arch. (Chiefly a latinism; esp. in ‘There are who …’ = L. Sunt qui …)
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., VIII. (S.T.S.), II. 90, marg. Quha pape was in thir days, allowit al at the kings requeist.
1605. Shaks., Macb., I. iii. 109. Macb. The Thane of Cawdor liues; why doe you dresse me In borrowed Robes? Ang. Who was the Thane, liues yet.
1627. J. Doughty, Disc. Div. Myst. (1628), 20. There are who hold no art or science to be extant, which [etc.].
1644. Milton, Judgem. Bucer, To Parlt. B 4 b. If thir own works be not thought sufficient to defend them, there livs yet who will be ready … to debate … this matter.
1656. Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini’s Advts. fr. Parnass., II. xxiv. 262. Through the ingratitude of who commands [It. di chi domanda].
1713. Tickell, Poems, To Addison, on Cato, 36. Who think like Romans, could like Romans fight.
1805. Wordsw., Ode to Duty, ii. There are who ask not if thine eye Be on them.
1871. Browning, Pr. Hohenstiel-Schwangau, 1007. He should know, sitting on the throne, how tastes Life to who sweeps the doorway.
1903. F. W. Maitland, in Camb. Mod. Hist., II. xvi. 569. There were who held that the Queen was Supreme Head iure divino.
† b. In the phrase but who = ‘except (one, those) who,’ ‘who … not’: now replaced by but what (WHAT C. 5).
1675. Burthogge, Causa Dei, 158. Should none arrive at Heaven but who had first arrived to a State of Perfection…, Heaven would be empty.
1757. Warburton, Lett. to Hurd (1809), 249. I don’t meet with one but who singly says yes.
1774. Kames, Sk. Hist. Man, I. I. i. 31. There is scarce a peasant but who has a chess-board and men.
9. As simple relative (of a person or persons), introducing a clause defining or restricting the antecedent and thus completing the sense: = THAT rel. pron. 1.
In modern printing usually distinguished from 10 by the absence of a comma before the relative: cf. WHICH B. 8.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 1977. He nadde bote an doȝter wo miȝte is eir be.
13[?]. Northern Passion, I. 154/382*. Als men may here wha takes entent.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 445. Lordingis quha likis for till her, The romanys now begynnys her.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, III. iii. 68. A man who hath anie honestie in him.
1633. G. Herbert, Temple, Ch. Porch, i. A verse may finde him, who a sermon flies.
1707. Sel. Charters Trad. Comp. (Selden Soc.), 257. All and every other person and persons who shall be a subscriber or subscribers to the fund.
1709. Pope, Ess. Crit., 363. As those move easiest who have learn’d to dance.
1768. Goldsm., Good-n. Man, IV. I must disclaim his friendship who ceases to be a friend to himself.
1819. Lingard, Hist. Eng., I. i. 11. The first who exported this metal … were certain Phenician adventurers from Cadiz.
1864. Newman, Apol., 329. The men who had driven me from Oxford were distinctly the Liberals.
1893. Max Pemberton, Iron Pirate, i. One who … can command and be obeyed in ten cities.
† b. Used as correlative to such, where as is now idiomatic: cf. WHICH B. 10 b. Obs.
1584. J. Melvill, Autob. & Diary (Wodrow Soc.), 174. To … mak his eares patent to sic wha could alienat his mynd from the guid cause.
1662. [see SUCH B. 12].
1713. Guardian, No. 3, ¶ 1. And instruct such who are not as wise as himself.
10. As simple relative introducing an additional statement about the antecedent, the sense of the principal clause being complete without the relative clause; thus sometimes equivalent to ‘and he (she, they)’: cf. WHICH B. 7, 9 a.
Formerly often placed at a distance from the antecedent (one or more sbs. intervening), with consequent obscurity or ambiguity: see quots. 1534, 1655.
1466–7. in Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.), 172. Be the grase of God, ho amend ȝower desposysyon.
1533. More, Answ. Poysoned Bk., Wks. 1037/2. As for Tyndal … who before he fel to these fransies, men had went had hadde some wyt. Ibid. (1534), Treat. Passion, ibid., 1292/1. And he sayd into theym, what will ye gyue me and I shall delyuer hym to you, whoe whan they heard hym, were well apaid.
1556. Lauder, Tractate of Kyngis, 115. That kyng, that sitts all kyngis abone, Quha heiris, and seis all that is wrocht.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., III. ii. 129. I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong, Who (you all know) are Honourable men.
1611. Bible, Ps. lxv. 5. O God of our saluation: who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth. Ibid., Matt. x. 4. Iudas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., IX. vi. § 40. 180. As for her Son the King of Scots, from whom they expected a settlement of Popery in that land, their hopes were lately turned into despairs, who had his education on contrary principles.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 119, ¶ 4. Honest Will Wimble, who I should have thought had been altogether uninfected with Ceremony.
1750. Johnson, Idler, No. 99, ¶ 3. How different … is thy condition, who art doomed to the perpetual torments of unsatisfied desire.
1793. Burns, Bruce’s Addr., i. Scots, wha hae wi’ Wallace bled.
1882. Besant, All Sorts, xxviii. A chap like my cousin Dick, who’s a clever fellow and a devil for fireworks.
11. a. With antecedent denoting or connoting a number of persons collectively: usually with plural concord.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., I. ii. 7. Put we our quarrell to the will of heauen, Who when they see the houres ripe on earth, Will raigne hot vengeance on offenders heads. Ibid. (1602), Ham., IV. iii. 5. Hee’s loued of the distracted multitude, Who like not in their judgement, but their eyes.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., Stat. Alex. II., 14. Except in Galloway, quha hes their awne speciall and proper Lawes.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 112, ¶ 4. This authority of the knight … has a very good effect upon the parish, who are not polite enough to see any thing ridiculous in his behaviour.
1771. Goldsm., Hist. Eng., II. 238. The Hanse-towns, who were then at war with both France and England.
1885. Pall Mall Gaz., 6 Jan., 12/2. The Midland, who first introduced American railway notions in their Pullman cars.
b. Used in reference to an animal or animals: usually with implication of personality, but sometimes merely a substitute for which.
a. 1585. Montgomerie, Cherrie & Slae, 16. I sawe the Hurchone and the Haire, Quha fed amang the flowers faire.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., I. iii. 21. Against the Capitoll I met a Lyon Who glaz’d vpon me, and went surly by. Ibid. (1607), Cor., IV. vii. 34. As is the Aspray to the Fish, who takes it By Soueraignty of Nature.
1748. Thomson, Cast. Indol., II. xl. Like wily fox who roosted cock doth spy.
a. 1774. Goldsm., Hist. Greece, II. 163. He … lost his horse,… who was killed with the thrust of a sword.
1860. Dickens, Uncomm. Trav., x. Two honest dogs … who perform in Punch’s shows.
1884. Phillips Brooks, New Starts in Life, xviii. 305–6. Even the lowest creature who floats on the pool’s surface … feels … some dull, half-conscious pleasure in the mere act of living.
c. Used instead of which in reference to an inanimate thing or things; chiefly with personification (also with suggestion of personality, e.g., of a life-like statue); sometimes, as of a ship, approaching sense a.
1588. [see 12].
1600. G. Abbot, Expos. Jonah, xix. 402. The snow and raine, who come downe from aboue.
1610. Shaks., Temp., I. ii. 7. A braue vessell (Who had no doubt some noble creature in her) Dash’d all to peeces.
1633. G. Herbert, Temple, Provid., xxiii. The windes, who think they rule the mariner, Are rul’d by him.
1659. Nicholas Papers (Camden), IV. 95. 3 Spanish men of warre … who … came vp with vs and fired at vs.
a. 1774. Goldsm, Surv. Exp. Philos. (1776), II. 263. The sun, who is the great fountain of both [light and heat].
1812. J. Wilson, Isle of Palms, III. 8. Some wandering Ship who hath lost her way.
1917. Miss M. T. Jackson, Museum, ii. 33–4. The Venus de Milo, who has stood for so many years … in the Louvre.
¶ 12. In irregular constructions: a. with pleonastic personal pronoun in the latter part of the relative clause, who thus becoming a mere link between the clauses (cf. WHICH 14); b. preceded by redundant and (cf. WHICH 16 b).
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. lxxxiv. 43 b/1. Now let vs returne to sir Loyes of Spayne, who whan he was at the porte of Guerand…, he and his company sayled forth.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., III. i. 37. I tell my sorrowes … to the stones, Who though they cannot answere my distresse, Yet in some sort they are better then the Tribunes.
1619. Naunton, in Fortescue Papers (Camden), 105. He is well knowen to … divers others, who if they shold see him about the Court, it would make him uncapable to do the service.
1831. Scott, Cast. Dang., xix. The very same place in which Sir Aymer de Valence held an interview with the old sexton; and who now, drawing into a separate corner some of the straggling parties whom he had collected,… kept on the alert.
¶ 13. Used ungrammatically for the objective WHOM, in senses corresponding to those above.
Still common colloquially in the indefinite sense (= whomsoever), otherwise now rare or obs. as a relative: cf. 5.
13[?]. Cursor M., 4007 (Gött.). Qun þat godd helpis wid-all, Traistli may he wend ouer-all.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 5943. Mony [he] dange to the dede with dynt of his hond: Who happit hym to hitte harmyt nomo.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccx. 103 b/1. The kynge of Englande … had great prouision for his oost, by the meanes of John Alenson, who he founde at Flauigny.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VI. ii. 44. The sad Briana … Who comming forth yet full of late affray, Sir Calidore vpcheard.
1641. Earl Monm., trans. Biondi’s Civil Wars, IV. 42. A great Prince who I forbeare to name.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World, II. 17. Our Surgeons, who we all call Doctors at Sea.
a. 1774. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 442. Persons who in his best judgment he sees reason to confide in.
1849. Froude, Nem. Faith, 134. He has a right … to choose who he will have for a teacher.
1858. R. S. Surtees, Ask Mamma, xxxi. Not being able to ask exactly who he liked.
III. Substantival nonce-uses.
14. † a. Old who: the right man. Obs.
1594. Nashe, Unfort. Trav., F 2. He must haue exquisite courtship in him or else he is not old who.
b. A person, indefinitely or abstractly; a ‘some one.’
1654. R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 149. We have seen the Pittifull who’s, and … the slender whats are against modest Learning.
1904. Morley Roberts, in Strand Mag., May, 516/1. ‘What ever made you think of it?’
‘It wasn’t a what; it was a who.’
c. with the: The question ‘who?’
1771. Goldsm., Haunch of Venison, 26. I was puzzled again, With the how, and the who, and the where, and the when.
