that

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is a word with many roles, and plays a major part in English sentence structure. The following are its main grammatical functions:demonstrative pronoun: That was what I meantdemonstrative adjective: Why did you take that picture of me?demonstrative adverb: I was that angry / It didn't hurt that muchrelative pronoun: It was not the drug that had done itconjunction: He had assumed that we would want to see him

1. As a demonstrative pronoun and adjective, that normally refers to something already mentioned or known: (pronoun) She had not meant it so, but it could have been read like that / How the hell did you manage that? / The witnesses, if they could be called that, continued to repeat that they knew nothing / (adjective) If I were you, I would keep an eye on that young man / It wasn't a nature reserve, that Ark of yours. There are also a number of familiar idiomatic or formulaic uses: Something worth a lot of money, that's for sure / She had a small, pretty face, I'll give you that / She cleared her throat to speak but left it at that / I just wanted to see her, that's all.

2. Its use as a demonstrative adverb equivalent to so or very (or so very) dates from the 15th century and has been slipping in and out of standard usage ever since. In current English it tends to be informal, more so perhaps in positive contexts (typically in questions and conditions) than in negative contexts:

'Shut up,' says Claudia...'It's not that funny'—David Lodge, 1988

You and your brother, you're not really that alike, are you?—Encounter, 1989

I promise that if I'm that tired, I will pull over and take a break—weblog, British English 2003 [Old English (up to 1150)C]

Was he really that angry with me?—fiction website, British English 2004 [Old English (up to 1150)C].

3. As a relative pronoun, that becomes an alternative to which (and occasionally who). Although they are often interchangeable, there are some uses that are peculiar to each:

• When that is used it normally introduces a so-called 'restrictive' clause, which defines or gives essential (rather than additional) information about the noun or noun phrase that comes before: the pen that my father bought for me / the pen that is over on the table / (in each case the that-clause defines which pen is meant). (See further at relative clauses). In these cases the that-clause normally follows on without a comma. Which can also be used in these examples, but in conversational English that is more usual, and in some cases it is possible to omit the relative pronoun altogether and say the pen my father bought for me. That can also replace who (or whom), especially when the reference is non-specific, as in The person that I saw was definitely a woman, and when there are two antecedents, one inanimate and the other human: It was the drug and not her brother that had upset her.
• That is also more idiomatic than which in a number of cases: (1) when which already occurs earlier in the sentence in another role (Which is the house that you bought?), (2) after indefinite pronouns such as anything, everything, nothing, and something (There is something that I forgot to mention), and (3) after a construction with the impersonal it (It is the new one that we want). When that is the object of the verb in its clause, it is regularly omitted, especially in speech (There is something I forgot to mention).
• Which, not that, has to be used in so-called non-restrictive clauses which give additional rather than essential information: A new edition of the book, which has taken ten years to write, will be published this week. Which is also used when a preposition precedes it (Is this the book to which you are referring?); in a corresponding construction with that, the preposition has to come at the end (Is this the book that you are referring to? or Is this the book you are referring to?).

4. That is used as a conjunction to introduce a subordinate clause, principally after verbs of saying, feeling, believing, knowing, learning, etc.: The President admitted that he had lied / We would hate to think that they were corrupting you / I understand that you wanted to see me. A that-clause of this type can also occur after the impersonal it: It was natural that they should think so. Normally the conjunction that can be omitted, especially in speech: I understand you wanted to see me / It was natural they should think so. In inverted constructions, however, in which the that-clause comes before the main clause, that is obligatory: That they are guilty is assumed by everybody.

Previous:	thanks to, thankfully, thank you
Next:	the, theatre, theirs

Idioms beginning with that:
that ain't hay
that does it
that is
that'll be the day
that makes two of us
that's about the size of it
that's _____ for you
that's how the ball bounces
that's one on me
that's right
that's that
that will do

See also all's well that ends well; all that; all that glitters is not gold; and all (that); as far as that goes; at that point; at this (that) rate; at this (that) stage; be that as it may; bite the hand that feeds you; cross a (that) bridge; for that matter; game that two can play; how about that; how does that grab you; how's that; in order (that); in that; is that a fact; it (that) figures; just like that; just the (that's the) ticket; last straw (that breaks); like that; look like the cat that ate the canary; not all that; not built that way; now that; on condition that; on the chance (that); powers that be; put that in your pipe; seeing that; ships that pass in the night; so that; suffice it to say that; tear (that tears) it; this and that; to that effect; when it comes to (that); would that; you can say that again.

Thai term for a stūpa.

IN BRIEF: Being previously mentioned or otherwise understood.

I want that car.

LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!

sign description: The Y-handshape is slapped down on the palm of the left open hand.

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, demonstrative pron

that there Brit, euphemistic Used for referring to sexual activity, esp. in catch-phrase you can't do that there 'ere. (1819 —) .
Evening News The British Government gives vent to a 'John-Bullism', and says, after the abduction of a Hindu girl from within the border, 'You can't do that there 'ere!' (1937).

[The catch-phrase derives from a popular song by Squiers and Wark, published in Feldman's 41st Song and Dance Album ((1933)).]

Previous:	terrier, terr, terp
Next:	thatch, there, thick

For a list of words related to that, see:

• Conjunctions

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See words rhyming with "that."

  See crossword solutions for the clue That .

Dansk (Danish)
pron. - den, det, denne, dette
det. - den, det, denne, dette
adv. - så
conj. - så at, for at, at, fordi, gid
adj. - det, den, så

idioms:

• all that    alt det
• and all that    og alt det der
• at that    oven i købet
• just like that    bare lige sådan
• that is    det vil sige
• that is to say    hvormed jeg vil sige
• that will do    så er det nok
• that's it    det var det hele
• that's more like it    det var bedre
• that's right    det er rigtigt
• that's that    færdig, det var det

Nederlands (Dutch)
die, dat, welke, wat, datgene, zo(danig), heel erg, opdat

Français (French)
pron. - celui-/celle-/ceux-/celles-là, cela, ça, ce, ceux qui/celles qui ..., qui (sujet), que (objet), lequel, laquelle, lesquels, lesquelles, dont, (le jour) où, comme (je suis)
det. - ce, cet, cette, ces
adv. - ça, comme ça, de ça, autant de, aussi (loin) que ça, (GB, dial) tellement
conj. - gén) que, si seulement, comment (de surprise)
adj. - ce/cette/ces ... là, aussi/si (mauvais)

idioms:

• all that    tout cela
• and all that    et tout cela
• at that    à ce
• just like that    tout simplement
• that is    c'est (à dire)
• that will do    cela fera l'affaire
• that's it    c'est ça (excl), ça suffit (excl)
• that's more like it    c'est mieux
• that's right    c'est juste
• that's that    c'est tout, point final, il n'y a pas à en discuter

Deutsch (German)
pron. - dieser, diese, dieses, jene, jener, jenes, der, die, das
conj. - dass
adj. - dieser, diese, dieses, jene, jener, jenes, der, die, das
adv. - so, auf diese Weise
det. - so

idioms:

• all that    all das, gar so
• and all that    und so weiter
• at that    dabei, noch dazu
• just like that    einfach so
• that is    das heißt, genauer gesagt
• that will do    das reicht
• that's it    das wär's, und dabei bleibt's, das ist es!, jetzt ist Schluß!, genau
• that's more like it    das hört sich schon besser an, das sieht schon besser aus
• that's right    das stimmt, gut so
• that's that    das wär's, und dabei bleibt's

Ελληνική (Greek)
pron. - αυτός-ή-ό (που προαναφέρθηκε), εκείνος-η-ο (εκεί)
conj. - ότι, πως, ώστε, διότι, να, πόσο, έτσι, ότι να
adj. - αυτός-ή-ό (που προαναφέρθηκε), εκείνος-η-ο (εκεί)
adv. - τόσο (πολύ), (καθομ.) υπερβολικά

idioms:

• all that    (τόσο) πολύ
• and all that    και όλα τα παρόμοια, και τα λοιπά
• at that    και μάλιστα
• just like that    έτσι ακριβώς, μ' αυτόν ακριβώς τον τρόπο, χωρίς ιδιαίτερο λόγο
• that is    δηλαδή
• that is to say    δηλαδή
• that will do    φτάνει, αρκετά
• that's it    ακριβώς!, σωστά!, έτσι μπράβο!
• that's more like it    έτσι μπράβο!
• that's right    (πολύ) σωστά!, ακριβώς!, μάλιστα!
• that's that    αυτό είναι, πάει και τέλειωσε

Italiano (Italian)
quel, quell', quella, quello, ciù, che

idioms:

• all that    tutto ciù
• and all that    e tutto ciù
• at that    inoltre
• just like that    proprio così
• that is    cioè
• that will do    basta così
• that's more like it    meglio così
• that's right    è vero
• that's that/it    questo è quanto

Português (Portuguese)
pron. - esse (m), essa (f), aquele (m), aquela (f), isso (m), aquilo (m)
conj. - tal, tanto
adj. - designar pessoa ou coisa para cuja e atenção é chamada
adv. - aquele (m), aquela (f), esse (m), essa (f)

idioms:

• all that    tudo isso
• and all that    e tudo isso
• at that    deixemos nisso
• just like that    de um momento para o outro
• that is (to say)    isto é
• that will do    será o suficiente
• that's more like it    assim está melhor
• that's right    está certo
• that's that/it    pronto!, acabou-se!

Русский (Russian)
(местоим.) тот, то

idioms:

• all that    так уж ("это не так уж трудно")
• and all that    "...и тому подобное!", "...и все прочее", "...и все такое!"
• at that    (усиливает только-что сказанное - "к тому же..."
• just like that    (разг.) вот так
• that is (to say)    т. е., вернее, точнее ("это хорошо, вернее, прекрасно!")
• that will do    "хватит!", "довольно!", "этого достаточно!"
• that's more like it    "это другое дело!" "это другой разговор!"
• that's right    "так точно", "совершенно верно!"
• that's that/it    "вот и все!" "дело с концом!" "на этом кончим"

Español (Spanish)
pron. - aquel, aquella, esa, ese, eso, que, el cual, el que, lo que, quien, aquello, en que, donde
det. - aquel, aquella, esa, ese, eso, tal, tal cosa, que, el cual, el que, lo que, quien, para que, porque
adv. - así, tan, ahí
conj. - que, para que, a fin de que, cuando
adj. - aquel, aquella, esa, ese

idioms:

• all that    todo eso, cosas así
• and all that    y todo lo demás, y cosas por el estilo
• at that    además, así, sin más, todavía, más aún, para colmo, considerándolo todo
• just like that    así nomás
• that is    es decir
• that will do    eso será suficiente
• that's it    eso es, ¡así es pues!, ¡no hay nada que hacer!
• that's more like it    eso parece mejor
• that's right    ¡correcto!, ¡así es!
• that's that    ¡así es pues!, ¡no hay nada que hacer!

Svenska (Swedish)
pron. - den där, det där, denna, detta, de där, som, såvitt, vad
conj. - att, som, eftersom, om
adj. - det där, så där
adv. - så

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
那, 那个, 那事, 那人, 前者, 那么, 那样, 因为, 由于, 为了, 以至于

idioms:

• all that    所有的
• and all that    诸如此类
• at that    而且
• just like that    正像那个那样, 就像那个一样
• that is    那就是
• that is to say    即, 那就是说
• that will do    那样就行了
• that's it    那只有这个
• that's more like it    那样好得多了, 这才像话
• that's right    对啊!不错!完全正确
• that's that    就这样

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
pron. - 那, 那個, 那事, 那人, 前者
det. - 那, 那個
adv. - 那麼, 那樣
conj. - 因為, 由於, 為了, 以至於
adj. - 那, 那個

idioms:

• all that    所有的
• and all that    諸如此類
• at that    而且
• just like that    正像那個那樣, 就像那個一樣
• that is    那就是
• that is to say    即, 那就是說
• that will do    那樣就行了
• that's it    那只有這個
• that's more like it    那樣好得多了, 這才像話
• that's right    對啊!不錯!完全正確
• that's that    就這樣

한국어 (Korean)
pron. - ~인 바의, 그것, 그렇게
det. - 그 , 저
adv. - 그렇게, 그 정도로, 그다지 ~하지 않다
conj. - ~하는 것을, ~하기 위해
adj. - 저 , 그것의

idioms:

• at that    그대로, 그 정도로, 게다가

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - あの, その, 例の
adv. - そんなに, それほど
conj. - …できるように, …ということ, …する限りでは, …であればよいのに, …とは驚いた
pron. - あれ, それ, そのとき, …であるところの, そのこと, …ところの

idioms:

• at that    そのままで, その点では, しかも, その上, その点で, それくらいで, それにもかかわらず
• that's it    そこが問題だ, それだそれそれ
• that's that    よくなってきた

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(ضمير) ذاك (حرف عطف) الذي, التي (صفه) كذلك (ظرف) ليت, الى هذا الحد‏

עברית (Hebrew)
pron. - ‮זה, זאת, הזה/ו, ההוא, ההיא‬
det. - ‮זה, זאת, הזה/ו, ההוא, ההיא, אותו, אותה‬
adv. - ‮כזה, כזו, במידה כזו, ש-‬
conj. - ‮כדי ש-, כיוון ש-, אשר, ש-‬
adj. - ‮זה/ו, הזה/ו, אותו/ה, ההוא, ההיא‬

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