or what

or what

English

Pronunciation

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Phrase

or what

1. (idiomatic) Or something else; allows for the existence of an unexpressed alternative to what was said.
   • 1926, Theodore Dreiser, An American Tragedy, page 68

     How should he know or guess or what?

   • 1982, Armistead Maupin, Further Tales of the City, page 146

     Do they check you at the door or what?" Michael laughed.

   • 2006, V.C. Andrews, Broken Flower, page 141

     [S]he asked me, and like you, I didn't know if that was like having heart failure or what.

   • 2007, Omar Tyree, What They Want: A Novel, page 95

     I don't know if she was joking or what, but I joked back with her anyway. […]. Did I take her back to her hotel room and drop her off or what?

Usage notes

Almost always at the end of a sentence, often in the form of a question.

Anagrams

• awroth, hot war