whatsoever

det, adv, pron — 3 senses

whatsoever

det

UK /ˌwɒtsəʊˈɛvə(ɹ)/ · US /ˌ(h)wʌtsoʊˈɛvɚ/

Etymology From Middle English whatsoever. By surface analysis, what + so + ever.

1

Formal, Literary Whatever.

  • The building may be used for whatsoever purpose the tenant desires.
  • […]In whatſoever ſhape he lurk,[…]1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, line 587:

whatsoever

adv

Etymology From Middle English whatsoever. By surface analysis, what + so + ever.

1

In the negative In any way; at all; whatever.

  • He gave me no answer whatsoever.
  • In the old days, to my commonplace and unobserving mind, he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, […], and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 1:
1 more example
  • ...my father's role as the ecclesiastical leader of our ward gave me no license whatsoever to expect obedience from my agemates?2019, Dierdre Nicole Green, “'I'm the Bishop!' and other Reflections”, in A Place to Belong, Deseret Book, →ISBN, page 141:

whatsoever

pron

Etymology From Middle English whatsoever. By surface analysis, what + so + ever.

1

Archaic, Literary Whatever.

  • Whatsoever you seek, you will find.
  • Whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 31:16:
1 more example
  • c. 1613–1621, Francis Bacon, The judicial charge upon the commission of Oyer and Terminer held for the verge of the Court […] I must require you to use diligence in presenting especially those purloinings and imbezlements, which are of plate, vessel, or whatsoever within the King's house.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.