See also: what-if

English

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Etymology

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Dates back at least to Old English hwæt ġif, of the same meaning.

Adverb

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what if (not comparable)

  1. Used to introduce a suggestion or proposal for a future event.
    What if we arrange it for 9:00 instead of 10:00?
  2. Used to introduce a speculation about a future event.
    What if we could learn to get along? What would happen then?
  3. Used to introduce a speculation about a past event. Often the basis for counterfactual historical interpretations.
    What if Abraham Lincoln had not been assassinated? How might the Reconstruction of the Southern States have been handled?

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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