what for
Idioms-
For what purpose or reason, why, as in I know you're going to England, but what for? [Mid-1700s]
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A punishment or scolding, as in You'll get what for from Mom if she catches you smoking , or The teacher really gave Bud what for . [ Colloquial ; second half of 1800s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I hear many composers use references, but what for? That’s not what we do. We have the film to be inspired by. That’s enough.”
From Los Angeles Times
The Justice Department said the paint job wasn’t a certainty and argued there was no reason for a judge to police what for now remains a hypothetical project.
Israelis on Monday celebrated what for many feels like the end of the war.
Although history has proven that by then, another player will have eclipsed what for now is a staggering salary.
From Los Angeles Times
But when Snead later traded to the Atlanta Falcons what for the Rams was a fairly meaningless No. 26 pick, the Rams stunningly received in return a No. 1 pick in 2026.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
