Dictionary Home »
The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms » what have you
what have you
what have you idiom
What remains and need not be mentioned; and the like. For example, The display room is full of stereos, TV's, and what have you. Although first recorded in 1920, this expression uses an archaic form of putting a question (using have you instead of do you have) as a noun clause, and what in the sense of “anything that.” The synonym
who knows what is much older, dating from about 1700; for example, When we cleaned out the tool shed we found old grass seed, fertilizer, and who knows what other junk. Also see or whatever.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Comments
Improve this definition.
Browse dictionary definitions near what have you
Share on Facebook