that

He told me that the book is a good read.

I believe that it is true.

I can see that the ladder won't reach.

Introducing a clause that is the object of a verb, especially a reporting verb or verb expressing belief, knowledge, perception, etc.

It is almost certain that she will come.

It amazes me that people still believe this nonsense.

Introducing a clause that is the subject of a verb, especially the 'be' verb or a verb expressing judgement, opinion, etc.

That she will come is almost certain.

That people still believe this nonsense amazes me.

I'm sure that you are right.

She is convinced that he is British.

Introducing a clause that complements an adjective or passive participle.

Be glad that you have enough to eat.

Expressing a reason or cause: because, in that.

Was John there? — Not that I saw.

How often did she visit him? — Twice that I saw.

c. 1867, Anthony Trollope, The Claverings:

Introducing a subordinate clause modifying an adverb.

I heard a rumour that they got married.

Reports that he left the country are circulating.

Introducing a clause that describes the information content of a preceding reporting noun.

The noise was so loud that she woke up.

The problem was sufficiently important that it had to be addressed.

My dad apparently always said that no child of his would ever be harassed for its poor eating habits, and then I arrived, and I was so disgusting that he revised his opinion.

2008 May 23, Zoe Williams, “I swore I wouldn't be an embarrassing mother. But the key to being a success in life is changing your mind, right?”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2014-08-14:

Introducing — especially, but not exclusively, with an antecedent like so or such — a subordinate clause expressing a result, consequence, or effect.

He fought that others might have peace.

Baſſ[anio]. Be aſſured you may. / Shy[lock]. I will be aſſured I may: and that I may be aſſured, I will bethinke me, may I ſpeake with Anthonio?

c. 1596–1598 (date written), W[illiam] Shakespeare, The Excellent History of the Merchant of Venice. […] (First Quarto), [London]: […] J[ames] Roberts [for Thomas Heyes], published 1600, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii], signature B2, verso:

When hungry Judges ſoon the Sentence ſign, / And Wretches hang that Jury-men may Dine; […]

1712 May, [Alexander Pope], “The Rape of the Locke. An Heroi-comical Poem.”, in Miscellaneous Poems and Translations. […], London: […] Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC, canto I, page 360:

Ellen's mamma was going out to pay a visit, but she left the children a large piece of rich plumcake to divide between them, that they might play at making feasts.

1833, Parley's Magazine, volume 1, page 23:

That he might ascertain whether any of the cloths of ancient Egypt were made of hemp, M. Dutrochet has examined with the microscope the weavable filaments of this last vegetable.

1837, The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, volume 23, page 222:

[…]Since one might well forget to weep who bore / Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby. / But love me for love's sake, that evermore / Thou may'st love on through love's eternity.

c. 1845–1846, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “Sonnets from the Portuguese”, in Poems. […], new edition, volume II, London: Chapman & Hall, […], published 1850, →OCLC, sonnet XIV, page 451:

In the olden days people had a stronger belief in all kinds of witchery; now they pretend not to believe in it, that they may be looked upon as sensible and educated people, as you say.

1881, P. Chr. Asbjörnsen [i.e., Peter Christen Asbjørnsen], “Legends of the Mill”, in H. L. Brækstad, transl., Round the Yule Log. Norwegian Folk and Fairy Tales, London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, →OCLC, page 156:

Now one day of the days,[…]the Sultan cast his eyes upon her as she stood before him, and said to his Grand Wazir, "This be the very woman whereof I spake to thee yesterday, so do thou straightway bring her before me, that I may see what be her suit and fulfil her need."

1887, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “Alaeddin; or, The Wonderful Lamp. [Night 547.]”, in Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume III, [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC, page 108:

Jesus died that we might live "through" Him.

2009, Dallas R. Burdette, Biblical Preaching and Teaching, →ISBN, page 340:

(dated) Introducing a subordinate clause that expresses an aim, purpose, or goal ("final"), and usually contains the auxiliaries may, might, or should: so, so that, in order that.

What are you mad, that you doe reaſon ſo?

c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 91, column 2:

[I]n short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

1859, Charles Dickens, “The Period”, in A Tale of Two Cities, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book I (Recalled to Life), page 1:

“She must be wonderfully fascinating,” said Mrs Morel, with scathing satire. “She must be very wonderful, that you should trail eight miles, backward and forward, after eight o’clock at night.”

c. 1911, D.H. Lawrence, third draft of what became Sons and Lovers, in Helen Baron (editor), Paul Morel, Cambridge University Press (2003), page 234

(archaic or poetic) Introducing a premise or supposition for consideration: seeing as; inasmuch as; given that; as would appear from the fact that.

Oh that spring would come!

O that they were wiſe, and vnderſtoode, […]

1609, The Holie Bible, […] (Douay–Rheims Bible), Doway: Lavrence Kellam, […], →OCLC, Devteronomie 32:29, page 463:

'Would that my rage and wrath would somehow stir me, / Here as I am, to cut off thy raw flesh / And eat it, […]

1864, T. S. Norgate's translation of the Iliad, book 10, page 613

(archaic or poetic) Introducing an exclamation expressing a desire or wish.

That men should behave in such a way!

I pray thee marke me, that a brother ſhould / Be ſo perfidious: […]

1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 2, column 2:

(archaic or poetic) Introducing an exclamation expressing a strong emotion such as sadness or surprise.

أَنَّ (ʔanna) (+ subject in the accusative case)

(rendered by means of accusative plus infinitive)

لِكَيْ

connecting a clause indicating purpose ("final")

From Middle English that, from Old English þæt (“the, that”, neuter definite article and relative pronoun), from Proto-West Germanic *þat, from Proto-Germanic *þat. Cognate to Saterland Frisian dät, West Frisian dat, Dutch dat, Low German dat, German dass and das, Danish det, Swedish det, Icelandic það, Gothic 𐌸𐌰𐍄𐌰 (þata). Further from Proto-Indo-European *tód; compare Ancient Greek τό (tó), Sanskrit तद् (tád), Waigali ta, Lithuanian taĩ, Polish to.


that

That book is a good read. This one isn't.

That battle was in 1450.

That cat of yours is evil.

The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again; for, even after she had conquered her love for the Celebrity, the mortification of having been jilted by him remained.

1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 110:

She was like a Beardsley Salome, he had said. And indeed she had the narrow eyes and the high cheekbone of that creation, and as nearly the sinuosity as is compatible with human symmetry.

1921, Ben Travers, “Westward Ho!”, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC, part I (“Come He Will”), page 8:

‘No. I only opened the door a foot and put my head in. The street lamps shine into that room. I could see him. He was all right. Sleeping like a great grampus. Poor, poor chap.’

1963, Margery Allingham, “Eye Witness”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC, page 242:

The gym is across from the lounge. It’s next to the mailroom. Go that way. — Thanks, Pete! — No, Anna! Not that way! Go that way!
Audio (US): (file)

2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)

The (thing, person, idea, etc) indicated or understood from context, especially if more remote physically, temporally or mentally than one designated as "this", or if expressing distinction.

idto

far from both the speaker and the listener

iyan

near the person spoken to, but away from the speaker

tuo

when pointed to or indicated by the speaker

se (when not pointed to or indicated by the speaker, for closer objects, in relative clauses or referring to what was said before)


that

They're getting divorced. What do you think about that?

(demonstrative) The thing, person, idea, quality, event, action, or time indicated or understood from context, especially if more remote geographically, temporally or mentally than one designated as "this", or if expressing distinction.

The water is so cold! — That it is.

Would you like another piece of cake? — That I would!

We think that you stole the tarts. — That I did not!

Used to emphatically affirm or deny a previous statement or question.

That's my car over there.

He went home, and after that I never saw him again.

To be, or not to be, that is the queſtion, / Whether tis nobler in the minde to ſuffer / The ſlings and arrowes of outragious fortune, / Or to take Armes againſt a ſea of troubles, / And by oppoſing, end them, […]

c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], signature G2, recto:

[A] second man—[…]—was qualified and fitted, both intellectually and morally,—and that to an exceptional extent—to be the Head […]

1888 July, The Original Secession Magazine, page 766:

"I was dragged up at the workhouse school till I was twelve. Then I ran away and sold papers in the streets, and anything else that I could pick up a few coppers by—except steal. I never did that. I always made up my mind I'd be a big man some day, and—I'm glad I didn't steal."

1909, Archibald Marshall [pseudonym; Arthur Hammond Marshall], “In the Bay of Biscay”, in The Squire’s Daughter, New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead and Company, published 1919, →OCLC, page 16:

However[…], the British were unable to do much about it short of going to war with St Petersburg, and that the government was unwilling to do.

1990, Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game, Folio Society, published 2010, page 310:

I've never seen someone beaten unconscious before. That’s lesbians for you.

2005, Joey Comeau, Lockpick Pornography (Loose Teeth Press)

"She is very honourable," said Mrs. Thompson, solemnly. "Yes, one sees she is that, and so simple-minded."

1910, Helen Granville-Barker, An Apprentice to Truth, page 214:

I didn't see the car that hit me.

The CPR course that she took really came in handy.

The house that he lived in was old and dilapidated.

This is the person that swore at me. (sometimes proscribed)

The poor cat, that had been trapped for three days, was freed this morning. (non-restrictive use; sometimes proscribed; see usage notes)

By heauen ile make a ghoſt of him that lets me, […]

c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shake-speare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (First Quarto), London: […] [Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and Iohn Trundell, published 1603, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv], signature C3, verso:

His [Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s] ability to run at defences is instantly striking, but it is his clever use of possession that has persuaded some shrewd judges that he is an even better prospect than Theo Walcott.

2011 November 11, Jeremy Wilson, “England Under 21 5 Iceland Under 21 0: match report”, in Tony Gallagher, editor, The Daily Telegraph, London: Telegraph Media Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2011-11-11:

Plastics are energy-rich substances, which is why many of them burn so readily. Any organism that could unlock and use that energy would do well in the Anthropocene. Terrestrial bacteria and fungi which can manage this trick are already familiar to experts in the field.

2013 July 20, “Welcome to the plastisphere”, in The Economist (Science and technology section), volume 408, number 8845, London: The Economist Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2013-07-19:

(relative, plural that) In a relative clause, referring to a previously mentioned noun, as subject, direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition; which, who.

the place that [= where or to which] I went last year

the last time that [= when] I went to Europe

(relative, colloquial) Used in place of relative adverbs such as where or when; often omitted.

is that what the kids are calling it these days

that accounts for the milk in the coconut

that and a dollar will get you a cup of coffee

that's for me to know and you to find out

that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger

that which has been seen cannot be unseen

you kiss your grandfather with that mouth


that

Here's the measurement – the ribbon must be that long, no longer and no shorter.

(degree) To a given extent or degree.
Denoting an equal degree.

She said we waited for three hours, but I'm sure it wasn't that long.

It didn't seem like ten miles, but actually it was that far.

(degree) To a given extent or degree.
Denoting 'as much', 'no less'.

I was seen quite quickly — I didn't have to wait that long.

I did the run last year, and it wasn't that difficult.

(degree, in negative constructions) To a great extent or degree; very, particularly.

Ooh, I was that happy I nearly kissed her.

This was carried with that little noise that for a good space the vigilant Bishop was not awak'd with it.

1693, John Hacket, “Scrinia reserata: a Memorial offered to the great Deservings of John Williams”, in Archbishop Williams:

(informal, British, Australia, in positive constructions) To such an extent; so.


that

As such, they do not have the ontological weight of "Being" and "Not-being," but serve simply as an explanatory vocabulary necessary to describe our world of thises and thats.

1998, David L. Hall, Roger T. Ames, Thinking from the Han, page 247:

(philosophy) Something being indicated that is there; one of those.


that

first/third-person singular preterite of thun


that

English: that

Scots: that

Yola: at, et, thet, that, th', y'at

From Old English þæt, þat, þet (“the, that”), from Proto-Germanic *þat.


that

English: that

Scots: that


that

English: that

Scots: that


that

English: that

Scots: that


that

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *that, *thaʔ (“to kill”), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g/b-sat (“to kill”).


that

thie (masculine nominative singular)
that (neuter nominative singular)
thia (feminine nominative singular)
thie (nominative plural)
then (accusative masculine singular)
that (accusative neuter singular)
thie (accusative feminine singular)
thie (accusative plural)
thes (genitive masculine singular)
thes (genitive neuter singular)
thero (feminine genitive singular)
there (genitive plural)
themo (dative masculine singular)
themo (dative neuter singular)
thero (dative feminine singular)
then (dative plural)
thiu (instrumental masculine neuter singular)

desctree

Middle Dutch: dat
Dutch: dat, het
Afrikaans: dat
Limburgish: det


that

nominative/accusative singular neuter of thē

Middle Low German: dat

Dutch Low Saxon: dat

German Low German: dat

Plautdietsch: daut


that

that's a braw day

(demonstrative, now rare except in set phrases) this


that

fat's come o' that men


that

Maade a nicest coolecannan that e'er ye did zee.

1867, “THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 3, page 94:

Made the nicest coolecannan that ever you did see.


that

An that was a fout,

1867, “SONG”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 2, page 108: