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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

How \How\, adv. [OE. how, hou, hu, hwu, AS. h?, from the same
root as hw[=a], hw[ae]t, who, what, pron. interrog.; akin to
OS. hw[=o]w, D. hoe, cf. G. wie how, Goth. hw[=e] wherewith,
hwaiwa how. [root]182. See {Who}, and cf. {Why}.]
1. In what manner or way; by what means or process.
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How can a man be born when he is old? --John iii. 4.
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2. To what degree or extent, number or amount; in what
proportion; by what measure or quality.
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O, how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the
day. --Ps. cxix.
97.
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By how much they would diminish the present extent
of the sea, so much they would impair the fertility,
and fountains, and rivers of the earth. --Bentley.
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3. For what reason; from what cause.
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How now, my love! why is your cheek so pale? --Shak.
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4. In what state, condition, or plight.
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How, and with what reproach, shall I return?
--Dryden.
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5. By what name, designation, or title.
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How art thou called? --Shak.
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6. At what price; how dear. [Obs.]
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How a score of ewes now? --Shak.
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Note: How is used in each sense, interrogatively,
interjectionally, and relatively; it is also often
employed to emphasize an interrogation or exclamation.
"How are the mighty fallen!" --2 Sam. i. 27. Sometimes,
also, it is used as a noun; -- as, the how, the when,
the wherefore. --Shelley.
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Let me beg you -- don't say "How?" for "What?"
--Holmes.
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