From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Who \Who\, pron. [Possess. {whose}; object. {Whom}.] [OE. who,
wha, AS. hw[=a], interrogative pron., neut. hw[ae]t; akin to
OFries. hwa, neut. hwet, OS. hw[=e], neut. hwat, D. wie,
neut. wat, G. wer, neut. was, OHG. wer, hwer, neut. waz,
hwaz, Icel. hvat, neut., Dan. hvo, neut. hvad, Sw. ho, hvem,
neut. hvad, Goth. hwas, fem. hw[=o], neut. hwa, Lith. kas,
Ir. & Gael. co, W. pwy, L. quod, neuter of qui, Gr. po`teros
whether, Skr. kas. [root]182. Cf. {How}, {Quantity},
{Quorum}, {Quote}, {Ubiquity}, {What}, {When}, {Where},
{Whether}, {Which}, {Whither}, {Whom}, {Why}.]
[1913 Webster]
1. Originally, an interrogative pronoun, later, a relative
pronoun also; -- used always substantively, and either as
singular or plural. See the Note under {What}, pron., 1.
As interrogative pronouns, who and whom ask the question:
What or which person or persons? Who and whom, as relative
pronouns (in the sense of that), are properly used of
persons (corresponding to which, as applied to things),
but are sometimes, less properly and now rarely, used of
animals, plants, etc. Who and whom, as compound relatives,
are also used especially of persons, meaning the person
that; the persons that; the one that; whosoever. "Let who
will be President." --Macaulay.
[1913 Webster]
[He] should not tell whose children they were.
--Chaucer.
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There thou tell'st of kings, and who aspire;
Who fall, who rise, who triumph, who do moan.
--Daniel.
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Adders who with cloven tongues
Do hiss into madness. --Shak.
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Whom I could pity thus forlorn. --Milton.
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How hard is our fate, who serve in the state.
--Addison.
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Who cheapens life, abates the fear of death.
--Young.
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The brace of large greyhounds, who were the
companions of his sports. --Sir W.
Scott.
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2. One; any; one. [Obs., except in the archaic phrase, as who
should say.]
[1913 Webster]
As who should say, it were a very dangerous matter
if a man in any point should be found wiser than his
forefathers were. --Robynson
(More's
Utopia).
[1913 Webster]
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