how (obs. or archaic uses are)
1.
phr. “How's the day?,” What
hour of the day is it? Tp. V. i.
3; “How say
you?,” What is your opinion? What do you
mean? Tp. II. i. 262 [254], Ham. II. ii. 190; “How so?,” How is that?
Why? Wiv. III. v. 71, Troil. III. iii. 247.
3.
orig. ellipt. for
‘How is that?’ or ‘How say
you?’, hence=‘What!’ Meas. II. i. 72, Cæs. II. i.
312.