whence en · ADV
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Middle English whennes, from Old English hwanon (with adverbial genitive -s), related to hwonne (whence when). Analyzable as when + -s.
Meanings
-
(archaic, formal, literary, not-comparable) From where; from which place or source.
Go to whence you came!
At first I could not tell what this new sound was, nor whence it came, and now it seemed a little noise close by, and now a great noise in the distance. And then it grew nearer and more defined, and in a moment I knew it was the sound of voices talking.
[1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, “A Discovery”, in Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934, →OCLC, page 47:"Pork" comes from French, whence we get most of our modern cooking terms.
They swore all the gold should go back Deep into the earth whence it came.
1936, Robert Frost, “The Vindictives”, in A Further Range:[…]But when I had bestridden the plank, quoth I to myself, "Thou deservest all that betideth thee. All this is decreed to me of Allah (whose name be exalted!), to turn me from my greed of gain, whence ariseth all that I endure, for I have wealth galore."
1885, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “The Seventh Voyage of Sindbad the Seaman”, in A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, now Entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume VI, [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC, page 71:I could plainly diſcover from whence one Family derives a long Chin; why a ſecond hath abounded with Knaves for two Generations, and Fools for two more; why a third happened to be crack-brained, and a fourth to be Sharpers.
1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “A Further Account of Glubbdubdrib. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part III (A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdribb, Luggnagg, and Japan), page 108:Whence, I often asked myself, did the principle of life proceed?
1816 June – 1817 April/May (date written), [Mary Shelley], chapter III, in Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. […], volume I, London: […] [Macdonald and Son] for Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones, published 1 January 1818, →OCLC, pages 81–82:O suitably-attired-in-leather-boots Head of a traveller, wherefore seeking whom Whence by what way how purposed art thou come To this well-nightingaled vicinity?
1883, A. E. Housman, Fragment of a Greek Tragedy:That envy whence comes hate.
Ieſus anſwered, and ſaid vnto them, Though I beare record of my ſelfe, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I goe: but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I goe.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 8:14, column 1:[W]hat greatly encouraged me, it was in an opposite direction from that whence the blind man had made his appearance, and whither he had presumably returned.
1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, “The Sea Chest”, in Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC, part I (The Old Buccaneer), page 29:Whence came I?
Antonyms
Deriveds
whenceafter · whenceforth · whencefrom · whencever · everywhence · whencesoever · elsewhence · anywhence · whenceforward · somewhence · nowhence
Relateds
Translations (93)
az hardan (from where; from which place or source) · or କେଉଁଠାରୁ (from where; from which place or source) · gl de onde (from where; from which place or source) · nb hvorfra (from where; from which place or source) · hy ուստի (from where; from which place or source) · qu maymanta (from where; from which place or source) · it donde (from where; from which place or source) · ru отку́да (from where; from which place or source) · cjs қайдаң (from where; from which place or source) · hu ahonnan (from where; from which place or source) · sv varifrån (from where; from which place or source) · vi từ đâu đến (from where; from which place or source) · eo de kie (from where; from which place or source) · fo hvaðani (from where; from which place or source) · fi mistä (from where; from which place or source) · rsk одкадз (from where; from which place or source) · ca des d'on (from where; from which place or source) · pl skąd (from where; from which place or source) · grc ὅθεν (from where; from which place or source) · cmn 何处 (from where; from which place or source) · uk зві́дки (from where; from which place or source) · el αφού (from where; from which place or source) · pt de onde (from where; from which place or source) · sh odakle (from where; from which place or source) · gu ક્યાંથી (from where; from which place or source) · hu miből (from where; from which place or source) · sl od koder (from where; from which place or source) · he מִנַּיִן (from where; from which place or source) · tr nereden (from where; from which place or source) · io deube (from where; from which place or source) · hu ahonnét (from where; from which place or source) · it onde (from where; from which place or source) · tk nireden (from where; from which place or source) · ro de unde (from where; from which place or source) · ang hwanon (from where; from which place or source) · bg откъде́ (from where; from which place or source) · got 𐍈𐌰𐌸𐍂𐍉 (from where; from which place or source) · izh mist (from where; from which place or source) · eu nondik (from where; from which place or source) · es onde (from where; from which place or source) · rsk одкаль (from where; from which place or source) · ba ҡайҙан (from where; from which place or source) · nl waarvandaan (from where; from which place or source) · grc ὁπόθεν (from where; from which place or source) · sh otkud (from where; from which place or source) · is hvaðan (from where; from which place or source) · for gerrt (from where; from which place or source) · sv var i från (from where; from which place or source) · nn kvar ifrå (from where; from which place or source) · bo ག་ནས (from where; from which place or source) · hi जहाँ (from where; from which place or source) · ja どこから (from where; from which place or source) · mk од каде (from where; from which place or source) · da hvoraf (from where; from which place or source) · am ከየት (from where; from which place or source) · az haradan (from where; from which place or source) · nn kor ifrå (from where; from which place or source) · ar مِن أَيْن (from where; from which place or source) · es de/desde donde (from where; from which place or source) · cs odkud (from where; from which place or source) · hu amelyből (from where; from which place or source) · hu amiből (from where; from which place or source) · el πούθε (from where; from which place or source) · ml എവിടെനിന്ന് (from where; from which place or source) · la unde (from where; from which place or source) · nb hvorav (from where; from which place or source) · pt donde (from where; from which place or source) · ca d'on (from where; from which place or source) · he מֵאַיִן (from where; from which place or source) · ka საიდან (from where; from which place or source) · sv vadan (from where; from which place or source) · ko 어디서 (from where; from which place or source) · ka საიდანაც (from where; from which place or source) · sl od kod (from where; from which place or source) · fr d'où (from where; from which place or source) · wyi inongo (from where; from which place or source) · hu honnét (from where; from which place or source) · grc πόθεν (from where; from which place or source) · sk odkiaľ (from where; from which place or source) · hu honnan (from where; from which place or source) · ar مِن حَيْثُ (from where; from which place or source) · de woher (from where; from which place or source) · da hvorfra (from where; from which place or source) · for forrt (from where; from which place or source) · apc منين (from where; from which place or source) · ar أَنَّى (from where; from which place or source) · mi nō hea (from where; from which place or source) · it da dove (from where; from which place or source) · izh kust (from where; from which place or source) · gd cò às (from where; from which place or source) · mi nō whea (from where; from which place or source) · be адку́ль (from where; from which place or source) · eo el kie (from where; from which place or source)