Thesaurus: whence

Related headwords

Definitions

1. adv. From what place; hence, from what or which source, origin, antecedent, premise, or the like; how; -- used interrogatively.
2. adv. From what or which place, source, material, cause, etc.; the place, source, etc., from which; -- used relatively.
3. adv. from what place, source, or cause
4. 1. From what place; hence, from what or which source, origin, antecedent, premise, or the like; how; -- used interrogatively. Whence hath this man this wisdom Matt. xiii. 54. Whence and what art thou Milton. 2. From what or which place, source, material, cause, etc.; the place, source, etc., from which; -- used relatively. Grateful to acknowledge whence his good Descends. Milton. Note: All the words of this class, whence, where, whither, whereabouts, etc., are occasionally used as pronouns by a harsh construction. O, how unlike the place from whence they fell Milton. Note: From whence, though a pleonasm, is fully authorized by the use of good writers. From whence come wars and fightings among you James iv. 1. Of whence, also a pleonasm, has become obsolete.
5. r:100 r. from what place, source, or cause