pron. & conj. [ See Whether. ] Whether. [ Sometimes written whe'r. ] [ Obs. ] Piers Plowman. [ 1913 Webster ]

Men must enquire (this is mine assent),
Wher she be wise or sober or dronkelewe. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

conj. Whereas. [ 1913 Webster ]

And flight and die is death destroying death;
Where fearing dying pays death servile breath. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ OE. wher, whar, AS. hw&unr_;r; akin to D. waar, OS. hw&unr_;r, OHG. hwār, wār, wā, G. wo, Icel. and Sw. hvar, Dan. hvor, Goth. hwar, and E. who; cf. Skr. karhi when. √182. See Who, and cf. There. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. At or in what place; hence, in what situation, position, or circumstances; -- used interrogatively. [ 1913 Webster ]

God called unto Adam, . . . Where art thou? Gen. iii. 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ See the Note under What, pron., 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. At or in which place; at the place in which; hence, in the case or instance in which; -- used relatively. [ 1913 Webster ]

She visited that place where first she was so happy. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

Where I thought the remnant of mine age
Should have been cherished by her childlike duty. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Where one on his side fights, thousands will fly. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

But where he rode one mile, the dwarf ran four. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To what or which place; hence, to what goal, result, or issue; whither; -- used interrogatively and relatively; as, where are you going? [ 1913 Webster ]

But where does this tend? Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lodged in sunny cleft,
Where the gold breezes come not. Bryant. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Where is often used pronominally with or without a preposition, in elliptical sentences for a place in which, the place in which, or what place. [ 1913 Webster ]

The star . . . stood over where the young child was. Matt. ii. 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Son of man hath not where to lay his head. Matt. viii. 20. [ 1913 Webster ]

Within about twenty paces of where we were. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

Where did the minstrels come from? Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Where is much used in composition with preposition, and then is equivalent to a pronoun. Cf. Whereat, Whereby, Wherefore, Wherein, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Where away (Naut.), in what direction; as, where away is the land? [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- See Whither. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Place; situation. [ Obs. or Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Finding the nymph asleep in secret where. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. The place where a person or thing is; as, they did not know his whereabouts. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

A puzzling notice of thy whereabout. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ , adv. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. About where; near what or which place; -- used interrogatively and relatively; as, whereabouts did you meet him? [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In this sense, whereabouts is the common form. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Concerning which; about which. “The object whereabout they are conversant.” Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

conj. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Considering that; it being the case that; since; -- used to introduce a preamble which is the basis of declarations, affirmations, commands, requests, or like, that follow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. When in fact; while on the contrary; the case being in truth that; although; -- implying opposition to something that precedes; or implying recognition of facts, sometimes followed by a different statement, and sometimes by inferences or something consequent. [ 1913 Webster ]

Are not those found to be the greatest zealots who are most notoriously ignorant? whereas true zeal should always begin with true knowledge. Sprat. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. At which place; where. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

At last they came whereas that lady bode. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. At which; upon which; whereupon; -- used relatively. [ 1913 Webster ]

They vote; whereat his speech he thus renews. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whereat he was no less angry and ashamed than desirous to obey Zelmane. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. At what; -- used interrogatively; as, whereat are you offended? [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. By which; -- used relatively. “You take my life when you take the means whereby I life.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. By what; how; -- used interrogatively. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whereby shall I know this? Luke i. 18. [ 1913 Webster ]