adv., conj. arch. [f. WHEN + AS adv. 27.]
1. At the, or a, time at which; in a case in which: = WHEN 4, 8.
1423. James I., Kingis Q., ii. Quhen as I lay In bed allone waking,… Fell me to mynd of many diuerse thing.
1550. Lever, Serm. 4th Sund. Lent, A vij b. Ye shall heare, when as much people commynge vnto Iesus,… what Iesus did.
1574. T. Hill, Art Garden., Bees, 66. This is a great token of raine to follow, when as the Sunne in the day time, and the Moone in the night, do appeare pale, or blackish of colour.
1602. Kyd, Sp. Trag., III. H 2 b. At the mid of noone, When as the Sun-God rides in all his glorie.
1638. Quarles, Hieroglyphikes, VII. iv. Subjects must vail, whenas their Sov’reigne’s by.
1748. Thomson, Cast. Indol., I. lxv. Whenas we found he would not here be pent, To him the better sort this friendly message sent.
1808. Scott, Marm., I. xxviii. Whenas the Palmer came in hall, Nor lord, nor knight, was there more tall.
1904. M. Hewlett, Queen’s Quair, II. vi. Whenas he hesitated … she came forward in a pretty, shy way.
† b. At which time; and then; whereupon: = WHEN 6. Obs.
1553. in Feuillerat, Revels Q. Mary (1914), 159. Vntill the xxviijth daye of the same monethe wen as the same … surseased.
1631. Weever, Anc. Funeral Mon., 254. Hugh had scarce continued one yeare of probation, when as the foresaid Albot Wido departed the world.
1697. J. Sergeant, Solid Philos., 205. Where ’s that Other Duration or Succession before Time,… whenas ’tis confessed there was none.
2. a. Seeing that, inasmuch as: = WHEN 9 a.
1551. Turner, Herbal, I. B ij b. When as the greater Galanga is … without any … euell sauoure I wold rather take great Galanga for Acorus, then the comon calamus.
1644. Milton, Areop. (Arb.), 57. How can he be a Doctor in his book … whenas all he teaches … is but under … the correction of his patriarchal licencer?
1728. in Sewall’s Letter-bk. (1886), II. 240. I may well condole the bereavement, whenas so much personal friendship is therewithall vanished.
1899. C. W. Doyle, Taming of Jungle, i. Whenas my back smarted shrewdly that night from the blows or the chuprassi’s shoe, so that I could not sleep, I took the oil from my chirag and anointed my back therewith.
b. In adversative sense: Whereas: = WHEN 9 b.
1578. Timme, Calvin on Gen., 95. They doe verie childishly erre, which do consider originall sinne onely … in the inordinate motion of appetites: when as it fulfilleth the seate of reason and the whole hart.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., V. vii. 34. So Iudas kist his master, And cried all haile, when as he meant all harme.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 272. He brings in this Date of Solon’s Death, out of Phanias: as if it was a point uncontroverted, and allow’d by Plutarch himself. Whenas Plutarch barely mentions it.
1711. Sewall, Diary, 14 May (1879), II. 311. Through the Goodness of God I had little or no hurt, when as my Horse’s Nose bled for it.
