adv., conj. Obs. Forms: α. 1 hwanone, 3 hwanene, whanene, wanene, hweonene, wheonene, wenene, whonene, whonnene, wonene, (whænnenen). β. 2 hwonne, 3 hweonne, whone, wanne, 3–5 whenne, 4 Sc. quhene. γ. 1 hwanon, -an, -un, hwonan, -on, 3 hwannen, whannen, -in, wannen, wanen. δ. 1 huona, hwona. ε. 4 wen, wan, north. quen, Sc. quhen, 4–5 when. See also WHYNE. [OE. hwanone, hwanon, hwonan = OS. hwanon, -en, whence (nêthwanen from somewhere or other), OHG. (h)wanana, wanân, wannen (MHG. swannen = sô wannen sô whencesoever): a derivative of the interrog. stem χwa- WHO, WHAT, as HEN, HENNE (= hence) is of χi- HE, and THENNE, THEN (= thence) of þa-.]
1. interrog. = WHENCE 1, 2.
Beowulf, 333. Hwanon feriʓeað ȝe fætte scyldas? Ibid., 2403. Hæfde þa ʓefrunen, hwanan sio fæhð aras.
c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., v. § 3. Wast þu hwonan ælc wuht cume?
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Luke i. 43. Unde hoc mihi ut ueniat mater domini mei ad me, huona [Rushw. hwona; Ags. hwanun; Hatton hwanen] ðis me þætte cyme moder drihtnes mines to me?
a. 1000. Gosp. Nicod., iv. (Thwaites), 2. Hwanone sceoldest þu specan on Hebreisc?
c. 1200. Vices & Virtues, 69. Ic ðe warni … ðat tu … understande and lierne fastliche ða ȝekyndes of sinnes, hwannen and hwanne hie cumen.
c. 1205. Lay., 1430. Whonene [c. 1275 Wanene] beo ȝe cnihtes? Ibid., 6193. He … hæhte heom suggen wannen heo weoren.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 2407. He esste hom wanen [v.r. of wanne] hi were & wo him þider broȝte.
13[?]. Guy Warw. (A.), 1724. Gij … seyd, ‘wen comestow, pilgrim?’
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. XII. 75. He … asked him after, or when þat he were.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 2547. ‘Ihesu lord,’ quaþ Olyuere; ‘fro wan comeþ al þis gold?’
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 265. Of Envie noman knoweth Fro whenne he cam bot out of helle.
a. 1425. Cursor M., 13929 (Trin.). Whenne he shal com shal noon knowe.
1483. Cath. Angl., 416/1. Whenne, vnde.
2. rel. or conj. = WHENCE 3, 4.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. xviii. 25. Þa he næfde hwanon he hyt agulde.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 61. Parais, from hwonne þe engles a-dun follon.
c. 1205. Lay., 2034. He hire sette name on … to munien his ikunde whone he icomen weore.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 4298. Toward þe wode wanene [v.r. fram wanne] hii come þe brutons gonne to fle.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 212. To … go … To Rome, whenne that sche cam.
b. Qualified by ever: = WHENCESOEVER.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 156. He which was a Bacheler, Mi fader, is now mad a Pier; So whenne as evere that I cam, An Erles dowhter now I am.
c. 1440. Ipomydon, 497. Where [v.r. when] he euer come or what he is.
