adv. Now formal or arch. [f. WHERE 15 + IN prep. Cf. Du. waarin, G. worin, MSw. hvarinne, Sw. vari, Da. hvori.]
I. Interrogative. 1. In what (thing, matter, respect, etc.)?
In quot. 1600 = in what dress? (IN prep. 6.)
For the distinction between the use in dependent clauses and the relative use, cf. WHAT A. I** note.
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 39. Hare confort & hare delit, hwerin is hit?
c. 1460. Metham, Wks. (1916), 46. Clerkys wryte, off gret and smal, Her namys and naturys, and qwere-in thei noy be kend natural.
1509. Fisher, Funeral Serm. C’tess Richmond, Wks. (1876), 259. To shewe wherin this … prynces may wel be lykened … vnto the blessyd woman Martha.
1535. Coverdale, Exod. xxii. 27. His rayment is his onely couerynge of his skynne: wherin he slepeth.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., III. ii. 234. How look’d he? Wherein went he?
1611. Bible, Isa. ii. 22. Wherein is hee to be accounted of?
1671. Milton, Samson, 564. To what can I be useful, wherein serve My Nation?
1728. Law, Serious C., x. Wherein does the sinfulness of this behaviour consist?
1850. McCosh, Div. Govt., I. iii. (1874), 60. It is not needful to show wherein the weakness of this theory lies.
1891. Farrar, Darkn. & Dawn, xxii. Oh, Britannicus! wherein have we offended?
II. Relative. 2. In which (place, material thing, writing, etc.); where.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), vii. 26. A felde whare in bawme growes apon smale brusches.
1484. Caxton, Fables of Alfonce, iv. A grete purse wherin were a thousand Crownes.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. lxxv. 39 b/2. The cytie … was destroyed, and the churches of godde wherin that god was honoured.
c. 1620. A. Hume, Brit. Tongue (1865), 14. Anie latin word, quharein now we sound c as s.
1634. Milton, Comus, 135. Stay thy cloudy Ebon chair, Wherin thou rid’st with Hecat’.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 158, ¶ 5. Your Paper, wherein you fall upon us whom you envy.
1859. Gwilt, Archit. (ed. 4), 1027. A species of building wherein the faces of the stones are … picked with the point of a hammer.
1888. ‘J. S. Winter,’ Bootle’s Childr., ii. Peering keenly into the shadow wherein she stood.
(b) with ellipsis of antecedent: cf. WHEREWITH 2 b.
1674. N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 99. The world is made as much for stirring in its kind, as any share of it, if it had but a wherein to stir.
b. In, at, during, or in the course of which (time).
1535. Coverdale, Ps. lxxxix. [xc.] 15. The yeares wherin we haue suffred aduersite.
1597. Morley, Introd. Mus., Ded. We liue in those daies wherein enuie raigneth.
1629. Milton, Nativity, i. This is the Month, and this the happy morn Wherin the Son of Heav’ns eternal King … Our great redemption from above did bring.
1733. Berkeley, Th. Vision Vind., § 70. In an Age wherein we hear so much of Thinking and Reasoning.
1819. Shelley, Cenci, I. i. 32. Length of days Wherein to act the deeds which are the stewards Of their revenue.
3. In which (matter, fact, action, condition, etc.); in respect of which.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 88. He haþ god þis þat he moost lufiþ, and wer in he tristiþ, as in God.
c. 1440. Alphabet of Tales, cli. 105. Þies er sophyms & subtelties, whare-in I wastis all my dayes.
1526. Tindale, Luke xi. 22. He taketh from him his harnes wherin he trusted.
1611. Bible, Luke i. 4. That thou mightest know the certainetie of those things wherein thou hast bene instructed.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 33, ¶ 1. Poor Daphne was seldom submitted to in a Debate wherein she was concerned.
a. 1774. Goldsm., Hist. Greece, I. 265. A very sharp action ensued, wherein … the Athenians got the better.
1865. Swinburne, Chastelard, V. ii. 205. Whate’er this be wherein you were aggrieved.
1889. ‘J. S. Winter,’ Mrs. Bob, xiv. There began a round of pleasure for Julia wherein she was the central figure.
(b) ellipt. or as comp. rel. = in that respect in which; that (one, something) in which.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., III. ii. 179. Wherein is doth impaire the seeing sense, It paies the hearing double recompence.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. xlvi. § 2. There is wherein to exercise patience.
1628. in Engl. Hist. Rev. (1918), Jan., 30. Your Wisdome will supply it, wherein it is defectiue.
1728. H. Home, Decis. Crt. Sess. 1716–28, To Rdr. No Decision is taken Notice of, but wherein some new Point is established.
1894. Frances A. Doughty, in Forum (N.Y.), Oct., 248. This is wherein a bracing climate, with an inherited habit of waiting on themselves, accounts for much with the New Englanders.
4. Into which: = WHEREINTO 1.
c. 1400. Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483), IV. xxxiii. 81. A coufre wherin that men shal put pryue thynges.
1526. Tindale, John vi. 22. There was none other shyppe there save that won wher in his disciples were entred.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., II. x. 44. We came to an anker very nigh the castle, wherin when our patrone would followe vs [etc.].
