adv., conj. Now formal or arch. Also poet. wheresoe’er; 7 -ere, -e’re; also 4–5 contr. wher(e)sere. [f. WHERESO + EVER; cf. SOEVER.]
1. = WHEREVER 2, 5.
13[?]. Cursor M., 8931 (Gött.). Bot quar-sua-euer [Cott. quar-sum-euer] þis tre lay, God schued þar-on his mihtes ay.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 644. Quere-so-euer þys mon in melly was stad, His þro þoȝt was in þat, þurȝ alle oþer þyngez.
a. 1400–50. Bk. Curtasye, 105, in Babees Bk., 302. Where-sere þou sitt at mete in borde, Avoide þe cat.
1526. Tindale, Matt. xxvi. 13. Wheresoever this gospell shalbe preached…, there shall also thys thatt she hath done, be tolde for a memoriall of her.
1588. A. King, trans. Canisius’ Catech., 35. We worschipe Christ him Selffe and his Sancts, quhairsoewir thay ar repræsentit vnto ws be thair images.
1671. Milton, P. R., III. 79. Conquerours, who leave behind Nothing but ruin wheresoe’re they rove.
1733. Watts, Philos. Ess., I. x. (1734), 35. Wheresoever Body is, there Space is not.
1859. Ruskin, Two Paths, i. § 23. Wheresoever the search after truth begins, there life begins.
1890. Bridges, Shorter Poems, IV. xxv. But wheresoe’er he take his way, He killeth our delight.
b. ellipt. = WHEREVER 2 b.
1561. T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer, II. (1577), H j b. Meeting in the market place or wheresoever anye friende.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lv. § 7. The person of Christ is whole, perfect God and perfect man wheresoeuer.
1633. J. Done, Hist. Septuagint, 58. In all the Treasors, neyther in all the Cabinets, or other wheresoeuer, was not to bee found any thing so rich.
2. = WHEREVER 3.
c. 1320. Cast. Love (ed. Hall.), 431. Ne helpyth him nothyng whersere he wynde.
c. 1400. Rule St. Benet (verse), 2215. And whor so euer þai gang o-boute, Þe ȝonger sal þe elder loute.
1535. Coverdale, Mark xiv. 14. Where so euer he goeth in, there saye ye to the good man of the house [etc.].
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., I. iii. 77. And wheresoere we went, like Iunos Swans, Still we went coupled and inseperable.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, XI. 1124. This way and that his winding Course he bends; And wheresoe’re she turns, her Steps attends.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 134, ¶ 6. [She] still goes on laying waste wheresoever she comes.
1818. Shelley, Eugan. Hills, 30. Wander wheresoe’er he may.
1865. Tennyson, Captain, 20. He … Hoped to make the name Of his vessel great in story, Wheresoe’er he came.
3. = WHEREVER 4.
a. 1450. Myrc, Par. Pr., etc. 64. Hit is to tyȝe [= tyþe] … Off hey, where-sere hit growes.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 759. The nixt vacant … That hapnis in France, quhair sa euer it fall,… I gif the heir heritabilly.
1573. D. P., Cert. Rules Geog., A iv. Where so euer you are, imagine a poynt or pricke directly ouer your head, which is called Zenith.
1645. Vane, Lost Sheepe, 267. Wheresoere they are, or whatsoeuer doing, they soe behaue themselues, as if with Saint Hierome, they heard the sound of the Archangells trump.
1853. Kingsley, Hypatia, xxx. Wulf, too, had gone to his own place, wheresoever that may be.
