adv. Obs. Forms: 3 weðen, queðen, 4 wheþin, -yn, whethene, queþen, quiþen, queiþin, queyþen, weþen, wethen, wythenne, 4–5 wheþen(e, whethen, quethen, 5 wheþon, whethyn, whythene, -yne, quethin, qu-, qwethun. [a. ON. hvaðan (MSw. hwädhan, MDa. hvæden; f. root of WHO + -ðan as in heðan, þeðan), with vowel-assimilation to HETHEN, THETHEN.] WHENCE; and, like that word, often preceded by redundant fro (occas. of).
1. interrog. = WHENCE 1, 2.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 127. Weðen is me cumen þat mi louerdes moder cumeð to me?
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 1401. Al he tolde hem fro queðen he cam.
13[?]. Cursor M., 2619 (Gött.). ‘Agar,’ he said, ‘queþen comes þou, Or queþerward wil þu ga nou?’
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 461. Neuermore þen þay wyste fram queþen he was wonnen.
c. 1400. Anturs Arth., xxviii. Wheþene [v.r. whythene] is þe comli kniȝte?
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., 535. Þe kynge askede anone what was his name And what mon And whethen þat he wasse.
2. rel. = WHENCE 3.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, cxx. 1. I liftid myn eghyn in hillis wheþen help cum till me. Ibid. (1340), Pr. Consc., 5205. Ierusalem … fra whethen þe crosse for yhow I bare.
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 4118. That he was lord of that kyndome Fro whethen alle that riches is come.
b. In generalized or indefinite sense: From whatever place, whencesoever.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 871. Wheþen in worlde he were, Hit semed as he myȝt Be prynce with-outen pere.
Hence † Whethenward adv. Obs., in phr. fra whethenward [cf. -WARD 4, 7], from whence, whence.
c. 1200. Ormin, 16668. Þu ne mahht nohht witenn … Fra wheþennwarrd gast cumeþþ forþ.
