pron. Forms: see prec.; also poet. whosoe’er (5 hosere, who-sere, 7 whosoere). In early use often as three words, occas. as two. [f. WHOSO + EVER adv. 8 e: cf. SOEVER.]
Formerly occas. with gen. whosoever’s = WHOSESOEVER.
1. = WHOEVER 1.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 286. Hwo so euer on him sulf nimeð ouðer of þeos two, he robbeð God.
a. 1240. Ureisun, in O. E. Hom., I. 187. Hwa se euer wule habbe lot wiþ þe of þi blisse, he mot deale wiþ þe of þine pine on eorþe.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, v. (Johannes), 593. Þat quha-se-euire vald almus crafe For luf of sancte Iohne suld hafe.
c. 1400. Maundev., xix. [xv.] (1919), 113. Hem semeth þat whosoeuere be meke & pacyent he is holy & profitable.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., 4685. For pore and ryche & also for hosere wolde come þedur.
c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, 111. Whosoeuer ys of God, heryth Godys worde.
1526. Tindale, John xx. 23. Whosoevers synnes ye remyt, they are remitted vnto them. Ibid., Rev. xxii. 17. Let whosoever wyll, take of the water of lyfe fre.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., IV. vii. 74. And whosoe’re gainsayes King Edwards right, By this I challenge him to single fight.
1611. Bible, Rev. xxii. 17. Whosoeuer will, let him take the water of life freely.
1681. Cotton, Wond. Peak, 72. Whosoere shall happen to come there, Will not reprove what I’ve deliver’d here.
1827. Scott, Chron. Canongate, iii. Christie regarded me as … a … predestinated child of perdition, who was sure to … drag downwards whosoever might attempt to afford me support.
1882. Besant, All Sorts, ii. We shall present our Case to Parliament, or the Queen, or the House of Lords, or the Court of Chancery, or whosoever is the right person.
2. = WHOEVER 2; also formerly = ‘if any one’ (cf. prec. 2).
13[?]. Cursor M., 4275 (Gött.). For qua-sua euer es glad or blith, Priue loue at end wil kith.
a. 1500[?]. Chester Pl., xiv. 71. This ilke Boyst might haue bene sould For three hundreth penyes tould, And dealt to poor men, who-sere would, And who-sere had bene wyse.
c. 1520. Nisbet, N. T., Prol. (S.T.S.), I. 5. Quha saeuir thow be,… ȝif thow be diligent in the estait that God has callid the vnto,… than art thow surelie blist.
1526. Tindale, Matt. xxiii. 16. Ye saye; whosoever sweare by the temple, yt ys nothinge: but whosoever sweare by the golde of the temple, he is detter.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., V. iii. 52. Margaret my name, and daughter to a King,… who so ere thou art.
1640. Bp. H. King, Serm., 31. Whosoevers Midnight is interrupted by the newes, Ours can complaine of no disturbance.
1751. F. Coventry, Pompey the Little, I. v. 39. Let me admonish thee, my gentle Friend, whosoever thou art,… not to be too forward in making Applications.
3. With loss of relative force by ellipsis: Any one at all. Cf. WHATEVER 4 b. Now rare or Obs.
1583. Babington, Expos. Commandm. (1590), 336. Liueries of Prince or subiectes, Noblemen, Gentlemen, or whosoeuer.
c. 1643. Ld. Herbert, Autobiog. (1824), 88. Having as clear a Reputation for my Courage as whosoever of my time.
b. qualifying a preceding sb. or any: now usually replaced by WHATEVER 4 a (b).
1586. Marlowe’s Tamburl., To Rdr. Gentlemen, and curteous Readers whosoeuer.
1621. Bp. Mountagu, Diatribæ, 203. By the vniuersall consent of all Writers whosoever, except … perchance two.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., Ded. Being capable, as much as any whosoever, of defending your Country.
¶ Used for the objective WHOMSOEVER.
Also qualifying the prec. word, in which case the construction may be regarded as elliptical = ‘whosoever he (they, etc.) be’: see 3 b, quot. 1621.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cccliii. 230/2. Whosoeuer they hyt he dyed of the stroke.
1526. Tindale, Mark xiv. 44. Whosoever I do kisse, he it is.
