adv. (sb., int.) Forms: 1–3 hwy, (1 hwiʓ, hwie), 1–4 hwi, (3 hwui, wee, ȝwi), 3–4 wi, 3–6 whi, wy, (4 Kent. hue, 4–6 whye, 5 whyghe, 6–7 whie), 4– why; 3–5 qui, 4–5 quy, qwy, quhi, 5 qwi, Sc. qwhy, 5–6 (8 arch.) Sc. quhy. [OE. hwí, hwý instr. case of hwæt WHAT, governed by to or for (see FORWHY) or used simply as adv., corresp. to OS. hwî used with preps. (bi hwî, te hwî) and simply = why, wherefore, ON. hví used as dat. of hvat, and as adv. = why (MSw., Da. hvi):—OTeut. *χwī:—Indo-Eur. *qwei, locative f. *qwo- WHO; cf. Gr. (Doric) πεῖ where.]
I. 1. In a direct question: For what reason? from what cause or motive? for what purpose? wherefore?
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. xvii. 19. Hwi ne mihte we hyne ut-adrifan?
c. 1000. Apollonius (1834), 2. Hwiʓ eart þu … swa ʓedrefedes modes?
a. 1175. Cott. Hom., 221. Hwi wolde god … him forwerne?
c. 1200. Ormin, 2407. Whi ȝaff ȝho swillc anndswere onnȝæn, Þa Godess enngell seȝȝde Þatt ȝho wiþþ childe shollde ben?
c. 1250. Kent. Serm., in O. E. Misc., 33. Wee bie ye idel?
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 2757. Sire king wi lete ȝe mi moder & me biuore þe lede?
a. 1300. Cursor M., 1128. Sir cayn, Wy has þou þi broiþer slain? Ibid., 16295. Qui smites þou me?
1340. Ayenb., 47. And hue is hit uoul dede zeþþe hit is kendelich?
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. XI. 66. Whi wolde God … suffre such a worm … þe wommon to bigyle?
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, III. 361. Quhi, Scot, dar thow nocht preiff?
1526. Tindale, Matt. xxi. 25. He wyll saye vnto vs: why dyd ye not then beleve hym?
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., II. iii. 71. Patroclus is a foole positiue. Patr. Why am I a foole?
1683. Prior, Pastoral to Dr. Turner, 3. Why dost thou sigh, why strike thy panting breast?
1776. Trial of Nundocomar, 60/2. When you came from Patna, why did you bring this paper with you?
1837. Newman, Par. Serm., III. iii. 37. Why was Saul thus marked for vengeance from the beginning.
1883. D. C. Murray, Hearts, ix. Why don’t you learn Italian?
b. Implying or suggesting a negative assertion (= ‘there is no reason why …’); hence often expressing a protest or objection (esp. with should).
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., xxxvi. 250. Ʒif he ðæm ʓehiersuman mannum næfde ʓetiohhad his eðel to sellanne, hwy [v.r. hwie] wolde he hie mid ænʓum unʓetæsan læran?
a. 1000. Cædmon’s Gen., 282. Hwy sceal ic æfter his hyldo ðeowian?… ic mæʓ wesan god swa he!
c. 1200. Vices & Virtues, 13. Ic … sæide: Hwi me scolde cumen swilche unȝelimpes?
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 103. Wi list þu turnd on þe eorðe? aris þat is to seien hwi luuest þu þine fule sunnes? forlet hem.
a. 1225. Leg. Kath., 1390. Hwi ne hihe we for to beon ifulhet?
a. 1225. Owl & Night., 1234. Þat eni man beo falle in odwite, Wi schal he me his sor atwite?
a. 1300. Cursor M., 461. Qui suld I him seruis yeild?
a. 1400. Pistill of Susan, 284. Whi spille ȝe Innocens blode?
c. 1420. Avow. Arth., xxxiii. Qwi schuld I layne?
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, II. 108. Eternaile God, quhy suld I thus wayis de?
1562. Winȝet, Cert. Tractates, iii. Wks. (S.T.S.), I. 28. Quhi abolissis he not the Sonday, as he dois Ȝule?
1608. Yorksh. Trag., iii. 5. Whie should our faults at home be spred abroad?
1766. Goldsm., Vicar W., iii. The poor live pleasantly without our help, why then should not we learn to live without theirs?
1839. Thackeray, Fatal Boots, Feb. I said nothing about it, as why should I? Ibid., Aug. Why, why was I born to undergo such unmerited misfortunes.
c. With ellipsis of the remainder of the sentence, or of all except the principal word or words (esp. when emphatic); also with simple inf. (= ‘why should one…?’). See also 4 b.
a. 1380. St. Aug., 7, in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1878), 61/1. Seint Austin was nempned þat name for þreo causus of gret fame:… Whi? furst for excellence of dignite.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., lxxxvi. 406 (Add. MS.). The kyng … askid hym whethere he was shreuyn or not? he saide, ‘nay.’ ‘why so?’ saide the kyng.
1523. Roy, Rede me (Arb.), 113. Wat. Surely we shulde be proclaymed For outragious heretykis. Ief. Why more we then the Cardinall?
1528. More, Dyaloge, II. Wks. 182/2. I haue euer herde it sayd, that we should not pray to any dead man but with this condicion, if thou be a saint, than pray for me. Whi so quod I?
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., I. ii. 231. Cam. [He] Stayes here longer. Leo. I, but why?
a. 1625. Fletcher, Nice Valour, IV. i. But why a Peel-crow here!
1697. Vanbrugh, Æsop, V. i. Why so Cold, and why so Coy?
1746. Francis, trans. Hor., Epist., I. ii. 65. Blest with a competence, why wish for more?
1841. Browning, Pippa Passes, Introd. 196. Say not ‘a small event!’ Why ‘small?’
1843. Wordsw., Grace Darling, 73. But why prolong the tale?
1848. Dickens, Dombey, xi. ‘Berry’s very fond of you, ain’t she?’ Paul once asked Mrs. Pipchin…. ‘Yes,’ said Mrs. Pipchin. ‘Why?’ asked Paul.
1905. Times Lit. Suppl., 15 Sept., 293/1. Why books, why chapters, why titles, why any arrangement at all, they queried.
¶ And why? is used in some early biblical versions, and hence in the Prayer-book Psalter, to render Heb. kī because, since, for: app. in imitation of forwhy after this was apprehended as interrogative (cf. FORWHY B. 2, A. I b).
1535. Coverdale, Ps. xx[i]. 7. For thou shalt … make him glad wt the ioye of yt countenaunce. And why? because [so 1539 (Great); 1560 (Geneva), 1568 (Bishops’) Because; 1611 For] the kinge putteth his trust in the Lorde. Ibid., xxxiv. [xxxv.] 20. O let them not triumphe ouer me…. And why? [so 1539; 1560 and later vv. For] their comonynge is not for peace.
2. In an indirect question or a dependent clause of similar meaning, with sense and const. as in 1.
Formerly sometimes followed by that (THAT conj. 6).
c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., xxvi. § 2. Ic nat hwi ʓe fultruwiað ðæm hreosendan welan.
c. 1055. Byrhtferth’s Handboc, in Anglia, VIII. 308. Uton … witan hwæt he [sc. the moon] sy … oððe hwy he sy swa ʓehaten.
c. 1200. Ormin, Ded. 111. Ȝiff mann wile witenn whi Icc hafe don þiss dede.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 474. Þv ayssest me … Hwi ich a wynter singe & grede.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 9265. Yn hys redyng, none wyst why, he logh a grete laghter an hy.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XI. 245. Ac whi þe worlde was a-drent holy writ telleþ.
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 14241. Durste no man aske whi he were wroth.
a. 1425. Cursor M., 1323 (Trin.). Seth bigon to þenke whye Þat þis tre bicoom so drye.
a. 1474. Stonor Papers (Camden), I. 136. Wherof to me-werd he makith gret straungenesse: y merveile why.
1538. Starkey, England, I. iii. (1878), 74. I can not se wy we schold lay any grete faute in the lake of pepul.
1581. Cal. Scott. Pap., VIII. 19. I dare give him no counsell, and I will tell you why.
1611. Bible, Esther iv. 5. To know what it was, and why it was.
1724. Ramsay, Vision, xvi. Say how, and quhair ye met, and quhy.
1836. Dickens, Sk. Boz, Visit to Newgate. Buoyed up with some vague … hope of reprieve, he knew not why.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vi. II. 7. It is easy to explain why the Roman Catholic was treated with less indulgence.
3. With intensive additions (in direct or dependent questions): see DEVIL sb. 20, DICKENS a, EARTH sb.1 9 c, NAME sb. 11 b, etc.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 95. Quhy Deuill makis thow na dule for this euill day?
1762. J. Collier (Tim Bobbin), Lett., 4 Nov., Wks. (1862), 326. There’s scarce a boy,… that commits a fault, but can find one excuse or another. Then why the dickens must Tim be without one?
1860. W. W. Reade, Liberty Hall, II. 20. Why in the name of all patience should you work so hard as this?
1887. Darwin, Life & Lett., I. 488. Give [the English names] by all means, but why on earth not make then subordinate to the Latin.
1895. Kipling, Lett. Trav. (1920), 115. Why, in the name of Reason,… should we vex ourselves?
4. With a negative particle immediately following. † a. Why ne (usually as one word whine, whyne, also contr. whyn): why not: used in expressions of desire or longing (e.g., hwi nam ich … = ‘why am I not…?’ = ‘O that I were…!’), in OE. of emphatic protest (cf. 1 b). Obs.
971. Blickl. Hom., 67. Hwy nelt þu ʓeman þæt min sweostor me læt ane þeʓnian?
a. 1000. Ags. Ps. (Th.), xi[i]. 4. Hwi ne synt we muðfreo?
c. 1200. Vices & Virtues, 87. Hwi ne mai ich none wuneȝenge habben mid ðe?
a. 1240. Ureisun, in O. E. Hom., I. 185. Hwi ne bi-hold ich hu þu strahtest þe for me on rode? Ibid. A ihesu … hwi nam ich in þin earmes?
1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 1207. ‘O þou world,’ he says, ‘unclene, Whyn mught þou swa unclen be, Þat suld never mare neghe me’ [L. utinam esses ita immundus, ut me non tangeres].
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 703. Whyne myghte I, dere lufe, dye in ȝour armes! Ibid., 4157. Qwythene [app. = why then ne] hade Dryghttyne destaynede at his dere wille, Þat he hade demyd me to-daye to dy for ȝow alle.
b. Why not is used elliptically as in 1 c. (Hence as sb.: see WHY-NOT.)
a. 1380. St. Aug., 920, in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1878), 77. And eny tyme ȝif hit schal beo, Whi not nou?
c. 1412. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 4883. Why naght, my gode lorde? what shuld yow eyle? But men do naght so; where-of I merueyle.
1552. Huloet, Whye not? quid ni.
1746. Francis, trans. Hor. Epist., I. i. 44. Yet why not cure the gout’s decrepit pain?
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xxxvi. Yet wherefore, if guilty, should she have perilled herself by coming hither? Why not rather have fled to her father’s or elsewhere?
1882. Besant, All Sorts, xxx. You can’t marry me? Why not? When I offer you a fortune? Ibid., xxxvii. They say, ‘Here is the Fourth Commandment. All the rest you continue to observe. Why not this?’
Mod. I can’t tell you why not.
II. 5. As relative: On account of which, because of which, for which. Usually, now almost always, after reason (formerly also cause, etc.). Also ellipt. (See also CAUSE sb. 3 c.)
Formerly also with that (THAT conj. 6).
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 312. Monie oðre reisuns beoð hwui mon mei beon bitterliche sori uor his sunnen.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 17288 + 161. Þis aungel … neuend peter by name, a skill I tel yow qwy.
a. 1380. St. Aug., 137, in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1878), 64/1. Heo … asked hire þe cause whi Þat heo was so sori.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 148. Sche sih hire fader sorwe and sike, And wiste noght the cause why.
1483. Acta Audit., in Acta Dom. Conc., II. Introd. 133. Quhill the said William … schew uther lauchfull cause quhy scho suld nocht have the said thrid.
1521. Acts Parlt. Scot. (1875), XII. 39/1. We se nane appearance quhy ȝoure grace suld belieff [etc.].
1548. Udall, Erasm. Par. Luke, xxiii. 13–25. What hath this man committed or offended why he should dye?
1581. Parsons (title), Reasons why Catholiques refuse to go to Church.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., V. ii. 34. If I demand … what Impediment there is, Why that the naked, poore, and mangled Peace … Should not … put vp her louely Visage? Ibid. (1606), Ant. & Cl., IV. xiv. 89. Eros. My sword is drawne. Ant. Then let it do at once The thing why thou hast drawne it.
a. 1721. Prior, Female Phaeton, vi. I’ll have my Earl, as well as She, Or know the Reason why.
1846. Greener, Sci. Gunnery, 26. We can perceive the reason why a small proportion of carbonic oxide is always formed during the decomposition of nitre by charcoal.
1908. R. Bagot, A. Cuthbert, xxviii. 372. It would be useless to deny that your life is in grave danger…. But that is no reason why you should surrender it without a struggle.
† b. For which reason, wherefore. Obs. rare–1.
a. 1500. in Arnolde’s Chron. (1811), 22. Also we haue grauntyd for vs and for our eyers to our citezens yt they … be quyt for euer of pauage pontage and murage … Why we wyll and stedfastly byd for vs and for our eyers, yt ye same citezens … haue all her fraunches … and fre custumes aforesayd.
† c. To do (one) why: to recompense (= to do wherefore: see WHEREFORE 3). Obs. rare–1.
c. 1400. Love, Bonavent. Mirr., xxxviii. (1908), 195. So that they wolde mede hym and done hym why.
d. Introducing a subject or predicate clause: = ‘the reason why.’
Closely allied to the indirect interrogative use (sense 2); e.g., ‘Why this should be so is not clear’ = ‘It is not clear why this should be so.’ (Cf. WHERE 6.)
1605. Shaks., Lear, IV. vi. 33. Why I do trifle thus with his dispaire, Is done to cure it.
1820. Keats, La Belle Dame Sans Merci, xii. And this is why I sojourn here.
1882. Besant, All Sorts, xv. At first I thought it must be a joke. That was why I went away.
Mod. Why I mentioned that was because [etc.].
III. 6. as sb. (pl. whys). a. Reason, cause.
(Formerly as a general synonym for these words; now only in reference to something mentioned, and with conscious allusion to the interrogative use.)
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 3758. Ȝyf þou art wunt … For to curse for lytyl why.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XII. 217. So I sey by þe þat sekest after þe whyes [MS. C. whaies; MS. B. wyes] And aresonedest resoun. Ibid. (1393), C. XIX. 147. [He] wepte water with hus eyen, the whi witen fewe.
1423. James I., Kingis Q., lxxxvii. Vnkyndenes without a quhy.
c. 1500. Lancelot, 123. Well he knowith of al my vo the quhy.
1560. Rolland, Seven Sages (Bann. Club), 35. As may perchance be done for sum gude quhy.
a. 1644. Quarles, Sol. Recant., ch. vii. 10. 33. Where heav’n declares a Will, no wise mans eye Should search a Cause, or lips enquire a why.
1740. Cheyne, Regimen, Pref. p. iii. But the Why? the final Causes, the moral Consequences, and the particular Detail, is only here conjectured about.
1768. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 521. Never to act upon mere impulse, but to have a why for all their proceedings.
1828. Southey, Ess. (1832), II. 415. The reader who may not be … acquainted with the when, and the how, and the why of the surrender.
1907. Illingworth, Doctr. Trin., xii. 250. The region not of life’s how, but of life’s why.
b. A question beginning with (or consisting of) the word ‘why?’; a question as to the reason of something; hence, a problem, an enigma.
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 427/1. But I aske of Tyndall no such farre fet whyes, but a why of hys owne dede…. I aske hym thys why: Why dydde he translate the same by thys englyshe woorde elder?
a. 1592. Greene, Alphonsus, I. Make you a why of that?
1637. Whiting, Albino & Bellama, 6. The testy Father with a furrow’d brow Comes to Bellama with demanding why?
1654. R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 31. Each Day brings forth its why.
a. 1754. Fielding, Fathers, II. i. Why should you think he has my affections? Valence. Again at your why’s!
1780. Harris, Philol. Enq., II. i. (1781), 48. Till this Why is well answered, all is Darkness.
1866. A. Steinmetz, Weathercasts, 20. She could supply the ready ‘because’ to many of the old philosopher’s ‘whys.’
c. Conjoined with wherefore similarly used.
1590, 1624. [see WHEREFORE 6].
1634. Sanderson, Serm. (1674), I. iv. 65. Requiring a why for every wherefore.
1799. Spirit Public Jrnls. (1805), III. 329. By this they shall form assignations, with the when and the where—they shall break them off, with the why and the wherefore, and express a disappointment without a tear or a sigh.
1829. Carlyle, Misc., Signs of Times (1857), II. 113. For every Why we must have a Wherefore.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Brooke Farm, viii. 103. If I were to tell you all the whys and wherefores on that question.
1911. Marett, Anthropol., viii. 227. The savage is no authority on the why and wherefore of his customs.
IV. 7. Used interjectionally, before a sentence or clause. a. As an expression of surprise (sometimes only momentary or slight; sometimes involving protest), either in reply to a remark or question, or on perceiving something unexpected.
1519. Interl. Four Elem., B vij. Than I perceyue ye wyll make gode chere. Hu. Why, what shulde I els do?
1581. Confer. with Campion (1583), C iij. Why, is not Saint Iames Epistle called the Catholike Epistle of Saint Iames. How do you then denie it to be Canonicall?
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, IV. ii. 44. Why this is flat periurie, to call a Princes brother villaine. Ibid., V. iv. 73. Bene. Doo not you loue me? Beat. Why no, no more then reason.
1611. Bible, Matt. xxvii. 23. They all sayde vnto him, Let him be crucified. And the Gouernour said, Why, what euil hath he done?
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 533, ¶ 1. What do I think? why, I think she cannot be above six foot two inches high.
1779. Warner, in Jesse, Selwyn & Contemp. (1844), IV. 274. What was I to do in this more than Egyptian darkness? Why, go to bed. Very true.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., xxxix. ‘Goodness gracious!’ said Mary,… ‘Why, it’s that very house.’
1847. De Quincey, Secret Soc., Wks. 1890, VII. 217. Were there no such people as the Essenes? Why, no; not as Josephus described them.
1863. Kingsley, Water-Bab., iii. And, as he spoke, he turned quite pale, and then quite white. ‘Why, you’re ill!’ said Tom.
1893. Max Pemberton, Iron Pirate, i. Mary looked up suddenly … and said,… ‘Why, I believe I’ve been asleep!’
b. Emphasizing or calling more or less abrupt attention to the statement following (as in the apodosis of a sentence), in opposition to a possible or vaguely apprehended doubt or objection.
1545. Raynalde, Byrth Mankynde, 90. When she feleth greate ache in the inner parte of the eyes…, ye reste of the body taken as it were with a werynesse without any outwarde apparent cause: why these thynges portende … aborcement to be at hande.
1590. Lodge, Rosalind (1592), N 2 b. And to conceale it, why it doubled her griefe.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., I. i. 33. If hap’ly won, perhaps a haplesse gaine, If lost, why then a grieuous labour won.
1594. 1st Pt. Contention, II. i. Why let me see, I thinke thou canst not see yet.
a. 1596. Sir T. More, I. i. 122. Take an honest woman from her husband! why, it is intollerable.
1602. Shaks., Ham., I. ii. 121. Ham. I shall in all my best Obey you Madam. King. Why ’tis a louing, and a faire Reply. Ibid., III. ii. 282. Why let the strucken Deere go weepe, The Hart vngalled play.
1647. Cowley, Mistr., Request, iii. If her chill heart I cannot move, Why, I’le enjoy the very Love.
1724. Swift, Quiet Life, 27. Why, Dick, thy wife has devilish whims.
1769. Goldsm., Rom. Hist. (1786), I. 439. If you will have Caesar for your master, why have him.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, i. ‘A long way, wasn’t it, Kit?’… ‘Why then, it was a goodish stretch, master,’ returned Kit.
1863. Kingsley, Water-Bab., iii. if she chooses to come, why she may; and if not, why I go without her.
1869. Whyte-Melville, Songs & Verses, 93. So he made for the gate,… And the chain being round it, why—over he flew!
1882. Besant, All Sorts, xxiii. ‘Not a doubt,’ added the Professor. ‘Why, it stands to reason.’
† c. As an emphasized call or summons, expressing some degree of impatience. Obs.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., IV. v. 2, 3. Mistris, what Mistris? Iuliet?… Why Lambe, why Lady, fie you sluggabed, Why Loue I say?… why Bride. Ibid. (1596), Merch. V., II. v. 6. What Iessica?… Why Iessica I say. Ibid. (1597), 2 Hen. IV., V. i. 8. What Dauy, I say…. Why Dauie.
† d. Why, so! an expression of content, acquiescence, or relief. Obs. or arch.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., II. ii. 87. Ser. My Lord, your sonne was gone before I came. Yor. He was: why so: go all which way it will. Ibid. (1596), Tam. Shr., IV. iii. 198. Pet. … It shall be what a clock I say it is. Hor. Why so this gallant will command the sunne. Ibid. (1605), Macb., III. iv. 107. Hence, horrible shadow…. [Ghost vanishes.] Why, so, being gone, I am a man againe.
1826. Scott, Woodst., iii. If you will have the things rendered even now—why so; and if not, hold me blameless.
V. 8. For why: a. interrog. For what reason, why (= 1, 2). b. rel. For which reason, wherefore; for which (= 5, 5 b). c. conj. For the reason that, because, for. Obs., arch., or dial. (See FORWHY and cf. WHY-FOR.)
In later use commonly apprehended as the adverb why with a redundant for prefixed (cf. from whence).
c. 1000–1502. [see FORWHY].
1596. Shaks., Tam Shr., III. ii. 169. [She] Trembled and shooke: for why, he stamp’d and swore. Ibid. (1604), Oth., I. iii. 259. The Rites for why I loue him, are bereft me.
1782. Cowper, Gilpin, 212. Away Went Gilpin’s hat and wig! He lost them sooner than at first—For why?—they were too big!
1819. Metropolis, II. 207. We do not like him, I do not precisely know for why.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xi. ‘Why, Dame,’ said the hostler,… ‘as for what he was like I cannot tell,… for why I never saw un.’
1896. E. F. Benson, The Babe, B.A., i. For why? I am dining with the Babe to-night.
