adv. Sc. and north. dial. Obs. Forms: 4 quein, quheyne, qwyne, quhene, 4–5 wheyn, 4–6 quhyne, 5 whyne, 6 quhyn. [Contraction of WHETHEN; cf. SYNE.] = WHENCE.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 7796. Quein cums þou?
13[?]. Seuyn Sages (W.), 3271. The erl said,… ‘Wheym [read Wheyn] es this faire lady?’ The knight said, ‘Sir,… Sho es cumen from myne awyn cuntre.’
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VII. 240. Scho askit hym … quhat he wes, And quhyne he com, and quhar he gais.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 3503. ‘Fro qwyne come þou,’… quod þe kynge thane, ‘That knawes kynge Arthure, and his knyghttes also?’
c. 1440. Alphabet of Tales, 196. He askid hym whyne he was, & who was his fadur & his moder.
c. 1520. Nisbet, John vii. 27. Quhen Crist sal cum, na man wate of quhyn he is.
