Contextualizebeta

when

adv
/ˈwɛn/

Etymology

From Middle English when(ne), whan(ne), from Old English hwonne, from Proto-West Germanic *hwannē, from Proto-West Germanic *hwan, from Proto-Germanic *hwan (“at what time, when”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷís (interrogative base). Cognate with Scots whan (“when”), Dutch wanneer (“when”), wan (“when”) and wen (“when, if”), Low German wannehr (“when”), wann (“when”) and wenn (“if, when”), German wann (“when”) and wenn (“when, if”), Gothic 𐍈𐌰𐌽 (ƕan, “when, how”), Latin quandō (“when”). More at who. Interjection sense: a playful misunderstanding of "say when" (i.e. say something / speak up when you want me to stop) as "say [the word] when".

  1. derived from *kʷís✻
  2. inherited from *hwan✻
  3. inherited from *hwan✻
  4. inherited from *hwannē✻
  5. inherited from hwonne
  6. inherited from when

Definitions

  1. At what time? At which time? Upon which occasion or circumstance? Used to introduce…

    At what time? At which time? Upon which occasion or circumstance? Used to introduce direct or indirect questions about time.

    • When will they arrive?
    • Do you know when they arrived?
    • I don't know when they arrived.

  2. At an earlier time and under different, usually less favorable, circumstances.

    • He's mister high and mighty now, but I remember him when.

  3. At which, on which, during which

    At which, on which, during which: often omitted or replaced with that.

    • That was the day when the Twin Towers fell.
    • Not a week goes by when I don't mourn that loss.
  4. ›+ 11 more definitions

    1. The time at, on or during which.

      • I recall when they were called the Greys.
      • Next year is when we elect a new mayor.

    2. A circumstance or situation in which.

      • Love is when you can't get enough of someone.

    3. At (or as soon as) that time that

      At (or as soon as) that time that; at the (or any and every) time that; if.

      • Pavlov's dogs salivate when [i.e. at any and every time that] they hear a bell.
      • When [i.e. at any and every time that] he speaks to her, he is always polite.
      • Put your pencil down when [i.e. as soon as, at the moment that] the timer goes off.

    4. During the time that

      During the time that; at the time of the action of the following clause or participle phrase.

      • They dream when [i.e. during the time that] they sleep.
      • I'm happiest when [during the time that, or at any time that] I’m working.
      • It was raining when I came yesterday.

    5. At what time

      At what time; at which time.

      • I am here till Friday, when [i.e. at which time] I leave for Senegal.
      • I was just walking down the street, when [i.e. at which time] all of a sudden it started to rain.
      • I am at London only to provide for Monday, when I shall use that favour which my Lady Bedford hath afforded me, of giving her name to my daughter; which I mention to you, […]

    6. Since

      Since; given the fact that; considering that.

      • I don't see the point of putting up Christmas decorations when I am the only person who is going to see them.

    7. Whereas

      Whereas; although; at the same time as; in spite of the fact that.

      • You're picking at your scabs when you should be letting them heal.
      • He keeps changing things when the existing system works perfectly well.
      • Oh age! / Where only wealthy men are counted happy: / How ſhall I pleaſe thee? how deſerve thy ſmiles? / When I am only rich in miſery?

    8. What time

      What time; which time.

      • Since when do I need your permission?
      • [...] ſhortly [...] I'le reſolue you [...] / Theſe happend accidents: till when, be cheerefull [...]

    9. The time at which something happens.

      • A good article will cover the who, the what, the when, the where, the why and the how.
      • For the moment, suffice it to say that the stories told through the whens and hows of building a scene differentiate individual desires and needs more clearly than shared speech was up to then able to communicate.

    10. That's enough

      That's enough: a command asking someone to stop adding something, especially an ingredient or portion of food or drink; used in, or as if in, literal response to 'Say when'.

      • HOCKEN: Say “when”, Frank. / DREBIN: Whe—
      • When we go out to a restaurant, we're the guys who never say "when" when the waiter is grinding fresh pepper on our salads.
      • He keeps the bottle in the top bureau drawer; he takes it out, and two glasses, and pours. Say when. When, please.

    11. Expressing impatience.

      • Why when I ſay?[…]Off with my boots, you rogues: you villaines, when?[…]Out you rogue[…]
      • Set parſon, ſet, the dice die in my hand: / VVhen parſon, vvhen! vvhat can ye finde no more?
      • VVhy vvhen? begin Sir: I muſt ſtay your leiſure.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for when. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA