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whither

adv
/ˈwɪðəː/

Etymology

The verb is borrowed from Scots whidder, whither (“(of the wind) to bluster; to move quickly”), a frequentative form of whid (“(of wind) to gust; to move quickly”), of Scandinavian/North Germanic origin, from Old Norse hviða (“gust of wind”). Related to Middle English hwiþa, whyȝt (“breeze; wind”), Old English hwiþa, hwiþu, hweoþu (“breeze”). The noun is derived from the verb.

  1. inherited from *kʷos✻ — “what; which”
  2. inherited from *hwadrê✻ — “to what place, where”
  3. inherited from hwider
  4. inherited from whider — “to what place?; into or to which; to what place, where; no matter where, to wherever”

Definitions

  1. Interrogative senses.

    • Whither wilt thou wander, wayfarer?
    • 2. Out. [Second Outlaw] VVhether trauell you? / Val[entine]. To Verona. / 1. Out. [First Outlaw] VVhence came you? / Val. From Millaine.

  2. Relative senses.

    • [W]e beſche thee, leaue vs not comfortles, but ſende to vs thine holy ghoſt to comfort vs, and exalte vs vnto thy ſame place, whither our ſauiour Chriſte is gone before: […]
    • [T]hou ſhalt diuide the vvhole prouince of thy Land equally into three partes: that he vvhich for murder is a fugitiue, may haue neere at hand, vvhither to eſcape.
    • Jeſus anſwered, and ſaid vnto them, Though I beare record of my ſelfe, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I goe: but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I goe.

  3. A place to which someone or something goes

    A place to which someone or something goes; also, a condition to which someone or something moves.

    • To knovv the local beginnings of vvinds, is a thing vvhich requires a deep ſearch and Inquiſition, ſeeing that the VVhence and VVhither of vvinds, are things noted even in Scripture to be abſtruſe and hidden.
    • The whence and whither of their comings and goings made no impression on the community, and when they disappeared no one asked how or why.
  4. ›+ 10 more definitions

    1. To cause (someone) to hurry

      To cause (someone) to hurry; to hasten, to hurry.

    2. To throw (something) forcefully

      To throw (something) forcefully; to hurl; also, to beat, to thrash.

    3. To shake (vigorously)

      To shake (vigorously); to tremble.

    4. To move quickly, to rush, to whiz

      To move quickly, to rush, to whiz; also, to make a rushing sound; to whizz.

    5. Of the wind

      Of the wind: to blow loudly and vigorously; to bluster; also, of an animal, etc.: to make a loud noise; to bellow, to roar.

    6. A state of rushed action

      A state of rushed action; a haste, a hurry; also, a state of anger or excitement.

    7. A forceful blow or hit.

    8. An act of shaking (vigorously)

      An act of shaking (vigorously); a shiver, a tremble; also, a slight bout of discomfort or illness.

    9. The sound of something moving quickly

      The sound of something moving quickly; a rush, a whiz.

    10. A gust of wind

      A gust of wind; a bluster.

      • I felt sure now that I was in the pensionnat—sure by the beating rain on the easement; sure by the ‘wuther’ of wind amongst trees, denoting a garden outside; sure by the chill, the whiteness, the solitude, amidst which I lay.

The neighborhood

Derived

anywhither, elsewhither, everywhither, nowhither, somewhither, whither away, whitherever, whithersoever, whitherto, whitherward, whitherwards

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for whither. 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