whosoever, pron.
(huːsəʊˈɛvə(r))
Forms: see prec.; also poet. whosoe'er (-ˈɛə(r)) (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 Mandeville 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. ― Rev. xxii. 17 Let whosoever wyll, take of the water of lyfe fre. 1593 Shakes. 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 wo-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 Shakes. 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 n. or any: now usually replaced by whatever 4 a (b).
| 1586 Marlowe's Tamburl. To Rdr., Gentlemen, and curteous Readers whosoeuer. 1621 Bp. R. Montagu 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. |