▪ I. whither, n.1 Sc. and dial.
(ˈhwɪðə(r))
Forms: see the vb.
[f. whither v.]
A violent or impetuous movement, a rush; an attack, onset; a smart blow or stroke; a blast or gust of wind; a quivering movement, a tremble; a rushing or whizzing sound; fig. an access or attack of illness.
| c 1480 Henryson Pract. Medecyne 55 Þat ȝe tak sevin sobbis of ane selche, the quhidder of ane quhaill. 1513 Douglas æneis v. x. 62 Than ran thai sammyn in paris with a quhiddir. Ibid. vi. v. 85 Quham..Saland from Troy..The deidlie storm ourquhelmit with a quhiddir. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 82 (E.D.D.) His dart Hits ane a whuther. 1808 Jamieson s.v. Quhidder, A quhither of the cauld, a slight cold. 1825 Brockett N.C. Gloss. s.v. Whidder, A whither of cold, a shivering cold. ‘All in a whither’,—all in a tremble. 1853 C. Brontë Villette xvi, The ‘wuther’ of wind amongst trees. 1887 Jessie M. E. Saxby Lads of Lunda, Running Free vii, ‘Tak' pace till the whidders dill awa'’ (be patient till the gusts of wind quiet down). |
▪ II. whither, n.2
see whither adv. 6.
▪ III. ˈwhither, v. Sc. and dial.
Forms: 5 quhedir-, -thir, qwedyr, 5–6 quhidder, 6 -ir; 6–7, 9 whidder, 8–9 whedder, whuther, 9 whudder, wuther, 8– whither.
[a. ON. *hviðra (cf. Norw. kvidra to go to and fro with short quick movements), related to hviða squall of wind (see whid n.2), fit (of coughing), OE. hwiþa, hwiþu (hweoþu) ‘aura’: see whyȝt.]
1. intr. To move with force or impetus, to rush; to make a rushing sound, to whizz; to bluster or rage, as the wind.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xvii. 684 The stane..flaw out quhedirand [MS. Edin. quhethirand, ed. 1616 whiddering]. 1513 Douglas æneis v. vi. 65 Diores, quhidderand at his bak fute hate. Ibid. xii. xiv. 86 Neuer sa swiftly quhidderand the stane flaw. 15.. Outlaw Murray xvi. in Child Ballads (1894) ix. 191/2 He heard the..arrows whidderand near him by. a 1736 Whittell Sawney Ogilby's Duel iv. Poet. Wks. (1815) 170 She whither'd about, and dang down all the gear. 1825 Jamieson, To Whither, to whirl rapidly with a booming sound. Ibid., To Whudder, to make a whizzing or rushing sort of noise. 1877 J. Fothergill First Violin vi. i, The wind wuthered wearily. |
2. To tremble, shake, quiver.
| c 1450 Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.) 122 For joy I qwedyr and qwake. 1790 Grose Prov. Gloss. (ed. 2), Whedder, to tremble. Ibid., Whither, to quake or shake. |
3. trans. To strike or beat forcibly; to throw violently.
| 1825 Jamieson, To Whither, to beat, to belabour, Roxb. 1828 Craven Gloss., Whither, to throw with violence. |
Hence ˈwhitherer, a vigorous person or thing (cf. thumper, whopper); ˈwhithering vbl. n., a rushing, whizzing, blustering; ˈwhithering ppl. a., rushing, whizzing, etc.; also, very large or vigorous (cf. thumping, whopping).
| 1513 Douglas æneis v. ix. 29 Ȝoung Hippocaon..A quhidderand arrow leit spang fra the string. 1585 Jas. I. Ess. Poesie (Arb.) 15 They heare the whiddering Boreas bolde. 1787 Grose Prov. Gloss., Whithering, a sudden great sound. 1790 Ibid. (ed. 2), Whitherer, a lusty, strong, or stout person, or thing. 1828 Craven Gloss. s.v., He's a girt withering tike. 1847 E. Brontë Wuthering Heights i, Wuthering Heights is the name of Mr. Heathcliff's dwelling. ‘Wuthering’ being a significant provincial adjective, descriptive of the atmospheric tumult to which its station is exposed, in stormy weather. 1879 G. M. Hopkins Poems (1967) 80 If a wuthering of his palmy snow-pinions scatter a colossal smile Off him, but meaning motion fans fresh our wits with wonder. 1951 J. Strachey Man on Pier 20 The routine hours that are without inspiration in a day—those spent in buying stamps for letters, in filing receipts, in the dreary wuthering of machineries, in the changings from place to place. |
▪ IV. whither, adv. (n.2)
(ˈhwɪðə(r))
Forms: see below.
[OE. hwider, earlier (Northumb.) huidir, later hwyder, f. Teut. χwi- (cf. which); the synonymous Goth. hwadrē is f. Teut. χwa- (see who). Late and occasional OE. hwæder (see A. γ) is prob. due to the analogy of þæder thither.]
A. Illustration of Forms.
(α) 1–3 hwider, (1 hw-, huid(d)ir, hwidder, huid(d)er, 3 Orm. whiderr), 3–4 wider, quider, 4–6 whider, whyder, (4 huider, huyder, whidur, whydre, wydur, wyddere, quidder, 4–5 whidere, whidir, wyder, 5 whidyr, whydyr, widir, wydyr, whiddir, whydder, -ur, whidre, widere), 5–6 Sc. quhidder, (6 -ir); 4 whithir, quiþer, 5 whiþer, whythyr, 5–6 whyther, Sc. quhither, 6–7 wither, 6– whither.
| c 825 Vesp. Psalter cxxxviii[i]. 7 From onsiene ðinre hwider fleom ic? a 900 Leiden Gloss. in O.E. Texts 115 Cujatis, huidirryne. 9.. ælfred Boeth. xxii. (MS. Cott.) Ac þær ðu onᵹeate hwider ic ðe nu tiohiᵹe to lædenne. c 1000 Rituale Dunelm. (Surtees) 55 Svæ hvidder. c 1000 ælfric Gen. xvi. 8 (MS. Laud Misc. 509, lf. 12) Hu færst þu oþþe hwider wylt þu? c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2600 To loken quider it sulde ben went. a 1300 Cursor M. 64 Wydur [13.. Gött. quiþer, c 1375 Fairf. quidder] to wende ne wat he noght. c 1300 Harrow. Hell (L) 118 Y ne recche whyder y go. c 1320 Sir Tristr. 586 He no wist whider to go. c 1400 26 Pol. Poems 22 Gostly blynd goþ, and not neuere whidre. c 1450 Mirk's Festial 211 Whydyr þat þay ledyn þe wayne. a 1483 Whythyr [see whithersomever]. a 1500 Cov. Corp. Christi Pl. i. 230 Then forto goo wyst I nott whyddur. 1513 Douglas æneis vi. iii. 80 Behaldand..quhat singnis thai schaw, Or quhiddir thai mark. 1523 Whyder [see B. 4]. 1556 Olde Antichrist 128 No whider elles. 1588 Parke tr. Mendoza's Hist. China 254 They let their ship saile..whither as fortune did cary them. a 1700 Evelyn Diary 29 Jan. 1645, The towne Aversa, wither came 3 or 4 coaches. |
(β) 1 hwyder, 3 hwuder, whuder(e, wuder.
| 971 Blickl. Hom. 99 Hwyder ᵹewiton..þa idlan blissa? c 1205 Lay. 1202 Wise mi..whuder ich mæi liðan. Ibid. 12169 Liðen wuder swa þu wult. |
(γ) 1 hwæder, 4 whader (?).
| c 1000 ælfric Gen. xxxii. 17 (MS. Laud Misc. 509, lf. 23) Ᵹif..he eow axie, hwæs ᵹe sin[d] oððe hwæder [v.r. hwyder] ᵹe willon. Ibid. xxxvii. 30 (ib. lf. 25 b) Nys se cnapa her; hwæder ga ic? c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. viii. 19 Ic fyliᵹe þe, swa hwæder [v.r. hwyder] swa þu færst. c 1400 Rom. Rose 1874 (Glasgow MS.), I rought of deth ne of lyf Whader that loue wolde me dryf. |
(δ) 3 weder, 4–5 wheder, -yr, queder, 5 whedir, -ire, -ur, -yre, whedder, qweder, quedire, -ur, Sc. qwhedyr; 4 whethir, queþer, -ir, 4–5 wheþer, 5 whethyr, wheither, Sc. quhether, qw(h)eþir, 5–6 wether, 5–8 whether, 6 Sc. quhethire, 7 wheather.
| a 1300 Harrow. Hell (O.) 110, I ne recche weder I go. a 1300 Queder [see whithersum]. 13.. Northern Passion (Harl.) 750 He spird..Wheder þai war went. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 3499 Pas quedire as him plese. c 1440 Gesta Rom. xxiii. 81, I wote not..whether to go. 1471 Marg. Paston in P. Lett. III. 24 We wut not qweder to fle. c 1480 Henryson Fox, Wolf, & Husb. 29 The Uolf said, ‘quhether dryuis thow this, Pray?’ 1589 Nashe Anat. Absurd. Wks. (Grosart) I. 70 Whether euery way leadeth. 1639 in Verney Mem. (1907) I. 95, I am newly come out of Scottland, wheather I am instantly returning again. 1697 Dryden æneis x. 514 Whether wou'd you run? 1722 De Foe Plague (1754) 202 In Heaven, whether, I hope we may come. |
(ε) 3 ȝwodere, 3–5 woder, 4–5 whoder, -ir, -ur, 5 whodere, -yr, wheoder, hoder(e, 6 whother.
| c 1275 Woder [see B. 4]. c 1290 St. Christopher 38 in S. Eng. Leg. 272 Ȝwodere þenxt þou gon? c 1300 Beket 1648 Ynot whoder thu wolt go. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 1560 Whethen he come & hodere he went, knewe nomone. c 1425 Whodyr [see whitherso]. c 1440 Gesta Rom. xii. 38 Whens art þou, and whodir art þou boun? c 1475 Partenay 2764 Of your wif enquere..at no day..To what place she torn ne hoder wyll go. 1535 Whother [see B. 3 a]. |
B. Signification.
Now, in all senses, only archaic or literary; replaced in ordinary use by where, or colloq. where{ddd}to: see where 3, 1 c. (Cf. whence I.) I. Interrogative uses.
1. To what place? a. in direct questions.
| c 1000 ælfric Deut. i. 28 Hwider fare we? c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 147 Ac wider ȝeden hie? 13.. Bonaventura's Medit. 995 Whedyr shulde y wende, to frende, ouþer kyn? 1470–85 Malory Arthur vii. v. 219 Ther came a man fleynge..whether wolt thou sayd Beaumayns. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. iv. i. 16 Whether trauell you? 1649 C. Wase Sophocles, Electra 15 Whither away? 1697 Dryden æneis x. 945 Whence am I forc'd, and whether am I born? 1722 De Foe Plague (1754) 143 Whither will you go? and what can you do? 1836 Dickens Sk. Boz, Gt. Winglebury Duel, ‘Whither are we going?’ inquired the lady tragically. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair lxiii, What was the use of cavalry in a time of profound peace?—and whither the deuce should the hussars ride? 1884 Gilmour Mongols xvii. 202 If souls do not transmigrate, where do they come from at birth, whither do they go at death? |
† Humorous phr. (as n.).
| 1678 Ray Prov. (ed. 2) 346 How doth your whither goe you? (your wife). 1721 E. Ward Northern Cuckold 7 Not that our Northern Cuckold's Whither D'ye go, is such a Doxy neither. 1725 New Cant. Dict., Whither-D'ye-go, an insolent prescribing Wife. |
b. in dependent questions and similar clauses.
| 971 Blickl. Hom. 151 Hie..nystan hwyder hie eodan. Ibid. 229 Hie sendon hlot him betweonum hwider hyra ᵹehwylc faran scolde to læranne. c 1200 Vices & Virtues 17 Þe inreste þesternesse is in ðare hierte ðe ne wile forsceawin hwider he scal ðanne he henen farð. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 159 Lusteð nu..hwo hire ledde, and wu and hwider. c 1290 St. Matthew 140 in S. Eng. Leg. 81 Nou god it wot and seint Matheu ȝwodere is soule wende. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2144 Hii nuste wuder drawe. c 1350 Will. Palerne 701 It is a selcouþe, me þinkes, whider þat lady is went. c 1420 Avow. Arth. xxv, The blonke him a-boute bore, Wiste he neuyr quedur! 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xxxiv. (Percy Soc.) 170 She..did aske me whether That I so rode, and what I would have? 1589 Nashe Anat. Absurd. Wks. (Grosart) I. 70 Wee duely consider, whether euery way leadeth. 1660 Nicholas Papers (Camden) IV. 216 Intimating that Alison was now gonne hee knew not whither. 1722 De Foe Plague (1754) 65 If he knew whether to go. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop xii, Wandering they knew not whither. 1882 Besant All Sorts xxiii, What he did, whither he went, where he died, might be left to conjecture. |
2. a. gen. or fig. with various shades of meaning: To what result, condition, action, subject, cause, etc.? † to what extent, how far?
| 9.. ælfred Boeth. xl. (MS. Cott.), Hwæðer ðu nu onᵹite hwider þios spræce wille? a 1225 Leg. Kath. 1299 Hwider is ower wit & ower wisdom iwent? c 1440 Jacob's Well 236 Whedir schal þi soule in þin ende, to peyne or ioye? c 1491 Chast. Goddes Chyld. 12 Wheder is all this become? 1538 Starkey England ii. iii. (1878) 215 Wel, Master Lvpset, I perceyue wether you go [= ‘what you are driving at’]. 1611 B. Jonson Catiline iv. ii. I 3, Whither at length wilt thou abuse our patience? [Quousque tandem..]. 1625 Burges Pers. Tithes 31 Suspecting whether he may be drawne by yeelding that to be a Due. 1652 Bp. Hall Invis. World i. §4 If there fall out..any direful prodigies..whither should they be imputed but to these mighty angels? a 1674 Clarendon Surv. Leviath. (1676) 153 If they had known whether to have addressed their complaints. 1746 Francis tr. Hor., Sat. ii. vii. 29 Thou tedious varlet, whither tends This putrid stuff? 1820 Shelley Prometh. Unb. iii. iv. 122 Whither has wandered now my partial tongue? 1851 Kingsley Yeast x, Oh, Lancelot, Lancelot, whither are you forcing me? |
b. Followed by a single word or short phrase.
| 1982 English Studies LXV. 90 The recently recycled interrogative adverb whither (as in Whither Democracy?). |
II. Relative uses.
3. a. as compound relative: To the place to (or in) which. Also with correlative thither. Also fig.
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. John xxi. 18 Ambulabas ubi uolebas, Ðu waldes ᵹeonga huidir ðu waldes. 1382 Wyclif John viii. 21 Whidur I go, ȝe mown not come. 1471 Caxton Recuyell 683 To goo whyther the goddes wold consente that they shold dwelle. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 26 Prouyde suche money y{supt} may brynge hym whether he entendeth. 1535 Joye Apol. Tindale (Arb.) 18 And whother the head went thither must the bodye folow. 1561 J. Daus tr. Bullinger on Apoc. xxxvii. 237 Away with them and their sophistrie, whither they are worthie. 1682 N. O. Boileau's Lutrin ii. 19 Then whether Honour calls thee, bravely follow. 1836 J. Gilbert Chr. Atonem. (1852) 343, I must go whither truth conducts me. |
b. as simple relative: To which place; after a noun of place = to which; also with ellipsis = a place to which.
| a 1400 Morte Arth. 3231, I ne wiste no waye whedire þat I scholde. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 31 He assignid seuenty and two disciplis, and sent hem..in to ilk place and cite widir he was to com. 1549 Bk. Com. Prayer, Coll. Sun. after Ascension, Exalte us unto the same place whither our sauiour Christe is gone before. 1609 Bible (Douay) Deut. xix. 3 He which..is a fugitive, may have..whither to escape. 1617 Moryson Itin. i. 42 Wee landed..in Freesland, at the Village Anion,..whether wee hired a sledge..and were drawne thither ouer the yce and snow. 1664 Power Exp. Philos. i. 68 The sense and motion of that part whither that Nerve was propagated. 1722 De Foe Plague (1754) 1 The Plague..had been very violent..at Amsterdam and Roterdam,..whether they say, it was brought, some said from Italy, others from the Levant. 1821 Shelley Hellas 862, I come Thence whither thou must go! 1825 Scott Jrnl. 28 Nov., Dined at Melville Castle, whither I went through a snow⁓storm. 1893 M. Pemberton Iron Pirate i, At Cowes, whither I had taken my yacht..for the Regatta Week. |
4. In generalized or indef. sense: To (or in) any place to which; to whatever place; whithersoever.
Esp. with addition of † as, † that, † ever, so(ever): see also whitherso, -soever.
| c 1275 Lay. 12169 Ich wolle..wende woder þat þou wolt. a 1300 Cursor M. 10812 Forto help hir in hir nede, Quider þat [Laud Whethir so, Gött. Queþer-sua, Trin. Whoder so] sco rade or yede. 13.. tr. ælred in Engl. Stud. VII. 324 Ȝif þu folwe þis blessed mayde whider-þat-euer sche goþ. 1340 Ayenb. 235 Uor to uolȝy þe lamb of mildenesse huyder hit geþ to huam hi byeþ y-spoused. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 17 Þe Holi Gost ledde Jesus whidir ever he wente, and what dedis evere he dide. c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 53 Whider as euer he went, or what thyng som evur he did, he was evur sayand Ave Maria. c 1450 Two Cookery-bks. 101 Cary him wheþer euer þou wolt. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccccxlvi. 318 b/2, I haue hyred this shyppe..to sayle whyder as me lyst. 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, v. iii. 22 Go with thy soule whether it goes. 1648 J. Beaumont Psyche vii. cxxi, Whether as he mounts, his News in every sphere He to th' inquisitive Spirits poureth forth. a 1672 Wilkins Nat. Relig. i. xvii. (1675) 241 We should..follow whither ever he shall lead us. 1722 De Foe Plague (1754) 170 They were at Liberty to travel whither they pleased. 1873 Browning Red Cotton Night-Cap Country iii. 192 A spark From Paris, answered by a snap at Caen Or whither reached the telegraphic wire. |
III. Indefinite and substantival uses.
5. With preceding qualifying words, forming compounds: see anywhither, everywhither, nowhither, owhither, somewhither.
6. as n. (nonce-use.) Place or state to which a person or thing moves or tends. (Cf. whence 5.)
| 1875 [see whence 5]. 1896 A. Austin England's Darling i. i, He roams abroad..Spying the where and whither of his foes. |
▪ V. whither
obs. form of whether.