Adjacent Words

Then definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

THEN, adv.
1. At that time, referring to a time specified, either past or future.
And the Canaanite was then in the land. Genesis 12.
That is, when Abram migrated and came into Canaan.
Now I know in part, but then shall I know even as I am known. 1 Corinthians 12.
2. Afterward; soon afterward or immediately.
First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Matthew 5.
3. In that case; in consequence. Galatians 3. Job 3.
If all this be so, then man has a natural freedom.
4. Therefore; for this reason.
Now then be all thy weighty cares away.
5. At another time; as now and then, at one time and another.
6. That time.
Till then we knew
The force of those dire arms?

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: at a specific prior time; "the then president" n
1: that time; that moment; "we will arrive before then"; "we were friends from then on" adv
1: subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors); "then he left"; "go left first, then right"; "first came lightning, then thunder"; "we watched the late movie and then went to bed"; "and so home and to bed" [syn: then, so, and so, and then]
2: in that case or as a consequence; "if he didn't take it, then who did?"; "keep it then if you want to"; "the case, then, is closed"; "you've made up your mind then?"; "then you'll be rich"
3: at that time; "I was young then"; "prices were lower back then"; "science as it was then taught"

Merriam Webster's

I. adverb Etymology: Middle English than, then then, than, from Old English thonne, thænne; akin to Old High German denne then, than, Old English thæt that Date: before 12th century 1. at that time 2. a. soon after that ; next in order of time <walked to the door, then turned> b. following next after in order of position, narration, or enumeration ; being next in a series <first came the clowns, then came the elephants> c. in addition ; besides <then there is the interest to be paid> 3. a. (1) in that case <take it, then, if you want it so much> (2) — used after but to qualify or offset a preceding statement <she lost the race, but then she never really expected to win> b. according to that ; as may be inferred <your mind is made up, then> c. as it appears ; by way of summing up <the cause of the accident, then, is established> d. as a necessary consequence <if the angles are equal, then the complements are equal> II. noun Date: 14th century that time <since then, he's been more cautious> III. adjective Date: 1584 existing or acting at or belonging to the time mentioned <the then secretary of state>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adv., adj., & n. --adv. 1 at that time; at the time in question (was then too busy; then comes the trouble; the then existing laws). 2 a next, afterwards; after that (then he told me to come in). b and also (then, there are the children to consider). c after all (it is a problem, but then that is what we are here for). 3 a in that case; therefore; it follows that (then you should have said so). b if what you say is true (but then why did you take it?). c (implying grudging or impatient concession) if you must have it so (all right then, have it your own way). d used parenthetically to resume a narrative etc. (the policeman, then, knocked on the door). --adj. that or who was such at the time in question (the then Duke). --n. that time (until then). Phrases and idioms: then and there immediately and on the spot. Etymology: OE thanne, thonne, etc., f. Gmc, rel. to THAT, THE

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Then Then, conj. 1. Than. [Obs.] --Spenser. 2. In that case; in consequence; as a consequence; therefore; for this reason. If all this be so, then man has a natural freedom. --Locke. Now, then, be all thy weighty cares away. --Dryden. Syn: Therefore. Usage: Then, Therefore. Both these words are used in reasoning; but therefore takes the lead, while then is rather subordinate or incidental. Therefore states reasons and draws inferences in form; then, to a great extent, takes the point as proved, and passes on to the general conclusion. ``Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God.'' --Rom. v. 1. ``So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.'' --Rom. x. 17.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Then Then ([th][e^]n), adv. [Originally the same word as than. See Than.] 1. At that time (referring to a time specified, either past or future). And the Canaanite was then in the land. --Gen. xii. 6. Now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. --1 Cor. xiii. 12. 2. Soon afterward, or immediately; next; afterward. First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. --Matt. v. 24. 3. At another time; later; again. One while the master is not aware of what is done, and then in other cases it may fall out to be own act. --L'Estrange. By then. (a) By that time. (b) By the time that. [Obs.] But that opinion, I trust, by then this following argument hath been well read, will be left for one of the mysteries of an indulgent Antichrist. --Milton. Now and then. See under Now, adv. Till then, until that time; until the time mentioned. --Milton. Note: Then is often used elliptically, like an adjective, for then existing; as, the then administration.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. Then means at a particular time in the past or in the future. He wanted to have a source of income after his retirement; until then, he wouldn't require additional money... The clinic opened for business last October and since then has treated more than 200 people. ADV: ADV with cl, oft prep ADV 2. Then is used when you refer to something which was true at a particular time in the past but is not true now. ...the Race Relations Act of 1976 (enacted by the then Labour Government)... ADJ: ADJ n • Then is also an adverb. Richard Strauss, then 76 years old, suffered through the war years in silence... ADV: ADV group 3. You use then to say that one thing happens after another, or is after another on a list. Add the oil and then the scallops to the pan, leaving a little space for the garlic... ADV: ADV cl/group, ADV before v 4. You use then in conversation to indicate that what you are about to say follows logically in some way from what has just been said or implied. 'I wasn't a very good scholar at school.'—'What did you like doing best then?'... ADV: cl/group ADV 5. You use then at the end of a topic or at the end of a conversation. 'I'll talk to you on Friday anyway.'—'Yep. Okay then.' ADV: cl/group ADV 6. You use then with words like 'now', 'well', and 'okay', to introduce a new topic or a new point of view. Now then, you say you walk on the fields out the back? ADV: adv ADV 7. You use then to introduce the second part of a sentence which begins with 'if'. The first part of the sentence describes a possible situation, and then introduces the result of the situation. If the answer is 'yes', then we must decide on an appropriate course of action... ADV: ADV cl 8. You use then at the beginning of a sentence or after 'and' or 'but' to introduce a comment or an extra piece of information to what you have already said. He sounded sincere, but then, he always did. ADV: ADV cl 9. now and then: see now there and then: see there

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. ad. 1. At that time. 2. Afterwards, afterward, soon afterward. 3. Therefore, for this reason, on that account. 4. At another time, hereafter, sooner or later. 5. That time. II. conj. In that case, in consequence, therefore.

Moby Thesaurus

above, accordingly, additionally, aforetime, after, after all, after that, afterwards, again, all included, also, altogether, among other things, ancient, and all, and also, and so, anon, as well, at another time, at that moment, at that time, au reste, because of that, because of this, before, before now, beforetime, beside, besides, beyond, consequently, contemporaneously, earlier, early, else, en plus, erenow, erewhile, ergo, erst, erstwhile, ex post facto, extra, farther, for lagniappe, for that, for that cause, for that reason, for this cause, for this reason, for which reason, fore, former, formerly, further, furthermore, hence, hereat, heretofore, historically, hitherto, immemorial, in, in addition, in that case, in the aftermath, in the past, in the sequel, in times past, inter alia, into the bargain, item, late, later, likewise, more, moreover, next, old, olden, on that account, on that ground, on that occasion, on the side, on this account, on top of, once, onetime, only yesterday, over, past, plus, prehistoric, prehistorically, previous, previously, primeval, primitive, prior, priorly, propter hoc, quondam, recent, recently, similarly, simultaneously, since, sometime, subsequently, thence, thereafter, thereat, therefor, therefore, thereon, thereupon, therewith, thus, thusly, thuswise, to boot, too, when, whence, wherefore, wherefrom, whilom, yesterday, yet