Adjacent Words

Wherefore definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

WHEREFORE, adv. [where and for.]
1. For which reason.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7.
2. Why; for what reason.
Wherefore didst thou doubt? Matthew 14.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase `the whys and wherefores' [syn: why, wherefore]

Merriam Webster's

I. adverb Etymology: Middle English wherfor, wherfore, from where, wher + for, fore for Date: 13th century 1. for what reason or purpose ; why 2. therefore II. noun Date: 1590 an answer or statement giving an explanation ; reason <wants to know the whys and wherefores>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adv. & n. --adv. archaic 1 for what reason? 2 for which reason. --n. a reason (the whys and wherefores).

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Wherefore Where"fore, n. the reason why. [Colloq.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Wherefore Where"fore, adv. & conj. [Where + for.] 1. For which reason; so; -- used relatively. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. --Matt. vii. 20. 2. For what reason; why; -- used interrogatively. But wherefore that I tell my tale. --Chaucer. Wherefore didst thou doubt? --Matt. xiv. 31.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

ad., conj. 1. Why, for what cause or reason, on what account. 2. Why, for what reason. 3. For which reason.

Moby Thesaurus

accordingly, after all, after which, all things considered, argument, because of that, because of this, before the bench, before the court, ceteris paribus, consequently, considering, ergo, everything being equal, excuse, explanation, for that, for that cause, for that reason, for this cause, for this reason, for which, for which reason, for why, from what cause, ground, hence, hereat, hereinafter, how come, in court, on, on balance, on that account, on that ground, on the whole, on this account, on what account, pourquoi, pretense, pretext, proof, propter hoc, rational ground, rationale, reason, reason for, reason why, stated cause, sub judice, taking into account, the big idea, the idea, the whatfor, the wherefore, the why, then, thence, thereat, therefor, therefore, this being so, thus, thusly, thuswise, underlying reason, upon, upon which, what for, whence, whereat, wherefrom, whereon, whereto, whereunto, whereupon, wherewith, why, whyever, whyfor