when
Language: English
Part of speech: intj
Pronunciation: enpr: hwĕn
enpr: wĕn
ipa: /ʍɛn/
ipa: /wɛn/
ipa: /ʍɪn/
ipa: /wɪn/
enpr: hwĕn
ipa: /ʍɛn/
enpr: wĕn
ipa: /wɛn/
rhymes: -ɛn
homophone: wen (wine–whine merger)
homophone: win (wine–whine merger, pin–pen merger)
Forms: form: wen
Etymology: From Middle English when(ne), whan(ne), from Old English hwonne, from Proto-West Germanic *hwannē, from Proto-West Germanic *hwan, from Proto-Germanic *hwan (“at what time, when”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷís (interrogative base).
Cognate with Scots whan (“when”), Dutch wanneer (“when”), wan (“when”) and wen (“when, if”), Low German wannehr (“when”), wann (“when”) and wenn (“if, when”), German wann (“when”) and wenn (“when, if”), Gothic 𐍈𐌰𐌽 (ƕan, “when, how”), Latin quandō (“when”). More at who.
Interjection sense: a playful misunderstanding of "say when" (i.e. say something / speak up when you want me to stop) as "say [the word] when".
Senses: examples: text: When we go out to a restaurant, we're the guys who never say "when" when the waiter is grinding fresh pepper on our salads.
ref: 2004, Andy Husbands, Joe Yonan, The Fearless Chef: Innovative Recipes from the Edge of American Cuisine, page 83:
text: He keeps the bottle in the top bureau drawer; he takes it out, and two glasses, and pours. Say when.
 When, please.
ref: 2009, Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin, page 111:
text: Producers have the power to say "when" when the actress involved is too stressed to continue. That's responsible filmmaking.
ref: 2011, Fritz Allhoff, Dave Monroe, Porn - Philosophy for Everyone: How to Think With Kink:
glosses: That's enough: a command asking someone to stop adding something, especially an ingredient or portion of food or drink; used in, or as if in, literal response to 'Say when'.
examples: text: Why when I ſay?[…]Off with my boots, you rogues: you villaines, when?[…]Out you rogue[…]
ref: c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 221, column 2:
text: Set parſon, ſet, the dice die in my hand: / VVhen parſon, vvhen! vvhat can ye finde no more?
ref: 1600, [Michael Drayton, Richard Hathwaye, Anthony Munday, Robert Wilson], The First Part of the True and Honorable Historie, of the Life of Sir John Old-castle, the Good Lord Cobham. […], London: […] [V[alentine] S[immes]] for Thomas Pauier, […], →OCLC:
text: VVhy vvhen? begin Sir: I muſt ſtay your leiſure.
ref: c. 1615 (date written), Tho[mas] Middleton, “More Dissemblers besides Women. A Comedy”, in Two New Playes. […], London: […] Humphrey Moseley, […], published 1657, →OCLC, Act V, scene i, page 66:
coordinate_terms: what
glosses: Expressing impatience.
Derived terms: sense: from all parts of speech
word: as and when
sense: from all parts of speech
word: ask how high when someone says jump
sense: from all parts of speech
word: back when
sense: from all parts of speech
word: burn that bridge when one comes to it
sense: from all parts of speech
word: buy when it snows and sell when it goes
sense: from all parts of speech
word: cross that bridge when one comes to it
sense: from all parts of speech
word: cross that bridge when one gets there
sense: from all parts of speech
word: cross that bridge when one gets to it
sense: from all parts of speech
word: hit someone when they are down
sense: from all parts of speech
word: if and when
sense: from all parts of speech
word: I know it when I see it
sense: from all parts of speech
word: I'll believe it when I see it
sense: from all parts of speech
word: kick a dog when it's down
sense: from all parts of speech
word: kick someone when they are down
sense: from all parts of speech
word: know someone when
sense: from all parts of speech
word: know when to fold 'em
sense: from all parts of speech
word: needs must when the devil drives
sense: from all parts of speech
word: quit when one is ahead
sense: from all parts of speech
word: you when I see you
sense: from all parts of speech
word: since when
sense: from all parts of speech
word: strike someone when they are down
sense: from all parts of speech
word: time flies when you're having fun
sense: from all parts of speech
word: way back when
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when Adam was an oakum boy
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when Adam was an oakum boy in Chatham Dockyard
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when all is said
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when all is said and done
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when as
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when heck freezes over
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when Hell freezes over
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when in Rome
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when is closing time
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when it came to
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when it comes to
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when it's at home
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when one's ship comes in
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when opportunity knocks
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when pigs can fly
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when pigs fly
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when push comes to shove
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when shrimps whistle
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when the balloon goes up
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when the cat's away
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when the cat's away the mice play
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when the cat's away the mice will play
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when the chips are down
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when the time comes
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when two Sundays come together
sense: from all parts of speech
word: when two Sundays meet
sense: from all parts of speech
word: whenwe
sense: from all parts of speech
word: why buy a book when you can join a library
sense: from all parts of speech
word: why buy a book when you can join the library
sense: from all parts of speech
word: why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free
sense: from all parts of speech
word: you don't look at the mantelpiece when you poke the fire
sense: from all parts of speech
word: you don't look at the mantelpiece when you're poking the fire
sense: from all parts of speech
word: zig when one should zag