whereof
Language: English
Part of speech: adv
Pronunciation: ipa: /wɛəɹˈɒv/
ipa: /(h)wɛɹˈʌv/
rhymes: -ɒv
rhymes: -ʌv
Etymology: From Middle English wherof; equivalent to where + of. Compare the parallel formations of Swedish varav and Dutch waaraf.
Senses: examples: text: Anthonio.
[I]n ſooth I know not why I am ſo ſad,
It wearies me: you ſay it wearies you;
But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,
What ſtuffe ’tis made of, whereof it is borne,
I am to learne: and ſuch a Want-wit ſadnesse makes of mee,
That I haue much ado to know my ſelfe.
ref: c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 163, column 1:
text: Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.
ref: 1922, Ludwig Wittgenstein, translated by F. P. Ramsey and C. K. Ogden, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, →OCLC, Proposition 7, page 189:
glosses: Of what.
glosses: Of which.
Derived terms: know whereof one speaks
Related terms: —
henceafter
henceforth
henceforward
henceforwards
hencefrom
hereabout
hereabouts
hereabove
hereafter
hereafters
hereagainst
hereamong
hereanent
hereat
hereaway
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hereby
herefor
herefore
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hereforward
hereforwards
herefrom
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hereinafter
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hereinelsewhere
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hereon
hereout
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hereto
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herewith
herewithal
herewithin
herewithout
hitherto
hitherunto
hitherward
hitherwards
howbeit
however
howso
howsoever
howsomedever
howsomever
thataway
thatwise
thenceafter
thenceforth
thenceforward
thenceforwards
thencefrom
thenceout
thereabout
thereabouts
thereabove
thereacross
thereafter
thereafters
thereagain
thereagainst
therealong
thereamong
thereamongst
thereanent
therearound
thereat
thereaway
therebefore
therebeside
therebetween
therebeyond
thereby
therever
therefor
therefore
thereforth
therefrom
therehence
thereinabove
thereinafter
thereinbefore
thereinbelow
thereinto
thereinunder
theremid
thereof
thereon
thereout
thereover
theresoever
therethrough
therethroughout
thereto
theretofore
thereunto
thereup
thereupon
therewith
therewithal
therewithin
therewithout
thisaway
thiswise
thitherinsoever
thitherto
thitherward
thitherwards
whatever
whatso
whatsoever
whatsomedever
whatsomever
whatwise
whenabout
whenabouts
whenas
whenever
whenso
whensoever
whensomever
whenceafter
whencever
whenceforth
whenceforward
whencefrom
whenceward
whencewards
whereabout
whereabouts
whereabove
whereafter
whereafters
whereagainst
wherealong
whereamong
whereamongst
whereanent
wherearound
whereas
whereat
whereaway
wherebefore
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wherebetween
wherebeyond
whereby
wherever
wherefor
wherefore
whereforth
wherefrom
wherehence
whereinabove
whereinafter
whereinbefore
whereinbelow
whereinsoever
whereinto
whereinunder
wheremid
whereon
whereout
whereover
whereso
wheresoever
wheresomever
wherethrough
wherethroughout
whereto
wheretofore
whereunto
whereup
whereupon
wherewith
wherewithal
wherewithin
wherewithout
whitherever
whitherinsoever
whitherso
whitherto
whithertofore
whitherward
whitherwards
whyever
whyfor
whyso
whysoever
1. Scottish2. from Middle English mid3. old dialectal form