whether
Language: English
Part of speech: conj
Pronunciation: note: r
enpr: wĕthə
ipa: /ˈwɛðə(ɹ)/
note: r
enpr: hwĕthə
ipa: /ˈʍɛðə(ɹ)/
rhymes: -ɛðə(ɹ)
homophone: weather
homophone: wether (wine–whine merger)
Etymology: From Middle English whether, whather, from Old English hweþer, hwæþer, from Proto-West Germanic *hwaþar, from Proto-Germanic *hwaþeraz, comparative form of *hwaz (“who”). Cognate with North Frisian weđer (“if, whether”), German weder (“neither”), Swedish var (“each, every”), Icelandic hvor (“each of two, which of two”).
Senses: examples: text: Whether we'll be on time I'm unsure.
text: Do you know whether he's coming?
glosses: Introduces a simple indirect question (without a correlative).
examples: text: He chose the correct answer, but whether by luck or by skill I don't know.
text: I can't decide whether to get divorced now or wait.
text: As a political system democracy seems to me extraordinarily foolish,[…]. My servant is, so far as I am concerned, welcome to as many votes as he can get.[…]I do not suppose that it matters much in reality whether laws are made by dukes or cornerboys, but I like, as far as possible, to associate with gentlemen in private life.
ref: 1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, →OCLC:
text: The incident immediately revived the debate about goal-line technology, with a final decision on whether it is introduced expected to be taken in Zurich on 5 July.
ref: 2012 June 19, Phil McNulty, “England 1–0 Ukraine”, in BBC Sport:
text: Whether modern, industrial man is less or more warlike than his hunter-gatherer ancestors is impossible to determine. The machine gun is so much more lethal than the bow and arrow that comparisons are meaningless. One thing that is true, though, is that murder rates have fallen over the centuries, as policing has spread and the routine carrying of weapons has diminished.
ref: 2013 July 20, “Old soldiers?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:
glosses: Indicates doubt between possibilities (usually with correlative or).
examples: text: He's coming, whether you like it or not.
text: I'll enjoy playing with my friends again, whether we win or lose.
text: Whether or not you're successful, you can be sure you did your best.
text: The years have gone by and still we know not whether or no Mallory and Irvine reached the summit. But the will to climb Mount Everest is still alive.
ref: 1931 April, Francis Younghusband, “Preface”, in The Epic of Mount Everest, London: Edward Arnold & Co., →OCLC, →OL, page 5:
glosses: Introduces a disjunctive adverbial clause qualifying the main clause (with correlative or).
examples: text: whether ys it easyer to saye to the sicke of the palsey, thy synnes ar forgeven the: or to saye, aryse, take uppe thy beed and walke?
ref: 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Mark ij:[9]:
text: Whether hadst thou rather be a Faulconbridge, [...] Or the reputed sonne of Cordelion?
ref: c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
glosses: Introduces a direct question between alternatives (often with correlative or).
Derived terms: know whether one is Arthur or Martha
not know whether one is coming or going
not know whether to shit or go blind
not know whether to spit or go blind
Related terms: either
neither
whethersoever