therefore
Language: English
Part of speech: adv
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈðɛə.fɔː/
enpr: thârʹfôr
ipa: /ˈðɛɹ.fɔɹ/
ipa: /ˈðɜːɹˌfɔːɹ/
rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)fɔː(ɹ)
Etymology: From Middle English therfore, therfor, tharfore, thorfore; synchronically a univerbation of there (pronominal adverb) + for, literally “for that (reason)”. The spelling has been changed due to a reanalysis as there + fore (literally “forward from that; thence”). See also therefor, ultimately the same formation.
Compare Saterland Frisian deerfoar, Dutch daarvoor, German dafür, Danish and Norwegian derfor, Swedish därför.
Senses: examples: text: Traditional values will always have a place—therefore, they will never lose relevance.
text: I've been explicitly forbidden to leave and therefore must stay longer.
text: I left the office at 5 o'clock. I was therefore not there when the fire started a quarter of an hour later.
text: I have married a wife, and therefore I can not come.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 14:20:
text: Je pense, donc je suis (I think, therefore I am)
ref: 1637, René Descartes, Discourse on the Method:
text: In the old days, to my commonplace and unobserving mind, he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, […], and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned.
ref: 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
text: Creating a complete map of the human connectome would therefore be a monumental milestone but not the end of the journey to understanding how our brains work.
ref: 2012 March-April, Terrence J. Sejnowski, “Well-connected Brains”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, page 171:
text: He blushes; therefore he is innocent.
ref: 1753, The Spectator, number 642:
glosses: Consequently, by or in consequence of that or this cause; referring to something previously stated.
examples: text: Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 19:27:
glosses: for that; for it (in reference to a previous statement)
Synonyms: sense: for that purpose
word: so
sense: for that purpose
word: thus
sense: for that purpose
word: to that end
sense: for that purpose
word: to this end
sense: consequently
word: hence
word: then
word: thus
word: accordingly
word: as a result
word: thereby
word: eo ipso
english: math
translation: math
word: ∴
word: as such
word: consequently
word: ergo
word: in that case
word: subsequently
word: thence
word: therefore
word: whence
word: wherefore
Derived terms: I think therefore I am
Related terms: —
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whyso
whysoever
1. Scottish2. from Middle English mid3. old dialectal form