whanne

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English hwonne, from Proto-Germanic *hwannē (when), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷís (who, what, which).

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈhwan(ə)/, /ˈhwɛn(ə)/

Adverb

whanne

  1. when

Conjunction

whanne

  1. when
    • 1390, John Gower, Confessio Amantis:
      Bot often for defalte of bondes Al sodeinliche, er it be wist, A Tonne, whanne his lye arist, Tobrekth and renneth al aboute, Which elles scholde noght gon oute []
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    • 1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “Here Bygynneth the Book of the Tales of Caunt́burẏ”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 2, recto:
      Whan that Auerill wt his shoures soote / The droghte of march hath ꝑced to the roote / And bathed euery veyne in swich lycour / Of which v̄tu engendred is the flour []
      When that April, with its sweet showers / Has pierced March's drought to the root / And bathed every vein in fluid such that / with its power, the flower is made []
    • 1407, The Testimony of William Thorpe, pages 40–41:
      Maister Ion Aston taughte and wroot acordingli and ful bisili, where and whanne and to whom he myghte, and he vsid it himsilf, I gesse, right perfyghtli vnto his lyues eende.
      Master John Aston taught and wrote accordingly and really busily, where, when, and to whoever he wanted, and he used it himself, I take it, very well until the end of his life.

Descendants

  • English: when
  • Scots: whan
  • Yola: fan, van, phen

References

Verb

whanne

  1. Alternative form of wonnen: simple past plural of winnen
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