Webster's English Dictionary

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whence

1. whence \(')hwen(t)s, (')wen(t)s\ av [ME whennes, fr. whenne whence (fr. 
   OE hwanon) + -s, ad]v. suffix, fr. -s, gen. sing. ending; akin to OHG 
   hwana-n whence, OE hwa-\ who : from what place, source, or cause {~ do 
   these questionings well  up -A.C. Pepper}
2. whence cj 1: from what place, source, or cause {inquired ~ the water 
   came M  -maria Edgeworth} 2a: from or out of which place, source, or cause 
   {the lawless society R@ the ballads sprang -De Lancey Ferguson} 2b: by 
   reason of which fact : WHEREFORE {nothing broke - ~)R I infer that my bones 
   are not yet chalky -O. W. Holmes -1935}