| 释义 |
whereto, adv. Now formal or arch.|hwɛəˈtuː|
[f. where 15 + to prep. Cf. Du. waartoe.]
I. Interrogative.
1. To what? (in various senses of to prep.); in what direction, whither?
a1300Cursor M. 24488 Quen i sagh son warto þai tight, Al mi licam can þai light, And mi mode a-mend. c1400Rule St. Benet (verse) 293 Whar-to so þai turn þair mode. Ibid. (prose) 38 Þan sal man rede hir þe reule, þat sho may wite witerli whar-to sho salle halde hir. c1400in 26 Pol. Poems 149 Wherto ys a man more lyke, Then to a floure that spryngeth in may? 1484Cely Papers (Camden) 152 Wherto thys schall growe I can nott saye. 1570Levins Manip. 154/40 Wherto, quorsum. 1590Shakes. Mids. N. iii. ii. 256 Lysander, whereto tends all this? 1855Emerson Misc. vii. 56 What is matter? Whence is it? and Whereto?
†2. [to prep. 8.] To what end? for what purpose? for what reason? wherefore? what..for? Obs. exc. arch.
a1225St. Marher. 16 Hwerto schuld i tellen þe..of ure cunde? a1250Owl & Night. 464 Wan min erende is ido, Sholde ich bileue? nai: war to? 1382Wyclif Matt. xxvi. 50 Jhesus seide to hym, Frend, wherto art thou comen? 1390Gower Conf. I. 287 How sche that scharpe swerdes blad Receive scholde and do withal So as sche wot wherto it schal. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) xxxii. 145 Qwhare to þan..gaders þou þe ricches of þis werld? c1420Prose Life Alex. 46, I ame..sent vn-to þe fra kyng Alexander to wiete where to þou taries to come till hym to gyffe hym batelle. c1470Henry Wallace xi. 311 Quhar to suld I her off lang process mak? 1484Caxton Fables of Poge iv, What is that whiche thou berest on thy fyste and wher to is it [sc. a spere⁓hawk] good. 1561Norton & Sackv. Gorboduc iv. ii, We marueyle muche wherto this lingeryng staie Falles out so longe. a1585Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 653 Quhairto suld he come heir? 1602Shakes. Ham. iii. iii. 46 Whereto serues mercy, But to confront the visage of Offence? 1790Shirrefs Poems Sc. Dial. 144 But whare-to did ye't, oman, lat me hear? 1900A. Meynell John Ruskin vii. 119 Whereto, then, is the persuasion of this book directed?
II. Relative.
3. a. To which (in various senses of to prep.).
1340Ayenb. 169 Þeruore is þe zeuende stape of þise uirtue þe ilke þet oure mayster Iesu crist deþ þerto huerto þe filozofes ne miȝte come. c1440Gesta Rom. xxxiii. 352 The sone of a maide hath not wherto he may lay his hede. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 21 b, The fruytes of the heuenly countre, wherto they go. 1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. i. ii. 21 This night I hold an old accustom'd Feast, Whereto I haue inuited many a Guest. 1602― Ham. v. i. 234 That Lome (whereto he was conuerted). 1667Milton P.L. viii. 398 Whereto th' Almighty answer'd, not displeas'd. 1768Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) II. 356 The perfection whereto their natures are destined. 1810Vince Astron. xxi. 230 A matter whereto I gave not all the attention requisite. 1887Morris Odyss. xii. 162 The mast-step, whereto shall the cords be tied.
†b. In addition to or besides which (to prep. 15).
1568Satir. Poems Reform. xlvi. 27 Quhairto, till deif ȝow wt tome clatter, Ar nane sic in the floit as scho.
†4. For which (purpose): cf. to prep. 8. Obs.
1535Coverdale Isa. lv. 11 The worde also that commeth out of my mouth..shal..prospere in the thinge, wherto I sende it.
Hence wheretoˈever, wheretosoˈever advs., to whatever place, whithersoever. rare.
1609Bible (Douay) 1 Sam. xviii. 5 David also went forth to al thinges wheretosoever Saul sent him. 1635D. Person Varieties i. 5 Because the Heavens, of all the parts of the World are most conspicuous, as that wheretoever we bend our eyes, being the most glorious Creature. |