adv. Now arch. or formal exc. in sense 4. [f. WHERE 15 + UPON.]
I. 1. Interrogative. Upon what ? = WHEREON 1; † in early use = at what? about or concerning what? upon what ground, wherefore?
13[?]. Cursor M., 18774 (Gött.). God men of galile, Quar-apon sun wonder ȝe?
1535. Coverdale, Job xxxviii. 6. Where wast thou, when I layed ye foundacions of the earth?… Where vpon stonde the pilers of it?
1581. A. Hall, Iliad, X. 183. So that I to him brought From out your campe some certain newes, & whervpon you thought, Whether you meant to take the sea, or to your tackle stand.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., IV. iii. 42. The King hath sent to know The nature of your Griefes, and whereupon You coniure from the Brest of Ciuill Peace, Such bold Hostilitie. Ibid. (1597), 2 Hen. IV., II. iv. 99. Neighbour Quickly (sayes hee) receiue those that are Ciuill; for (sayth hee) you are in an ill Name: now hee said so, I can tell whereupon.
1666. Marvell, Corr., Wks. (Grosart), II. 192. The sense of the nation’s extreme necessity makes us exceeding tender whereupon to fasten our resolutions.
II. Relative. Upon which.
2. Of local position: = WHEREON 2. WHEREON 2. (In first quot. fig.)
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 42. I thenke … speke of thing [sc. love] … wherupon the worlde mot stonde, And hath don sithen it began.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxxiv. 154. In þe myddes … es a lytill hill, whare apon es a lytil palace.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xxiii. 259. Godys son … hase not where apon his hede to rest.
1535. Coverdale, Judges xvi. 26. The pilers wher vpon the house stondeth.
1585. Higins, Junius’ Nomencl., 51/1. Ouum vrinum,… an addle egge, whereupon the hen sitteth not.
c. 1660. in Verney Mem. (1907), II. 262. A small hill whereupon is built a strong castle.
1853. G. Johnston, Nat. Hist. E. Bord., I. 20. The site whereupon stood the Bastle.
† b. Over which, as superior. Obs. rare–1.
1450–1530. Myrr. Our Ladye, 97. Thys monastery of Syon, where vpon our lady is chyef lady & quyene.
3. Upon which as a basis of action, argument, etc., and in various constructional uses.
1521. Fisher, Serm. agst. Luther, i. Wks. (1876), 313. .iij. great groundes wher vpon Martyn dothe stable in maner all his articles.
1566. in Maitl. Club Misc., I. 46. For payment of the sowmis quhairvpoun the samin [landis] lyis in wadset.
a. 1572. Knox, Hist. Ref., Wks. 1846, I. 55. In his death … he fand the mercy of his God, whareupoun he ever exhorted all men to depend.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. 114. Our king … hes, of ȝeirlie rentis, quhairvpon he royallie may susteine his court.
1610. Healey, St. Aug. Citie of God, XVII. iv. 625. The text wherevpon all this prophetesses words haue dependance.
1643. in Spalding Club Misc., I. 15. I haue at this place found a very concerning occasion wheyrvpon to renew my desyre.
1710. in Nairne Peerage Evid. (1874), 152. We declare that the not delivery herof … shall be no … ground whereupon to reduce quarrell.
† b. (with clause as antecedent.) On which account, for which reason, wherefore; (of derivation or inference) from which, whence. Obs.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 80. Force is ane of the principale foundementis of bataill, quhareapon men suld wit that syndry folk … has the body rycht lytill, and ȝit thai have the hert and the curage grete.
1567. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 17. Panteron is a stone of all colours … wherevpon it is so named.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., IV. iv. 763. One that will eyther push-on, or pluck-back, thy Businesse there: whereupon I command thee to open thy Affaire.
1617. Moryson, Itin., III. 137. It seemes a worke hanging in the Ayre, whereupon it is called Stoneheng vulgarly, and is reputed among Miracles.
1674. Playford, Skill Mus. (ed. 7), I. xi. 46. In the which [sc. Airy Musicks] … that liveliness of Singing is in that place to be omitted, and not any Passion to be used which savoureth of Languishment. Whereupon we see how necessary a certain judgment is for a Musician.
4. Upon (the occurrence or occasion of) which; immediately after and in consequence of which; and when that happened, or was done or said.
The chief current sense; resembling 3 b in having a clause or statement as antecedent, but expressing a different shade of meaning.
1461. Paston Lett., II. 17. The said the Kyng hade wreton to dyvers persones here quych hade promysed men, queruppon I promysed a man.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Matt. xiv. 7. The daughter of Herodias daunced before them: and pleased Herod. Wherevpon [Tindale, Wherefor] he promised with an othe, to giue her whatsoeuer she would aske of him.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 121. Sultan Tokomac … assailed him, whereupon ensued a most bloudy and furious battaile.
1727. De Foe, Engl. Tradesm., ii. (ed. 2), 18. Last month I receiv’d my fortune…; whereupon I have taken a house in one of the principal streets of the town of ——.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), V. 269. The lord of the manor … sold the lands to John Podger in fee, who … died two years after; whereupon the estate descended to his son Marmaduke.
1885. Swinburne, Misc. (1886), 331. She assented on condition that the divorce could be lawfully effected without impeachment of her son’s legitimacy; whereupon Lethington undertook … that she should be rid of her husband without any prejudice to the child.
5. Upon the subject of which; about, as to, or concerning which. Now rare.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, iii. 4. Then they … shewyd hym there conclusyon where a pon they were agreyd.
1611. Bible, Acts xxvi. 12. I persecuted them euen vnto strange cities. Whereupon [Tindale, About the which thynges; R.V. 1881 margin, On which errand], as I went to Damascus [etc.].
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., II. iv. 201. I did steere Toward this remedy, whereupon we are Now present heere together.
6. Of motion or direction towards something, etc.: = WHEREON 5, 6.
1560. Bible (Genev.), Amos iv. 7. One piece was rained vpon, and the piece whereupon it rained not, withered.
c. 1600. Shaks., Sonn., xx. 6. An eye … Gilding the obiect where-vpon it gazeth.
1611. Bible, Ezek. xxiv. 25. The desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds.
1640. trans. Verdere’s Rom. of Rom., II. 22. This young Prince … took infinite delight in the object of this picture, whereupon his eies were incessantly fixed.
