advb. and conj. phr.

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  † 1.  rel. adv.: FORWHY A. 3, WHEREFORE 4, WHY 5. Obs.

2

  In quot. with peculiar construction, thus = ‘of which.’

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a. 1450.  Knt. de la Tour (1868), 67. An aungelle showed hym the payne … that she was made to suffre…, the cause why for he sawe perfitly, how a deuelle helde her bi … the here of her hede.

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  † 2.  conj. = FOR B. 2, FORWHY B. 2. Obs.

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c. 1450.  Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.), 234. Many of ȝow be dome; why? for ȝe wole not redresse, Be mowthe ȝour dedys mortal.

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c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, xxvi. 545. Ye have lerned a fowle crafte, that ys, that ye can speke shrewdly wythoute a cause lawfull. Why for I have herde that ye have called me & my broder the sones of a traytour.

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  3.  as dependent interrog. adv.: = FORWHY A. 2, WHEREFORE 2, WHY 2. dial.

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1787.  Grose, Prov. Gloss., Why-vore, or For why-vore, wherefore.

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1801.  Marvellous Love-Story, II. 232. Some folks calls’t Crazy Castle, but I never could larn whyfore.

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