conj. Obs. Also 1 forþám, -þan, 2–4 forthan, 7 forthen. [In OE. two words: FOR prep. + þon instr., þám dat., of THE. The dat. and instr. forms coalesced in ME.]
1. For this reason, therefore. In ME. sometimes repeated, forþon … forþon ‘for this reason … that.’
c. 900. trans. Bæda’s Hist., III. xiii. [xv.] (1890), 198. He forðon eallum ȝe þisse worulde aldormonnum wæs leof.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. vi. 25 Forþam [c. 1160, Hatton, Forþan] ic secȝe eow þæt [etc.].
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 95. Forðon we[s] þe halia gast on culfren onlicnesse bufan criste, forþon þet he wes [etc.].
c. 1205. Lay., 989.
| For þon [c. 1275, for þan] ȝif hit eow bi-loueð | |
| þe wise beoð on þonke | |
| fare we from þisse londe. |
c. 1320. Cast. Love, 1072. He scholde neuer die for þon.
c. 1394. P. Pl. Crede, 27. By a fraynyng for-þan · faileþ þer manye.
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys (Roxb.), 43. Not forthan I wyl not blynne.
1674. Ray, N. C. Words, 19. Forthen and Forthy; therefore.
2. For the reason that, because.
Beowulf (Gr.), 150.
| For þam wearð [sorȝcearu] ylda bearnum | |
| undyrne cuð. |
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 17. Hit is riht þet me hem spille, forþan betere hit is [etc.].
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 1994.
| Putifar was wol riche man, | |
| And he boȝte ioseph al forðan | |
| He wulde don is lechur-hed | |
| wið ioseph, for hise faire-hed. |
So For-thon the, later forthon that = 2.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., I. 1. (1883), 24. For ðon þe sio sunne þær gæð near on sett þonne on oðrum lande, þær [etc.].
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. xiv. 24. For-þam [c. 1160, Hatton, for-þan] þe hyt wæs strang wind.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 53. For þon þet he scolde swote smelle.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 107. Leomene fader we clepeð ure drihten for þan þe he sunne atend.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 780.
| An for þan þat hit no wit not, | |
| Ne mai his strengþe hit i-schilde. |
1340. Ayenb., 184. Vor þan þet roboam salomonnes zone, uorlet þane red of þe yealden guode men, uor þane red of yonge: he uor-leas þet gratteste del of his kingdome.
