hence

1. archaicnot comparableFrom here, from this place, away.

   Get thee hence, Satan!

   4 more examples

   I'm going hence, because you have insulted me.

   O Gertrude, come away: / The sun no ſooner ſhall the Mountaines touch, / But we will ſhip him hence,

   c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 272, column 1

   Ye men of Galilee! / Why stand ye looking up to heaven, where Him ye ne’er may see, / Neither ascending hence, nor returning hither again?

   1849, Arthur Hugh Clough, Easter Day (Naples, 1849)

   `Now leave me,' she said, `and sleep if ye may. I must watch and think, for to-morrow night we go hence, and the time is long since I trod the path that we must follow.'

   1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC

   Synonyms: herefrom

2. archaicfigurativelynot comparableFrom the living or from this world.

   After a long battle, my poor daughter was taken hence.

3. not comparableIn the future from now.

   A year hence it will be forgotten.

   2 more examples

   […]And now farewell / Till half an hour hence.

   1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]

   There may be an occasion to do so two years hence.

   2024, Marshall H. Tanick, “Diversity on the bench should not only be about gender and race”, in MinnPost

4. conjunctivenot comparableAs a result; therefore, for this reason.

   The purse is handmade and hence very expensive.

   4 more examples

   I shall go to Japan and hence will not be here in time for the party.

   Hence that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.

   1910, Sun Tzu, Lionel Giles (translator), The Art of War, Section VI: Weak Points and Strong, 8

   Hence it comes that all armed Prophets have been victorious, and all unarmed Prophets have been destroyed.

   1910, [1513], Niccolò Machiavelli, chapter VI, in Ninian Hill Thomson, transl., The Prince

   That hence arises the peculiar Unhappiness of that Business, which other Callings are no way liable to;

   1731 May 27, Benjamin Franklin, “Apology for Printers”, in The Pennsylvania Gazette

   Synonyms: consequently

1. obsoleteGo away! Begone!

   Mira[nda]. Beſeech you Father. Proſ[pero]. Hence: hang not on my garments.

   1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 6, column 1

   1 more example

   Zuc[cone]. Hence auant I will marie a woman with no wombe, a creature with two noſes, a wench with no haire rather then remarie thee, […]

   1604 (date written), Iohn Marston [i.e., John Marston], Parasitaster, or The Fawne, […], London: […] T[homas] P[urfoot] for W[illiam] C[otton], published 1606, →OCLC, Act IV, scene i

present singular third person hences · participle present hencing · participle past henced · past henced

1. obsoletetransitiveTo utter "hence!" to; to send away.
2. datedintransitiveTo depart; to go away.

1. rareA male given name.