when

alternative pronunciation spelling wen

1. interrogativenot comparableAt what time? At which time? Upon which occasion or circumstance? Used to introduce direct or indirect questions about time.

   When will they arrive?

   5 more examples

   Do you know when they arrived?

   I don't know when they arrived.

   When they arrived is unknown.

   When we've asked them, our students say Spanish isn't difficult.

   What words are used as interrogative pronouns? — Give examples. When are the words, what, which, and that, called adj. pron.? When are they called interrogative pronominal adjectives?

   1834, Samuel Kirkham, English Grammar in Familiar Lectures, page 117

   1. Internethumorousinterrogativenot comparableoftenUsed after a noun or noun phrase in isolation to express impatience with an anticipated future event.

      Tank class buff when?

      5 more examples

      The site's all bugged. Fix when?

      My fridge even restocks itself these days. Glorious AI overlords when?

      New patch when??

      2020 December 4, u/Woebn, “Why did Treant fell in love with Aiushtha?”, in Reddit, r/DotA2, archived from the original on 22 Jan 2024

      Iran EU when? lol

      2023 November 13, u/f4c1r, “Regions of Europe according to a Dutch map”, in Reddit, r/europe, archived from the original on 22 Jan 2024

      obligatory hl3 when? yea yea i know, likely never.

      2023 November 18, u/waiting4singularity, “Valve marks Half-Life's 25th anniversary with game update and documentary”, in Reddit, r/gamernews, archived from the original on 22 Jan 2024

2. not comparableAt an earlier time and under different, usually less favorable, circumstances.

   He's mister high and mighty now, but I remember him when.

3. not comparablerelativeAt which, on which, during which: often omitted or replaced with that.

   That was the day when the Twin Towers fell.

   2 more examples

   Not a week goes by when I don't mourn that loss.

   The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on a certain afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track.[…]Their example was followed by others at a time when the master of Mohair was superintending in person the docking of some two-year-olds, and equally invisible.

   1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, pages 58–59

4. not comparablefused relativeThe time at, on or during which.

   Next year is when we elect a new mayor.

   1 more example

   I recall when they were called the Greys.

5. informalnot comparableA circumstance or situation in which.

   Love is when you can't get enough of someone.

alternative pronunciation spelling wen

1. At (or as soon as) that time that; at the (or any and every) time that; if.

   Don't forget to signal when (you are) turning right.

   5 more examples

   Pavlov's dogs salivate when [i.e. at any and every time that] they hear a bell.

   When [i.e. at any and every time that] he speaks to her, he is always polite.

   Put your pencil down when [i.e. as soon as, at the moment that] the timer goes off.

   A player wins when [as soon as, or at any time that, if] she has four cards of the same suit.

   A student is disqualified when [as soon as, if] they cheat.

   Synonyms: as soon as, immediately, once, whenever, whenever

2. During the time that; at the time of the action of the following clause or participle phrase.

   Be careful when crossing the street.

   5 more examples

   They dream when [i.e. during the time that] they sleep.

   I'm happiest when [during the time that, or at any time that] I’m working.

   It was raining when I came yesterday.

   The game is over when the referee says it is.

   When (you are) angry, count to ten before speaking or acting.

   Synonyms: while

3. At what time; at which time.

   I am here till Friday, when [i.e. at which time] I leave for Senegal.

   3 more examples

   I was just walking down the street, when [i.e. at which time] all of a sudden it started to rain.

   I am at London only to provide for Monday, when I shall use that favour which my Lady Bedford hath afforded me, of giving her name to my daughter; which I mention to you, […]

   1839, John Donne, The Works of John Donne: Sermons, Letters, Poems, page 310

   He sat at the door of his kitchen watching, and seeing there was nothing else for it we buckled to and soon had the job done; when we were admitted to the kitchen and given a really good meal.

   1929, Donald John Munro, The Roaring Forties and After, page 38

4. Since; given the fact that; considering that.

   I don't see the point of putting up Christmas decorations when I am the only person who is going to see them.

   Synonyms: given that

5. Whereas; although; at the same time as; in spite of the fact that.

   You're picking at your scabs when you should be letting them heal.

   2 more examples

   He keeps changing things when the existing system works perfectly well.

   Oh age! / Where only wealthy men are counted happy: / How ſhall I pleaſe thee? how deſerve thy ſmiles? / When I am only rich in miſery?

   c. 1604–1626, doubtfully attributed to Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher, “The Faithful Friends”, in Henry [William] Weber, editor, The Works of Beaumont and Fletcher, in Fourteen Volumes: […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] F[rancis] C[harles] and J[ohn] Rivington; […], published 1812, →OCLC, Act II, scene ii, page 53

   Synonyms: but, where, whereas

alternative pronunciation spelling wen

1. interrogativeWhat time; which time.

   Since when do I need your permission?

   4 more examples

   [...] ſhortly [...] I'le reſolue you [...] / Theſe happend accidents: till when, be cheerefull [...]

   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 V, scene i], page 18, column 2

   Homer, to whom the Muses did carouse A great deep cup with heav'nly nectar fill'd, The greatest, deepest cup in Jove's great house, (For Jove himself had so expressly will'd) He drank off all, nor let one drop be spill'd; Since when, his brain that had before been dry, Became the well-spring of all poetry.

   1831 (published), John Davies, Orchestra Or, a Poem of Dancing, in Robert Southey, Select Works of the British Poets: From Chaucer to Jonson, with Biographical Sketches, page 706

   [This] we imagined might have been owing to some accidental condition of the system, or perhaps idiosyncracy; this led us to a second trial, but we experienced the same inconveniences, since when, we have altogether abandoned their use.

   1833, William Potts Dewees, A Treatise on the Diseases of Females, page 495

   So we combined the Kocher-Langenbeck and iliofemoral approach until 1965, since when we have combined the ilioinguinal and Kocher-Langenbeck approaches.

   2012, Emile Letournel, Robert Judet, Fractures of the Acetabulum, Springer Science & Business Media, →ISBN, page 385

plural whens · alternative pronunciation spelling wen

1. The time at which something happens.

   A good article will cover the who, the what, the when, the where, the why and the how.

   1 more example

   For the moment, suffice it to say that the stories told through the whens and hows of building a scene differentiate individual desires and needs more clearly than shared speech was up to then able to communicate.

   2008, Paolo Aite, Lanscapes of the Psyche, Ipoc Press, →ISBN, page 151

alternative pronunciation spelling wen

1. humorousoftenThat's enough: a command asking someone to stop adding something, especially an ingredient or portion of food or drink; used in, or as if in, literal response to ‘Say when’.

   HOCKEN: Say “when”, Frank. / DREBIN: Whe—

   1982, Nancy Steen and Neil Thompson, “Rendezvous at Big Gulch (Terror in the Neighborhood)”, in Police Squad!, episode 3, spoken by Ed Hocken (Alan North), spoken by Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen)

   3 more examples

   When we go out to a restaurant, we're the guys who never say "when" when the waiter is grinding fresh pepper on our salads.

   2004, Andy Husbands, Joe Yonan, The Fearless Chef: Innovative Recipes from the Edge of American Cuisine, page 83

   He keeps the bottle in the top bureau drawer; he takes it out, and two glasses, and pours. Say when. When, please.

   2009, Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin, page 111

   Producers have the power to say "when" when the actress involved is too stressed to continue. That's responsible filmmaking.

   2011, Fritz Allhoff, Dave Monroe, Porn - Philosophy for Everyone: How to Think With Kink

2. obsoleteExpressing impatience.

   VVhy vvhen? begin Sir: I muſt ſtay your leiſure.

   c. 1615 (date written), Tho[mas] Middleton, “More Dissemblers besides Women. A Comedy”, in Two New Playes. […], London: […] Humphrey Moseley, […], published 1657, →OCLC, Act V, scene i, page 66

   2 more examples

   Why when I ſay?[…]Off with my boots, you rogues: you villaines, when?[…]Out you rogue[…]

   c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 221, column 2

   Set parſon, ſet, the dice die in my hand: / VVhen parſon, vvhen! vvhat can ye finde no more?

   1600, [Michael Drayton, Richard Hathwaye, Anthony Munday, Robert Wilson], The First Part of the True and Honorable Historie, of the Life of Sir John Old-castle, the Good Lord Cobham. […], London: […] [V[alentine] S[immes]] for Thomas Pauier, […], →OCLC