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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

2 entries under this word

Whether

Whēth'er, pron.

pronoun

pron. [A-S. hwæðther, O. Sax. hwedhar, huethar, hiveder, O. Fries. hweder, hoder, hor, O. H. Ger. hwedar, wedar, M. & N. H. Ger. weder, L. Ger. wedder, weer, Goth. hwaþar, Icel. hvárr, allied to Lat. uter, Gr. πότερος, πότερος, Skr. kataras, from kas, Goth. hvas, who.] Which of two; which one of two; — used interrogatively and relatively. [Obs. or antiquated.]

Whether of them twain did the will of his father? Matt. xxi. 31.

One day, in doubt, I cast for to compare Whether in beauty's glory did excel. Spenser.

Whēth'er, conj.

conjunction

conj. Used to introduce the first of two or more alternative clauses, either conditional or objective, the other or others being connected by or, or by or whether: it also frequently introduces each one, except the last, of several alternatives; sometimes, when the second of two objective alternatives is the simple negative of the first, the second is omitted, and whether stands singly, with no correlative.

But whether thus these things, or whether not; Whether the sun, predominant in heaven, Rise on the earth, or earth rise on the sun . . . Solicit not thy thoughts with matters hid. Milton.