from whence

from whence
from whence, from hence
1. Although widely disapproved of on the grounds that from is redundant, from whence has a long and distinguished history of use in questions

• (From whence these Murmurs, and this change of mind —Dryden, 1697)

and in indirect questions or as a conjunction introducing a relative clause

• (No man can say from whence the greater danger to order arises —F. Harrison, 1867).

The phrase with from continues to be used in modern writing:

• When they show the captive a picture of the City of London, that he may know from whence they come, he displays no interest —Penelope Lively, 1991

• Dark clouds had gathered over the hills to the north, from whence came the lucky changeling folk in times long past —S. Koea, NewZE 1994

• It should go back as close as possible to the spot from whence it came–Daily Telegraph, 2007.

The modern uses have mostly to do with people's origins and can be justified stylistically as archaisms (cf.

• Thys felowe, we knowe not from whence he ys —Tyndale, 1526).

In general use, if whence has to be used, it is best used without from; but of course the problem can be avoided altogether by rephrasing in a way that is in any case more natural in modern English:…so that he can know where they come from /…to the spot it came from, and so on.
2. The OED gives numerous examples, dating from the 14c to the 19c, of the use of from hence. A typical 19c example is

• From hence I was conducted up a staircase to a suite of apartments —W. Irving, 1820.

In current English this use is best avoided.

Modern English usage. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • from whence — phrasal from what place, source, or cause < no one could tell me from whence the gold had come Graham Greene > …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • from whence — Although this phrase has been widely used in previous centuries (even in the King James version of the Bible), it is wordy. Omit from or whence or just say where: Where did that boot come from? …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • from hence — from whence, from hence 1. Although widely disapproved of on the grounds that from is redundant, from whence has a long and distinguished history of use in questions • (From whence these Murmurs, and this change of mind Dryden, 1697) and in… …   Modern English usage

  • Whence — Whence, adv. [OE. whennes, whens (with adverbial s, properly a genitive ending; see { wards}), also whenne, whanene, AS. hwanan, hwanon, hwonan, hwanone; akin to D. when. See {When}, and cf. {Hence}, {Thence}.] [1913 Webster] 1. From what place;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • whence — (also from whence) ► ADVERB formal or archaic 1) from what place or source? 2) from which; from where. 3) to the place from which. 4) as a consequence of which. USAGE Whence means ‘from what place’, as in who are you and whence come you? Strictly …   English terms dictionary

  • whence — [ wens, hwens ] adverb, conjunction 1. ) LITERARY used for introducing the result of a fact that has just been stated: The work is slow and dangerous, whence the high costs. 2. ) an old or literary word meaning from where : He arrived at the… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • whence — whence, whither Both words have centuries of history behind them and were once routine in their respective meanings ‘from which place’ and ‘to which place’, but in current use they are regarded as archaic or at least highly formal, although they… …   Modern English usage

  • whence — /hwens, wens/ adv. 1. from what place?: Whence comest thou? 2. from what source, origin, or cause?: Whence has he wisdom? conj. 3. from what place, source, cause, etc.: He told whence he came. [1250 1300; ME whennes, whannes, equiv. to whanne (by …   Universalium

  • whence — [[t](h)wɛns, wɛns[/t]] adv. 1) from what place?: Whence comest thou?[/ex] 2) from what source, origin, or cause?: Whence has he wisdom?[/ex] 3) from what place, source, cause, etc.: He told whence he came[/ex] • Etymology: 1250–1300; ME whennes,… …   From formal English to slang

  • whence — adv. & conj. formal adv. from what place? (whence did they come?). conj. 1 to the place from which (return whence you came). 2 (often prec. by place etc.) from which (the source whence these errors arise). 3 and thence (whence it follows that).… …   Useful english dictionary

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