Which. World English Historical Dictionary

Which. World English Historical Dictionary Dictionary Biographies Literary Criticism Welcome Terms of Service ⧏ Previous Next ⧐ Contents Slice Contents Key Bibliographic Record Murray’s New English Dictionary. 1928, rev. 2024. Which a. and pron. Forms: see below. [OE. hwelc, hwilc, hwylc corresp. to OFris. hwelik, hwel(e)k, hwek, hulk, huk, hok (Fris. wolk, wæk, huk, etc.), OS. hwilîc, MLG. welik, welk, MDu. welc, (LG., Du. welk), OHG. *hwalîh, uualîh, hwelîh, welîh, -ich, -eh (MHG. welh, welch, G. welch), Goth. hwileiks:—OTeut. *χwalīk-, *χwilīk- ‘of what form,’ f. χwa-, χwi- (Indo-eur. qwo-, qwi- WHO, etc.) + *līko- body, form (cf. LIKE a.). OE. hwelc (OWS. and Anglian), hwælc (Northumb.) and hwilc (chiefly WS.), represent primitive *hwalīk- and *hwilīk- respectively; later OE. has a rounded form hwylc of hwilc. The three OE. types hwelc, hwilc, hwylc gave three ME. types *hwelch, hwilch, hwülch, which became, by loss of l (cf. SUCH), hwech, hwich, hwüch; the second of these types alone has survived in mod. English, the other two not remaining current after the 15th century. The forms with non-palatalization of the final consonant whilk (quhilk), occas. quhik, are northern (in ME. also East Anglian): cf. SWILK, SIC. Forms showing the absorption of w as in hulch, huch (cf. such for swuch, and OFris. huk) are rare.

1   Certain continental forms are compounded with other derivatives of the same pronominal stem; Goth. hwēleiks with the instrumental hwē (cf. hwēlauþs how great); ON. hvílíkr (MSw. hvīliken, huilkin, hu(l)kin, Sw., Da. hvilken) with the locative hwī; OHG. hwêolîh, wiolîh (MHG. wielich) with the adv. hweo, weo (G. wie) how.

2   For the compounds ʓehwilc, ǽʓhwilc, see EACH.]

3   A.  Illustration of Forms.

4   1.  1 hwelc, huelc, hwælc, huælc, huoelc, 3 hwælch, 4–5 wheche, weche, 5 whech, qwech(e, queche, (qheche); 3 qwel, 4 quelk.

5 [c. 725.  Corpus Gloss., Q 74. Quo cumque modo, ʓehwelci weʓa.]

6 c. 825.  Vesp. Psalter, xviii. 13 [xix. 12]. Delicta quis intellegit, scylde hwelc onʓeted?

7 c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Mark ix. 34. Disputauerant quis esset illorum maior,… ʓeflioton hua vel huelc woere hiora mara. Ibid., xii. 19. Si cuius frater mortuus fuerit,… ʓef huælc vel æniʓ broðer dead sie vel bið.

8 c. 1200.  Vices & Virtues, 21. An hwælche wise ic mihte betst sahtlin wið mine halend Criste.

9 c. 1250.  qwel [see B. 8].

10 c. 1375.  Cursor M., 27236 (Fairf.). Þe prest agh spire … Of men þat ar in religioun Quelk reccheles prelatis is.

11 1387.  E. E. Wills (1882), 2. The cheste … weche they haue of myn. Ibid. (1418), 44. Þe money þe qweche Oliuer hath in his hand.

12 14[?].  Cast. Love, 578 (MS. Bodl. Add. B. 107). Herkeneth wheche loue, wych bucsomnesse, Whiche grace & whiche swetnesse, That good from hevyn to alyȝht ches!

13 1449.  Marg. Paston, in P. Lett., I. 82. Abok of sofystre … the qheche my seyd brother behestid my moder.

14 c. 1450.  Capgrave, Life St. Aug., xxxii. Þat þei schuld not denye o tyme whech þei graunted anoþer tyme.

15 1461.  Paston Lett., II. 10. I am enformyd, ye schall recuver of hard and but a part, the qwech schuld be dere of the sute.

16   2.  α. 1–3 hwilc, wilc, 3 hwilch, w(h)ilch, whilc, Orm. whillc (gen. whillkess, pl. whillke), 3–4 wilk, 4 wylke, 4–5 whylke, 4–6 whilke, 4–6, 7–9 dial. whilk, 5 wilke, 5–7 dial. whylk, (6 Sc. vhilk, pl. vhilks, 6–8 Sc. pl. whilks); 3–4 quilc, quilke, 4 qwilk, quylk, quhylk, (quil), 4–5 quilk, 4–8 Sc. quhilk (pl. 5–7 quhilkis, 6 quhilks).

17 a. 950.  Ælfred’s Boeth., xxxiv. § 10. Hwilc ure mæʓ areccan medemlice ures scyppendes willan?

18 c. 975.  Rushw. Gosp., Matt. xxi. 24. Ic ek eow sæcge in wilce mæh[t]e ic þas do.

19   c. 1200.  Ormin, 471. whillc [see B. 4]. Ibid., 5283. O whillkess kinness wise.

20 c. 1200.  Vices & Virtues, 77. Whilch lean aust ðu te hauen of godd? Ibid., 125. Ȝif þu wilt witen wilke eiȝene ðe hierte muȝe habben.

21 c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 179. Hlisteð nu for hwat and o wilche wise.

22 13[?].  quhylk [see B. 7 a].

23 13[?].  Northern Passion, 256 (MS. Camb. Gg. 5. 31). Þai lukyd … Whylke [v.r. wylke] of þayme it myght be fall.

24 1424.  E. E. Wills (1882), 57. I wul my wyf haf my best ambeler, and my sone … wylk him likeþ best.

25 1585.  Jas. I., Ess. Poesie (Arb.), 14. The vapouris … Whilks syne in cloudds are keiped closs and well.

26 c. 1634.  W. Cartwright, Ordinary, IV. i. Lere me whylk way be wended.

27 1711.  in Nairne Peerage Evid. (1874), 132. To be … granted to the said deceast Robert lord Nairn and the airs male of his body whilks failzieing to the said Margaret now lady Nairn his daughter.

28 1819.  Scott, Leg. Montrose, iii. Their damnable skirlin’ pipes, whilk they themselves pretend to understand.

29 c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 2350. Seið him quilke min blisses ben. Ibid., 3631. Quilc frud, quat offrende, quilc [MS. quil] laȝe.

30 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 4788. Lok quilk of us sal tak on hand For vs alle do þis trauail. Ibid., 8454. Þe kind o thinges leid he,… Quil war þair mightes soth and lele.

31 1387.  in Edin. Charters (1871), 35. In fourme the quylk eftir folowys.

32 1456.  Sir G. Haye, Law Arms, 1. The rubryis … be the quhilkis men may better knaw [etc.].

33 a. 1592.  whilke [see B. 2 b].

34 1637–50.  Row, Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.), 123. The bukes of the Assemblie, all quhilkis I had preserved hole.

35 1724.  Ramsay, Vision, xvii. Starrie gleims, Quhilk prinkled.

36   β.  2 hwic, wic, 2–3 hwich, (ȝwich), 3–6 wyche, wich, 4 hwych, pl. huiche, 4–5 wiche, 4–6 whiche, whyche, wych, 5 whych, (wycche, 6 wycch, Sc. vich, vhich), 4– which; 4–5 quiche, quyche, 5 quich, quych, qwiche, qwych(e, 5–6 Sc. quhich; 5 Sc. quhik.

37 a. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 238. Wic ȝeie, wic drednesse wurð þer. Ibid., 243. Hwic scule beon ure sceld, sanctus paulus hus seið.

38 a. 1200.  Moral Ode, 136. Lutel he hit scaweð hwice hete is þer þa saule wuneð.

39 c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 141. Lusteð … wiche wise hie hine bisohte and hwich andswere he hire giaf.

40 1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 326. Vor to wite in ȝwiche stede is wonii[n]gge were.

41 c. 1300.  Beket (Percy Soc.), 974. In whiche manere.

42 1340.  Ayenb., 129. Yziȝ wrechche ine huiche zorȝes and ine huiche perils þou art.

43 c. 1375.  Cursor M., 21136 (Fairf.). Þat folk ilkane walde oþer steyuen Quiche muȝt come titist to heyuen.

44 c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 511. A costrel … hwych ys ful of þat bame cler.

45 1390.  which [see B. 7 b].

46 1415.  in 43rd Rep. Dep. Kpr. Publ. Rec., 584. On ye morou ye Fryday ye quich was yis day fourteneghte.

47 1471.  Paston Lett., Suppl. (1901), 138. Wycche mony I pray zow that [ye] bestowe yt as I wryth to zow.

48 a. 1500.  Bernard. de cura rei fam., 215. A mane,… quhik al his fantasy Has geffyne to vice.

49 1551.  Crowley, Pleas. & Payne, 63. Ye … Wych wythout me had come to nought.

50 1585.  T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., I. vii. 6. The master of my skiffe, whiche presently … was made fast by the leg.

51 a. 1600.  Montgomerie, Sonn., lvi. 6. My teirs vhich so abound.

52   3.  α. 1 hwylc, 2 hwulch, hulch, 2–3 wulc, 3 whulc(h, wulch, 5 whulche.

53 871–89.  Charter, in O. E. Texts, 452/52. Swa hwylc mon swa hio wonie & breoce.

54 c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 15. Hwulc mon is þet nauet to broken elche dei þas godes laȝe þe ic eou nu cweð. Ibid., 27. hulche [see B. 6]. Ibid., 49. Nu ȝe habbeð iherd wulc hit is for to iheren godes weordes and heom ethalden.

55 c. 1205.  Lay., 2303. Þu nast of whulche londe heo com heder liðen. Ibid., 20735. For whuiches cunnes þinge ligge we þus here.

56 c. 1400.  St. Alexius (Vernon MS.), 207. I wolde fayn, & i wuste whulche.

57   β.  3 hwuc, hwu(c)ch, wucch, 3–5 wuch(e, woch(e, 4 whuche, (wȝuch), 4–5 whuch, whoche, 5 whoch, huch.

58 c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 189. And to-ȝenes hwuch fo man agh furðien seið þe holi apostle. Ibid., 219. For woche þinge he nemnede [etc.].

59 a. 1225.  hwuc [see B. 1].

60 a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 1378. Bo wuch ho bo.

61 c. 1320.  Cast. Love, 110. Allas wȝuch serue and deol þer wes!

62 c. 1400.  Beryn, 176. Huch þe Pardoner, & he, pryuely in hir pouchis Þey put hem aftirward.

63 1401.  26 Pol. Poems, iii. 36. Whoche party may strengere be.

64 1422.  Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., 143. Wylde bestis, amonge woche euery olt hym abow hym to whome he is prere [? pere].

65   B.  Signification.

66   I.  Interrogative and allied uses.

67   For the distinction between the dependent interrogative and the relative, cf. note s.v. WHAT A I.**

68   † 1.  adj. Most usually predicative: Of what kind, quality or character; also attrib. what kind of: = L. qualis. (The interrogative corresponding to the demonstrative SUCH.) Obs.

69   In attrib. use (in sing.) sometimes followed by a.

70 c. 897.  K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., lxv. 467. Ðær ic hæbbe ʓetæht hwelc hierde bion sceal.

71 c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Luke vii. 39. He wiste hwæt & hwylc þis wif wære…, þæt heo synful is.

72 c. 1205.  Lay., 10120. Men … talden him tiðende of alle þere fore þe Petrus dude in Rome, and whulcne [c. 1275 wochne] martirdom Petrus hauede vnder-fon.

73 a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 64. Hwon Godes prophete makede swuche mone of eien, hwuc mone wenestu is to moni mon … icumen … of hore eien?

74 c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 3212. Ðor he stunden for to sen Quilc pharaon wið hem sal ben.

75 1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 1189. So hii miȝte lerni wiche brutons were.

76 c. 1320.  Cast. Love, 53. To wȝuche a Castel he alihte, Þo he wolde here for vs fihte.

77 1389.  Wyclif, James i. 24. Anoon he forȝat which he was.

78 c. 1400.  trans. Secr. Secr., Gov. Lordsh., 104. Whiche ys þy fayth, and þy lawe?

79 a. 1400–50.  Bk. Curtasye, 301, in Babees Bk. To aske his nome, and qweche he be.

80   2.  As general interrogative. (Mostly Obs.) † a. adj. = WHAT A. 13, 14. Obs. (or merged in 3 a.)

81 c. 900.  trans. Bæda’s Hist., IV. xx[i]v. (1890), 348. Hwylc þearf is ðe husles?

82 c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. xxiv. 3. Seʓe us … hwilc tacn si þines to-cymys.

83 c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 33. Þe engel … seweð a whilche wise and þuregh hwam þis blisse cumen sholde.

84 c. 1290.  Beket, 2323, in S. Eng. Leg., 173. In ȝwat manere he was a-slawe and ȝwuch tyme he was ded.

85 c. 1305.  Jud. Isc., 101, in E. E. P. (1862), 110. Siþþe ic fond mie louerd aslawe y not in whiche wise.

86 a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter, Cant. 515. He leryd him in whilk degre,… and how he sould luf him.

87 1588.  Shaks., L. L. L., IV. i. 105. Clo. From my Lord to my Lady. Qu. From which Lord, to which Lady?

88 1715.  Leoni, Palladio’s Archit. (1745), II. 65. Nor ought any one to wonder, which way such vast Quantities of earthen Ware came there.

89 1752.  Chesterf., Lett., ccxcvi. (1792), IV. 6. In some congratulatory poem prefixed to some work, I have forgot which.

90   b.  pron. = WHAT A. 1, 6. Also (OE. and occas. later) = Who. Obs. exc. as a humorous substitute for what.

91 971.  Blickl. Hom., 169. Hwylc æteowde eow to fleonne fram ðon toweardan Godes erre?

92 c. 1290.  St. Brendan, 569, in S. Eng. Leg., 235. Man mai i-seo ȝwuch it is to ȝyuen oþur mannes þing with wouȝ.

93 a. 1400.  Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS., 240/738. Afftur þis schaltou witen þen Wȝuche ben þe comaundemens ten.

94 c. 1400.  Brut, 22 (heading), How iiij kynges curteisely helde al Britaigne; and whiche beth here names.

95 1548–9.  Bk. Com. Prayer, Catech. Tell me how many [commandments] there bee…. Tenne. Whiche be they?

96 a. 1592.  Greene, Jas. IV., I. 657. Sike is the werld, but whilke is he I sawe?

97 1599.  Shaks., Much Ado, II. i. 107. I haue manie ill qualities? Bene. Which is one? Mar. I say my prayers alowd.

98 1648.  G. Sandys’s Par. Ps. cxiv. 9. Recoyling Seas, which [ed. 1638 what] caus’d your dread?

99 1848.  Dickens, Dombey, xxxviii. ‘I want a so-and-so’ he says—some hard name or other. ‘A which?’ says the Captain.

100 1891.  R. Kipling, Light that Failed, ix. 193. Who’s interfering with which?

101   3.  In limited sense, expressing a request for selection from a definite number: What one (or ones) of a (stated or implied) set of persons, things or alternatives. (The current use.) a. adj.

102   Sometimes, as in which way, indistinguishable from 2 a.

103 c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. vii. 9. Hwylc man is of eow ʓyf his sunu hyne bit hlafes sylst þu him stan?

104 c. 1386.  Chaucer, Reeve’s T., 158. Whilk way is he geen?

105 c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 12659. Þen þai fraynet qwiche freke, þat schuld first enter.

106 1535.  Coverdale, 2 Kings iii. 8. Which waye wil we go vp?

107 1562.  J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr., I iv. I know on which syde my bread is buttred.

108 1596.  Shaks., Merch. V., II. ix. 11. Neuer to vnfold to any one which casket ’twas I chose.

109 1667.  Milton, P. L., IV. 73. Which way shall I flie?

110 1770.  Foote, Lame Lover, II. A wise man should well weigh which party to take for.

111 1882.  Besant, All Sorts, xxi. Bound for some American port—I forget which.

112 1917.  T. R. Glover, The Jesus of Hist., iv. 70. When the question is asked, ‘Was Jesus the Messiah?’ the obvious reply is, ‘Which Messiah?’

113   b.  pron. († occas., in dependent clause, with the.)

114 c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. vi. 27. Quis autem uestrum … huælc uutetlice iurre?

115 c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., John xix. 24. Ne slite we hy, ac uton hleotan hwylces ures heo sy.

116 1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 928. Among hom … strif me miȝte ise Woch mest maisters were.

117 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 15275. Ful wel i wat þe quilk o yow Þe tresun has puruaid.

118 13[?].  St. Alexius, 207 (MS. Laud 108). Lauedi, I wille ful fayn, and I wiste wilk.

119 1402.  Jack Upland, 28. Frere, how many orders be in erthe, and which is the perfitest order?

120 c. 1470.  Golagros & Gaw., 919. Quhilk that happynnit the lak, Couth na leid say!

121 1526.  Tindale, John viii. 46. Which of you can rebuke me off synne?

122 1573–80.  Tusser, Husb. (1878), 77. In making or mending as needeth thy ditch, get set to quick set it, learne cunningly whitch.

123 1599.  Shaks., Much Ado, V. iv. 72. Which is Beatrice? Beat. I answer to that name.

124 1601.  R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw., 2. Of these two I doe not know which to prefer.

125 1611.  Shaks., Wint. T., IV. iii. 94. I cannot tell … for which of his Vertues it was.

126 1660.  Fuller, Mixt Contempl., xiii. 21. Two young Gentlemen were comparing their revenues together, vying which of them were the best.

127 1791.  Cowper, Lett. to W. Bagot, 18 March. Indisposed … with gout or rheumatism, (for it seems uncertain which).

128 1857.  Ruskin, Pol. Econ. Art, Addenda 191, note. The contest between them is not … which shall get everything for himself.

129 1889.  Stevenson, Ballantrae, iii. But which is it to be? Fight or make friends?

130   4.  adj. and pron. Repented (in sense 3): a. in each of two (or more) separate clauses, usually connected by a conj.

131 c. 897.  K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., lix. 451. He us ʓetacnode for hwelcum ðingum we sceolden ure godan weorc helan, & for hwelcum we hi sceolden cyðan.

132 c. 1200.  Ormin, 471–2. Prestess … & dæcness … Shifftedenn hemm bitwenenn Whillc here shollde serrfenn first, Whillc siþþenn i þe temmple.

133 1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 2562. Me nuste Woch was on ne woch was oþer.

134 c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), Prol. 17. To here … whilk were foles, & whilk were wyse.

135 1575.  Turberv., Faulconrie, 159. To note the naturall disposition of his Hawkes: as, whiche will flee beeing high…, and whiche best, when she is kepte lowe, whiche will flee best when she is set most sharpe and eager, and whyche contrary, and whiche in a meane betweene both.

136 1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. I. 407. Which ballot boxes were to be green and which red, which balls were to be of gold and which of silver … and a hundred more such trifles, were gravely considered.

137 1880.  Shorthouse, John Inglesant, xxvii. Trying … to make out … which was noble and which was groom.

138   b.  in the same clause, in abbreviated expressions, esp. which is which = which is the one and which is the other; so which goes with which, etc.; also with another interrog., as who is to have which.

139   A jocular variant is contained in the phr. to tell tother from which.

140 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 9290. Wel sal he cun knau quilk es quilk, Fra the wick þe god to scil.

141 1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XII. iii. (Bodl. MS.). Þe furste manere hawkes takep onelich here praie fleinge briddes and þe secunde manere haukes … reeseþ on briddes þt setteþ one þe grounde. And þe briddes knowiþ whiche is whiche.

142 c. 1412.  Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 445. Som tyme, afer men myghten lordes knowe By there array, from oþer folke; but now A man schal … musen a long throwe Whiche is whiche.

143 1559.  Aylmer, Harborowe, K 4. It was not to bee iudged by the greatnes or smalnes, but which was whose.

144 1564.  Harding, Answ. Jewel, 73. It is hard to fynde which keye serueth which locke.

145 1582.  N. T. (Rhem.), Mark xv. 24. Casting lottes vpon them, who should take which.

146 1605.  Shaks., Macb., III. iv. 127. What is the night? Almost at oddes with morning, which is which.

147 1711.  Steele, Spect., No. 41, ¶ 4. There does not need any great Discernment to judge which are which.

148 1849.  C. Brontë, Shirley, xxiii. Caroline, looking round, met a new Robert,—the real Robert…. ‘Well,’ said he,… ‘which is which?’

149 1881.  Miss Braddon, Asphodel, xii. To see which went best with which.

150   II.  Exclamatory use.

151   † 5.  adj. (in non-collective sing. followed by a): = WHAT B. 5, 5 b. Obs.

152 c. 888.  Ælfred, Boeth., xvi. § 2. Ʒif ʓe nu ʓesawan hwelce mus þæt wære hlaford ofer oðre mys,… mid hwelce hleahtre ʓe woldon bion astered.

153 a. 1175.  [see A. 2 β].

154 c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 19. Nimað ȝeme … hwilche ȝife he us ȝefeð.

155 a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 134. Þenc hwuch pinen he þolede.

156 1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 7237. Hii seye þe soþnesse In wuch lecherie & oþer sunne þe prestes songe hor messe.

157 c. 1305.  11,000 Virgins, 62, in E. E. P. (1862), 67. Louerd, which a cumpaignye of clene maidenes was þere.

158 1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. X. 27. Whiche lordes beth þis shrewes!

159 c. 1386.  Chaucer, Frankl. T., 714. Lo which a wyf was Alcestem.

160 a. 1400–50.  Wars Alex., 1807. He tellis quyche a tunne of tresoure he hauys.

161 c. 1430.  Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, III. v. (1869), 139. Harrow, which gret woodshipe is þis.

162 c. 1440.  Jacob’s Well, 102. Lo, whiche a worschip sche hadde, & whiche a ioye.

163   III.  Relative uses. * as simple relative.

164   6.  adj. The ordinary relative adj.

165   Formerly in Sc. with pl. inflexion -s, is: see A. 2 α. For the construction with a prep., cf. 7 a.

166 c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 27. Þesne mon ic habbe itaken to mine aȝene bihofþe. Ma monna ic scolde biȝeten swa, bi hulche monna seið drihten in his spelle þa he þus cweþ [etc.].

167 c. 1250.  Kent. Serm., in O. E. Misc., 30. Lecherie, spusbreche, Roberie,… and alle oþre euele deden, þurch wyche þinkes man ofserueth þet fer of helle.

168 13[?].  Northern Passion, 1309 (MS. Camb. Gg. I. 1). Þe tre of lif On woche [v.r. whilke] tre þat appil grewe.

169 c. 1400.  Brut, 229. His flesshe was restorede aȝein,… for whiche miracle þe good man & his frendes louede God and Seint Thomas.

170 1432–50.  trans. Higden (Rolls), II. 101. The thrydde realme was of Estesex … The kynges of whiche place … were obediente to other kynges.

171 1460.  Capgrave, Chron. (Rolls), 166. He fond him ontretable; for whech cause the bischop cursid him.

172 1526.  Tindale, Col. iii. 6. Fornicacion, vnclennes,… and covetousnes…: for which thynges sakes the wrath of god falleth on the chyldren off vnbeleve.

173 1585.  Jas. I., Ess. Poesie (Arb.), 55. They are figures of Rhetorique and Dialectique, quhilkis airtis I professe nocht.

174 1610.  Shaks., Temp., I. ii. 277. She did confine thee … Into a clouen Pyne, within which rift Imprison’d, thou didst painefully remaine A dozen yeeres.

175 1719.  De Foe, Crusoe, I. (Globe), 71. It rain’d all Night and all Day,… during which time the Ship broke in pieces.

176 1800.  Wordsw., Hart-Leap Well. The monuments spoken of in the second part of the following Poem, which monuments do now exist as I have there described them.

177 1831.  Carlyle, Sart. Res., I. i. Concerning which last, indeed.

178 1892.  Photogr. Ann., II. 883. A 5 × 4 camera … (which size is now the most popular).

179   7.  pron. The ordinary relative pronoun introducing an additional statement about the antecedent, the sense of the principal clause being complete without the relative clause; thus sometimes equivalent to ‘and that (it, they, etc.).’ (Cf. THAT rel. pron. 2.)

180   In this and following senses formerly sometimes followed by that (THAT conj. 6), occas. by as (cf. AS adv. B. 27).

181   a.  As obj. of a prep., which usually precedes which, but occas. stands at the end of the clause.

182   If the prep. depends on some other word (e.g., a sb. or numeral), that word (with any that qualify or govern it) usually stands immediately before the prep.

183 c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 11. Drihten him bi-tahte twa stanene tables breode on hwulche godalmihti heofde iwriten þa ten laȝe.

184 13[?].  Cursor M., 9540 (Gött.). Ilk-an gaf he substance an,… Widuten quhylk on nan manere Miht he in pes his kingriche ȝeme.

185 1423.  James I., Kingis Q., iii. A boke … Off quhich the name Is clepit … Boece.

186 1451.  Paston Lett., Suppl. (1901), 35. A letter … qwych I send yow a copy of.

187 1590.  Spenser, F. Q., I. xi. 29. A springing well, From which fast trickled forth a siluer flood.

188 1603.  in Gage, Hengrave (1822), 32. One payer of little orgaynes wth a board wh they stand on.

189 1687.  A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. 17. Our Ship stuck a ground, with the noise of which, our Captain awoke.

190 1726.  Adv. Capt. R. Boyle (1768), 113. Their Beards & Mustachoes … which they take a particular Pride in the Length or Largeness of.

191 1858.  Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., II. vii. I. 131. The Pope … being held … at a distance: the result of which was what we see.

192 1893.  Max Pemberton, Iron Pirate, ii. A … Scotsman, who carried the economy of his race even to the extent of flesh, of which he was sparse.

193   b.  As subject or object of a verb.

194   Formerly sometimes used where as is now idiomatic, as in quot. 1688: cf. 10.

195 a. 1300.  E. E. Psalter ix. 16. In þis snare whilke þai hid swa.

196 1390.  Gower, Conf., III. 132. His herbe propre is Rosmarine, Which schapen is for his covine.

197 c. 1400.  Cursor M., 25391 (Cott. Galba). Þe blis of heuyn, Whilk seuyn vertuse vntill vs wins, And als fordose seuyn dedly sins.

198 1485.  Caxton, Chas. Gt., 193. Eche took an hors … which ranne at al aduenture.

199 c. 1550.  Rolland, Crt. Venus, Prol. 11. Complexiounis … Quhilkis ar thir four:… Phlegmatike … Sanguineane … Colerike … Melancolie, Quhilkis of nature ar wonder different.

200 1552.  Lyndesay, Monarche, 4373. This is ane maruellous Monarche, Quhilk hes power Imperiall Boith of the body and the Saull.

201 a. 1613.  Brerewood, Lang. & Relig. (1622), 201. The Italian, French, and Spanish: all which in a barbarous word haue beene called Romanse.

202 1650.  Fuller, Pisgah, I. xiii. 41. The Hebrews measuring their land by a bow-shot,… which … admits of variation.

203 1688.  R. Holme, Armoury, III. 331/2. The Pitchfork (or Pikel, which we vulgarly call it).

204 1719.  De Foe, Crusoe, I. (Globe), 48. I spy’d a small piece of a Rope, which I wonder’d I did not see at first.

205 1825.  T. Hook, Sayings, Ser. II. Passion & Princ., x. III. 209. ‘And so good night’: saying which, he urbanely shook hands.

206 1872.  Morley, Voltaire, i. 3. Ideas … whose forms were old…, but which were full of seemingly inexhaustible novelty.

207 1875.  Jevons, Money, xix. 246. The United States government tried a similar experiment, which was soon discontinued.

208   c.  Referring to a fact, circumstance or statement.

209 1390.  Gower, Conf., I. 12. To make pes betwen the kynges … Which is the propre duete Belongende unto the presthode.

210 1516.  in E. Lodge, Illustr. (1838), I. 17. He would advise me to get me to some little house, with a few persons with me, which I have done.

211 1521.  in Essex Rev., XIII. 221. If she [sc. the ship] come not well home, which God forfende.

212 1597.  Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., V. ii. 34. You must now speake Sir Iohn Falstaffe faire, Which swimmes against your streame of Quality.

213 1669.  Boyle, Contn. New Exp., I. xxxiv. 118. I order’d the Air to be let in very leisurely, upon which we could plainly see [etc.].

214 1699.  Bentley, Phal., xii. 320. The last part of the Sentence not … answering to the first; which is the proper definition of a Solœcism.

215 1760.  Sterne, Tr. Shandy, III. xxiv. I dragged her after me, by means of which she fell backwards soss against the bridge.

216 1787.  J. Fea, Fish. Sc. Isl., 31. We have no Methodists settled amongst us, which is very fortunate; as their uncharitable tenets tends with weak minds to the most dangerous consequences.

217 1836.  Dickens, Sk. Boz, Sentiment. Looking as amiable as they possibly could—which, by the by, is not saying much for them.

218 1839.  Ure, Dict. Arts, 1076. Yellow rosin contains some water, which black rosin does not.

219 1886.  [E. H. Dering], In Light of 20th Cent., iv. 65. Observation … only shows what is visible, which life is not.

220 1914.  ‘Ian Hay,’ Knt. on Wheels, xiii. § 3. They conformed to the rules,… observing the spirit rather than the letter of the law. Which was just as well.

221   d.  With a conjunction in the relative clause, usually following which, rarely preceding. arch.

222   In early use more frequently with pleonastic personal pronoun (see 14). For sylleptic uses see 15.

223 [1510:  see 13 b.]

224 a. 1548.  Hall, Chron. Edw. IV., 214 b. To conuey hym selfe into some other place, without delay, which if he did they assured hym, yt he should haue neither hurte nor damage.

225 c. 1643.  Ld. Herbert, Autobiog. (1824), 193. Oliver Herbert was forced to fly France, which, that he might do the better, I paid the said fencer 200 crowns.

226 1752.  Fielding, Amelia, III. viii. The tears began to overflow—which, when he perceived, he stopt.

227 1796.  Mrs. Inchbald, Nature & Art, xi. (1820), 29. Explanations followed all these questions; but which … require no recital here.

228 1835.  ‘Stephen Oliver’ (W. A. Chatto), Rambles Northumb., 106. A girl … returning home from milking … saw many fairies gamboling in the fields, but which were invisible to her companions.

229 1871.  Ruskin, Fors Clav., iii. 14. It was not [then] esteemed of absolute necessity to put agreements between Christians in writing! Which if it were not now, you know we might save a great deal of money.

230 1883.  R. W. Dixon, Mano, II. iv. 76. Which when he saw, thither full fast ran he.

231   e.  Introducing a parenthetic qualifying clause inserted in the principal clause. (Cf. sense 11, quots. 1599, 1719.)

232 1560.  Rolland, Seven Sages (Bann. Club), 50. He purposit, quhilk was wors, My awin Lady … to defors.

233 1611.  Beaum. & Fl., Maid’s Trag., III. ii. Are not you, Which is above all joyes, my constant friend?

234 1640.  E. Reynolds, Passions, xvi. 174. Strange Sinnes too (which is the curiositie and corruption of Nature) are marvellous attractive.

235 1862.  Ruskin, Unto this Last, ii. 40. Primarily, which is very notable and curious, I observe that men of business rarely know the meaning of the word ‘rich.’

236 1882.  Besant, All Sorts, vii. When, which happened every day, they forgot their disguises for a while, they talked quite freely.

237   8.  Introducing a clause defining or restricting the antecedent and thus completing the sense. Regularly so used after the antecedent that (THAT dem. pron. 6), or after a prep. (see b); in other cases the more regular relative is thăt (THAT rel. pron. 1).

238   In modern printing usually distinguished from 7 by the absence of a comma before the relative (as in speech by the absence of a pause).

239   † All which continued in literary use till c. 1850.

240 c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 170. So made god … Al erue, and wrim, and wilde der, Qwel man mai sen on werlde her.

241 c. 1320.  Cast. Love, 1434. Þe woundes … Wȝuche þat weoren on honden and feet.

242 c. 1400.  Apol. Loll., 42. Man was maad to lord in alle creaturis, and forfetid not þat wyche synniþ not.

243 1598.  B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., II. ii. (1601 Qo.). That land or nation best doth thriue, Which to smooth-fronted peace is most procliue.

244 1610.  Shaks., Temp., V. i. 204. It is you, that haue chalk’d forth the way Which brought vs hither.

245 1611.  Bible, Gen. i. 7. God … diuided the waters, which were vnder the firmament, from the waters, which were aboue the firmament.

246 1619.  in Hales’ Gold. Rem., II. (1673), 125. This is all which is done this week.

247 1774.  Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), II. 335. Repairing the destruction, which they must often suffer, by their quick reproduction.

248 1824.  L. Murray, Engl. Gram. (ed. 5), I. 74. After all which can be done, to render the definitions … comprehensive and accurate.

249 1834.  Newman, Par. Serm., I. xix. 293. This is the path which leads to death.

250 1848.  Pusey, Paroch. Serm., I. iv. (1873), 71. All which we are, except sin, He became.

251 1875.  Jevons, Money, xx. 254. Let us suppose that there is a town which is able to support two banks.

252 1918.  Act 8 Geo. V., c. 5 § 4 (2). If any person … makes … any statement which is false.

253   b.  As obj. of a prep., which usually precedes the relative as in 7 a.

254 c. 1250.  Kent. Serm., in O. E. Misc., 31. Alle þo sennen þurch wiche me liest po luue of gode almichti.

255 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 17288 + 74. Þat friday was our leuedy day On wilk our lord slayn was.

256 c. 1386.  Chaucer, Sqr.’s T., 17, 18. And of the secte of which þat he was born He kepte his lay to which þat he was sworn.

257 c. 1450.  Merlin, ii. 32. I moste go in to that contre ffro whiche these be come to fecche me.

258 1663.  Extr. St. Papers rel. Friends, Ser. II. (1911), 173. Many more thinges which the controuersy of the Lord is against.

259 1700.  Congreve, Way of World, II. iii. The Guilt with which you wou’d asperse me.

260 1830.  Macaulay, Ess., Moore’s Life Byron (1843), I. 336. They wrote concerning things the thought of which set their hearts on fire.

261 1839.  De la Beche, Rep. Geol. Cornw., etc. xiv. 459. A bar upon which the sea breaks occurs at the entrance of the Kingsbridge estuary.

262   ¶ c.  In anacoluthic construction, as in THAT rel. pron. 8. rare.

263 1729.  Law, Serious C., ix. Direct your common actions to that end which they did.

264   9.  Used of persons. Now only dial. except in speaking of people in a body, the ordinary word being who (objective whom) or (in sense b) that.

265   a.  Introducing an additional statement, as in 7: thus sometimes = ‘and he (they, etc.).’

266 a. 1300.  E. E. Psalter cxlv[i]. 3. Traiste never … in men sones, in whilk hele es nane.

267 c. 1386.  Chaucer, Frankl. T., 94. Hire freendes whiche þat knewe hir heuy thoght Conforten hire. Ibid., Shipman’s T., 153. Yow which I haue loued specially.

268 1447.  Bokenham, Seyntys, Caecilia, 201. Lord Jhesu Cryst, wych al thyng knowyst.

269 a. 1450.  Knt. de la Tour, 65. The holy man whiche had pitee of his neuew, sorufull he yede into his chapell.

270 c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, xxvi. 547. Charlemagn toke a messager whiche he sente to reynawde.

271 1526.  Tindale, 1 Cor. xv. 57. Thankes be vnto God, whych hath geven vs victory.

272 1548–9.  Bk. Com. Prayer, Matins, 2nd Collect. O God, which art author of peace, and louer of concorde.

273 1610.  Shaks., Temp., I. ii. 342. I am all the Subiects that you haue, Which first was min owne King.

274 1692.  O. Walker, Grk. & Rom. Hist., II. 310. He had nine Wives, all which he cast off successively.

275 1703.  Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 254. The Master-Bricklayer, or else his Foreman (which ought to be an ingenious Workman).

276 a. 1774.  Goldsm., trans. Scarron’s Com. Rom. (1775), I. 200. A couple of women … one of which … leaned on the other’s shoulder.

277 1837.  Dickens, Pickw., xxxiv. Had been told it herself by Mrs. Mudberry which kept a mangle, and Mrs. Bunkin which clear-starched.

278 1899.  C. R. Gill, in Scribner’s Mag., XXV. 114/1. His mother had ten children, of which he was the oldest.

279   b.  Introducing a defining clause, as in 8.

280 1338.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 224. Whan þei were inowe, on whilk þei mot afie.

281 c. 1386.  Chaucer, Pars. T., ¶ 981. If ther be a confessour to which he may shriuen hym.

282 1483.  Acta Audit., in Acta Dom. Conc., II. Introd. 106. Because he mariit without his consent quhilk is his ourlord.

283 1526.  Tindale, Matt. v. 10. Blessed are they which suffre persecucion for rightewesnes sake.

284 a. 1548.  Hall, Chron., Hen. IV., 28 b. Entendyng to be reuenged on them whiche he sought for.

285 1600.  Surflet, Country Farm, VI. xxii. 803. The reader which is carefull of his health, may learne to make choise of such wine.

286 1605.  Shaks., Lear, IV. vi. 215. Euery one heares that, which can distinguish sound.

287 a. 1703.  Burkitt, On N. T., Luke iv. 24. That Minister which prostitutes his Authority, frustrates the end of his Ministry.

288 1774.  J. Bryant, Mythol., I. p. xiv. Those people which, I term Amonians.

289 1836.  Jas. Grant, Random Recoll. Ho. Lords, x. 224. Dugald Stewart, one of the greatest men which Scotland has produced.

290 1841.  Alison, Hist. Eur., IX. lxix. 202. The wounded, which were carried past…, never failed to salute the Emperor.

291 1909.  Westm. Gaz., 9 July, 2/2. He is on the high road to get all the men for which he has asked.

292   c.  Still regularly used of a person in reference to character, function, or the like, in which case the sense is really 7 or 8.

293 1645.  Howell, Twelve Treat. (1661), 233. The subject of this Discours were more proper to One of the long-Robe, which I am not.

294 1797.  Bp. Watson, Apol. Christ., vi. (ed. 6), 180. He put two maid servants, which were called ministers, to the torture.

295 1842.  Borrow, Bible in Spain (1843), II. x. 208. He was by no means the profound philologist which the notary had represented him to be.

296 1855.  Newman, Callista, xii. 108. He was not quite the craven … which she thought him.

297   10.  Rarely used after an antecedent to which the ordinary correlative is as. a. after same: = THAT rel. pron. 4. b. after so or such: often equivalent to ‘that it (he, etc.).’

298 1340, etc.  [see SAME A. 1 a].

299 c. 1386.  [see SUCH B. 12].

300 1550.  Veron, Godly Sayings, Ep. Ded. (1846), 19. Who is so dul,… whiche … would not be moued too thankefulnes?

301 1596.  ‘L. Piot,’ Silvayn’s Orator, 401. No man ought to bind himselfe vnto such couenants which hee cannot … accomplish.

302 1605.  Camden, Rem., Names, 45. Baruch, Hebr. the same which Bennet, blessed.

303 1607.  Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 326. A kind of wilde horsse which hath hornes like a Hart, and therefore I take it to bee the same which is called Hypellaphus.

304 1709, 1888.  [see SUCH B. 12].

305 1802–12.  Bentham, Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827), V. 321. There is not any argument so absurd, which is not daily received.

306   ** as compound relative (or with ellipsis of antecedent).

307   † 11.  pron. That which, one which, something that: = WHAT C. 1, 3 a; also of a person, One who; pl. Those which or who. Obs.

308 c. 1205.  Lay., 2167. Al Albanakes folc folden i-scohten Buten while þat þer at-wond þurh wode burȝe.

309 c. 1430.  Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 8837. He dremed of you which him affrayed.

310 c. 1470.  Henry, Wallace, XI. 321. Na men he tuk bot quhilk he hydder brocht.

311 1548.  Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. John vii. 31. Should he do greater thynges then whiche this man doeth?

312 1579.  Fulke, Heskins’ Parl., 105. They interprete literally, which the doctors did write figuratiuely.

313 1599.  Shaks., Much Ado, IV. ii. 83. I am a wise fellow, and which is more, an officer, and which is more, a housholder.

314 1643.  Digges, Unlawf. Taking up Arms, 8. I shall desire one thing especially may be remembred, as which hath great influence upon all cases.

315 1654.  Z. Coke, Logick, 16. An ambiguous word is which indistinctly signifieth things that in nature are divers.

316 1719.  De Foe, Crusoe, I. (Globe), 75. I had the loose Earth to carry out; and which was of more Importance, I had the Cieling to prop up.

317   12.  In generalized sense (adj. or pron.), with or without qualifying adv. (ever, so, etc.): Any (person or thing) that, whatever; usually, now always, with limitation of reference, as in 3: = WHICHEVER 1; also (with ever or soever) = WHICHEVER 2.

318   OE. swá hwilc (swá), ME. hwilch … so, se (see WHICH-SO), north. quilk sum, were ultimately superseded by which ever, soever (see WHICHEVER, WHICHSOEVER).

319 a. 890.  Charter, in O. E. Texts, 451 Swa hwylc minra fædrenmeʓa swa ðæt sio.

320 900–30.  O. E. Chron., an. 755 (Parker MS.). Þæs cyninges þeʓnas … þider urnon swa hwelc swa þonne ʓearo wearþ.

321 c. 1000.  Ags. Ps. (Th.), cxxxvii[i]. 4 (3). Swahwylce daʓa ic þe deorne ciʓe.

322 c. 1220.  Bestiary, 5, in O. E. Misc., 1. Bi wilc weie so he wile.

323 a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 8. O hwuche wise se heo euer wule.

324 1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 497. Brut bad corineus for to chese of ech contrei … Ȝwich … him likede best.

325 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 16373. Ask quilk sum yee will haue.

326 c. 1400.  Rule St. Benet (prose), liii. 35. Þabbesse … ouþir a-noþir nunne, wilke sam sho cumandis.

327 1464–5.  in Acts Parlt. Scot. (1874), XII. 31/1. Thai personis … sall outhir entire þe kingis ward … or thane dewoide þe realmes … quhilk þat salbe seine maist expedient.

328 1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cccxli. 217/2. Whiche of them yt euer should breake this peace … shoulde rynne in the sentence of the pope.

329 1545.  Raynalde, Byrth Mankynde, 134. Whiche of these wayes so euer it cume it shall be very good to bathe the chylde.

330 1602.  Shaks., Ham., IV. vii. 13. My Vertue or my Plague, be it either which.

331 1633.  G. Herbert, Temple, Home, ix. Nothing but drought and dearth,… Which way so-e’re I look, I see.

332 1667.  Milton, P. L., IV. 75. Which way I flie is Hell; my self am Hell.

333 1690.  Child, Disc. Trade (1698), 10. Which way ever we take our measures, to me it seems evident [etc.].

334 1753.  Johnson, Adventurer, No. 69, ¶ 10. Which way soever he turned his thoughts, impossibility and absurdity arose in opposition on every side.

335 1824.  Scott, St. Ronan’s, xvi. [He] lets a’things about the manse gang whilk gate they will.

336 1844.  S. R. Maitland, Dark Ages, xv. 243. The table was so large that, place it which way they would, it could not be prevented from shewing above water.

337 1877.  Tennyson, Harold, II. ii. 141. But wherefore is the wind, Which way soever the vane-arrow swing, Not ever fair for England?

338   *** 13.  The which. arch. a. as adj. = 6.

339 13[?].  Cursor M., 9434 (Gött.). Þe first law was cald ‘of kinde,’… Þe toþer has ‘possitiue’ to name; Þe whilk lawe was forbed Adam. Forto ete þat fruit.

340 1447–8.  J. Shillingford, Lett. (Camden, 1871), 26. The whiche copies all y pray yow avysely to over rede.

341 1526.  Tindale, Heb. x. 10. By the which will we are sanctified.

342 1607.  Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 466. There was a lionesse which had whelpes in her den, the which den was obserued by a Beare, the which Beare on a day finding the den vnfortified,… entred … and slew the Lions whelpes.

343 1820.  Byron, Mar. Fal., note, Wks. (1842), 193/1. Finished copying August … 1820; the which copying makes ten times the toil of composing.

344 a. 1850.  Rossetti, Dante & Circle, I. (1874), 98. Of the which thing I bcthought me to speak unto her.

345   b.  as pron. (a) = 7.

346 1340–70.  Alex. & Dind., 1127. Wo & wikkede paine, Þe whiche þe heie godus haten.

347 1461.  Paston Lett., II. 42. Desieryng to herre of ȝour welfar and good prosperite, the gwyche [sic] I pray God encresse.

348 1510.  in Leadam, Sel. Cases Star Chamber (Selden Soc.), II. 69. If the whiche shuld contynewe … your seid Towne … shall wexe empty.

349 1526.  Tindale, Gal. v. 21. The dedes of the flesshe … off the which I tell you before, as I have tolde you in tyme past.

350 1590.  Spenser, F. Q., I. i. 36. Sweet slombring deaw, the which to sleepe them biddes.

351 1682.  Bunyan, Holy War, iii. (1905), 209. He told too, the which I had almost forgot, how Diabolus had put the Town of Mansoul into Arms.

352 1812.  Cary, Dante, Parad., XXII. 146. [This world] o’er the which we stride So fiercely.

353 1884.  Tennyson, Becket, Prol. He holp the King to break down our castles, for the which I hate him.

354   (b)  = 8.

355 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 146. How god bigan þe law hym gyfe Þe quilk the Iuus in suld life.

356 1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, XX. vii. 809. I told hym the peryls the which ben now fallen.

357 1526.  Tindale, Acts xxvi. 16. To make the … a witnes both off the thynges which thou hast sene and off tho thynges in the which I will apere vnto the.

358 1611.  Bible, James ii. 7. Doe not they blaspheme that worthy Name, by the which ye are called?

359   † c.  as compound relative: = 11. Also qualified by soever: = 12. Obs.

360 1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. xx. 11/2. I knowe yt the most worthy … knight of my realme shall acheue for me, the whyche I coulde neuer attayne vnto.

361 1551.  Robinson, trans. More’s Utopia, I. (1895), 89. For there is no waye so proffytable … as the whiche hath a shewe and coloure of iustice.

362 1581.  J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 67. We follow not your fayth, as the which we have tasted to bee … most detestable.

363 1660.  Heylin, Hist. Quinquart., II. 7. To put his hunting spear amongst them, and the which of them soever should lay hold upon it, should be … drawn out of the water.

364   † d.  Of persons: = 9.

365 1338.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 52. Emme þe quene … of þe whilk was born Alfred & Edward.

366 c. 1386.  Chaucer, Frankl. T., 452. This Briton clerk hymn asked of ielawes The whiche þat he had knowe in olde dawes.

367 1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, I. xviii. 64. Kynge Ryence of North walys the whiche was a myghty man of men.

368 c. 1500.  Lancelot, 184. The metire and the cuning … Quhilk I submyt to the correccioune Of yaim the quhich that is discret & wys.

369 1567.  Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.), 172. Geue Christ, the quhilk hes me redrest, Be on my syde.

370 1596.  Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., II. i. 78. There are other Troians that yll dream’st not of, the which (for sport sake) are content to doe the Profession some grace.

371 1606.  G. W[oodcocke], Hist. Ivstine, XXIII. 85. He the which was Lord of infinit riches to daie, was scarce maister of any to morrow.

372   **** Peculiar constructions. (See also 7 d, 8 c.)

373   14.  (as pron. or adj.) With pleonastic personal pronoun or equivalent in the latter part of the relative clause, referring to the antecedent, which thus serving merely to link the clauses together: (a) with the pers. pron. (or the antecedent noun repeated) as subj. or obj. to a verb (principal or subordinate) in the relative clause, which is usually complex; (b) with genitive of pers. pron. (or equivalent, as thereof), which together with this being equivalent to the genitive of the relative (whose, of which): cf. THAT rel. pron. 9.

374   (a)  c. 1374.  Chaucer, Troylus, II. 654. Þis is he, which þat myn vncle swereth he mot be ded.

375 1449.  Paston Lett., I. 84. Yowr wurschupfull ustate, the whyche All myghte God mayntayne hyt.

376 1481.  Cov. Leet Bk., 493. Which yf it so be, we haue gret cause of displeasure.

377 1526.  Tindale, John xxi. 25. There are also many other thynges which Jesus did, the which yff they shulde be written every won, I suppose [etc.].

378 1589.  Puttenham, Engl. Poesie, III. iv. (Arb.), 159. Ye finde these words, penetrate, penetrable, indignitie, which I cannot see how we may spare them.

379 1655.  Fuller, Ch. Hist., IX. vi. § 27. 175. A Schedule containing his heresies, (which what they were may be collected by that which ensueth).

380 1690.  Locke, Govt., II. v. § 42 (1694), 196. Provisions … which how much they exceed the other in value,… he will then see.

381 1726.  Shelvocke, Voy. round World, Pref. p. vii. Scandalous and unjust Aspersions … which, how far I deserve them, I shall leave to the candid opinion of every unprejudiced Reader.

382 1768.  Sterne, Sent. Journ., II. Fragment. The history of myself, which, I could not die in peace unless I left it as a legacy to the world.

383   (b)  c. 1374.  Chaucer, Troylus, II. 318. Þe kynges dere sone,… which alwey for to do wel is his wone.

384 1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, XVII. xi. 705. Ther is in this Castel a gentylwoman whiche we and this castel is hers.

385 c. 1530.  Ld. Berners, Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814), 270. To do many thynges, the whyche the hurte therof lyghteth on theyr owne neckes.

386 1622.  Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., II. 164. Take away … mens credits, and estates…, which lies not afterwards in their power to make restitution thereof.

387 1721.  Bradley, Philos. Acc. Wks. Nat., 90. Bulbous-rooted Plants, which when the Leaves of them decay, a new framed Root … supplies their Loss.

388   ¶ b.  Hence, in vulgar use, without any antecedent, as a mere connective or introductory particle.

389 1723.  Swift, Mary the Cook-Maid’s Let., 13. Which, and I am sure I have been his servant four years since October, And he never call’d me worse than sweetheart, drunk or sober.

390 1862.  Thackeray, Philip, xvi. ‘That noble young fellow,’ says my general…. Which noble his conduct I own it has been.

391 1870.  Bret Harte, Truthful James, Answ. to Let., viii. Which I have a small favor to ask you, As concerns a bull-pup, which the same,—If the duty would not overtask you,—You would please to procure for me, game.

392 1905.  Daily Chron., 21 Oct., 4/7. If anything ’appens to you—which God be between you and ’arm—I’ll look after the kids.

393   ¶ 15.  In sylleptic construction, e.g., as obj. of two different verbs, or of a prep. and a verb, or as obj. of one verb and subj. of another; giving the effect of ellipsis of a personal pronoun (it, them).

394 1687.  Wood, Life (O.H.S.), III. 238. Dr. Dolbein … did read much of his sermon before the king … which the king telling him of, he never after did.

395 a. 1697.  Horneck, Gt. Law Consid., v. (1702), 302. To see me roll Sisyphus his Stone, which when I have brought to such a pitch, rolls down again.

396 1741.  Johnson’s Debates (1787), I. 390. A quality … which, if we could obtain, would add nothing to our honour.

397 1796.  Eliza Hamilton, Lett. Hindoo Rajah (1811), II. 271. They still retained an authority over his mind, at which, though his pride revolted, his understanding could not conquer.

398 1818.  H. F. Clinton, Lit. Rem. (1854), 24. These were works which, though I often inspected, I did not accurately study.

399   16.  Preceded by and. a. in regular construction, and connecting two relative clauses, or an adjectival phrase and a relative clause, qualifying the same sb.

400 1579–80.  North, Plutarch, J. Cæsar (1595), 771. An army vnuincible, & which they could not possibly withstand.

401 1668.  Dryden, Dram. Poesy, Ess. 1900, I. 78. We have many plays of ours as regular as any of theirs, and which, besides, have more variety of plot and characters.

402 1779.  Johnson, L. P., Addison (1868), 225. Two books yet celebrated … for purity and elegance, and which, if they are now less read, are neglected only because [etc.].

403 1804–6.  Syd. Smith, Mor. Philos. (1850), 284. The habit of contradicting, into which young men … are apt to fall; and which is a habit extremely injurious to the powers of the understanding.

404 1810.  Southey, Ess. (1832), I. 40. The subject … was one of great difficulty and which required very serious consideration.

405 1876.  Ruskin, Fors Clav., lxx. VI. 315. If the dog have the good fortune to find a master, he has a possession … better than bones; and which, indeed, he will … leave, not his meat only, but his life for.

406   ¶ b.  in erroneous or illogical use, either and or which being superfluous.

407 1606.  G. W[oodcocke], Hist. Ivstine, etc. L l 3. Galeaze … who had conquered a great part of Italy, and which inheritance discended to his Nephews.

408 1608.  Topsell, Serpents, 288. His forefeet being like hands, are forked and twisted very strong, & with which it fighteth and taketh his prey.

409 1748.  G. White, in Jrnl. Sacred Lit. (1863), July, 299. For the proper return to virtue and Good-works is Honour, & Love; this is their Due, and which ought to be rendered to them by all people.

410 1796.  Mrs. Inchbald, Nature & Art, xvi. (1820), 42. The dean had just published a pamphlet in his own name, and in which that of his friend the bishop was only mentioned with thanks for hints.

411 1848.  W. Templeton, Locomot. Eng. (ed. 2), 71. A recent occurrence … seems … to have established the fact of steam being highly charged with electricity, and which may … be the means of increasing our knowledge [etc.].

412 1861.  Dasent, Burnt Njal, I. p. lviii. Every temple must contain a ring of at least two ounces in weight, and which the priest was to bear on his arm.

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