[when] adv [ME, fr. OE hwanne, hwenne; akin to OHG hwanne when, OE hwa who--more at who] (bef. 12c) 1: at what time "~ will you return"
2. a: at or during which time b: and then
3: at a former and usu. less prosperous time "brag fondly of having known him ~ --Vance Packard"
[2]when conj [ME, fr. OE hwanne, hwenne, fr. hwanne, hwenne, adv.] (bef. 12c) 1 a: at or during the time that: while "went fishing ~ he was a boy" b: just at the moment that "stop writing ~ the bell rings" c: at any or every time that "~ he listens to music, he falls asleep"
2: in the event that: if "a contestant is disqualified ~ he disobeys the rules" 3 a: considering that "why use water at all ~ you can drown in it --Stuart Chase" b: in spite of the fact that: although "quit politics ~ I might have had a great career in it"
4: the time or occasion at or in which "tomorrow is ~ we must decide" "humor is ~ you laugh --Earl Rovit" [3]when pron (14c): what or which time "life-long homes for those ... who have lived here since ~ --Kim Waller" [4]when n (1616): the time in which something is done or comes about "troubled his head very little about the hows and ~s of life --Laurence Sterne"