hence W3 AC /hens/ BrE AmE adverb formal
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Origin: hen 'hence' (12-15 centuries) (from Old English heonan ) + -s (as in backwards) ]
1 . [sentence adverb] for this reason:
The cost of transport is a major expense for an industry. Hence factory location is an important consideration.
2 . ten days hence/five months hence etc ten days from now, five months from now etc
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THESAURUS
▪ therefore for this reason:
She already had a lot of experience and therefore seemed the best candidate for the job.
▪ so therefore. So is less formal than therefore , and is more common in everyday English:
They had not eaten all day, so they were very hungry.
▪ thus formal as a result of what you have just mentioned:
The program is very simple and thus easy to run.
▪ hence formal for this reason:
This material is highly poisonous, hence the importance of careful handling.
▪ as a result used when saying that because of a particular situation, something else happens or is true:
Some people suffer from stress at work and become ill as a result.
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Economic growth slowed down as a result of inflation.
▪ consequently/as a consequence used when saying that because of a particular situation, something else happens or is true. Consequently and as a consequence are more formal than as a result :
The disease attacks the plant, the flower does not open, and consequently no seeds are produced.
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As a consequence of global warming, our climate is already starting to change.
▪ this means that used when saying what the result of something is:
If students arrive late, this means that lesson time is wasted.
▪ for this reason used when explaining the reason for something:
Spell check programs do not recognize when you have used the wrong word. For this reason, you must still read over your work carefully.