I. (|)(h)wī adverb
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hwȳ, hwī; akin to Old Norse hvī why; both from a prehistoric North Germanic-West Germanic instrumental case form of the pronoun represented by Old English hwæt what — more at what
1. : for what cause, reason, or purpose : on what account : to what end : wherefore — used to introduce a question in direct or indirect discourse
why must you make difficulties
asked why the work had been stopped
2.
a. : for which : on account of which — used chiefly with reason to introduce a relative clause
the reason why his conclusion seemed plausible — R.J.Butler
b. : for what reason or cause : on account of what — used without an expressed antecedent to introduce a relative clause
I don't know why he left town
•
- for why
II. ˈhwī also ˈwī noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from why, adverb
1. : the reason or cause of something
a surging symphonic commentary on the why of man's being — William Peden
statistical studies solve the problems of where and when; for the hows and whys we must generally use other techniques — G.W.Brainerd
2. : a baffling problem : enigma
all the great whys of life — H.G.Wells
III. ˈwī also ˈhwī interjection
Etymology: why (I)
— used to indicate a pause or the resumption after a pause in expression
if America splits the infinitive, why , the infinitive is split, and no rule will mend it — A.L.Guérard