hwon

Middle English

Etymology 1

Pronoun

hwon

1. (southern West Midland) alternative form of whan

Etymology 2

Adverb

hwon

1. (Early Middle English) alternative form of whon

Etymology 3

Adverb

hwon

1. alternative form of whanne

Conjunction

hwon

1. alternative form of whanne

Old English

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

huon

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xwoːn/, [ʍoːn]
• Rhymes: -oːn

Noun

hwōn

1. a few, a little
   • 10th century, The Seafarer:

     Forþon him ġelȳfeð lȳt, sē þe āh līfes wyn ġebiden in burgum, bealosīþa hwōn, wlonc ond wīngāl, hū iċ wēriġ oft in brimlāde bīdan sċeolde.

     At first he believes a little, who has life’s mirth lasted in towns, a little of woes, proud and wine-flown, how weary I oft had to linger on the sea-road.

Usage notes

Indeclinable. Often used partitively with the genitive of another noun to mean "a little bit of sth."

Adjective

hwōn

1. few, little

Usage notes

Like the noun, usually undeclined.

Adverb

hwōn

1. slightly, a little, somewhat
   • c. 992, Ælfric, “The Nativity of the Innocents”

     Ġif hē hwon hnappode, ðǣrrihte hine drehton nihtliċe gedwimor, swā þæt him ðæs slǣpes ofþuhte.

     If he napped a little, immediately nightmares tormented him, such that sleep became miserable for him.

Derived terms

• æthwōn
• āteshwōn
• hwēne
• hwōnlīc
• lȳthwōn
• nā tō þæs hwōn
• nāteshwōn
• tō hwōn

Etymology 2

Alternative forms

• hwan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xwon/, [ʍon]
• Rhymes: -on

Adverb

hwon

1. why

Pronoun

hwon

1. instrumental of hwā
2. instrumental of hwæt

Synonyms

• hwȳ

Derived terms

• tō hwon
• for hwon
• bī hwon