hence English · revision 5545

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1275}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /hens/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English hennes, formed from henne “hence” and the adverbial genitive -s,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from Old English [[m|ang|heonan|t=away, hence]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from West Germanic *hin-, also the source of Old Saxon hinan and German hinnen, hin.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) It is a formation on the pronoun base of [[he]],^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) from [[ine-pro|*ḱi-|alt=*ki-|t=this]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and is related to [[here]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) The spelling -ce, from the mid-15th century, shows that the s is unvoiced, as in [[twice]] and [[once]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Away from here: about 1275 in the OED, about 1225 in King Horn according to Barnhart.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From this world or life is from about 1315.^(OED 1989) Of time, from now on, is from about 1380.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) As a command, ''hence!'' “go away!”, is from 1573–80.^(OED 1989) The meaning “for this reason, therefore” is first recorded in 1586.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Wycliffe (1382) uses hennys & þennys for “on both sides”.^(Etymonline) ''Henceforth'' is from before 1375 and ''henceforward'' from about 1300.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1275 – away from here.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1315 – from this life.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1380 – from now on.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1586 – therefore.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # As a result; for this reason; [[therefore]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # From now: ''a week hence''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(archaic)'' From here; away.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(archaic)'' From this life.^(AHD)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # ''(archaic)'' Go away!^(Collins 2023)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[henceforth]]

+ * [[henceforward]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[whence]]

+ * [[thence]]

+ * [[here]]

+ * [[he]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}