Hwæþer

Add: I. in direct questions. (1) which of two persons or things, (a) alone :-- Hwæðer (cf. hwæt, Mt. 9, 5) is éðre tó secgenne? quid est facilius dicere?, Mk. 2, 9: Lk. 5, 23. Hwæþerne woldest þú déman wítes wyrþran, ðe [þone þe] þone unscyldgan wítnode, þe ðone þe ꝥ wíte þolode?, Bt. 38, 6; F. 208, 15. Hueðerne (quem) wallas gié hic forléto iówh, Barabban l ðone Hǽlend?, Mt. L. 27, 17. Hwæþer wénst þú nú? what (there being two alternatives) do you think?, Bt. 36, 4; F. 178, 9. (b) with gen. :-- Hwæþer ðára twégra þincþ þé mihtigra?, Bt. 36, 4; F. 178, 14. (2) with the force of hwæt (I. 2 a), where the answer is confined to two alternatives :-- Hwæþer ðincþ þé ꝥ þá ðing sién, þe þára sóþena gesǽlþa limu, ðe sió gesǽlþ self?, Bt. 34, 6; F. 142, 9. II. in dependent clauses. (1) as substantive, (a) alone, which of the two. (α) where the alternatives are not expressed :-- Nást ðú hwæðer bið þæs rícan wífes cild, hwæðer þæs earman, Hml. Th. i. 256, 14. Geþence þonne þára tída and nú þissa, hwæþre him bet lícien, Ors. 1, 11; S. 50, 22. (β) where the alternatives are given :-- Þá angunnon hí reahtigean hwæðer má mǽrlecra dǽda hæfde þe Philippus þe Alexander, Ors. 3, 9; S. 130, 26. (ββ) where the alternatives are expressed in a dependent clause introduced by the conjunction hwæþer :-- Gesege mé hwæþer þé betere ðince ..., hwæþer ... þe ..., Bt. 8; F. 26, 10. (b) with genitive, which of the two. (α) the alternatives not expressed :-- On ðǽm geflite hwæðer hiera mehte máran fultum him tó geteón, Ors. 3, 11; S. 144, 36. Hit is on hiora ágenum anwealde hwæþre (hwaþre, ) ðára hí geceósan, Bt. 40, 3; F. 238, 23. (β) the alternatives expressed :-- Hé áscade hwæþer heora sceolde on óþrum sige, habban, þe hé on Rómánum, þe Rómáne on him, Ors. 4, 1; S. 156, 1. (2) as adjective, which object of two :-- Mid ðǽm worde bið gecýþed hwæðer healf hæfð sige, Ors. 3, 1; S. 100, 9. Gehwá móste cýðan tó hwæþeran hláfordscipe hé wolde gebúgan, Hml. S. 23, 116. Saga mé on hwæðere Adames sídan nam úre Dryhten ðæt rib, Sal. K. 198, 8. III. one or other of two, either :-- Twá ðing sindon ... gif hwǽm þára twéga hwæþeres (hwæðres, ) wana biþ duo sunt, quorum si alterutum desit, Bt. 36, 3; F. 176, 7. Ðonne him mon ðissa twéga hwæðer ondrǽtt suíður ðonne óðer, Past. 189, 9. IV. each of two :-- Wearð mycel wælsliht on hwæðre (gehwæþere, ) hand, Chr. 871; P. 73, 3. V. in combination with swá. (1) swá hwæþer swá :-- An feó oþþe an áðe, swá hwæðer swá him leófre sió, Ll. Th. i. 32, 1. (2) swá ... swá ... swá hwæðer swá :-- Swá werhádes swá wífhades, swá hwæðer (swæðer, ) swá hit sý, Ll. Th. i. 244, 11. (3) swá ... swá ... swá hwæþer :-- Swá wæterordál swá ýsenordál, swá hwæðer him leófre sý, Ll. Th. i. 224, 16. (4) swá hwæþer swá ... swá ... swá ... :-- Ceóse se man ... swá hweðer swá hé wylle, swá ánfeald ordál, swá pundes wurðne áð, Ll. Th. i. 280, 16: 394, 1. (5) swá hwæþer ... swá ... swá :-- Ǽlc tiónd áge geweald swá hwæðer hé wille, swá wæter swá ísen, Ll. Th. i. 296, 3. V a. as adverb, however :-- Gebéte hit swá hwæðor swá hit gebyrige, swá mid godcundre bóte, swá mid woroldcundre steóre, Ll. Th. i. 328, 2. Werian his man swá hwæðer him þincð ꝥ hé hine eáð áwerian mæge, swá for frigne, swá for þeówne, 388, 2. Gewylde man hine swá hwæðer swá man mæge, swá cucne, swá deádne, 390, 21. Swá hwæðer swá (swaðor, ), 268, 17.