whither
/ˈwɪðə
/archaic or literary
interrogative adverb
1To what place or state: whither are we bound? they asked people whither they would emigrate...
- They will see that they have laboured for the wind, when, at death, they find the profit of their labour is all gone like the wind, they know not whither.
- For it is the truth of my heart, dearest Lady, that thou hast inspired in me that which I had thought long lost, and whither it had scarpered I wot not.
- The reason was a quote of OC's that I had come across: ‘No one rises so high as he who knows not whither he is going.’
1.1What is the likely future of: whither modern architecture?...
- But for some reason, organic strawberries seem to have stronger hulls than regular pesticide-covered ones, and now my only question is: whither a strawberry huller?
- And that brings me to my next question: whither blogs?
- But without Trio Angulaire, whither the French / Québécois dialogue?
relative adverb
1To which (with reference to a place): the barbecue had been set up by the lake, whither Matthew and Sara were conducted...
- One finds oneself walking mechanically to the tower of Belvedere Castle whither all other park visitors have gravitated like the ghouls in ‘Night of the Living Dead.’
- At least Kaisa has his address in Oslo, whither she flies, dressed in a smart black business suit, and promptly rents a flashy new car with which to impress Tomas (claiming it as her own).
- In 1831-2 Charlotte was at Miss Wooler's school at Roe Head, whither she returned as a teacher in 1835-8, and where she met her two close friends, Ellen Nussey and Mary Taylor.
1.1To whatever place; wherever: we could drive whither we pleased...
- Why should anybody bother to read a centuries-old ‘experimental’ novel, in which the sentences wander whither they will?
- The steady click, click, click of things falling into place became a flow and I went whither it would lead.
- But if we thought we were going to wander whither we pleased we were soon disillusioned.
Origin
Old English hwider, from the Germanic base of which; compare with hither and thither.