Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

where·by       (hwâr-bī', wâr-)  Pronunciation Key  conj.   In accordance with which; by or through which.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Whereby

Where\, adv. [OE. wher, whar, AS. hw?r; akin to D. waar, OS. hw?r, OHG. hw[=a]r, w[=a]r, w[=a], G. wo, Icel. and Sw. hvar, Dan. hvor, Goth. hwar, and E. who; cf. Skr. karhi when. [root]182. See Who, and cf. There.]

1. At or in what place; hence, in what situation, position, or circumstances; -- used interrogatively.

God called unto Adam, . . . Where art thou? --Gen. iii. 9.

Note: See the Note under What, pron., 1.

2. At or in which place; at the place in which; hence, in the case or instance in which; -- used relatively.

She visited that place where first she was so happy. --Sir P. Sidney.

Where I thought the remnant of mine age Should have been cherished by her childlike duty. --Shak.

Where one on his side fights, thousands will fly. --Shak.

But where he rode one mile, the dwarf ran four. --Sir W. Scott.

3. To what or which place; hence, to what goal, result, or issue; whither; -- used interrogatively and relatively; as, where are you going?

But where does this tend? --Goldsmith.

Lodged in sunny cleft, Where the gold breezes come not. --Bryant.

Note: Where is often used pronominally with or without a preposition, in elliptical sentences for a place in which, the place in which, or what place.

The star . . . stood over where the young child was. --Matt. ii. 9.

The Son of man hath not where to lay his head. --Matt. viii. 20.

Within about twenty paces of where we were. --Goldsmith.

Where did the minstrels come from? --Dickens.

Note: Where is much used in composition with preposition, and then is equivalent to a pronoun. Cf. Whereat, Whereby, Wherefore, Wherein, etc.

Where away (Naut.), in what direction; as, where away is the land?

Syn: See Whither.