---
title: whence — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «whence» in the school dictionary: From where: «Whence did he come?» means «Where did he come from?». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# whence

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** he, she, old king, river, knight, we · **What happens:** come, mean, be, ask, flow back, return · **To what, where:** you, old poem, knight, help, psalm · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«whence» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [whence in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/whence.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: old-fashioned — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
From where: «Whence did he come?» means «Where did he come from?».

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whence:m1:1
# text = From where: «Whence did he come?» means «Where did he come from?».
1	From	from	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
2	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	Whence	whence	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
6	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	csubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
11	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	Where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	16	advmod	_	_
14	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	aux	_	_
15	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
16	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	ccomp	_	_
17	from	from	ADP	IN	_	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** *in a quote* | past · do-support | he |  |  |  |  | whence *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **come** *in a quote* | past · do-support | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: formal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
From which place or reason: «the town whence she came».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whence:m2:1
# text = From which place or reason: «the town whence she came».
1	From	from	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	3	det	_	_
3	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
7	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
10	whence	whence	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	12	advmod	_	_
11	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** *in a quote* | past | she |  |  |  |  | whence *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: formal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which is why: «He was late, whence the trouble.».

<!-- fold The tree, 9 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whence:m3:1
# text = Which is why: «He was late, whence the trouble.».
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	late	late	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	whence	whence	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	12	advmod	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	trouble	trouble	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | why *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | past | He |  |  |  |  | late *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Whence came you, stranger?» asked the old king.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whence:x1:1
# text = «Whence came you, stranger?» asked the old king.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Whence	whence	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	3	advmod	_	_
3	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	advcl	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	stranger	stranger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
9	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** *in a quote* | past | the old king *not said here* | you |  |  |  | stranger *obl*; whence *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location you=Theme |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | the old king |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The river flows back to the mountains whence it came.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whence:x2:1
# text = The river flows back to the mountains whence it came.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	flows	flow	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	back	back	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	mountains	mountain	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
8	whence	whence	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	10	advmod	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **flow back** | present | the river |  |  |  |  | to the mountains | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **come** | past | river |  |  |  |  | whence *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the old poem the knight returned to the land whence he had set out.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whence:x3:1
# text = In the old poem the knight returned to the land whence he had set out.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	poem	poem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	knight	knight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	returned	return	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	land	land	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
11	whence	whence	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	14	advmod	_	_
12	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj:pass	_	_
13	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
14	set	set	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	acl:relcl	_	_
15	out	out	ADP	RP	_	14	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **return** | past | the knight |  |  | the old poem |  | to the land *result* | vn convert-26.6.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Patient to land=Result |
| 2 | **set out** | past · perfect · passive |  | knight |  |  |  | whence *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«From whence cometh my help?» we read in the psalm.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whence:x4:1
# text = «From whence cometh my help?» we read in the psalm.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	From	from	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
3	whence	whence	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	4	advmod	_	_
4	cometh	come	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Style=Arch|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	advcl	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	help	help	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
9	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	read	read	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	psalm	psalm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** *in a quote* | present | we *not said here* | my help |  |  |  | whence *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location help=Theme |
| 2 | **read** | past | we |  |  | the psalm |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **help** *in a quote* |  | my |  |  |  |  |  | nom help «act transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nobody knew whence the strange noise came.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whence:x5:1
# text = Nobody knew whence the strange noise came.
1	Nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	2	nsubj	_	_
2	knew	know	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	whence	whence	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	strange	strange	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	noise	noise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **know** | past | Nobody |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 2 | **come** | past | the strange noise |  |  |  |  | whence *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Today we would say «Where did you come from?» instead of «Whence came you?»

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whence:x6:1
# text = Today we would say «Where did you come from?» instead of «Whence came you?»
1	Today	today	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:unmarked	_	_
2	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	Where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	9	advmod	_	_
7	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	ccomp	_	_
10	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
13	instead	instead	ADV	RB	ExtPos=ADP	17	case	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	fixed	_	_
15	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	Whence	whence	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	17	advmod	_	_
17	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
18	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: ask* | would | we |  |  |  | today |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **come** *in a quote* | past · do-support | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **come** *in a quote* | past |  | you |  |  |  | whence *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location you=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Whence do you come?" asked the mother.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whence:x7:1
# text = "Whence do you come?" asked the mother.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Whence	whence	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	5	advmod	_	_
3	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
8	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** *in a quote* | present · do-support | you |  |  |  |  | whence *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | the mother |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [when](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/when/)
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