whenadv/ˈwɛn/

• 1

  At what time? At which time? Upon which occasion or circumstance? Used to introduce direct or indirect questions about time.

  • When will they arrive?
  • Do you know when they arrived?
• 2

  At what time? At which time? Upon which occasion or circumstance? Used to introduce direct or indirect questions about time.

  • The site's all bugged. Fix when?
  • Tank class buff when?
• 3

  At an earlier time and under different, usually less favorable, circumstances.

  • He's mister high and mighty now, but I remember him when.
• 4

  At which, on which, during which: often omitted or replaced with that.

  • That was the day when the Twin Towers fell.
  • Not a week goes by when I don't mourn that loss.
• 5

  The time at, on or during which.

  • I recall when they were called the Greys.
  • Next year is when we elect a new mayor.
• 6

  informalA circumstance or situation in which.

  • Love is when you can't get enough of someone.

whenconj/ˈwɛn/

• 1

  At (or as soon as) that time that; at the (or any and every) time that; if.

  • Pavlov's dogs salivate when [i.e. at any and every time that] they hear a bell.
  • When [i.e. at any and every time that] he speaks to her, he is always polite.
• 2

  During the time that; at the time of the action of the following clause or participle phrase.

  • They dream when [i.e. during the time that] they sleep.
  • I'm happiest when [during the time that, or at any time that] I’m working.
• 3

  At what time; at which time.

  • I am here till Friday, when [i.e. at which time] I leave for Senegal.
  • I was just walking down the street, when [i.e. at which time] all of a sudden it started to rain.
• 4

  Since; given the fact that; considering that.

  • I don't see the point of putting up Christmas decorations when I am the only person who is going to see them.
• 5

  Whereas; although; at the same time as; in spite of the fact that.

  • You're picking at your scabs when you should be letting them heal.
  • He keeps changing things when the existing system works perfectly well.

whenpron/ˈwɛn/

• 1

  What time; which time.

  • Since when do I need your permission?
  • [...] ſhortly [...] I'le reſolue you [...] / Theſe happend accidents: till when, be cheerefull [...]

whennoun/ˈwɛn/

• 1

  The time at which something happens.

  • A good article will cover the who, the what, the when, the where, the why and the how.
  • For the moment, suffice it to say that the stories told through the whens and hows of building a scene differentiate individual desires and needs more clearly than shared speech was up to then able to communicate.

whenintj/ˈwɛn/

• 1

  That's enough: a command asking someone to stop adding something, especially an ingredient or portion of food or drink; used in, or as if in, literal response to 'Say when'.

  • HOCKEN: Say “when”, Frank. / DREBIN: Whe—
  • When we go out to a restaurant, we're the guys who never say "when" when the waiter is grinding fresh pepper on our salads.
• 2

  obsoleteExpressing impatience.

  • Why when I ſay?[…]Off with my boots, you rogues: you villaines, when?[…]Out you rogue[…]
  • Set parſon, ſet, the dice die in my hand: / VVhen parſon, vvhen! vvhat can ye finde no more?