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hence
[ hens ]
/ hɛns /
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This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
adverb
as an inference from this fact; for this reason; therefore: The eggs were very fresh and hence satisfactory.
from this time; from now: They will leave a month hence.
from this source or origin.
Archaic.
- from this place; from here; away: The inn is but a quarter mile hence.
- from this world or from the living: After a long, hard life they were taken hence.
- henceforth; from this time on.
interjection
Obsolete. depart (usually used imperatively).
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Origin of hence
First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English hens, hennes, equivalent to henne (Old English heonan ) + -es adverb suffix; see -s1
Words nearby hence
hen, Henan, hen-and-chickens, henbane, henbit, hence, henceforth, Hench, henchman, hencoop, hendeca-
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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British Dictionary definitions for hence
hence
/ (hɛns) /
sentence connector
for this reason; following from this; therefore
adverb
from this timea year hence
archaic
- from here or from this world; away
- from this origin or source
interjection
archaic begone! away!
Word Origin for hence
Old English hionane; related to Old High German hinana away from here, Old Irish cen on this side
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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