Idioms for where

    where it's at, Slang. where the most exciting, prestigious, or profitable activity or circumstance is to be found.

Origin of where

before 900; Middle English quher, wher, Old English hwǣr; cognate with Dutch waar, Old High German hwār; akin to Old Norse hvar, Gothic hwar

usage note for where

Whereat ( Where was he at? ) and whereto ( Where is this leading to? ) are often criticized as redundant because neither at nor to adds anything to the meaning of where, and sentences like the preceding ones are perfectly clear and standard without the final at or to. This criticism does not apply to wherefrom, which is fully standard: Where does the money come from? The constructions whereat and whereto occur in the speech of educated people but are rare in formal speech and edited writing.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH where

we're were where where wherefore (see usage note at the current entry)

Definition for where (2 of 2)

where's
[ hwairz, wairz ]
/ ʰwɛərz, wɛərz /

contraction of where is: Where's my belt?
contraction of where has: Where's he been all night?
contraction of where does: Where's he study law?

usage note for where's

British Dictionary definitions for where

where
/ (wɛə) /

adverb

  1. in, at, or to what place, point, or position?where are you going?
  2. (used in indirect questions)I don't know where they are
in, at, or to which (place) the hotel where we spent our honeymoon
(subordinating) in the place at which where we live it's always raining

noun

(usually plural) a question as to the position, direction, or destination of something

Word Origin for where

Old English hwǣr, hwār ( a); related to Old Frisian hwēr, Old Saxon, Old High German hwār, Old Norse, Gothic hvar

usage for where

It was formerly considered incorrect to use where as a substitute for in which after a noun which did not refer to a place or position, but this use has now become acceptable: we now have a situation where/in which no further action is needed

Idioms and Phrases with where

where