proverb · Words worth keeping
There's ne'er a why, but there's a wherefore.
There's ne'er a why, but there's a wherefore.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
A question about why invites a reasoned explanation. The saying expresses confidence that events or choices have something to account for them.
What the words are saying
Why and wherefore pair a request for reasons with an answer. The expression can encourage inquiry instead of accepting an unexplained assertion. It does not guarantee that the cause is known or that every answer offered is correct. A useful reading distinguishes an actual explanation from a convenient story and allows uncertainty when the available evidence cannot settle the question.
Everyday example
Someone asks what evidence explains a changed result instead of accepting the first plausible account.
When to use it
Use it to encourage a supported explanation for an event or choice.
What it does not mean
A possible reason is not necessarily the true one, and some questions remain unresolved.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1757 · Why
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English