mid-14c., "where;" early 15c. as a conjunction, "in consideration of the fact that, considering that things are so; while on the contrary," from where (in the sense of "in which position or circumstances") + as.

"for what cause or reason," c. 1200, hwarfore, from where (in the sense of "in which position or circumstances") + for (prep.). Similar formation in Dutch waarvoor, Old Norse hvar fyrir, Swedish varfor.

"in every place, in all places," c. 1200, eauerihwer, contracted from Old English æfre gehwær; see ever (adv.) + where. Not from every; the -i- in the word apparently was a prefix; compare handiwork. Old English had also æghwær " 'aywhere,' everywhere."

"not in any situation or state; in no place," Old English nahwær "nowhere, not at all;" see no + where. Colloquial nowheres, with adverbial genitive, is by 1803. As a noun, "non-existent place," 1831; "remote or inaccessible place," 1908. Hence road to nowhere (1916); middle of nowhere (1891). Similar constructions were attempted with nowhat ("not at all," 1650s) and nowhen ("at no time, never," 1764), but they failed to take hold and remain nonce words. Middle English also had an adverb never-where (early 14c.).