Whom're
Pronunciation
- RP enPR: hwoÍžoʹmÉ™, IPA: en, /ˈÊuË.mÉ™/
- US enPR: hwoÍžoʹmr, IPA: en, /ˈÊuËməɹ/
Origin
whom + ’re ("are")
Contraction
contraction
- (informal, interrogative) whom are
- 1939, Irwin Shaw, Sailor off the Bremen, page 9
- “Whom’re you playing this week?†Ernest said.
- 1943, Estelle Schrott, Heaven is for the Angels, page 65 (Appleton-Century):Hector clapped his hands loudly and looked around the room.
“Applauding? Oh — oh — †Hector began to laugh and the others at the table joined him. “That’s the way we summon waiters and servants here,†he explained.
- 1956, Irwin Shaw, Lucy Crown, page 296
- “Whom’re you calling?†Tony asked.
- 1958, MykhaÄlo Kotï¸ s︡iï¸ u︡bynsʹkyÄ, Chrysalis, page 16
- “Whom’re you talking of? What’s happened?†asked Ion.
- 1975, Gordon R. Dickson, , page 188 (Sphere):‘Whom’re you trying to fool?’ I said. ‘Whom? I see through you just like the people on all the other worlds do! I know you know what a mumbo-jumbo your United Churches are. I know you know the way of life you sing of through your nose so much isn’t what you claim it is. I know your Eldest Bright and his gang of narrow-minded old men are just a gang of world-hungry tyrants that don’t give a damn for religion or anything as long as they get what they want. I know you know it — and I’m going to make you admit it!’
- 1978, Hugh Gantzer, Flashpoint!, page 69 (Vikas; , 9780706907131):Rohan Batra threw back his head and guffawed. “What is this?†he bellowed, “jungle thrills for tourists? First you show us a herd of tame elephants, then you get all spooky about a puddle of dirty water. And finally you weave a tale around a harmless forest guard standing in a fire-break. Come off it! Whom’re you trying to fool?â€
Usage notes
This term is relatively rare, since whom is rather formal while contractions are rather informal.