whys and wherefores

Idioms and Phrases

All the underlying causes and reasons, as in She went into the whys and wherefores of the adoption agency's rules and procedures . This idiom today is a redundancy since why and wherefore mean the same thing. Formerly, however, why indicated the reason for something and wherefore how it came to be. [c. 1600]

Example Sentences

She’s trying to rise above party labels — even as national Democrats and their allies pour millions into her campaign — and focus almost entirely on the whys and wherefores of the 3rd District.

From Los Angeles Times

Mescal doesn’t spell out the whys and wherefores of his character’s pain.

From Los Angeles Times

Any hint would be a giant step toward understanding the whys and wherefores of our own origins.

From New York Times

As in most of Tim and Eric’s sketch humor, there are few whys and wherefores.

From New York Times

It takes a while before kids interrogate the whys and wherefores of their family’s dynamics.

From Slate