whereas

Whereas \Where*as"\, adv.
   At which place; where. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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         At last they came whereas that lady bode. --Spenser.
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Whereas \Where*as"\, conj.
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   1. Considering that; it being the case that; since; -- used
      to introduce a preamble which is the basis of
      declarations, affirmations, commands, requests, or like,
      that follow.
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   2. When in fact; while on the contrary; the case being in
      truth that; although; -- implying opposition to something
      that precedes; or implying recognition of facts, sometimes
      followed by a different statement, and sometimes by
      inferences or something consequent.
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            Are not those found to be the greatest zealots who
            are most notoriously ignorant? whereas true zeal
            should always begin with true knowledge. --Sprat.
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WHEREAS. This word implies a recital, and in general cannot be used in the 
direct and positive averment of a fact in a declaration or plea. Those facts 
which are directly denied by the terms of the general issue, or which may, 
by the established usage of pleading, be specially traversed, must be 
averred in positive and direct terms; but facts, however material, which are 
not directly denied by the terms of the general issue, though liable to be 
contested under it, and which, according to the usage of pleading, cannot be 
specially traversed, may be alleged in the declaration by way of recital, 
under a whereas. Gould, Pl. c. 43, Sec. 42; Bac. Ab. Pleas, &c., B. 5, 4; 2 
Chit. Pl. 151, 178, 191; Gould, Pl. c. 3, Sec. 47. 
    

58 Moby Thesaurus words for "whereas":
      albeit, although, as, as far as, as long as, as things go,
      at which time, because, being as how, boundary condition, catch,
      cause, clause, condition, considering, donnee, during which time,
      escalator clause, escape clause, escape hatch, fine print, for,
      forasmuch as, given, grounds, howbeit, in that, inasmuch as,
      insofar as, insomuch as, joker, kicker, limiting condition, now,
      obligation, parameter, parce que, prerequisite, provision,
      provisions, proviso, requisite, saving clause, seeing,
      seeing as how, seeing that, since, sine qua non, small print,
      specification, stipulation, string, terms, the while, ultimatum,
      when, while, whilst