Update: thank you everyone! user @Today has provided a great link of a discussion that suggests the correct answer is where being an abbreviation of, whereas as a replacement of since, hypothesized in these comments.
As I love archaic definitions, I’m more convinced to now that this is the answer!
Especially since the question originates from one weirdo using “where” instead of since.
https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/338694/is-it-ever-appropriate-to-use-where-instead-of-because-or-since
Like “Where we knew he was heading to Chicago tomorrow, we got on the first plane heading east to intercept.”
“Where we knew where the safe was, we began to cut through the wall in the corner behind her desk.”
Thanks
Are these examples you made up or were they pulled from media?
It almost sounds like a shortening of “The one where…” as seen in the title of every Friend’s episode.
Is it possible that you are misusing the term in your examples? Because I’ve never heard of where being interchangeable with since.
Shortening of ‘whereas’ maybe?
I don’t think I have either. From media, although I can’t share the media.
It’s definitely not “the one where…”, but it isn’t impossible I’m misusing the term, although I find that unlikely, I can’t see another word that fits, and the sentences are fairly straightforward.
Where is always used in the beginning to indicate the reasoning for the following action or logical stop.
“Where I was on the bed, I leaned around the corner to look into the hallway”.
“‘Where most of the animals are scared, I can’t see the point of scaring them further.’”
“Where they can pick locks, they might already know what’s in the safe!”
I could hear “Where’s” being used for “Whereas” deeper in the mountains, come to think of it.
“Where’s I’s on the bed, I leaned 'round the corner”
“Where’s most of the animals is scared”
“Where’s they’s can pick locks”