| Words | Parts of Speech | Meaning/Definition/Similar Words |
|---|---|---|
| went | imp. | of Go, of Wend, imp. & p. p. of Wend; — now obsolete except as the imperfect of go, with which it has no etymological connection. See Go., Course; way; path; journey; direction. |
| waag | noun | The grivet. |
| wadd | noun | An earthy oxide of manganese, or mixture of different oxides and water, with some oxide of iron, and often silica, alumina, lime, or baryta; black ocher. There are several varieties., Plumbago, or black lead. |
| wade | noun | Woad., To go; to move forward., To walk in a substance that yields to the feet; to move, sinking at each step, as in water, mud, sand, etc., Hence, to move with difficulty or labor; to proceed /lowly among objects or circumstances that constantly /inder or embarrass; as, to wade through a dull book., To pass or cross by wading; as, he waded /he rivers and swamps., The act of wading. |
| wady | noun | A ravine through which a brook flows; the channel of a water course, which is dry except in the rainy season. |
| waeg | noun | The kittiwake. |
| waft | verb t. | To give notice to by waving something; to wave the hand to; to beckon., To cause to move or go in a wavy manner, or by the impulse of waves, as of water or air; to bear along on a buoyant medium; as, a balloon was wafted over the channel., To cause to float; to keep from sinking; to buoy., To be moved, or to pass, on a buoyant medium; to float., A wave or current of wind., A signal made by waving something, as a flag, in the air., An unpleasant flavor., A knot, or stop, in the middle of a flag. |
| wage | verb t. | To pledge; to hazard on the event of a contest; to stake; to bet, to lay; to wager; as, to wage a dollar., To expose one’s self to, as a risk; to incur, as a danger; to venture; to hazard., To engage in, as a contest, as if by previous gage or pledge; to carry on, as a war., To adventure, or lay out, for hire or reward; to hire out., To put upon wages; to hire; to employ; to pay wages to., To give security for the performance of., To bind one’s self; to engage., That which is staked or ventured; that for which one incurs risk or danger; prize; gage., That for which one labors; meed; reward; stipulated payment for service performed; hire; pay; compensation; — at present generally used in the plural. See Wages. |
| waid | adjective | Oppressed with weight; crushed; weighed down. |
| waif | noun | Goods found of which the owner is not known; originally, such goods as a pursued thief threw away to prevent being apprehended, which belonged to the king unless the owner made pursuit of the felon, took him, and brought him to justice., Hence, anything found, or without an owner; that which comes along, as it were, by chance., A wanderer; a castaway; a stray; a homeless child. |
| wail | verb t. | To choose; to select., To lament; to bewail; to grieve over; as, to wail one’s death., To express sorrow audibly; to make mournful outcry; to weep., Loud weeping; violent lamentation; wailing. |
| wain | noun | A four-wheeled vehicle for the transportation of goods, produce, etc.; a wagon., A chariot. |
| wair | noun | A piece of plank two yard/ long and a foot broad. |
| wait | verb i. | To watch; to observe; to take notice., To stay or rest in expectation; to stop or remain stationary till the arrival of some person or event; to rest in patience; to stay; not to depart., To stay for; to rest or remain stationary in expectation of; to await; as, to wait orders., To attend as a consequence; to follow upon; to accompany; to await., To attend on; to accompany; especially, to attend with ceremony or respect., To cause to wait; to defer; to postpone; — said of a meal; as, to wait dinner., The act of waiting; a delay; a halt., Ambush., One who watches; a watchman., Hautboys, or oboes, played by town musicians; not used in the singular., Musicians who sing or play at night or in the early morning, especially at Christmas time; serenaders; musical watchmen. |
| wake | noun | The track left by a vessel in the water; by extension, any track; as, the wake of an army., To be or to continue awake; to watch; not to sleep., To sit up late festive purposes; to hold a night revel., To be excited or roused from sleep; to awake; to be awakened; to cease to sleep; — often with up., To be exited or roused up; to be stirred up from a dormant, torpid, or inactive state; to be active., To rouse from sleep; to awake., To put in motion or action; to arouse; to excite., To bring to life again, as if from the sleep of death; to reanimate; to revive., To watch, or sit up with, at night, as a dead body., The act of waking, or being awaked; also, the state of being awake., The state of forbearing sleep, especially for solemn or festive purposes; a vigil., An annual parish festival formerly held in commemoration of the dedication of a church. Originally, prayers were said on the evening preceding, and hymns were sung during the night, in the church; subsequently, these vigils were discontinued, and the day itself, often with succeeding days, was occupied in rural pastimes and exercises, attended by eating and drinking, often to excess., The sitting up of persons with a dead body, often attended with a degree of festivity, chiefly among the Irish. |
| woke | of Wake, Wake. | |
| wald | noun | A forest; — used as a termination of names. See Weald. |
| wale | noun | A streak or mark made on the skin by a rod or whip; a stripe; a wheal. See Wheal., A ridge or streak rising above the surface, as of cloth; hence, the texture of cloth., A timber bolted to a row of piles to secure them together and in position., Certain sets or strakes of the outside planking of a vessel; as, the main wales, or the strakes of planking under the port sills of the gun deck; channel wales, or those along the spar deck, etc., A wale knot, or wall knot., To mark with wales, or stripes., To choose; to select; specifically (Mining), to pick out the refuse of (coal) by hand, in order to clean it. |
| walk | verb i. | To move along on foot; to advance by steps; to go on at a moderate pace; specifically, of two-legged creatures, to proceed at a slower or faster rate, but without running, or lifting one foot entirely before the other touches the ground., To move or go on the feet for exercise or amusement; to take one’s exercise; to ramble., To be stirring; to be abroad; to go restlessly about; — said of things or persons expected to remain quiet, as a sleeping person, or the spirit of a dead person; to go about as a somnambulist or a specter., To be in motion; to act; to move; to wag., To behave; to pursue a course of life; to conduct one’s self., To move off; to depart., To pass through, over, or upon; to traverse; to perambulate; as, to walk the streets., To cause to walk; to lead, drive, or ride with a slow pace; as to walk one’s horses., To subject, as cloth or yarn, to the fulling process; to full., The act of walking, or moving on the feet with a slow pace; advance without running or leaping., The act of walking for recreation or exercise; as, a morning walk; an evening walk., Manner of walking; gait; step; as, we often know a person at a distance by his walk., That in or through which one walks; place or distance walked over; a place for walking; a path or avenue prepared for foot passengers, or for taking air and exercise; way; road; hence, a place or region in which animals may graze; place of wandering; range; as, a sheep walk., A frequented track; habitual place of action; sphere; as, the walk of the historian., Conduct; course of action; behavior., The route or district regularly served by a vender; as, a milkman’s walk. |
| wall | noun | A kind of knot often used at the end of a rope; a wall knot; a wale., A work or structure of stone, brick, or other materials, raised to some height, and intended for defense or security, solid and permanent inclosing fence, as around a field, a park, a town, etc., also, one of the upright inclosing parts of a building or a room., A defense; a rampart; a means of protection; in the plural, fortifications, in general; works for defense., An inclosing part of a receptacle or vessel; as, the walls of a steam-engine cylinder., The side of a level or drift., The country rock bounding a vein laterally., To inclose with a wall, or as with a wall., To defend by walls, or as if by walls; to fortify., To close or fill with a wall, as a doorway. |
| walm | verb i. | To roll; to spout; to boil up. |
| waly | interj. | An exclamation of grief. |
| wamp | noun | The common American eider. |
| wand | noun | A small stick; a rod; a verge., A staff of authority., A rod used by conjurers, diviners, magicians, etc. |
| wane | verb i. | To be diminished; to decrease; — contrasted with wax, and especially applied to the illuminated part of the moon., To decline; to fail; to sink., To cause to decrease., The decrease of the illuminated part of the moon to the eye of a spectator., Decline; failure; diminution; decrease; declension., An inequality in a board. |
| wang | noun | The jaw, jawbone, or cheek bone., A slap; a blow., See Whang. |
| want | verb i. | The state of not having; the condition of being without anything; absence or scarcity of what is needed or desired; deficiency; lack; as, a want of power or knowledge for any purpose; want of food and clothing., Specifically, absence or lack of necessaries; destitution; poverty; penury; indigence; need., That which is needed or desired; a thing of which the loss is felt; what is not possessed, and is necessary for use or pleasure., A depression in coal strata, hollowed out before the subsequent deposition took place., To be without; to be destitute of, or deficient in; not to have; to lack; as, to want knowledge; to want judgment; to want learning; to want food and clothing., To have occasion for, as useful, proper, or requisite; to require; to need; as, in winter we want a fire; in summer we want cooling breezes., To feel need of; to wish or long for; to desire; to crave., To be absent; to be deficient or lacking; to fail; not to be sufficient; to fall or come short; to lack; — often used impersonally with of; as, it wants ten minutes of four., To be in a state of destitution; to be needy; to lack. |
| wany | verb i. | To wane., Waning or diminished in some parts; not of uniform size throughout; — said especially of sawed boards or timber when tapering or uneven, from being cut too near the outside of the log., Spoiled by wet; — said of timber. |
| wapp | noun | A fair-leader., A rope with wall knots in it with which the shrouds are set taut. |
| ward | adjective | The act of guarding; watch; guard; guardianship; specifically, a guarding during the day. See the Note under Watch, n., 1., One who, or that which, guards; garrison; defender; protector; means of guarding; defense; protection., The state of being under guard or guardianship; confinement under guard; the condition of a child under a guardian; custody., A guarding or defensive motion or position, as in fencing; guard., One who, or that which, is guarded., A minor or person under the care of a guardian; as, a ward in chancery., A division of a county., A division, district, or quarter of a town or city., A division of a forest., A division of a hospital; as, a fever ward., A projecting ridge of metal in the interior of a lock, to prevent the use of any key which has not a corresponding notch for passing it., A notch or slit in a key corresponding to a ridge in the lock which it fits; a ward notch., To keep in safety; to watch; to guard; formerly, in a specific sense, to guard during the day time., To defend; to protect., To defend by walls, fortifications, etc., To fend off; to repel; to turn aside, as anything mischievous that approaches; — usually followed by off., To be vigilant; to keep guard., To act on the defensive with a weapon. |
| ware | imp. | Wore., To wear, or veer. See Wear., Seaweed., Articles of merchandise; the sum of articles of a particular kind or class; style or class of manufactures; especially, in the plural, goods; commodities; merchandise., A ware; taking notice; hence, wary; cautious; on one’s guard. See Beware., The state of being ware or aware; heed., To make ware; to warn; to take heed of; to beware of; to guard against. |
| wark | noun | Work; a building. |
| warm | superl. | Having heat in a moderate degree; not cold as, warm milk., Having a sensation of heat, esp. of gentle heat; glowing., Subject to heat; having prevalence of heat, or little or no cold weather; as, the warm climate of Egypt., Fig.: Not cool, indifferent, lukewarm, or the like, in spirit or temper; zealous; ardent; fervent; excited; sprightly; irritable; excitable., Violent; vehement; furious; excited; passionate; as, a warm contest; a warm debate., Being well off as to property, or in good circumstances; forehanded; rich., In children’s games, being near the object sought for; hence, being close to the discovery of some person, thing, or fact concealed., Having yellow or red for a basis, or in their composition; — said of colors, and opposed to cold which is of blue and its compounds., To communicate a moderate degree of heat to; to render warm; to supply or furnish heat to; as, a stove warms an apartment., To make engaged or earnest; to interest; to engage; to excite ardor or zeal; to enliven., To become warm, or moderately heated; as, the earth soon warms in a clear day summer., To become ardent or animated; as, the speake/ warms as he proceeds., The act of warming, or the state of being warmed; a warming; a heating. |
| warn | verb t. | To refuse., To make ware or aware; to give previous information to; to give notice to; to notify; to admonish; hence, to notify or summon by authority; as, to warn a town meeting; to warn a tenant to quit a house., To give notice to, of approaching or probable danger or evil; to caution against anything that may prove injurious., To ward off. |
| warp | verb t. | To throw; hence, to send forth, or throw out, as words; to utter., To turn or twist out of shape; esp., to twist or bend out of a flat plane by contraction or otherwise., To turn aside from the true direction; to cause to bend or incline; to pervert., To weave; to fabricate., To tow or move, as a vessel, with a line, or warp, attached to a buoy, anchor, or other fixed object., To cast prematurely, as young; — said of cattle, sheep, etc., To let the tide or other water in upon (lowlying land), for the purpose of fertilization, by a deposit of warp, or slimy substance., To run off the reel into hauls to be tarred, as yarns., To arrange (yarns) on a warp beam., To turn, twist, or be twisted out of shape; esp., to be twisted or bent out of a flat plane; as, a board warps in seasoning or shrinking., to turn or incline from a straight, true, or proper course; to deviate; to swerve., To fly with a bending or waving motion; to turn and wave, like a flock of birds or insects., To cast the young prematurely; to slink; — said of cattle, sheep, etc., To wind yarn off bobbins for forming the warp of a web; to wind a warp on a warp beam., The threads which are extended lengthwise in the loom, and crossed by the woof., A rope used in hauling or moving a vessel, usually with one end attached to an anchor, a post, or other fixed object; a towing line; a warping hawser., A slimy substance deposited on land by tides, etc., by which a rich alluvial soil is formed., A premature casting of young; — said of cattle, sheep, etc., Four; esp., four herrings; a cast. See Cast, n., 17., The state of being warped or twisted; as, the warp of a board. |
| wart | noun | A small, usually hard, tumor on the skin formed by enlargement of its vascular papillae, and thickening of the epidermis which covers them., An excrescence or protuberance more or less resembling a true wart; specifically (Bot.), a glandular excrescence or hardened protuberance on plants. |
| wary | adjective | Cautious of danger; carefully watching and guarding against deception, artifices, and dangers; timorously or suspiciously prudent; circumspect; scrupulous; careful., Characterized by caution; guarded; careful. |
| wase | noun | A bundle of straw, or other material, to relieve the pressure of burdens carried upon the head. |
| wash | verb t. | To cleanse by ablution, or dipping or rubbing in water; to apply water or other liquid to for the purpose of cleansing; to scrub with water, etc., or as with water; as, to wash the hands or body; to wash garments; to wash sheep or wool; to wash the pavement or floor; to wash the bark of trees., To cover with water or any liquid; to wet; to fall on and moisten; hence, to overflow or dash against; as, waves wash the shore., To waste or abrade by the force of water in motion; as, heavy rains wash a road or an embankment., To remove by washing to take away by, or as by, the action of water; to drag or draw off as by the tide; — often with away, off, out, etc.; as, to wash dirt from the hands., To cover with a thin or watery coat of color; to tint lightly and thinly., To overlay with a thin coat of metal; as, steel washed with silver., To perform the act of ablution., To clean anything by rubbing or dipping it in water; to perform the business of cleansing clothes, ore, etc., in water., To bear without injury the operation of being washed; as, some calicoes do not wash., To be wasted or worn away by the action of water, as by a running or overflowing stream, or by the dashing of the sea; — said of road, a beach, etc., The act of washing; an ablution; a cleansing, wetting, or dashing with water; hence, a quantity, as of clothes, washed at once., A piece of ground washed by the action of a sea or river, or sometimes covered and sometimes left dry; the shallowest part of a river, or arm of the sea; also, a bog; a marsh; a fen; as, the washes in Lincolnshire., Substances collected and deposited by the action of water; as, the wash of a sewer, of a river, etc., Waste liquid, the refuse of food, the collection from washed dishes, etc., from a kitchen, often used as food for pigs., The fermented wort before the spirit is extracted., A mixture of dunder, molasses, water, and scummings, used in the West Indies for distillation., That with which anything is washed, or wetted, smeared, tinted, etc., upon the surface., A liquid cosmetic for the complexion., A liquid dentifrice., A liquid preparation for the hair; as, a hair wash., A medical preparation in a liquid form for external application; a lotion., A thin coat of color, esp. water color., A thin coat of metal laid on anything for beauty or preservation., The blade of an oar, or the thin part which enters the water., The backward current or disturbed water caused by the action of oars, or of a steamer’s screw or paddles, etc., The flow, swash, or breaking of a body of water, as a wave; also, the sound of it., Ten strikes, or bushels, of oysters., Washy; weak., Capable of being washed without injury; washable; as, wash goods. |
| wasp | noun | Any one of numerous species of stinging hymenopterous insects, esp. any of the numerous species of the genus Vespa, which includes the true, or social, wasps, some of which are called yellow jackets. |
| wast | The second person singular of the verb be, in the indicative mood, imperfect tense; — now used only in solemn or poetical style. See Was. | |
| watt | noun | A unit of power or activity equal to 107 C.G.S. units of power, or to work done at the rate of one joule a second. An English horse power is approximately equal to 746 watts. |
| waul | verb i. | To cry as a cat; to squall; to wail. |
| waur | adjective | Worse. |
| wave | verb t. | See Waive., To play loosely; to move like a wave, one way and the other; to float; to flutter; to undulate., To be moved to and fro as a signal., To fluctuate; to waver; to be in an unsettled state; to vacillate., To move one way and the other; to brandish., To raise into inequalities of surface; to give an undulating form a surface to., To move like a wave, or by floating; to waft., To call attention to, or give a direction or command to, by a waving motion, as of the hand; to signify by waving; to beckon; to signal; to indicate., An advancing ridge or swell on the surface of a liquid, as of the sea, resulting from the oscillatory motion of the particles composing it when disturbed by any force their position of rest; an undulation., A vibration propagated from particle to particle through a body or elastic medium, as in the transmission of sound; an assemblage of vibrating molecules in all phases of a vibration, with no phase repeated; a wave of vibration; an undulation. See Undulation., Water; a body of water., Unevenness; inequality of surface., A waving or undulating motion; a signal made with the hand, a flag, etc., The undulating line or streak of luster on cloth watered, or calendered, or on damask steel., Fig.: A swelling or excitement of thought, feeling, or energy; a tide; as, waves of enthusiasm., Woe. |
| wavy | adjective | Rising or swelling in waves; full of waves., Playing to and fro; undulating; as, wavy flames., Undulating on the border or surface; waved. |
| wawe | noun | A wave. |
| wawl | verb i. | See Waul. |
| waxy | adjective | Resembling wax in appearance or consistency; viscid; adhesive; soft; hence, yielding; pliable; impressible. |
| wayk | adjective | Weak. |
| weak | verb i. | Wanting physical strength., Deficient in strength of body; feeble; infirm; sickly; debilitated; enfeebled; exhausted., Not able to sustain a great weight, pressure, or strain; as, a weak timber; a weak rope., Not firmly united or adhesive; easily broken or separated into pieces; not compact; as, a weak ship., Not stiff; pliant; frail; soft; as, the weak stalk of a plant., Not able to resist external force or onset; easily subdued or overcome; as, a weak barrier; as, a weak fortress., Lacking force of utterance or sound; not sonorous; low; small; feeble; faint., Not thoroughly or abundantly impregnated with the usual or required ingredients, or with stimulating and nourishing substances; of less than the usual strength; as, weak tea, broth, or liquor; a weak decoction or solution; a weak dose of medicine., Lacking ability for an appropriate function or office; as, weak eyes; a weak stomach; a weak magistrate; a weak regiment, or army., Not possessing or manifesting intellectual, logical, moral, or political strength, vigor, etc., Feeble of mind; wanting discernment; lacking vigor; spiritless; as, a weak king or magistrate., Resulting from, or indicating, lack of judgment, discernment, or firmness; unwise; hence, foolish., Not having full confidence or conviction; not decided or confirmed; vacillating; wavering., Not able to withstand temptation, urgency, persuasion, etc.; easily impressed, moved, or overcome; accessible; vulnerable; as, weak resolutions; weak virtue., Wanting in power to influence or bind; as, weak ties; a weak sense of honor of duty., Not having power to convince; not supported by force of reason or truth; unsustained; as, a weak argument or case., Wanting in point or vigor of expression; as, a weak sentence; a weak style., Not prevalent or effective, or not felt to be prevalent; not potent; feeble., Lacking in elements of political strength; not wielding or having authority or energy; deficient in the resources that are essential to a ruler or nation; as, a weak monarch; a weak government or state., Tending towards lower prices; as, a weak market., Pertaining to, or designating, a verb which forms its preterit (imperfect) and past participle by adding to the present the suffix -ed, -d, or the variant form -t; as in the verbs abash, abashed; abate, abated; deny, denied; feel, felt. See Strong, 19 (a)., Pertaining to, or designating, a noun in Anglo-Saxon, etc., the stem of which ends in -n. See Strong, 19 (b)., To make or become weak; to weaken. |
| weal | noun | The mark of a stripe. See Wale., To mark with stripes. See Wale., A sound, healthy, or prosperous state of a person or thing; prosperity; happiness; welfare., The body politic; the state; common wealth., To promote the weal of; to cause to be prosperous. |
| wean | adjective | To accustom and reconcile, as a child or other young animal, to a want or deprivation of mother’s milk; to take from the breast or udder; to cause to cease to depend on the mother nourishment., Hence, to detach or alienate the affections of, from any object of desire; to reconcile to the want or loss of anything., A weanling; a young child. |
| wear | noun | Same as Weir., To cause to go about, as a vessel, by putting the helm up, instead of alee as in tacking, so that the vessel’s bow is turned away from, and her stern is presented to, the wind, and, as she turns still farther, her sails fill on the other side; to veer., To carry or bear upon the person; to bear upon one’s self, as an article of clothing, decoration, warfare, bondage, etc.; to have appendant to one’s body; to have on; as, to wear a coat; to wear a shackle., To have or exhibit an appearance of, as an aspect or manner; to bear; as, she wears a smile on her countenance., To use up by carrying or having upon one’s self; hence, to consume by use; to waste; to use up; as, to wear clothes rapidly., To impair, waste, or diminish, by continual attrition, scraping, percussion, on the like; to consume gradually; to cause to lower or disappear; to spend., To cause or make by friction or wasting; as, to wear a channel; to wear a hole., To form or shape by, or as by, attrition., To endure or suffer use; to last under employment; to bear the consequences of use, as waste, consumption, or attrition; as, a coat wears well or ill; — hence, sometimes applied to character, qualifications, etc.; as, a man wears well as an acquaintance., To be wasted, consumed, or diminished, by being used; to suffer injury, loss, or extinction by use or time; to decay, or be spent, gradually., The act of wearing, or the state of being worn; consumption by use; diminution by friction; as, the wear of a garment., The thing worn; style of dress; the fashion., A dam in a river to stop and raise the water, for the purpose of conducting it to a mill, forming a fish pond, or the like., A fence of stakes, brushwood, or the like, set in a stream, tideway, or inlet of the sea, for taking fish., A long notch with a horizontal edge, as in the top of a vertical plate or plank, through which water flows, — used in measuring the quantity of flowing water. |
| wore | imp. | of Wear, imp. of Wear., imp. of Ware. |
| worn | past participle | of Wear, p. p. of Wear. |
| wove | imp. | of Weave, of Weave, p. pr. & rare vb. n. of Weave. |
| weed | noun | A garment; clothing; especially, an upper or outer garment., An article of dress worn in token of grief; a mourning garment or badge; as, he wore a weed on his hat; especially, in the plural, mourning garb, as of a woman; as, a widow’s weeds., A sudden illness or relapse, often attended with fever, which attacks women in childbed., Underbrush; low shrubs., Any plant growing in cultivated ground to the injury of the crop or desired vegetation, or to the disfigurement of the place; an unsightly, useless, or injurious plant., Fig.: Something unprofitable or troublesome; anything useless., An animal unfit to breed from., Tobacco, or a cigar., To free from noxious plants; to clear of weeds; as, to weed corn or onions; to weed a garden., To take away, as noxious plants; to remove, as something hurtful; to extirpate., To free from anything hurtful or offensive., To reject as unfit for breeding purposes. |
| week | noun | A period of seven days, usually that reckoned from one Sabbath or Sunday to the next. |
| weel | adjective & adverb | Well., A whirlpool., Alt. of Weely |
| ween | verb i. | To think; to imagine; to fancy. |
| weep | noun | The lapwing; the wipe; — so called from its cry., imp. of Weep, for wept., Formerly, to express sorrow, grief, or anguish, by outcry, or by other manifest signs; in modern use, to show grief or other passions by shedding tears; to shed tears; to cry., To lament; to complain., To flow in drops; to run in drops., To drop water, or the like; to drip; to be soaked., To hang the branches, as if in sorrow; to be pendent; to droop; — said of a plant or its branches., To lament; to bewail; to bemoan., To shed, or pour forth, as tears; to shed drop by drop, as if tears; as, to weep tears of joy. |
| wept | imp. & past participle | of Weep, imp. & p. p. of Weep. |
| weet | adjective & noun | Wet., To know; to wit. |
| weft | imp. & p. p. of Wave., A thing waved, waived, or cast away; a waif., The woof of cloth; the threads that cross the warp from selvage to selvage; the thread carried by the shuttle in weaving., A web; a thing woven. | |
| weir | noun | Alt. of Wear |
| weka | noun | A New Zealand rail (Ocydromus australis) which has wings so short as to be incapable of flight. |
| weld | verb t. | To wield., An herb (Reseda luteola) related to mignonette, growing in Europe, and to some extent in America; dyer’s broom; dyer’s rocket; dyer’s weed; wild woad. It is used by dyers to give a yellow color., Coloring matter or dye extracted from this plant., To press or beat into intimate and permanent union, as two pieces of iron when heated almost to fusion., Fig.: To unite closely or intimately., The state of being welded; the joint made by welding. |
| wele | noun | Prosperity; happiness; well-being; weal. |
| welk | verb i. | To wither; to fade; also, to decay; to decline; to wane., To cause to wither; to wilt., To contract; to shorten., To soak; also, to beat severely., A pustule. See 2d Whelk., A whelk. |
| well | verb i. | An issue of water from the earth; a spring; a fountain., A pit or hole sunk into the earth to such a depth as to reach a supply of water, generally of a cylindrical form, and often walled with stone or bricks to prevent the earth from caving in., A shaft made in the earth to obtain oil or brine., Fig.: A source of supply; fountain; wellspring., An inclosure in the middle of a vessel’s hold, around the pumps, from the bottom to the lower deck, to preserve the pumps from damage and facilitate their inspection., A compartment in the middle of the hold of a fishing vessel, made tight at the sides, but having holes perforated in the bottom to let in water for the preservation of fish alive while they are transported to market., A vertical passage in the stern into which an auxiliary screw propeller may be drawn up out of water., A depressed space in the after part of the deck; — often called the cockpit., A hole or excavation in the earth, in mining, from which run branches or galleries., An opening through the floors of a building, as for a staircase or an elevator; a wellhole., The lower part of a furnace, into which the metal falls., To issue forth, as water from the earth; to flow; to spring., To pour forth, as from a well., In a good or proper manner; justly; rightly; not ill or wickedly., Suitably to one’s condition, to the occasion, or to a proposed end or use; suitably; abundantly; fully; adequately; thoroughly., Fully or about; — used with numbers., In such manner as is desirable; so as one could wish; satisfactorily; favorably; advantageously; conveniently., Considerably; not a little; far., Good in condition or circumstances; desirable, either in a natural or moral sense; fortunate; convenient; advantageous; happy; as, it is well for the country that the crops did not fail; it is well that the mistake was discovered., Being in health; sound in body; not ailing, diseased, or sick; healthy; as, a well man; the patient is perfectly well., Being in favor; favored; fortunate., Safe; as, a chip warranted well at a certain day and place. |
| wels | noun | The sheatfish; — called also waller. |
| welt | noun | That which, being sewed or otherwise fastened to an edge or border, serves to guard, strengthen, or adorn it, A small cord covered with cloth and sewed on a seam or border to strengthen it; an edge of cloth folded on itself, usually over a cord, and sewed down., A hem, border, or fringe., In shoemaking, a narrow strip of leather around a shoe, between the upper leather and sole., In steam boilers and sheet-iron work, a strip riveted upon the edges of plates that form a butt joint., In carpentry, a strip of wood fastened over a flush seam or joint, or an angle, to strengthen it., In machine-made stockings, a strip, or flap, of which the heel is formed., A narrow border, as of an ordinary, but not extending around the ends., To furnish with a welt; to sew or fasten a welt on; as, to welt a boot or a shoe; to welt a sleeve., To wilt. |
| wend | p. p. of Wene., To go; to pass; to betake one’s self., To turn round., To direct; to betake; — used chiefly in the phrase to wend one’s way. Also used reflexively., A large extent of ground; a perambulation; a circuit. | |
| wene | verb i. | To ween. |
| were | verb t. & i. | To wear. See 3d Wear., A weir. See Weir., To guard; to protect., The imperfect indicative plural, and imperfect subjunctive singular and plural, of the verb be. See Be., A man., A fine for slaying a man; the money value set upon a man’s life; weregild. |
| werk | verb | Alt. of Werke |
| wern | verb t. | To refuse. |
| wert | The second person singular, indicative and subjunctive moods, imperfect tense, of the verb be. It is formed from were, with the ending -t, after the analogy of wast. Now used only in solemn or poetic style., A wart. | |
| wesh | imp. | Washed. |
| west | noun | The point in the heavens where the sun is seen to set at the equinox; or, the corresponding point on the earth; that one of the four cardinal points of the compass which is in a direction at right angles to that of north and south, and on the left hand of a person facing north; the point directly opposite to east., A country, or region of country, which, with regard to some other country or region, is situated in the direction toward the west., The Westen hemisphere, or the New World so called, it having been discovered by sailing westward from Europe; the Occident., Formerly, that part of the United States west of the Alleghany mountains; now, commonly, the whole region west of the Mississippi river; esp., that part which is north of the Indian Territory, New Mexico, etc. Usually with the definite article., Lying toward the west; situated at the west, or in a western direction from the point of observation or reckoning; proceeding toward the west, or coming from the west; as, a west course is one toward the west; an east and west line; a west wind blows from the west., Westward., To pass to the west; to set, as the sun., To turn or move toward the west; to veer from the north or south toward the west. |
| whan | adverb | When. |
| whap | verb i. | Alt. of Whop, Alt. of Whop, Alt. of Whop |
| whop | verb i. | To throw one’s self quickly, or by an abrupt motion; to turn suddenly; as, she whapped down on the floor; the fish whapped over., To beat or strike., A blow, or quick, smart stroke., Same as Whap., Same as Whap. |
| what | pronoun, adjective, & adverb | As an interrogative pronoun, used in asking questions regarding either persons or things; as, what is this? what did you say? what poem is this? what child is lost?, As an exclamatory word: — (a) Used absolutely or independently; — often with a question following., Used adjectively, meaning how remarkable, or how great; as, what folly! what eloquence! what courage!, Sometimes prefixed to adjectives in an adverbial sense, as nearly equivalent to how; as, what happy boys!, As a relative pronoun, Used substantively with the antecedent suppressed, equivalent to that which, or those [persons] who, or those [things] which; — called a compound relative., Used adjectively, equivalent to the . . . which; the sort or kind of . . . which; rarely, the . . . on, or at, which., Used adverbially in a sense corresponding to the adjectival use; as, he picked what good fruit he saw., Whatever; whatsoever; what thing soever; — used indefinitely., Used adverbially, in part; partly; somewhat; — with a following preposition, especially, with, and commonly with repetition., Something; thing; stuff., Why? For what purpose? On what account? |
| when | adverb | At what time; — used interrogatively., At what time; at, during, or after the time that; at or just after, the moment that; — used relatively., While; whereas; although; — used in the manner of a conjunction to introduce a dependent adverbial sentence or clause, having a causal, conditional, or adversative relation to the principal proposition; as, he chose to turn highwayman when he might have continued an honest man; he removed the tree when it was the best in the grounds., Which time; then; — used elliptically as a noun. |
| whet | verb t. | To rub or on with some substance, as a piece of stone, for the purpose of sharpening; to sharpen by attrition; as, to whet a knife., To make sharp, keen, or eager; to excite; to stimulate; as, to whet the appetite or the courage., The act of whetting., That which whets or sharpens; esp., an appetizer. |
| whew | noun & interj. | A sound like a half-formed whistle, expressing astonishment, scorn, or dislike., To whistle with a shrill pipe, like a plover. |
| whey | noun | The serum, or watery part, of milk, separated from the more thick or coagulable part, esp. in the process of making cheese. |
| whig | noun | Acidulated whey, sometimes mixed with buttermilk and sweet herbs, used as a cooling beverage., One of a political party which grew up in England in the seventeenth century, in the reigns of Charles I. and II., when great contests existed respecting the royal prerogatives and the rights of the people. Those who supported the king in his high claims were called Tories, and the advocates of popular rights, of parliamentary power over the crown, and of toleration to Dissenters, were, after 1679, called Whigs. The terms Liberal and Radical have now generally superseded Whig in English politics. See the note under Tory., A friend and supporter of the American Revolution; — opposed to Tory, and Royalist., One of the political party in the United States from about 1829 to 1856, opposed in politics to the Democratic party., Of or pertaining to the Whigs. |
| whim | noun | The European widgeon., A sudden turn or start of the mind; a temporary eccentricity; a freak; a fancy; a capricious notion; a humor; a caprice., A large capstan or vertical drum turned by horse power or steam power, for raising ore or water, etc., from mines, or for other purposes; — called also whim gin, and whimsey., To be subject to, or indulge in, whims; to be whimsical, giddy, or freakish. |
| whin | noun | Gorse; furze. See Furze., Woad-waxed., Same as Whinstone. |
| whip | verb t. | To strike with a lash, a cord, a rod, or anything slender and lithe; to lash; to beat; as, to whip a horse, or a carpet., To drive with lashes or strokes of a whip; to cause to rotate by lashing with a cord; as, to whip a top., To punish with a whip, scourge, or rod; to flog; to beat; as, to whip a vagrant; to whip one with thirty nine lashes; to whip a perverse boy., To apply that which hurts keenly to; to lash, as with sarcasm, abuse, or the like; to apply cutting language to., To thrash; to beat out, as grain, by striking; as, to whip wheat., To beat (eggs, cream, or the like) into a froth, as with a whisk, fork, or the like., To conquer; to defeat, as in a contest or game; to beat; to surpass., To overlay (a cord, rope, or the like) with other cords going round and round it; to overcast, as the edge of a seam; to wrap; — often with about, around, or over., To sew lightly; specifically, to form (a fabric) into gathers by loosely overcasting the rolled edge and drawing up the thread; as, to whip a ruffle., To take or move by a sudden motion; to jerk; to snatch; — with into, out, up, off, and the like., To hoist or purchase by means of a whip., To secure the end of (a rope, or the like) from untwisting by overcasting it with small stuff., To fish (a body of water) with a rod and artificial fly, the motion being that employed in using a whip., To move nimbly; to start or turn suddenly and do something; to whisk; as, he whipped around the corner., An instrument or driving horses or other animals, or for correction, consisting usually of a lash attached to a handle, or of a handle and lash so combined as to form a flexible rod., A coachman; a driver of a carriage; as, a good whip., One of the arms or frames of a windmill, on which the sails are spread., The length of the arm reckoned from the shaft., A small tackle with a single rope, used to hoist light bodies., The long pennant. See Pennant (a), A huntsman who whips in the hounds; whipper-in., A person (as a member of Parliament) appointed to enforce party discipline, and secure the attendance of the members of a Parliament party at any important session, especially when their votes are needed., A call made upon members of a Parliament party to be in their places at a given time, as when a vote is to be taken. |
| whir | verb i. | To whirl round, or revolve, with a whizzing noise; to fly or more quickly with a buzzing or whizzing sound; to whiz., To hurry a long with a whizzing sound., A buzzing or whizzing sound produced by rapid or whirling motion; as, the whir of a partridge; the whir of a spinning wheel. |
| whit | noun | The smallest part or particle imaginable; a bit; a jot; an iota; — generally used in an adverbial phrase in a negative sentence. |
| whiz | verb i. | To make a humming or hissing sound, like an arrow or ball flying through the air; to fly or move swiftly with a sharp hissing or whistling sound., A hissing and humming sound. |
| whoa | interj. | Stop; stand; hold. See Ho, 2. |
| whom | pronoun | The objective case of who. See Who. |
| whot | adjective | Hot. |
| whur | verb i. | To make a rough, humming sound, like one who pronounces the letter r with too much force; to whir; to birr., To snarl or growl, as a dog., A humming or whirring sound, like that of a body moving through the air with velocity; a whir. |
| wich | noun | A variant of 1st Wick., A street; a village; a castle; a dwelling; a place of work, or exercise of authority; — now obsolete except in composition; as, bailiwick, Warwick, Greenwick., A narrow port or passage in the rink or course, flanked by the stones of previous players. |
| wick | noun | Alt. of Wich, A bundle of fibers, or a loosely twisted or braided cord, tape, or tube, usually made of soft spun cotton threads, which by capillary attraction draws up a steady supply of the oil in lamps, the melted tallow or wax in candles, or other material used for illumination, in small successive portions, to be burned., To strike a stone in an oblique direction. |
| wide | superl. | Having considerable distance or extent between the sides; spacious across; much extended in a direction at right angles to that of length; not narrow; broad; as, wide cloth; a wide table; a wide highway; a wide bed; a wide hall or entry., Having a great extent every way; extended; spacious; broad; vast; extensive; as, a wide plain; the wide ocean; a wide difference., Of large scope; comprehensive; liberal; broad; as, wide views; a wide understanding., Of a certain measure between the sides; measuring in a direction at right angles to that of length; as, a table three feet wide., Remote; distant; far., Far from truth, from propriety, from necessity, or the like., On one side or the other of the mark; too far side-wise from the mark, the wicket, the batsman, etc., Made, as a vowel, with a less tense, and more open and relaxed, condition of the mouth organs; — opposed to primary as used by Mr. Bell, and to narrow as used by Mr. Sweet. The effect, as explained by Mr. Bell, is due to the relaxation or tension of the pharynx; as explained by Mr. Sweet and others, it is due to the action of the tongue. The wide of / (/ve) is / (/ll); of a (ate) is / (/nd), etc. See Guide to Pronunciation, / 13-15., To a distance; far; widely; to a great distance or extent; as, his fame was spread wide., So as to leave or have a great space between the sides; so as to form a large opening., So as to be or strike far from, or on one side of, an object or purpose; aside; astray., That which is wide; wide space; width; extent., That which goes wide, or to one side of the mark. |
| wier | noun | Same as Weir. |
| wife | noun | A woman; an adult female; — now used in literature only in certain compounds and phrases, as alewife, fishwife, goodwife, and the like., The lawful consort of a man; a woman who is united to a man in wedlock; a woman who has a husband; a married woman; — correlative of husband. |
| wigg | noun | Alt. of Wig |
| wike | noun | A temporary mark or boundary, as a bough of a tree set up in marking out or dividing anything, as tithes, swaths to be mowed in common ground, etc.; — called also wicker., A home; a dwelling. |
| wild | superl. | Living in a state of nature; inhabiting natural haunts, as the forest or open field; not familiar with, or not easily approached by, man; not tamed or domesticated; as, a wild boar; a wild ox; a wild cat., Growing or produced without culture; growing or prepared without the aid and care of man; native; not cultivated; brought forth by unassisted nature or by animals not domesticated; as, wild parsnip, wild camomile, wild strawberry, wild honey., Desert; not inhabited or cultivated; as, wild land., Savage; uncivilized; not refined by culture; ferocious; rude; as, wild natives of Africa or America., Not submitted to restraint, training, or regulation; turbulent; tempestuous; violent; ungoverned; licentious; inordinate; disorderly; irregular; fanciful; imaginary; visionary; crazy., Exposed to the wind and sea; unsheltered; as, a wild roadstead., Indicating strong emotion, intense excitement, or /ewilderment; as, a wild look., Hard to steer; — said of a vessel., An uninhabited and uncultivated tract or region; a forest or desert; a wilderness; a waste; as, the wilds of America; the wilds of Africa., Wildly; as, to talk wild. |
| wile | noun | A trick or stratagem practiced for insnaring or deception; a sly, insidious; artifice; a beguilement; an allurement., To practice artifice upon; to deceive; to beguile; to allure., To draw or turn away, as by diversion; to while or while away; to cause to pass pleasantly. |
| wilk | noun | See Whelk. |
| will | verb | The power of choosing; the faculty or endowment of the soul by which it is capable of choosing; the faculty or power of the mind by which we decide to do or not to do; the power or faculty of preferring or selecting one of two or more objects., The choice which is made; a determination or preference which results from the act or exercise of the power of choice; a volition., The choice or determination of one who has authority; a decree; a command; discretionary pleasure., Strong wish or inclination; desire; purpose., That which is strongly wished or desired., Arbitrary disposal; power to control, dispose, or determine., The legal declaration of a person’s mind as to the manner in which he would have his property or estate disposed of after his death; the written instrument, legally executed, by which a man makes disposition of his estate, to take effect after his death; testament; devise. See the Note under Testament, 1., To wish; to desire; to incline to have., As an auxiliary, will is used to denote futurity dependent on the verb. Thus, in first person, “I will” denotes willingness, consent, promise; and when “will” is emphasized, it denotes determination or fixed purpose; as, I will go if you wish; I will go at all hazards. In the second and third persons, the idea of distinct volition, wish, or purpose is evanescent, and simple certainty is appropriately expressed; as, “You will go,” or “He will go,” describes a future event as a fact only. To emphasize will denotes (according to the tone or context) certain futurity or fixed determination., To be willing; to be inclined or disposed; to be pleased; to wish; to desire., To form a distinct volition of; to determine by an act of choice; to ordain; to decree., To enjoin or command, as that which is determined by an act of volition; to direct; to order., To give or direct the disposal of by testament; to bequeath; to devise; as, to will one’s estate to a child; also, to order or direct by testament; as, he willed that his nephew should have his watch., To exercise an act of volition; to choose; to decide; to determine; to decree. |
| wilt | 2d pers. sing. of Will., To begin to wither; to lose freshness and become flaccid, as a plant when exposed when exposed to drought, or to great heat in a dry day, or when separated from its root; to droop;. to wither., To cause to begin to wither; to make flaccid, as a green plant., Hence, to cause to languish; to depress or destroy the vigor and energy of. | |
| wily | superl. | Full of wiles, tricks, or stratagems; using craft or stratagem to accomplish a purpose; mischievously artful; subtle. |
| wind | verb t. | To turn completely, or with repeated turns; especially, to turn about something fixed; to cause to form convolutions about anything; to coil; to twine; to twist; to wreathe; as, to wind thread on a spool or into a ball., To entwist; to infold; to encircle., To have complete control over; to turn and bend at one’s pleasure; to vary or alter or will; to regulate; to govern., To introduce by insinuation; to insinuate., To cover or surround with something coiled about; as, to wind a rope with twine., To turn completely or repeatedly; to become coiled about anything; to assume a convolved or spiral form; as, vines wind round a pole., To have a circular course or direction; to crook; to bend; to meander; as, to wind in and out among trees., To go to the one side or the other; to move this way and that; to double on one’s course; as, a hare pursued turns and winds., The act of winding or turning; a turn; a bend; a twist; a winding., Air naturally in motion with any degree of velocity; a current of air., Air artificially put in motion by any force or action; as, the wind of a cannon ball; the wind of a bellows., Breath modulated by the respiratory and vocal organs, or by an instrument., Power of respiration; breath., Air or gas generated in the stomach or bowels; flatulence; as, to be troubled with wind., Air impregnated with an odor or scent., A direction from which the wind may blow; a point of the compass; especially, one of the cardinal points, which are often called the four winds., A disease of sheep, in which the intestines are distended with air, or rather affected with a violent inflammation. It occurs immediately after shearing., Mere breath or talk; empty effort; idle words., The dotterel., To expose to the wind; to winnow; to ventilate., To perceive or follow by the scent; to scent; to nose; as, the hounds winded the game., To drive hard, or force to violent exertion, as a horse, so as to render scant of wind; to put out of breath., To rest, as a horse, in order to allow the breath to be recovered; to breathe., To blow; to sound by blowing; esp., to sound with prolonged and mutually involved notes. |
| wine | noun | The expressed juice of grapes, esp. when fermented; a beverage or liquor prepared from grapes by squeezing out their juice, and (usually) allowing it to ferment., A liquor or beverage prepared from the juice of any fruit or plant by a process similar to that for grape wine; as, currant wine; gooseberry wine; palm wine., The effect of drinking wine in excess; intoxication. |
| wing | noun | One of the two anterior limbs of a bird, pterodactyl, or bat. They correspond to the arms of man, and are usually modified for flight, but in the case of a few species of birds, as the ostrich, auk, etc., the wings are used only as an assistance in running or swimming., Any similar member or instrument used for the purpose of flying., One of the two pairs of upper thoracic appendages of most hexapod insects. They are broad, fanlike organs formed of a double membrane and strengthened by chitinous veins or nervures., One of the large pectoral fins of the flying fishes., Passage by flying; flight; as, to take wing., Motive or instrument of flight; means of flight or of rapid motion., Anything which agitates the air as a wing does, or which is put in winglike motion by the action of the air, as a fan or vane for winnowing grain, the vane or sail of a windmill, etc., An ornament worn on the shoulder; a small epaulet or shoulder knot., Any appendage resembling the wing of a bird or insect in shape or appearance., One of the broad, thin, anterior lobes of the foot of a pteropod, used as an organ in swimming., Any membranaceous expansion, as that along the sides of certain stems, or of a fruit of the kind called samara., Either of the two side petals of a papilionaceous flower., One of two corresponding appendages attached; a sidepiece., A side building, less than the main edifice; as, one of the wings of a palace., The longer side of crownworks, etc., connecting them with the main work., A side shoot of a tree or plant; a branch growing up by the side of another., The right or left division of an army, regiment, etc., That part of the hold or orlop of a vessel which is nearest the sides. In a fleet, one of the extremities when the ships are drawn up in line, or when forming the two sides of a triangle., One of the sides of the stags in a theater., To furnish with wings; to enable to fly, or to move with celerity., To supply with wings or sidepieces., To transport by flight; to cause to fly., To move through in flight; to fly through., To cut off the wings of; to wound in the wing; to disable a wing of; as, to wing a bird. |
| wink | verb i. | To nod; to sleep; to nap., To shut the eyes quickly; to close the eyelids with a quick motion., To close and open the eyelids quickly; to nictitate; to blink., To give a hint by a motion of the eyelids, often those of one eye only., To avoid taking notice, as if by shutting the eyes; to connive at anything; to be tolerant; — generally with at., To be dim and flicker; as, the light winks., To cause (the eyes) to wink., The act of closing, or closing and opening, the eyelids quickly; hence, the time necessary for such an act; a moment., A hint given by shutting the eye with a significant cast. |
| winy | adjective | Having the taste or qualities of wine; vinous; as, grapes of a winy taste. |
| wipe | noun | The lapwing., To rub with something soft for cleaning; to clean or dry by rubbing; as, to wipe the hands or face with a towel., To remove by rubbing; to rub off; to obliterate; — usually followed by away, off or out. Also used figuratively., To cheat; to defraud; to trick; — usually followed by out., Act of rubbing, esp. in order to clean., A blow; a stroke; a hit; a swipe., A gibe; a jeer; a severe sarcasm., A handkerchief., Stain; brand. |
| wire | noun | A thread or slender rod of metal; a metallic substance formed to an even thread by being passed between grooved rollers, or drawn through holes in a plate of steel., A telegraph wire or cable; hence, an electric telegraph; as, to send a message by wire., To bind with wire; to attach with wires; to apply wire to; as, to wire corks in bottling liquors., To put upon a wire; as, to wire beads., To snare by means of a wire or wires., To send (a message) by telegraph., To pass like a wire; to flow in a wirelike form, or in a tenuous stream., To send a telegraphic message. |
| wiry | adjective | Made of wire; like wire; drawn out like wire., Capable of endurance; tough; sinewy; as, a wiry frame or constitution. |
| wise | verb | Having knowledge; knowing; enlightened; of extensive information; erudite; learned., Hence, especially, making due use of knowledge; discerning and judging soundly concerning what is true or false, proper or improper; choosing the best ends and the best means for accomplishing them; sagacious., Versed in art or science; skillful; dexterous; specifically, skilled in divination., Hence, prudent; calculating; shrewd; wary; subtle; crafty., Dictated or guided by wisdom; containing or exhibiting wisdom; well adapted to produce good effects; judicious; discreet; as, a wise saying; a wise scheme or plan; wise conduct or management; a wise determination., Way of being or acting; manner; mode; fashion. |
| wish | verb t. | To have a desire or yearning; to long; to hanker., To desire; to long for; to hanker after; to have a mind or disposition toward., To frame or express desires concerning; to invoke in favor of, or against, any one; to attribute, or cal down, in desire; to invoke; to imprecate., To recommend; to seek confidence or favor in behalf of., Desire; eager desire; longing., Expression of desire; request; petition; hence, invocation or imprecation., A thing desired; an object of desire. |
| wisp | noun | A small bundle, as of straw or other like substance., A whisk, or small broom., A Will-o’-the-wisp; an ignis fatuus., To brush or dress, an with a wisp., To rumple. |
| wist | verb | Knew., of Wit |
| wite | pl. | of Wit, To reproach; to blame; to censure; also, to impute as blame., Blame; reproach. |
| with | noun | See Withe., With denotes or expresses some situation or relation of nearness, proximity, association, connection, or the like., To denote a close or direct relation of opposition or hostility; — equivalent to against., To denote association in respect of situation or environment; hence, among; in the company of., To denote a connection of friendship, support, alliance, assistance, countenance, etc.; hence, on the side of., To denote the accomplishment of cause, means, instrument, etc; — sometimes equivalent to by., To denote association in thought, as for comparison or contrast., To denote simultaneous happening, or immediate succession or consequence., To denote having as a possession or an appendage; as, the firmament with its stars; a bride with a large fortune. |
| wive | verb i. | To marry, as a man; to take a wife., To match to a wife; to provide with a wife., To take for a wife; to marry. |
| woad | noun | An herbaceous cruciferous plant (Isatis tinctoria). It was formerly cultivated for the blue coloring matter derived from its leaves., A blue dyestuff, or coloring matter, consisting of the powdered and fermented leaves of the Isatis tinctoria. It is now superseded by indigo, but is somewhat used with indigo as a ferment in dyeing. |
| wode | adjective | Mad. See Wood, a., Wood. |
| wold | noun | A wood; a forest., A plain, or low hill; a country without wood, whether hilly or not., See Weld. |
| wolf | adjective | Any one of several species of wild and savage carnivores belonging to the genus Canis and closely allied to the common dog. The best-known and most destructive species are the European wolf (Canis lupus), the American gray, or timber, wolf (C. occidentalis), and the prairie wolf, or coyote. Wolves often hunt in packs, and may thus attack large animals and even man., One of the destructive, and usually hairy, larvae of several species of beetles and grain moths; as, the bee wolf., Fig.: Any very ravenous, rapacious, or destructive person or thing; especially, want; starvation; as, they toiled hard to keep the wolf from the door., A white worm, or maggot, which infests granaries., An eating ulcer or sore. Cf. Lupus., The harsh, howling sound of some of the chords on an organ or piano tuned by unequal temperament., In bowed instruments, a harshness due to defective vibration in certain notes of the scale., A willying machine. |
| woll | verb t. & i. | See 2d Will. |
| womb | noun | The belly; the abdomen., The uterus. See Uterus., The place where anything is generated or produced., Any cavity containing and enveloping anything., To inclose in a womb, or as in a womb; to breed or hold in secret. |
| wone | adjective | To dwell; to abide., Dwelling; habitation; abode., Custom; habit; wont; use; usage. |
| wong | noun | A field. |
| wont | adjective | Using or doing customarily; accustomed; habituated; used., Custom; habit; use; usage., of Wont, of Wont, To be accustomed or habituated; to be used., To accustom; — used reflexively. |
| wood | adjective | Mad; insane; possessed; rabid; furious; frantic., To grow mad; to act like a madman; to mad., A large and thick collection of trees; a forest or grove; — frequently used in the plural., The substance of trees and the like; the hard fibrous substance which composes the body of a tree and its branches, and which is covered by the bark; timber., The fibrous material which makes up the greater part of the stems and branches of trees and shrubby plants, and is found to a less extent in herbaceous stems. It consists of elongated tubular or needle-shaped cells of various kinds, usually interwoven with the shinning bands called silver grain., Trees cut or sawed for the fire or other uses., To supply with wood, or get supplies of wood for; as, to wood a steamboat or a locomotive., To take or get a supply of wood. |
| woof | noun | The threads that cross the warp in a woven fabric; the weft; the filling; the thread usually carried by the shuttle in weaving., Texture; cloth; as, a pall of softest woof. |
| wook | imp. | Woke. |
| wool | noun | The soft and curled, or crisped, species of hair which grows on sheep and some other animals, and which in fineness sometimes approaches to fur; — chiefly applied to the fleecy coat of the sheep, which constitutes a most essential material of clothing in all cold and temperate climates., Short, thick hair, especially when crisped or curled., A sort of pubescence, or a clothing of dense, curling hairs on the surface of certain plants. |
| woon | noun | Dwelling. See Wone. |
| word | noun | The spoken sign of a conception or an idea; an articulate or vocal sound, or a combination of articulate and vocal sounds, uttered by the human voice, and by custom expressing an idea or ideas; a single component part of human speech or language; a constituent part of a sentence; a term; a vocable., Hence, the written or printed character, or combination of characters, expressing such a term; as, the words on a page., Talk; discourse; speech; language., Account; tidings; message; communication; information; — used only in the singular., Signal; order; command; direction., Language considered as implying the faith or authority of the person who utters it; statement; affirmation; declaration; promise., Verbal contention; dispute., A brief remark or observation; an expression; a phrase, clause, or short sentence., To use words, as in discussion; to argue; to dispute., To express in words; to phrase., To ply with words; also, to cause to be by the use of a word or words., To flatter with words; to cajole. |
| work | noun | Exertion of strength or faculties; physical or intellectual effort directed to an end; industrial activity; toil; employment; sometimes, specifically, physically labor., The matter on which one is at work; that upon which one spends labor; material for working upon; subject of exertion; the thing occupying one; business; duty; as, to take up one’s work; to drop one’s work., That which is produced as the result of labor; anything accomplished by exertion or toil; product; performance; fabric; manufacture; in a more general sense, act, deed, service, effect, result, achievement, feat., Specifically: (a) That which is produced by mental labor; a composition; a book; as, a work, or the works, of Addison. (b) Flowers, figures, or the like, wrought with the needle; embroidery., Structures in civil, military, or naval engineering, as docks, bridges, embankments, trenches, fortifications, and the like; also, the structures and grounds of a manufacturing establishment; as, iron works; locomotive works; gas works., The moving parts of a mechanism; as, the works of a watch., Manner of working; management; treatment; as, unskillful work spoiled the effect., The causing of motion against a resisting force. The amount of work is proportioned to, and is measured by, the product of the force into the amount of motion along the direction of the force. See Conservation of energy, under Conservation, Unit of work, under Unit, also Foot pound, Horse power, Poundal, and Erg., Ore before it is dressed., Performance of moral duties; righteous conduct., To exert one’s self for a purpose; to put forth effort for the attainment of an object; to labor; to be engaged in the performance of a task, a duty, or the like., Hence, in a general sense, to operate; to act; to perform; as, a machine works well., Hence, figuratively, to be effective; to have effect or influence; to conduce., To carry on business; to be engaged or employed customarily; to perform the part of a laborer; to labor; to toil., To be in a state of severe exertion, or as if in such a state; to be tossed or agitated; to move heavily; to strain; to labor; as, a ship works in a heavy sea., To make one’s way slowly and with difficulty; to move or penetrate laboriously; to proceed with effort; — with a following preposition, as down, out, into, up, through, and the like; as, scheme works out by degrees; to work into the earth., To ferment, as a liquid., To act or operate on the stomach and bowels, as a cathartic., To labor or operate upon; to give exertion and effort to; to prepare for use, or to utilize, by labor., To produce or form by labor; to bring forth by exertion or toil; to accomplish; to originate; to effect; as, to work wood or iron into a form desired, or into a utensil; to work cotton or wool into cloth., To produce by slow degrees, or as if laboriously; to bring gradually into any state by action or motion., To influence by acting upon; to prevail upon; to manage; to lead., To form with a needle and thread or yarn; especially, to embroider; as, to work muslin., To set in motion or action; to direct the action of; to keep at work; to govern; to manage; as, to work a machine., To cause to ferment, as liquor. |
| worm | noun | A creeping or a crawling animal of any kind or size, as a serpent, caterpillar, snail, or the like., Any small creeping animal or reptile, either entirely without feet, or with very short ones, including a great variety of animals; as, an earthworm; the blindworm., Any helminth; an entozoon., Any annelid., An insect larva., Same as Vermes., An internal tormentor; something that gnaws or afflicts one’s mind with remorse., A being debased and despised., Anything spiral, vermiculated, or resembling a worm, The thread of a screw., A spiral instrument or screw, often like a double corkscrew, used for drawing balls from firearms., A certain muscular band in the tongue of some animals, as the dog; the lytta. See Lytta., The condensing tube of a still, often curved and wound to economize space. See Illust. of Still., A short revolving screw, the threads of which drive, or are driven by, a worm wheel by gearing into its teeth or cogs. See Illust. of Worm gearing, below., To work slowly, gradually, and secretly., To effect, remove, drive, draw, or the like, by slow and secret means; — often followed by out., To clean by means of a worm; to draw a wad or cartridge from, as a firearm. See Worm, n. 5 (b)., To cut the worm, or lytta, from under the tongue of, as a dog, for the purpose of checking a disposition to gnaw. The operation was formerly supposed to guard against canine madness., To wind rope, yarn, or other material, spirally round, between the strands of, as a cable; to wind with spun yarn, as a small rope. |
| wort | noun | A plant of any kind., Cabbages., An infusion of malt which is unfermented, or is in the act of fermentation; the sweet infusion of malt, which ferments and forms beer; hence, any similar liquid in a state of incipient fermentation. |
| wost | 2d pers. sing. pres. of Wit, to know. | |
| woul | verb i. | To howl. |
| wowe | verb t. & i. | To woo. |
| wowf | adjective | Disordered or unsettled in intellect; deranged. |
| wrap | verb t. | To snatch up; transport; — chiefly used in the p. p. wrapt., To wind or fold together; to arrange in folds., To cover by winding or folding; to envelop completely; to involve; to infold; — often with up., To conceal by enveloping or infolding; to hide; hence, to involve, as an effect or consequence; to be followed by., A wrapper; — often used in the plural for blankets, furs, shawls, etc., used in riding or traveling. |
| wraw | adjective | Angry; vexed; wrathful. |
| wray | verb t. | To reveal; to disclose. |
| wren | noun | Any one of numerous species of small singing birds belonging to Troglodytes and numerous allied of the family Troglodytidae., Any one of numerous species of small singing birds more or less resembling the true wrens in size and habits. |
| wrey | verb t. | See Wray. |
| wrie | adjective & verb | See Wry. |
| wrig | verb i. | To wriggle. |
| writ | obs. | 3d pers. sing. pres. of Write, for writeth., imp. & p. p. of Write., That which is written; writing; scripture; — applied especially to the Scriptures, or the books of the Old and New testaments; as, sacred writ., An instrument in writing, under seal, in an epistolary form, issued from the proper authority, commanding the performance or nonperformance of some act by the person to whom it is directed; as, a writ of entry, of error, of execution, of injunction, of mandamus, of return, of summons, and the like., of Write |
| wull | verb t. & i. | See 2d Will. |
| wust | Alt. of Wuste | |
| wyes | plural | of Wye |
| wyke | noun | Week. |
| wyla | noun | A helmeted Australian cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus); — called also funeral cockatoo. |
| wynd | noun | A narrow lane or alley. |
| wynn | noun | A kind of timber truck, or carriage. |
| wype | noun | The wipe, or lapwing. |
| wyte | Alt. of Wyten |