| Words | Parts of Speech | Meaning/Definition/Similar Words |
|---|---|---|
| women | plural | of Herdswoman, of Woman, pl. of Woman. |
| wacke | noun | Alt. of Wacky |
| wacky | noun | A soft, earthy, dark-colored rock or clay derived from the alteration of basalt. |
| waded | imp. & past participle | of Wad, of Wade |
| wader | noun | One who, or that which, wades., Any long-legged bird that wades in the water in search of food, especially any species of limicoline or grallatorial birds; — called also wading bird. See Illust. g, under Aves. |
| wafer | noun | A thin cake made of flour and other ingredients., A thin cake or piece of bread (commonly unleavened, circular, and stamped with a crucifix or with the sacred monogram) used in the Eucharist, as in the Roman Catholic Church., An adhesive disk of dried paste, made of flour, gelatin, isinglass, or the like, and coloring matter, — used in sealing letters and other documents., To seal or close with a wafer. |
| waged | imp. & past participle | of Wage |
| wagel | noun | See Waggel. |
| wager | verb t. | Something deposited, laid, or hazarded on the event of a contest or an unsettled question; a bet; a stake; a pledge., A contract by which two parties or more agree that a certain sum of money, or other thing, shall be paid or delivered to one of them, on the happening or not happening of an uncertain event., That on which bets are laid; the subject of a bet., To hazard on the issue of a contest, or on some question that is to be decided, or on some casualty; to lay; to stake; to bet., To make a bet; to lay a wager. |
| wages | noun | A compensation given to a hired person for services; price paid for labor; recompense; hire. See Wage, n., 2. |
| wagon | noun | A wheeled carriage; a vehicle on four wheels, and usually drawn by horses; especially, one used for carrying freight or merchandise., A freight car on a railway., A chariot, The Dipper, or Charles’s Wain., To transport in a wagon or wagons; as, goods are wagoned from city to city., To wagon goods as a business; as, the man wagons between Philadelphia and its suburbs. |
| waift | noun | A waif. |
| waist | noun | That part of the human body which is immediately below the ribs or thorax; the small part of the body between the thorax and hips., Hence, the middle part of other bodies; especially (Naut.), that part of a vessel’s deck, bulwarks, etc., which is between the quarter-deck and the forecastle; the middle part of the ship., A garment, or part of a garment, which covers the body from the neck or shoulders to the waist line., A girdle or belt for the waist. |
| waive | verb t. | A waif; a castaway., A woman put out of the protection of the law. See Waive, v. t., 3 (b), and the Note., To relinquish; to give up claim to; not to insist on or claim; to refuse; to forego., To throw away; to cast off; to reject; to desert., To throw away; to relinquish voluntarily, as a right which one may enforce if he chooses., To desert; to abandon., To turn aside; to recede. |
| waked | imp. & past participle | of Wake |
| waken | verb i. | To wake; to cease to sleep; to be awakened., To excite or rouse from sleep; to wake; to awake; to awaken., To excite; to rouse; to move to action; to awaken. |
| waker | noun | One who wakes. |
| walty | adjective | Liable to roll over; crank; as, a walty ship. |
| waltz | noun | A dance performed by two persons in circular figures with a whirling motion; also, a piece of music composed in triple measure for this kind of dance., To dance a waltz. |
| walwe | verb | To wallow. |
| wandy | adjective | Long and flexible, like a wand. |
| waned | imp. & past participle | of Wane |
| waney | noun | A sharp or uneven edge on a board that is cut from a log not perfectly squared, or that is made in the process of squaring. See Wany, a. |
| wango | noun | A boomerang. |
| wanly | adverb | In a wan, or pale, manner. |
| wanty | noun | A surcingle, or strap of leather, used for binding a load upon the back of a beast; also, a leather tie; a short wagon rope. |
| wanze | verb i. | To wane; to wither. |
| waped | adjective | Cast down; crushed by misery; dejected. |
| wares | noun pl. | See 4th Ware. |
| warly | adjective | Warlike. |
| warre | adjective | Worse. |
| warry | verb t. | See Warye. |
| warty | adjective | Having warts; full of warts; overgrow with warts; as, a warty leaf., Of the nature of warts; as, a warty excrescence. |
| warye | verb t. | To curse; to curse; to execrate; to condemn; also, to vex. |
| washy | adjective | Watery; damp; soft., Lacking substance or strength; weak; thin; dilute; feeble; as, washy tea; washy resolutions., Not firm or hardy; liable to sweat profusely with labor; as, a washy horse. |
| waste | adjective | Desolate; devastated; stripped; bare; hence, dreary; dismal; gloomy; cheerless., Lying unused; unproductive; worthless; valueless; refuse; rejected; as, waste land; waste paper., Lost for want of occupiers or use; superfluous., To bring to ruin; to devastate; to desolate; to destroy., To wear away by degrees; to impair gradually; to diminish by constant loss; to use up; to consume; to spend; to wear out., To spend unnecessarily or carelessly; to employ prodigally; to expend without valuable result; to apply to useless purposes; to lavish vainly; to squander; to cause to be lost; to destroy by scattering or injury., To damage, impair, or injure, as an estate, voluntarily, or by suffering the buildings, fences, etc., to go to decay., To be diminished; to lose bulk, substance, strength, value, or the like, gradually; to be consumed; to dwindle; to grow less., To procure or sustain a reduction of flesh; — said of a jockey in preparation for a race, etc., The act of wasting, or the state of being wasted; a squandering; needless destruction; useless consumption or expenditure; devastation; loss without equivalent gain; gradual loss or decrease, by use, wear, or decay; as, a waste of property, time, labor, words, etc., That which is wasted or desolate; a devastated, uncultivated, or wild country; a deserted region; an unoccupied or unemployed space; a dreary void; a desert; a wilderness., That which is of no value; worthless remnants; refuse. Specifically: Remnants of cops, or other refuse resulting from the working of cotton, wool, hemp, and the like, used for wiping machinery, absorbing oil in the axle boxes of railway cars, etc., Spoil, destruction, or injury, done to houses, woods, fences, lands, etc., by a tenant for life or for years, to the prejudice of the heir, or of him in reversion or remainder., Old or abandoned workings, whether left as vacant space or filled with refuse. |
| watch | verb i. | The act of watching; forbearance of sleep; vigil; wakeful, vigilant, or constantly observant attention; close observation; guard; preservative or preventive vigilance; formerly, a watching or guarding by night., One who watches, or those who watch; a watchman, or a body of watchmen; a sentry; a guard., The post or office of a watchman; also, the place where a watchman is posted, or where a guard is kept., The period of the night during which a person does duty as a sentinel, or guard; the time from the placing of a sentinel till his relief; hence, a division of the night., A small timepiece, or chronometer, to be carried about the person, the machinery of which is moved by a spring., An allotted portion of time, usually four hour for standing watch, or being on deck ready for duty. Cf. Dogwatch., That part, usually one half, of the officers and crew, who together attend to the working of a vessel for an allotted time, usually four hours. The watches are designated as the port watch, and the starboard watch., To be awake; to be or continue without sleep; to wake; to keep vigil., To be attentive or vigilant; to give heed; to be on the lookout; to keep guard; to act as sentinel., To be expectant; to look with expectation; to wait; to seek opportunity., To remain awake with any one as nurse or attendant; to attend on the sick during the night; as, to watch with a man in a fever., To serve the purpose of a watchman by floating properly in its place; — said of a buoy., To give heed to; to observe the actions or motions of, for any purpose; to keep in view; not to lose from sight and observation; as, to watch the progress of a bill in the legislature., To tend; to guard; to have in keeping. |
| water | noun | The fluid which descends from the clouds in rain, and which forms rivers, lakes, seas, etc., A body of water, standing or flowing; a lake, river, or other collection of water., Any liquid secretion, humor, or the like, resembling water; esp., the urine., A solution in water of a gaseous or readily volatile substance; as, ammonia water., The limpidity and luster of a precious stone, especially a diamond; as, a diamond of the first water, that is, perfectly pure and transparent. Hence, of the first water, that is, of the first excellence., A wavy, lustrous pattern or decoration such as is imparted to linen, silk, metals, etc. See Water, v. t., 3, Damask, v. t., and Damaskeen., An addition to the shares representing the capital of a stock company so that the aggregate par value of the shares is increased while their value for investment is diminished, or “diluted.”, To wet or supply with water; to moisten; to overflow with water; to irrigate; as, to water land; to water flowers., To supply with water for drink; to cause or allow to drink; as, to water cattle and horses., To wet and calender, as cloth, so as to impart to it a lustrous appearance in wavy lines; to diversify with wavelike lines; as, to water silk. Cf. Water, n., 6., To add water to (anything), thereby extending the quantity or bulk while reducing the strength or quality; to extend; to dilute; to weaken., To shed, secrete, or fill with, water or liquid matter; as, his eyes began to water., To get or take in water; as, the ship put into port to water. |
| waved | imp. & past participle | of Wave, Exhibiting a wavelike form or outline; undulating; intended; wavy; as, waved edge., Having a wavelike appearance; marked with wavelike lines of color; as, waved, or watered, silk., Having undulations like waves; — said of one of the lines in heraldry which serve as outlines to the ordinaries, etc. |
| waver | verb i. | To play or move to and fro; to move one way and the other; hence, to totter; to reel; to swing; to flutter., To be unsettled in opinion; to vacillate; to be undetermined; to fluctuate; as, to water in judgment., A sapling left standing in a fallen wood. |
| wavey | noun | The snow goose. |
| waxed | imp. | of Wax, of Wax, of Wax |
| waxen | of Wax, Made of wax., Covered with wax; waxed; as, a waxen tablet., Resembling wax; waxy; hence, soft; yielding. | |
| wayed | adjective | Used to the way; broken. |
| weald | noun | A wood or forest; a wooded land or region; also, an open country; — often used in place names. |
| weary | superl. | Having the strength exhausted by toil or exertion; worn out in respect to strength, endurance, etc.; tired; fatigued., Causing weariness; tiresome., Having one’s patience, relish, or contentment exhausted; tired; sick; — with of before the cause; as, weary of marching, or of confinement; weary of study., To reduce or exhaust the physical strength or endurance of; to tire; to fatigue; as, to weary one’s self with labor or traveling., To make weary of anything; to exhaust the patience of, as by continuance., To harass by anything irksome., To grow tired; to become exhausted or impatient; as, to weary of an undertaking. |
| weasy | adjective | Given to sensual indulgence; gluttonous. |
| woven | past participle | of Weave, p. p. of Weave. |
| weave | verb t. | To unite, as threads of any kind, in such a manner as to form a texture; to entwine or interlace into a fabric; as, to weave wool, silk, etc.; hence, to unite by close connection or intermixture; to unite intimately., To form, as cloth, by interlacing threads; to compose, as a texture of any kind, by putting together textile materials; as, to weave broadcloth; to weave a carpet; hence, to form into a fabric; to compose; to fabricate; as, to weave the plot of a story., To practice weaving; to work with a loom., To become woven or interwoven., A particular method or pattern of weaving; as, the cassimere weave. |
| webby | adjective | Of or pertaining to a web or webs; like a web; filled or covered with webs. |
| weber | noun | The standard unit of electrical quantity, and also of current. See Coulomb, and Amp/re. |
| weder | noun | Weather. |
| wedge | noun | A piece of metal, or other hard material, thick at one end, and tapering to a thin edge at the other, used in splitting wood, rocks, etc., in raising heavy bodies, and the like. It is one of the six elementary machines called the mechanical powers. See Illust. of Mechanical powers, under Mechanical., A solid of five sides, having a rectangular base, two rectangular or trapezoidal sides meeting in an edge, and two triangular ends., A mass of metal, especially when of a wedgelike form., Anything in the form of a wedge, as a body of troops drawn up in such a form., The person whose name stands lowest on the list of the classical tripos; — so called after a person (Wedgewood) who occupied this position on the first list of 1828., To cleave or separate with a wedge or wedges, or as with a wedge; to rive., To force or drive as a wedge is driven., To force by crowding and pushing as a wedge does; as, to wedge one’s way., To press closely; to fix, or make fast, in the manner of a wedge that is driven into something., To fasten with a wedge, or with wedges; as, to wedge a scythe on the snath; to wedge a rail or a piece of timber in its place., To cut, as clay, into wedgelike masses, and work by dashing together, in order to expel air bubbles, etc. |
| wedgy | adjective | Like a wedge; wedge-shaped. |
| weedy | superl. | Of or pertaining to weeds; consisting of weeds., Abounding with weeds; as, weedy grounds; a weedy garden; weedy corn., Scraggy; ill-shaped; ungainly; — said of colts or horses, and also of persons., Dressed in weeds, or mourning garments. |
| weely | A kind of trap or snare for fish, made of twigs. | |
| weigh | noun | A corruption of Way, used only in the phrase under weigh., To bear up; to raise; to lift into the air; to swing up; as, to weigh anchor., To examine by the balance; to ascertain the weight of, that is, the force with which a thing tends to the center of the earth; to determine the heaviness, or quantity of matter of; as, to weigh sugar; to weigh gold., To be equivalent to in weight; to counterbalance; to have the heaviness of., To pay, allot, take, or give by weight., To examine or test as if by the balance; to ponder in the mind; to consider or examine for the purpose of forming an opinion or coming to a conclusion; to estimate deliberately and maturely; to balance., To consider as worthy of notice; to regard., To have weight; to be heavy., To be considered as important; to have weight in the intellectual balance., To bear heavily; to press hard., To judge; to estimate., A certain quantity estimated by weight; an English measure of weight. See Wey. |
| weird | noun | Fate; destiny; one of the Fates, or Norns; also, a prediction., A spell or charm., Of or pertaining to fate; concerned with destiny., Of or pertaining to witchcraft; caused by, or suggesting, magical influence; supernatural; unearthly; wild; as, a weird appearance, look, sound, etc., To foretell the fate of; to predict; to destine to. |
| weism | noun | Same as Wegotism. |
| weive | verb t. | See Waive. |
| wekau | noun | A small New Zealand owl (Sceloglaux albifacies). It has short wings and long legs, and lives chiefly on the ground. |
| welch | adjective | See Welsh. |
| welew | verb t. | To welk, or wither. |
| we’ll | Contraction for we will or we shall. | |
| welsh | adjective | Of or pertaining to Wales, or its inhabitants., The language of Wales, or of the Welsh people., The natives or inhabitants of Wales. |
| welte | imp. of Weld, to wield. | |
| wench | noun | A young woman; a girl; a maiden., A low, vicious young woman; a drab; a strumpet., A colored woman; a negress., To frequent the company of wenches, or women of ill fame. |
| wende | imp. of Wene. | |
| wends | noun pl. | A Slavic tribe which once occupied the northern and eastern parts of Germany, of which a small remnant exists. |
| wenny | adjective | Having the nature of a wen; resembling a wen; as, a wennish excrescence. |
| wepen | noun | Weapon. |
| werke | verb | See Work. |
| werre | noun | War. |
| werst | noun | See Verst. |
| wesil | noun | See Weasand. |
| westy | adjective | Dizzy; giddy. |
| wevil | noun | See Weevil. |
| weyle | verb t. & i. | To wail. |
| weyve | verb t. | To waive. |
| whaap | noun | The European curlew; — called also awp, whaup, great whaup, and stock whaup., The whimbrel; — called also May whaup, little whaup, and tang whaup. |
| whack | verb t. | To strike; to beat; to give a heavy or resounding blow to; to thrash; to make with whacks., To strike anything with a smart blow., A smart resounding blow. |
| whala | verb t. | To lash with stripes; to wale; to thrash; to drub. |
| whale | noun | Any aquatic mammal of the order Cetacea, especially any one of the large species, some of which become nearly one hundred feet long. Whales are hunted chiefly for their oil and baleen, or whalebone. |
| whall | noun | A light color of the iris in horses; wall-eye. |
| whame | noun | A breeze fly. |
| whang | noun | A leather thong., To beat. |
| wharf | noun | A structure or platform of timber, masonry, iron, earth, or other material, built on the shore of a harbor, river, canal, or the like, and usually extending from the shore to deep water, so that vessels may lie close alongside to receive and discharge cargo, passengers, etc.; a quay; a pier., The bank of a river, or the shore of the sea., To guard or secure by a firm wall of timber or stone constructed like a wharf; to furnish with a wharf or wharfs., To place upon a wharf; to bring to a wharf. |
| wharl | noun | Alt. of Wharling |
| wharp | noun | A kind of fine sand from the banks of the Trent, used as a polishing powder. |
| whaul | noun | Same as Whall. |
| whaup | noun | See Whaap. |
| wheal | noun | A pustule; a whelk., A more or less elongated mark raised by a stroke; also, a similar mark made by any cause; a weal; a wale., Specifically (Med.), a flat, burning or itching eminence on the skin, such as is produced by a mosquito bite, or in urticaria., A mine. |
| wheat | noun | A cereal grass (Triticum vulgare) and its grain, which furnishes a white flour for bread, and, next to rice, is the grain most largely used by the human race. |
| wheel | noun | A circular frame turning about an axis; a rotating disk, whether solid, or a frame composed of an outer rim, spokes or radii, and a central hub or nave, in which is inserted the axle, — used for supporting and conveying vehicles, in machinery, and for various purposes; as, the wheel of a wagon, of a locomotive, of a mill, of a watch, etc., Any instrument having the form of, or chiefly consisting of, a wheel., A spinning wheel. See under Spinning., An instrument of torture formerly used., A circular frame having handles on the periphery, and an axle which is so connected with the tiller as to form a means of controlling the rudder for the purpose of steering., A potter’s wheel. See under Potter., A firework which, while burning, is caused to revolve on an axis by the reaction of the escaping gases., The burden or refrain of a song., A bicycle or a tricycle; a velocipede., A rolling or revolving body; anything of a circular form; a disk; an orb., A turn revolution; rotation; compass., To convey on wheels, or in a wheeled vehicle; as, to wheel a load of hay or wood., To put into a rotatory motion; to cause to turn or revolve; to cause to gyrate; to make or perform in a circle., To turn on an axis, or as on an axis; to revolve; to more about; to rotate; to gyrate., To change direction, as if revolving upon an axis or pivot; to turn; as, the troops wheeled to the right., To go round in a circuit; to fetch a compass., To roll forward. |
| wheen | noun | A quantity; a goodly number. |
| wheft | noun | See Waft, n., 4. |
| whelk | noun | Any one numerous species of large marine gastropods belonging to Buccinum and allied genera; especially, Buccinum undatum, common on the coasts both of Europe and North America, and much used as food in Europe., A papule; a pustule; acne., A stripe or mark; a ridge; a wale. |
| whelm | verb t. | To cover with water or other fluid; to cover by immersion in something that envelops on all sides; to overwhelm; to ingulf., Fig.: To cover completely, as if with water; to immerse; to overcome; as, to whelm one in sorrows., To throw (something) over a thing so as to cover it. |
| whelp | noun | One of the young of a dog or a beast of prey; a puppy; a cub; as, a lion’s whelps., A child; a youth; — jocosely or in contempt., One of the longitudinal ribs or ridges on the barrel of a capstan or a windless; — usually in the plural; as, the whelps of a windlass., One of the teeth of a sprocket wheel., To bring forth young; — said of the female of the dog and some beasts of prey., To bring forth, as cubs or young; to give birth to. |
| where | pronoun & conj. | Whether., At or in what place; hence, in what situation, position, or circumstances; — used interrogatively., At or in which place; at the place in which; hence, in the case or instance in which; — used relatively., To what or which place; hence, to what goal, result, or issue; whither; — used interrogatively and relatively; as, where are you going?, Whereas., Place; situation. |
| which | adjective | Of what sort or kind; what; what a; who., A interrogative pronoun, used both substantively and adjectively, and in direct and indirect questions, to ask for, or refer to, an individual person or thing among several of a class; as, which man is it? which woman was it? which is the house? he asked which route he should take; which is best, to live or to die? See the Note under What, pron., 1., A relative pronoun, used esp. in referring to an antecedent noun or clause, but sometimes with reference to what is specified or implied in a sentence, or to a following noun or clause (generally involving a reference, however, to something which has preceded). It is used in all numbers and genders, and was formerly used of persons., A compound relative or indefinite pronoun, standing for any one which, whichever, that which, those which, the . . . which, and the like; as, take which you will. |
| whiff | noun | A sudden expulsion of air from the mouth; a quick puff or slight gust, as of air or smoke., A glimpse; a hasty view., The marysole, or sail fluke., To throw out in whiffs; to consume in whiffs; to puff., To carry or convey by a whiff, or as by a whiff; to puff or blow away., To emit whiffs, as of smoke; to puff. |
| while | noun | Space of time, or continued duration, esp. when short; a time; as, one while we thought him innocent., That which requires time; labor; pains., To cause to pass away pleasantly or without irksomeness or disgust; to spend or pass; — usually followed by away., To loiter., During the time that; as long as; whilst; at the same time that; as, while I write, you sleep., Hence, under which circumstances; in which case; though; whereas., Until; till. |
| whilk | noun | A kind of mollusk, a whelk., The scoter., Which. |
| whine | verb i. | To utter a plaintive cry, as some animals; to moan with a childish noise; to complain, or to tell of sorrow, distress, or the like, in a plaintive, nasal tone; hence, to complain or to beg in a mean, unmanly way; to moan basely., To utter or express plaintively, or in a mean, unmanly way; as, to whine out an excuse., A plaintive tone; the nasal, childish tone of mean complaint; mean or affected complaint. |
| whipt | imp. & past participle | Whipped. |
| whirl | verb t. | To turn round rapidly; to cause to rotate with velocity; to make to revolve., To remove or carry quickly with, or as with, a revolving motion; to snatch; to harry., To be turned round rapidly; to move round with velocity; to revolve or rotate with great speed; to gyrate., To move hastily or swiftly., A turning with rapidity or velocity; rapid rotation or circumvolution; quick gyration; rapid or confusing motion; as, the whirl of a top; the whirl of a wheel., Anything that moves with a whirling motion., A revolving hook used in twisting, as the hooked spindle of a rope machine, to which the threads to be twisted are attached., A whorl. See Whorl. |
| whisk | noun | A game at cards; whist., The act of whisking; a rapid, sweeping motion, as of something light; a sudden motion or quick puff., A small bunch of grass, straw, twigs, hair, or the like, used for a brush; hence, a brush or small besom, as of broom corn., A small culinary instrument made of wire, or the like, for whisking or beating eggs, cream, etc., A kind of cape, forming part of a woman’s dress., An impertinent fellow., A plane used by coopers for evening chines., To sweep, brush, or agitate, with a light, rapid motion; as, to whisk dust from a table; to whisk the white of eggs into a froth., To move with a quick, sweeping motion., To move nimbly at with velocity; to make a sudden agile movement. |
| whisp | noun | See Wisp., A flock of snipe. |
| whist | interj. | Be silent; be still; hush; silence., A certain game at cards; — so called because it requires silence and close attention. It is played by four persons (those who sit opposite each other being partners) with a complete pack of fifty-two cards. Each player has thirteen cards, and when these are played out, he hand is finished, and the cards are again shuffled and distributed., To hush or silence., To be or become silent or still; to be hushed or mute., Not speaking; not making a noise; silent; mute; still; quiet. |
| white | superl. | Reflecting to the eye all the rays of the spectrum combined; not tinted with any of the proper colors or their mixtures; having the color of pure snow; snowy; — the opposite of black or dark; as, white paper; a white skin., Destitute of color, as in the cheeks, or of the tinge of blood color; pale; pallid; as, white with fear., Having the color of purity; free from spot or blemish, or from guilt or pollution; innocent; pure., Gray, as from age; having silvery hair; hoary., Characterized by freedom from that which disturbs, and the like; fortunate; happy; favorable., Regarded with especial favor; favorite; darling., The color of pure snow; one of the natural colors of bodies, yet not strictly a color, but a composition of all colors; the opposite of black; whiteness. See the Note under Color, n., 1., Something having the color of snow; something white, or nearly so; as, the white of the eye., Specifically, the central part of the butt in archery, which was formerly painted white; the center of a mark at which a missile is shot., A person with a white skin; a member of the white, or Caucasian, races of men., A white pigment; as, Venice white., Any one of numerous species of butterflies belonging to Pieris, and allied genera in which the color is usually white. See Cabbage butterfly, under Cabbage., To make white; to whiten; to whitewash; to bleach. |
| whole | adjective | Containing the total amount, number, etc.; comprising all the parts; free from deficiency; all; total; entire; as, the whole earth; the whole solar system; the whole army; the whole nation., Complete; entire; not defective or imperfect; not broken or fractured; unimpaired; uninjured; integral; as, a whole orange; the egg is whole; the vessel is whole., Possessing, or being in a state of, heath and soundness; healthy; sound; well., The entire thing; the entire assemblage of parts; totality; all of a thing, without defect or exception; a thing complete in itself., A regular combination of parts; a system. |
| whoop | noun | The hoopoe., To utter a whoop, or loud cry, as eagerness, enthusiasm, or enjoyment; to cry out; to shout; to halloo; to utter a war whoop; to hoot, as an owl., To cough or breathe with a sonorous inspiration, as in whooping cough., To insult with shouts; to chase with derision., A shout of pursuit or of war; a very of eagerness, enthusiasm, enjoyment, vengeance, terror, or the like; an halloo; a hoot, or cry, as of an owl., A loud, shrill, prolonged sound or sonorous inspiration, as in whooping cough. |
| whoot | verb i. | To hoot. |
| whore | noun | A woman who practices unlawful sexual commerce with men, especially one who prostitutes her body for hire; a prostitute; a harlot., To have unlawful sexual intercourse; to practice lewdness., To worship false and impure gods., To corrupt by lewd intercourse; to make a whore of; to debauch. |
| whorl | noun & verb | A circle of two or more leaves, flowers, or other organs, about the same part or joint of a stem., A volution, or turn, of the spire of a univalve shell., The fly of a spindle. |
| whort | noun | The whortleberry, or bilberry. See Whortleberry (a). |
| whose | pronoun | The possessive case of who or which. See Who, and Which. |
| whoso | pronoun | Whosoever. |
| whurt | noun | See Whort. |
| wicke | adjective | Wicked. |
| widdy | noun | A rope or halter made of flexible twigs, or withes, as of birch. |
| widen | verb t. | To make wide or wider; to extend in breadth; to increase the width of; as, to widen a field; to widen a breach; to widen a stocking., To grow wide or wider; to enlarge; to spread; to extend. |
| widow | noun | A woman who has lost her husband by death, and has not married again; one living bereaved of a husband., Widowed., To reduce to the condition of a widow; to bereave of a husband; — rarely used except in the past participle., To deprive of one who is loved; to strip of anything beloved or highly esteemed; to make desolate or bare; to bereave., To endow with a widow’s right., To become, or survive as, the widow of. |
| width | noun | The quality of being wide; extent from side to side; breadth; wideness; as, the width of cloth; the width of a door. |
| widwe | noun | A widow. |
| wield | verb t. | To govern; to rule; to keep, or have in charge; also, to possess., To direct or regulate by influence or authority; to manage; to control; to sway., To use with full command or power, as a thing not too heavy for the holder; to manage; to handle; hence, to use or employ; as, to wield a sword; to wield the scepter. |
| wiery | adjective | Wet; moist; marshy., Wiry. |
| wives | plural | of Wife, pl. of Wife. |
| wigan | noun | A kind of canvaslike cotton fabric, used to stiffen and protect the lower part of trousers and of the skirts of women’s dresses, etc.; — so called from Wigan, the name of a town in Lancashire, England. |
| wight | noun | Weight., A whit; a bit; a jot., A supernatural being., A human being; a person, either male or female; — now used chiefly in irony or burlesque, or in humorous language., Swift; nimble; agile; strong and active. |
| wikke | adjective | Wicked. |
| would | imp. | of Will, Commonly used as an auxiliary verb, either in the past tense or in the conditional or optative present. See 2d & 3d Will., See 2d Weld. |
| willy | noun | A large wicker basket., Same as 1st Willow, 2. |
| wilne | verb t. | To wish; to desire. |
| wilwe | noun | Willow. |
| wince | verb i. | To shrink, as from a blow, or from pain; to flinch; to start back., To kick or flounce when unsteady, or impatient at a rider; as, a horse winces., The act of one who winces., A reel used in dyeing, steeping, or washing cloth; a winch. It is placed over the division wall between two wince pits so as to allow the cloth to descend into either compartment. at will. |
| winch | verb i. | To wince; to shrink; to kick with impatience or uneasiness., A kick, as of a beast, from impatience or uneasiness., A crank with a handle, for giving motion to a machine, a grindstone, etc., An instrument with which to turn or strain something forcibly., An axle or drum turned by a crank with a handle, or by power, for raising weights, as from the hold of a ship, from mines, etc.; a windlass., A wince. |
| wound | imp. & past participle | of Wind, of Wind, imp. & p. p. of Wind to twist, and Wind to sound by blowing., A hurt or injury caused by violence; specifically, a breach of the skin and flesh of an animal, or in the substance of any creature or living thing; a cut, stab, rent, or the like., Fig.: An injury, hurt, damage, detriment, or the like, to feeling, faculty, reputation, etc., An injury to the person by which the skin is divided, or its continuity broken; a lesion of the body, involving some solution of continuity., To hurt by violence; to produce a breach, or separation of parts, in, as by a cut, stab, blow, or the like., To hurt the feelings of; to pain by disrespect, ingratitude, or the like; to cause injury to. |
| windy | superl. | Consisting of wind; accompanied or characterized by wind; exposed to wind., Next the wind; windward., Tempestuous; boisterous; as, windy weather., Serving to occasion wind or gas in the intestines; flatulent; as, windy food., Attended or caused by wind, or gas, in the intestines., Fig.: Empty; airy. |
| wingy | adjective | Having wings; rapid., Soaring with wings, or as if with wings; volatile airy. |
| winze | noun | A small shaft sunk from one level to another, as for the purpose of ventilation. |
| wiped | imp. & past participle | of Wipe |
| wiper | noun | One who, or that which, wipes., Something used for wiping, as a towel or rag., A piece generally projecting from a rotating or swinging piece, as an axle or rock shaft, for the purpose of raising stampers, lifting rods, or the like, and leaving them to fall by their own weight; a kind of cam., A rod, or an attachment for a rod, for holding a rag with which to wipe out the bore of the barrel. |
| wired | imp. & past participle | of Wire |
| wisly | adverb | Certainly. |
| wisse | adjective | To show; to teach; to inform; to guide; to direct. |
| witch | noun | A cone of paper which is placed in a vessel of lard or other fat, and used as a taper., One who practices the black art, or magic; one regarded as possessing supernatural or magical power by compact with an evil spirit, esp. with the Devil; a sorcerer or sorceress; — now applied chiefly or only to women, but formerly used of men as well., An ugly old woman; a hag., One who exercises more than common power of attraction; a charming or bewitching person; also, one given to mischief; — said especially of a woman or child., A certain curve of the third order, described by Maria Agnesi under the name versiera., The stormy petrel., To bewitch; to fascinate; to enchant. |
| witen | pl. pres. of Wit. | |
| withe | noun | A flexible, slender twig or branch used as a band; a willow or osier twig; a withy., A band consisting of a twig twisted., An iron attachment on one end of a mast or boom, with a ring, through which another mast or boom is rigged out and secured; a wythe., A partition between flues in a chimney., To bind or fasten with withes. |
| withy | noun | The osier willow (Salix viminalis). See Osier, n. (a)., A withe. See Withe, 1., Made of withes; like a withe; flexible and tough; also, abounding in withes. |
| witts | noun | Tin ore freed from earthy matter by stamping. |
| witty | noun | Possessed of wit; knowing; wise; skillful; judicious; clever; cunning., Especially, possessing wit or humor; good at repartee; droll; facetious; sometimes, sarcastic; as, a witty remark, poem, and the like. |
| wived | imp. & past participle | of Wive |
| wiver | noun | Alt. of Wivern |
| wizen | verb i. | To wither; to dry., Wizened; thin; weazen; withered., The weasand. |
| woald | noun | See Weld. |
| woden | noun | A deity corresponding to Odin, the supreme deity of the Scandinavians. Wednesday is named for him. See Odin. |
| woful | adjective | Full of woe; sorrowful; distressed with grief or calamity; afflicted; wretched; unhappy; sad., Bringing calamity, distress, or affliction; as, a woeful event; woeful want., Wretched; paltry; miserable; poor. |
| wolde | imp. of Will. See Would. | |
| wolle | noun | Wool. |
| woman | noun | An adult female person; a grown-up female person, as distinguished from a man or a child; sometimes, any female person., The female part of the human race; womankind., A female attendant or servant., To act the part of a woman in; — with indefinite it., To make effeminate or womanish., To furnish with, or unite to, a woman. |
| womby | adjective | Capacious. |
| won’t | A colloquial contraction of woll not. Will not. See Will. | |
| wooed | imp. & past participle | of Woo |
| woody | adjective | Abounding with wood or woods; as, woody land., Consisting of, or containing, wood or woody fiber; ligneous; as, the woody parts of plants., Of or pertaining to woods; sylvan. |
| wooer | verb t. | One who wooes; one who courts or solicits in love; a suitor. |
| woofy | adjective | Having a close texture; dense; as, a woofy cloud. |
| woold | verb t. | To wind, or wrap; especially, to wind a rope round, as a mast or yard made of two or more pieces, at the place where it has been fished or scarfed, in order to strengthen it. |
| woosy | adjective | Oozy; wet. |
| wootz | noun | A species of steel imported from the East Indies, valued for making edge tools; Indian steel. It has in combination a minute portion of alumina and silica. |
| wopen | past participle | Wept. |
| wordy | superl. | Of or pertaining to words; consisting of words; verbal; as, a wordy war., Using many words; verbose; as, a wordy speaker., Containing many words; full of words. |
| world | noun | The earth and the surrounding heavens; the creation; the system of created things; existent creation; the universe., Any planet or heavenly body, especially when considered as inhabited, and as the scene of interests analogous with human interests; as, a plurality of worlds., The earth and its inhabitants, with their concerns; the sum of human affairs and interests., In a more restricted sense, that part of the earth and its concerns which is known to any one, or contemplated by any one; a division of the globe, or of its inhabitants; human affairs as seen from a certain position, or from a given point of view; also, state of existence; scene of life and action; as, the Old World; the New World; the religious world; the Catholic world; the upper world; the future world; the heathen world., The customs, practices, and interests of men; general affairs of life; human society; public affairs and occupations; as, a knowledge of the world., Individual experience of, or concern with, life; course of life; sum of the affairs which affect the individual; as, to begin the world with no property; to lose all, and begin the world anew., The inhabitants of the earth; the human race; people in general; the public; mankind., The earth and its affairs as distinguished from heaven; concerns of this life as distinguished from those of the life to come; the present existence and its interests; hence, secular affairs; engrossment or absorption in the affairs of this life; worldly corruption; the ungodly or wicked part of mankind., As an emblem of immensity, a great multitude or quantity; a large number. |
| wormy | superl. | Containing a worm; abounding with worms., Like or pertaining to a worm; earthy; groveling. |
| worry | verb t. | To harass by pursuit and barking; to attack repeatedly; also, to tear or mangle with the teeth., To harass or beset with importunity, or with care an anxiety; to vex; to annoy; to torment; to tease; to fret; to trouble; to plague., To harass with labor; to fatigue., To feel or express undue care and anxiety; to manifest disquietude or pain; to be fretful; to chafe; as, the child worries; the horse worries., A state of undue solicitude; a state of disturbance from care and anxiety; vexation; anxiety; fret; as, to be in a worry. |
| worse | compar. | Bad, ill, evil, or corrupt, in a greater degree; more bad or evil; less good; specifically, in poorer health; more sick; — used both in a physical and moral sense., Loss; disadvantage; defeat., That which is worse; something less good; as, think not the worse of him for his enterprise., In a worse degree; in a manner more evil or bad., To make worse; to put disadvantage; to discomfit; to worst. See Worst, v. |
| worst | adjective | Bad, evil, or pernicious, in the highest degree, whether in a physical or moral sense. See Worse., That which is most bad or evil; the most severe, pernicious, calamitous, or wicked state or degree., To gain advantage over, in contest or competition; to get the better of; to defeat; to overthrow; to discomfit., To grow worse; to deteriorate. |
| worth | verb i. | To be; to become; to betide; — now used only in the phrases, woe worth the day, woe worth the man, etc., in which the verb is in the imperative, and the nouns day, man, etc., are in the dative. Woe be to the day, woe be to the man, etc., are equivalent phrases., Valuable; of worthy; estimable; also, worth while., Equal in value to; furnishing an equivalent for; proper to be exchanged for., Deserving of; — in a good or bad sense, but chiefly in a good sense., Having possessions equal to; having wealth or estate to the value of., That quality of a thing which renders it valuable or useful; sum of valuable qualities which render anything useful and sought; value; hence, often, value as expressed in a standard, as money; equivalent in exchange; price., Value in respect of moral or personal qualities; excellence; virtue; eminence; desert; merit; usefulness; as, a man or magistrate of great worth. |
| wowke | noun | Week. |
| woxen | p. p. of Wax. | |
| wrack | noun | A thin, flying cloud; a rack., To rack; to torment., Wreck; ruin; destruction., Any marine vegetation cast up on the shore, especially plants of the genera Fucus, Laminaria, and Zostera, which are most abundant on northern shores., Coarse seaweed of any kind., To wreck. |
| wrapt | of Wrap | |
| wrath | adjective | Violent anger; vehement exasperation; indignation; rage; fury; ire., The effects of anger or indignation; the just punishment of an offense or a crime., See Wroth., To anger; to enrage; — also used impersonally. |
| wrawl | verb i. | To cry, as a cat; to waul. |
| wreak | verb i. | To reck; to care., To revenge; to avenge., To execute in vengeance or passion; to inflict; to hurl or drive; as, to wreak vengeance on an enemy., Revenge; vengeance; furious passion; resentment. |
| wreck | verb t. & noun | See 2d & 3d Wreak., The destruction or injury of a vessel by being cast on shore, or on rocks, or by being disabled or sunk by the force of winds or waves; shipwreck., Destruction or injury of anything, especially by violence; ruin; as, the wreck of a railroad train., The ruins of a ship stranded; a ship dashed against rocks or land, and broken, or otherwise rendered useless, by violence and fracture; as, they burned the wreck., The remain of anything ruined or fatally injured., Goods, etc., which, after a shipwreck, are cast upon the land by the sea., To destroy, disable, or seriously damage, as a vessel, by driving it against the shore or on rocks, by causing it to become unseaworthy, to founder, or the like; to shipwreck., To bring wreck or ruin upon by any kind of violence; to destroy, as a railroad train., To involve in a wreck; hence, to cause to suffer ruin; to balk of success, and bring disaster on., To suffer wreck or ruin., To work upon a wreck, as in saving property or lives, or in plundering. |
| wreke | verb t. | Alt. of Wreeke |
| wrest | verb t. | To turn; to twist; esp., to twist or extort by violence; to pull of force away by, or as if by, violent wringing or twisting., To turn from truth; to twist from its natural or proper use or meaning by violence; to pervert; to distort., To tune with a wrest, or key., The act of wresting; a wrench; a violent twist; hence, distortion; perversion., Active or moving power., A key to tune a stringed instrument of music., A partition in a water wheel, by which the form of the buckets is determined. |
| wrung | imp. & past participle | of Wring, imp. & p. p. of Wring. |
| wring | verb t. | To twist and compress; to turn and strain with violence; to writhe; to squeeze hard; to pinch; as, to wring clothes in washing., Hence, to pain; to distress; to torment; to torture., To distort; to pervert; to wrest., To extract or obtain by twisting and compressing; to squeeze or press (out); hence, to extort; to draw forth by violence, or against resistance or repugnance; — usually with out or form., To subject to extortion; to afflict, or oppress, in order to enforce compliance., To bend or strain out of its position; as, to wring a mast., To writhe; to twist, as with anguish., A writhing, as in anguish; a twisting; a griping. |
| wrist | noun | The joint, or the region of the joint, between the hand and the arm; the carpus. See Carpus., A stud or pin which forms a journal; — also called wrist pin. |
| wrote | imp. | of Write, To root with the snout. See 1st Root., imp. & archaic p. p. of Write. |
| write | verb t. | To set down, as legible characters; to form the conveyance of meaning; to inscribe on any material by a suitable instrument; as, to write the characters called letters; to write figures., To set down for reading; to express in legible or intelligible characters; to inscribe; as, to write a deed; to write a bill of divorcement; hence, specifically, to set down in an epistle; to communicate by letter., Hence, to compose or produce, as an author., To impress durably; to imprint; to engrave; as, truth written on the heart., To make known by writing; to record; to prove by one’s own written testimony; — often used reflexively., To form characters, letters, or figures, as representative of sounds or ideas; to express words and sentences by written signs., To be regularly employed or occupied in writing, copying, or accounting; to act as clerk or amanuensis; as, he writes in one of the public offices., To frame or combine ideas, and express them in written words; to play the author; to recite or relate in books; to compose., To compose or send letters. |
| wrong | imp. of Wring. Wrung., Twisted; wry; as, a wrong nose., Not according to the laws of good morals, whether divine or human; not suitable to the highest and best end; not morally right; deviating from rectitude or duty; not just or equitable; not true; not legal; as, a wrong practice; wrong ideas; wrong inclinations and desires., Not fit or suitable to an end or object; not appropriate for an intended use; not according to rule; unsuitable; improper; incorrect; as, to hold a book with the wrong end uppermost; to take the wrong way., Not according to truth; not conforming to fact or intent; not right; mistaken; erroneous; as, a wrong statement., Designed to be worn or placed inward; as, the wrong side of a garment or of a piece of cloth., In a wrong manner; not rightly; amiss; morally ill; erroneously; wrongly., That which is not right., Nonconformity or disobedience to lawful authority, divine or human; deviation from duty; — the opposite of moral right., Deviation or departure from truth or fact; state of falsity; error; as, to be in the wrong., Whatever deviates from moral rectitude; usually, an act that involves evil consequences, as one which inflicts injury on a person; any injury done to, or received from; another; a trespass; a violation of right., To treat with injustice; to deprive of some right, or to withhold some act of justice from; to do undeserved harm to; to deal unjustly with; to injure., To impute evil to unjustly; as, if you suppose me capable of a base act, you wrong me. | |
| wroot | imp. of Write. Wrote. | |
| wroth | adjective | Full of wrath; angry; incensed; much exasperated; wrathful. |
| wried | imp. & past participle | of Wry |
| wuste | imp. of Wit. | |
| wythe | noun | Same as Withe, n., 4. |
| wyten | pl. pres. of Wit. |