| Words | Parts of Speech | Meaning/Definition/Similar Words |
|---|---|---|
| wadding | present participle & vb. noun | of Wad, A wad, or the materials for wads; any pliable substance of which wads may be made., Any soft stuff of loose texture, used for stuffing or padding garments; esp., sheets of carded cotton prepared for the purpose. |
| waddled | imp. & past participle | of Waddle |
| waddler | noun | One who, or that which, waddles. |
| wafered | imp. & past participle | of Wafer |
| waferer | noun | A dealer in the cakes called wafers; a confectioner. |
| wafting | present participle & vb. noun | of Waft |
| waftage | noun | Conveyance on a buoyant medium, as air or water. |
| wafture | noun | The act of waving; a wavelike motion; a waft. |
| wagging | present participle & vb. noun | of Wag |
| wagered | imp. & past participle | of Wager |
| wagerer | noun | One who wagers, or lays a bet. |
| waggery | noun | The manner or action of a wag; mischievous merriment; sportive trick or gayety; good-humored sarcasm; pleasantry; jocularity; as, the waggery of a schoolboy. |
| waggish | adjective | Like a wag; mischievous in sport; roguish in merriment or good humor; frolicsome., Done, made, or laid in waggery or for sport; sportive; humorous; as, a waggish trick. |
| waggled | imp. & past participle | of Waggle |
| wagoned | imp. & past participle | of Wagon |
| wagoner | noun | One who conducts a wagon; one whose business it is to drive a wagon., The constellation Charles’s Wain, or Ursa Major. See Ursa major, under Ursa. |
| wagonry | noun | Conveyance by means of a wagon or wagons. |
| wagtail | noun | Any one of many species of Old World singing birds belonging to Motacilla and several allied genera of the family Motacillidae. They have the habit of constantly jerking their long tails up and down, whence the name. |
| wahabee | noun | A follower of Abdel Wahab (b. 1691; d. 1787), a reformer of Mohammedanism. His doctrines prevail particularly among the Bedouins, and the sect, though checked in its influence, extends to most parts of Arabia, and also into India. |
| wailing | present participle & vb. noun | of Wail |
| wailful | adjective | Sorrowful; mournful. |
| waiment | verb & noun | See Wayment. |
| wainage | noun | A finding of carriages, carts, etc., for the transportation of goods, produce, etc., See Gainage, a. |
| waister | noun | A seaman, usually a green hand or a broken-down man, stationed in the waist of a vessel of war. |
| waiting | present participle & vb. noun | of Wait, a. & n. from Wait, v. |
| waiving | present participle & vb. noun | of Waive |
| waivure | noun | See Waiver. |
| waiwode | noun | See Waywode. |
| wakeful | adjective | Not sleeping; indisposed to sleep; watchful; vigilant. |
| wakened | imp. & present participle | of Waken |
| wakener | noun | One who wakens. |
| walaway | interj. | See Welaway. |
| walking | present participle & vb. noun | of Walk, a. & n. from Walk, v. |
| walling | present participle & vb. noun | of Wall, The act of making a wall or walls., Walls, in general; material for walls. |
| wallaba | noun | A leguminous tree (Eperua falcata) of Demerara, with pinnate leaves and clusters of red flowers. The reddish brown wood is used for palings and shingles. |
| wallaby | noun | Any one of numerous species of kangaroos belonging to the genus Halmaturus, native of Australia and Tasmania, especially the smaller species, as the brush kangaroo (H. Bennettii) and the pademelon (H. thetidis). The wallabies chiefly inhabit the wooded district and bushy plains. |
| waltron | noun | A walrus. |
| waltzed | imp. & past participle | of Waltz |
| waltzer | noun | A person who waltzes. |
| wanghee | noun | The Chinese name of one or two species of bamboo, or jointed cane, of the genus Phyllostachys. The slender stems are much used for walking sticks. |
| wanhope | noun | Want of hope; despair; also, faint or delusive hope; delusion. [Obs.] Piers Plowman. |
| wanhorn | noun | An East Indian plant (Kaempferia Galanga) of the Ginger family. See Galanga. |
| waniand | noun | The wane of the moon. |
| wanness | noun | The quality or state of being wan; a sallow, dead, pale color; paleness; pallor; as, the wanness of the cheeks after a fever. |
| wannish | adjective | Somewhat wan; of a pale hue. |
| wanting | present participle & vb. noun | of Want, Absent; lacking; missing; also, deficient; destitute; needy; as, one of the twelve is wanting; I shall not be wanting in exertion. |
| wantage | noun | That which is wanting; deficiency. |
| wantwit | noun | One destitute of wit or sense; a blockhead; a fool. |
| wapacut | noun | The American hawk owl. See under Hawk. |
| wapatoo | noun | The edible tuber of a species of arrowhead (Sagittaria variabilis); — so called by the Indians of Oregon. |
| wappato | noun | See Wapatoo. |
| wapping | noun | Yelping. |
| warring | present participle & vb. noun | of War |
| warbled | imp. & past participle | of Warble |
| warbler | noun | One who, or that which, warbles; a singer; a songster; — applied chiefly to birds., Any one of numerous species of small Old World singing birds belonging to the family Sylviidae, many of which are noted songsters. The bluethroat, blackcap, reed warbler (see under Reed), and sedge warbler (see under Sedge) are well-known species., Any one of numerous species of small, often bright colored, American singing birds of the family or subfamily Mniotiltidae, or Sylvicolinae. They are allied to the Old World warblers, but most of them are not particularly musical. |
| warding | present participle & vb. noun | of Ward |
| wardian | adjective | Designating, or pertaining to, a kind of glass inclosure for keeping ferns, mosses, etc., or for transporting growing plants from a distance; as, a Wardian case of plants; — so named from the inventor, Nathaniel B. Ward, an Englishman. |
| wareful | adjective | Wary; watchful; cautious. |
| warence | noun | Madder. |
| warfare | noun | Military service; military life; contest carried on by enemies; hostilities; war., Contest; struggle., To lead a military life; to carry on continual wars. |
| warison | verb t. | Preparation; protection; provision; supply., Reward; requital; guerdon. |
| warlike | adjective | Fit for war; disposed for war; as, a warlike state; a warlike disposition., Belonging or relating to war; military; martial. |
| warling | noun | One often quarreled with; — / word coined, perhaps, to rhyme with darling. |
| warlock | noun | A male witch; a wizard; a sprite; an imp., Of or pertaining to a warlock or warlock; impish. |
| warming | present participle & vb. noun | of Warm, a. & n. from Warm, v. |
| warmful | adjective | Abounding in capacity to warm; giving warmth; as, a warmful garment. |
| warning | present participle & vb. noun | of Warn, Giving previous notice; cautioning; admonishing; as, a warning voice., Previous notice., Caution against danger, or against faults or evil practices which incur danger; admonition; monition. |
| warping | present participle & vb. noun | of Warp, The act or process of one who, or that which, warps., The art or occupation of preparing warp or webs for the weaver. |
| warpage | noun | The act of warping; also, a charge per ton made on shipping in some harbors. |
| warpath | noun | The route taken by a party of Indians going on a warlike expedition. |
| warrant | noun | That which warrants or authorizes; a commission giving authority, or justifying the doing of anything; an act, instrument, or obligation, by which one person authorizes another to do something which he has not otherwise a right to do; an act or instrument investing one with a right or authority, and thus securing him from loss or damage; commission; authority., A writing which authorizes a person to receive money or other thing., A precept issued by a magistrate authorizing an officer to make an arrest, a seizure, or a search, or do other acts incident to the administration of justice., An official certificate of appointment issued to an officer of lower rank than a commissioned officer. See Warrant officer, below., That which vouches or insures for anything; guaranty; security., That which attests or proves; a voucher., Right; legality; allowance., To make secure; to give assurance against harm; to guarantee safety to; to give authority or power to do, or forbear to do, anything by which the person authorized is secured, or saved harmless, from any loss or damage by his action., To support by authority or proof; to justify; to maintain; to sanction; as, reason warrants it., To give a warrant or warranty to; to assure as if by giving a warrant to., To secure to, as a grantee, an estate granted; to assure., To secure to, as a purchaser of goods, the title to the same; to indemnify against loss., To secure to, as a purchaser, the quality or quantity of the goods sold, as represented. See Warranty, n., 2., To assure, as a thing sold, to the purchaser; that is, to engage that the thing is what it appears, or is represented, to be, which implies a covenant to make good any defect or loss incurred by it. |
| warrior | noun | A man engaged or experienced in war, or in the military life; a soldier; a champion. |
| warworn | adjective | Worn with military service; as, a warworn soldier; a warworn coat. |
| washing | present participle & vb. noun | of Wash, The act of one who washes; the act of cleansing with water; ablution., The clothes washed, esp. at one time; a wash. |
| washout | noun | The washing out or away of earth, etc., especially of a portion of the bed of a road or railroad by a fall of rain or a freshet; also, a place, especially in the bed of a road or railroad, where the earth has been washed away. |
| washpot | noun | A pot or vessel in which anything is washed., A pot containing melted tin into which the plates are dipped to be coated. |
| washtub | noun | A tub in which clothes are washed. |
| waspish | adjective | Resembling a wasp in form; having a slender waist, like a wasp., Quick to resent a trifling affront; characterized by snappishness; irritable; irascible; petulant; snappish. |
| wassail | noun | An ancient expression of good wishes on a festive occasion, especially in drinking to some one., An occasion on which such good wishes are expressed in drinking; a drinking bout; a carouse., The liquor used for a wassail; esp., a beverage formerly much used in England at Christmas and other festivals, made of ale (or wine) flavored with spices, sugar, toast, roasted apples, etc.; — called also lamb’s wool., A festive or drinking song or glee., Of or pertaining to wassail, or to a wassail; convivial; as, a wassail bowl., To hold a wassail; to carouse. |
| wastage | noun | Loss by use, decay, evaporation, leakage, or the like; waste. |
| wasting | present participle & vb. noun | of Waste, Causing waste; also, undergoing waste; diminishing; as, a wasting disease; a wasting fortune. |
| wastrel | noun | Any waste thing or substance, Waste land or common land., A profligate., A neglected child; a street Arab., Anything cast away as bad or useless, as imperfect bricks, china, etc. |
| watched | imp. & past participle | of Watch |
| watcher | noun | One who watches; one who sits up or continues; a diligent observer; specifically, one who attends upon the sick during the night. |
| watches | noun pl. | The leaves of Saracenia flava. See Trumpets. |
| watchet | adjective | Pale or light blue. |
| watered | imp. & past participle | of Water |
| waterer | noun | One who, or that which, waters. |
| waterie | noun | The pied wagtail; — so called because it frequents ponds. |
| wattled | imp. & past participle | of Wattle, Furnished with wattles, or pendent fleshy processes at the chin or throat. |
| wavelet | noun | A little wave; a ripple. |
| wavered | imp. & past participle | of Waver |
| waverer | noun | One who wavers; one who is unsettled in doctrine, faith, opinion, or the like. |
| waveson | noun | Goods which, after shipwreck, appear floating on the waves, or sea. |
| waxbill | noun | Any one of numerous species of finchlike birds belonging to Estrelda and allied genera, native of Asia, Africa, and Australia. The bill is large, conical, and usually red in color, resembling sealing wax. Several of the species are often kept as cage birds. |
| waxbird | The waxwing. | |
| waxwing | noun | Any one of several species of small birds of the genus Ampelis, in which some of the secondary quills are usually tipped with small horny ornaments resembling red sealing wax. The Bohemian waxwing (see under Bohemian) and the cedar bird are examples. Called also waxbird. |
| waxwork | noun | Work made of wax; especially, a figure or figures formed or partly of wax, in imitation of real beings., An American climbing shrub (Celastrus scandens). It bears a profusion of yellow berrylike pods, which open in the autumn, and display the scarlet coverings of the seeds. |
| waybill | noun | A list of passengers in a public vehicle, or of the baggage or gods transported by a common carrier on a land route. When the goods are transported by water, the list is called a bill of lading. |
| waybung | noun | An Australian insessorial bird (Corcorax melanorhamphus) noted for the curious actions of the male during the breeding season. It is black with a white patch on each wing. |
| wayfare | verb i. | To journey; to travel; to go to and fro., The act of journeying; travel; passage. |
| waygate | noun | The tailrace of a mill. |
| waylaid | imp. & past participle | of Waylay |
| wayless | adjective | Having no road or path; pathless. |
| waymark | noun | A mark to guide in traveling. |
| wayment | verb i. | To lament; to grieve; to wail., Grief; lamentation; mourning. |
| wayside | noun | The side of the way; the edge or border of a road or path., Of or pertaining to the wayside; as, wayside flowers. |
| wayward | adjective | Taking one’s own way; disobedient; froward; perverse; willful. |
| waywode | noun | Originally, the title of a military commander in various Slavonic countries; afterwards applied to governors of towns or provinces. It was assumed for a time by the rulers of Moldavia and Wallachia, who were afterwards called hospodars, and has also been given to some inferior Turkish officers. |
| wayworn | adjective | Wearied by traveling. |
| weakish | adjective | Somewhat weak; rather weak. |
| wealden | adjective | Of or pertaining to the lowest division of the Cretaceous formation in England and on the Continent, which overlies the Oolitic series., The Wealden group or strata. |
| wealful | adjective | Weleful. |
| wealthy | superl. | Having wealth; having large possessions, or larger than most men, as lands, goods, money, or securities; opulent; affluent; rich., Hence, ample; full; satisfactory; abundant. |
| weaning | present participle & vb. noun | of Wean |
| wearing | present participle & vb. noun | of Wear, The act of one who wears; the manner in which a thing wears; use; conduct; consumption., That which is worn; clothes; garments., Pertaining to, or designed for, wear; as, wearing apparel. |
| wearily | adverb | In a weary manner. |
| wearish | adjective | Weak; withered; shrunk., Insipid; tasteless; unsavory. |
| wearied | imp. & past participle | of Weary |
| weasand | noun | The windpipe; — called also, formerly, wesil. |
| weather | noun | The state of the air or atmosphere with respect to heat or cold, wetness or dryness, calm or storm, clearness or cloudiness, or any other meteorological phenomena; meteorological condition of the atmosphere; as, warm weather; cold weather; wet weather; dry weather, etc., Vicissitude of season; meteorological change; alternation of the state of the air., Storm; tempest., A light rain; a shower., To expose to the air; to air; to season by exposure to air., Hence, to sustain the trying effect of; to bear up against and overcome; to sustain; to endure; to resist; as, to weather the storm., To sail or pass to the windward of; as, to weather a cape; to weather another ship., To place (a hawk) unhooded in the open air., To undergo or endure the action of the atmosphere; to suffer meteorological influences; sometimes, to wear away, or alter, under atmospheric influences; to suffer waste by weather., Being toward the wind, or windward — opposed to lee; as, weather bow, weather braces, weather gauge, weather lifts, weather quarter, weather shrouds, etc. |
| weaving | present participle & vb. noun | of Weave, The act of one who, or that which, weaves; the act or art of forming cloth in a loom by the union or intertexture of threads., An incessant motion of a horse’s head, neck, and body, from side to side, fancied to resemble the motion of a hand weaver in throwing the shuttle. |
| weazand | noun | See Weasand. |
| weazeny | adjective | Somewhat weazen; shriveled. |
| webbing | present participle & vb. noun | of Web, A woven band of cotton or flax, used for reins, girths, bed bottoms, etc. |
| webfeet | plural | of Webfoot |
| webfoot | noun | A foot the toes of which are connected by a membrane., Any web-footed bird. |
| webster | noun | A weaver; originally, a female weaver. |
| webform | noun | Any one of various species of moths whose gregarious larvae eat the leaves of trees, and construct a large web to which they retreat when not feeding. |
| wedding | present participle & vb. noun | of Wed, Nuptial ceremony; nuptial festivities; marriage; nuptials. |
| weddahs | noun pl. | See Veddahs. |
| wedging | present participle & vb. noun | of Wedge |
| wedlock | verb i. | The ceremony, or the state, of marriage; matrimony., A wife; a married woman., To marry; to unite in marriage; to wed. |
| weeding | present participle & vb. noun | of Weed, a. & n. from Weed, v. |
| weedery | noun | Weeds, collectively; also, a place full of weeds or for growing weeds. |
| weekwam | noun | See Wigwam. |
| weeping | present participle & vb. noun | of Weep, The act of one who weeps; lamentation with tears; shedding of tears., Grieving; lamenting; shedding tears., Discharging water, or other liquid, in drops or very slowly; surcharged with water., Having slender, pendent branches; — said of trees; as, weeping willow; a weeping ash., Pertaining to lamentation, or those who weep. |
| weepful | adjective | Full of weeping or lamentation; grieving. |
| weerish | adjective | See Wearish. |
| weevily | adjective | Having weevils; weeviled. |
| weftage | noun | Texture. |
| weigela | noun | Alt. of Weigelia |
| weighed | imp. & past participle | of Weigh |
| weigher | noun | One who weighs; specifically, an officer whose duty it is to weigh commodities. |
| weighty | superl. | Having weight; heavy; ponderous; as, a weighty body., Adapted to turn the balance in the mind, or to convince; important; forcible; serious; momentous., Rigorous; severe; afflictive. |
| welaway | interj. | Alas! |
| welcher | noun | See Welsher. |
| welcome | noun | Received with gladness; admitted willingly to the house, entertainment, or company; as, a welcome visitor., Producing gladness; grateful; as, a welcome present; welcome news., Free to have or enjoy gratuitously; as, you are welcome to the use of my library., Salutation to a newcomer., Kind reception of a guest or newcomer; as, we entered the house and found a ready welcome., To salute with kindness, as a newcomer; to receive and entertain hospitably and cheerfully; as, to welcome a visitor; to welcome a new idea. |
| welding | present participle & vb. noun | of Weld |
| weleful | adjective | Producing prosperity or happiness; blessed. |
| welfare | noun | Well-doing or well-being in any respect; the enjoyment of health and the common blessings of life; exemption from any evil or calamity; prosperity; happiness. |
| welking | present participle & vb. noun | of Welk |
| welling | present participle & vb. noun | of Well |
| welsher | noun | One who cheats at a horse race; one who bets, without a chance of being able to pay; one who receives money to back certain horses and absconds with it. |
| welsome | adjective | Prosperous; well. |
| welting | present participle & vb. noun | of Welt |
| wemless | adjective | Having no wem, or blemish; spotless. |
| wenched | imp. & past participle | of Wench |
| wencher | noun | One who wenches; a lewd man. |
| wending | present participle & vb. noun | of Wend |
| wendish | adjective | Of or pertaining the Wends, or their language. |
| wennish | adjective | Alt. of Wenny |
| weroole | noun | An Australian lorikeet (Ptilosclera versicolor) noted for the variety of its colors; — called also varied lorikeet. |
| western | adjective | Of or pertaining to the west; situated in the west, or in the region nearly in the direction of west; being in that quarter where the sun sets; as, the western shore of France; the western ocean., Moving toward the west; as, a ship makes a western course; coming from the west; as, a western breeze. |
| westing | noun | The distance, reckoned toward the west, between the two meridians passing through the extremities of a course, or portion of a ship’s path; the departure of a course which lies to the west of north. |
| wetting | present participle & vb. noun | of Wet |
| wetbird | noun | The chaffinch, whose cry is thought to foretell rain. |
| wettish | adjective | Somewhat wet; moist; humid. |
| whacked | imp. & past participle | of Whack |
| whacker | noun | One who whacks., Anything very large; specif., a great lie; a whapper. |
| whaling | present participle & vb. noun | of Whala, The hunting of whales., Pertaining to, or employed in, the pursuit of whales; as, a whaling voyage; a whaling vessel. |
| whammel | verb t. | To turn over. |
| whapped | imp. & past participle | of Whop |
| whapper | noun | Alt. of Whopper |
| whopper | noun | Something uncommonly large of the kind; something astonishing; — applied especially to a bold lie., One who, or that which, whops., Same as Whapper. |
| wharves | plural | of Wharf |
| wharfed | imp. & past participle | of Wharf |
| whatnot | noun | A kind of stand, or piece of furniture, having shelves for books, ornaments, etc.; an etagere. |
| wheaten | adjective | Made of wheat; as, wheaten bread. |
| wheedle | verb t. | To entice by soft words; to cajole; to flatter; to coax., To grain, or get away, by flattery., To flatter; to coax; to cajole. |
| wheeled | imp. & past participle | of Wheel, Having wheels; — used chiefly in composition; as, a four-wheeled carriage. |
| wheeler | noun | One who wheels, or turns., A maker of wheels; a wheelwright., A wheel horse. See under Wheel., A steam vessel propelled by a paddle wheel or by paddle wheels; — used chiefly in the terms side-wheeler and stern-wheeler., A worker on sewed muslin., The European goatsucker. |
| wheezed | imp. & past participle | of Wheeze |
| whelked | adjective | Having whelks; whelky; as, whelked horns. |
| whelmed | imp. & past participle | of Whelm |
| whelped | imp. & past participle | of Whelp |
| whennes | adverb | Whence. |
| whereas | adverb | At which place; where., Considering that; it being the case that; since; — used to introduce a preamble which is the basis of declarations, affirmations, commands, requests, or like, that follow., When in fact; while on the contrary; the case being in truth that; although; — implying opposition to something that precedes; or implying recognition of facts, sometimes followed by a different statement, and sometimes by inferences or something consequent. |
| whereat | adverb | At which; upon which; whereupon; — used relatively., At what; — used interrogatively; as, whereat are you offended? |
| whereby | adverb | By which; — used relatively., By what; how; — used interrogatively. |
| wherein | adverb | In which; in which place, thing, time, respect, or the like; — used relatively., In what; — used interrogatively. |
| whereof | adverb | Of which; of whom; formerly, also, with which; — used relatively., Of what; — used interrogatively. |
| whereon | adverb | On which; — used relatively; as, the earth whereon we live., On what; — used interrogatively; as, whereon do we stand? |
| whereso | adverb | Wheresoever. |
| whereto | adverb | To which; — used relatively., To what; to what end; — used interrogatively. |
| wherret | noun | A box on the ear. |
| whetted | imp. & past participle | of Whet |
| whether | pronoun | Which (of two); which one (of two); — used interrogatively and relatively., In case; if; — used to introduce the first or two or more alternative clauses, the other or others being connected by or, or by or whether. When the second of two alternatives is the simple negative of the first it is sometimes only indicated by the particle not or no after the correlative, and sometimes it is omitted entirely as being distinctly implied in the whether of the first. |
| whetile | noun | The green woodpecker, or yaffle. See Yaffle. |
| whetter | noun | One who, or that which, whets, sharpens, or stimulates., A tippler; one who drinks whets. |
| wheyish | adjective | Somewhat like whey; wheyey. |
| whiffed | imp. & past participle | of Whiff |
| whiffet | noun | A little whiff or puff. |
| whiffle | verb i. | To waver, or shake, as if moved by gusts of wind; to shift, turn, or veer about., To change from one opinion or course to another; to use evasions; to prevaricate; to be fickle., To disperse with, or as with, a whiff, or puff; to scatter., To wave or shake quickly; to cause to whiffle., A fife or small flute. |
| whiling | present participle & vb. noun | of While |
| whilere | adverb | A little while ago; recently; just now; erewhile. |
| whimper | verb i. | To cry with a low, whining, broken voice; to whine; to complain; as, a child whimpers., To utter in alow, whining tone., A low, whining, broken cry; a low, whining sound, expressive of complaint or grief. |
| whimple | verb t. | See Wimple., To whiffle; to veer. |
| whimsey | noun | Alt. of Whimsy, To fill with whimseys, or whims; to make fantastic; to craze. |
| whining | present participle & vb. noun | of Whine |
| whinger | noun | A kind of hanger or sword used as a knife at meals and as a weapon. |
| whinner | verb i. | To whinny. |
| whinock | noun | The small pig of a litter. |
| whipped | imp. & past participle | of Whip |
| whipper | noun | One who whips; especially, an officer who inflicts the penalty of legal whipping., One who raises coal or merchandise with a tackle from a chip’s hold., A kind of simple willow. |
| whipsaw | noun | A saw for dividing timber lengthwise, usually set in a frame, and worked by two persons; also, a fret saw. |
| whirred | imp. & past participle | of Whir |
| whirled | imp. & past participle | of Whirl |
| whirler | noun | One who, or that which, whirls. |
| whirtle | noun | A perforated steel die through which wires or tubes are drawn to form them. |
| whisked | imp. & past participle | of Whisk |
| whisker | noun | One who, or that which, whisks, or moves with a quick, sweeping motion., Formerly, the hair of the upper lip; a mustache; — usually in the plural., That part of the beard which grows upon the sides of the face, or upon the chin, or upon both; as, side whiskers; chin whiskers., A hair of the beard., One of the long, projecting hairs growing at the sides of the mouth of a cat, or other animal., Iron rods extending on either side of the bowsprit, to spread, or guy out, the stays, etc. |
| whisket | noun | A basket; esp., a straw provender basket., A small lathe for turning wooden pins. |
| whiskey | noun | Same as Whisky, a liquor., Alt. of Whisky, An intoxicating liquor distilled from grain, potatoes, etc., especially in Scotland, Ireland, and the United States. In the United States, whisky is generally distilled from maize, rye, or wheat, but in Scotland and Ireland it is often made from malted barley. |
| whiskin | noun | A shallow drinking bowl. |
| whisper | verb i. | To speak softly, or under the breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter words without sonant breath; to talk without that vibration in the larynx which gives sonorous, or vocal, sound. See Whisper, n., To make a low, sibilant sound or noise., To speak with suspicion, or timorous caution; to converse in whispers, as in secret plotting., To utter in a low and nonvocal tone; to say under the breath; hence, to mention privately and confidentially, or in a whisper., To address in a whisper, or low voice., To prompt secretly or cautiously; to inform privately., A low, soft, sibilant voice or utterance, which can be heard only by those near at hand; voice or utterance that employs only breath sound without tone, friction against the edges of the vocal cords and arytenoid cartilages taking the place of the vibration of the cords that produces tone; sometimes, in a limited sense, the sound produced by such friction as distinguished from breath sound made by friction against parts of the mouth. See Voice, n., 2, and Guide to Pronunciation, // 5, 153, 154., A cautious or timorous speech., Something communicated in secret or by whispering; a suggestion or insinuation., A low, sibilant sound. |
| whistle | verb i. | To make a kind of musical sound, or series of sounds, by forcing the breath through a small orifice formed by contracting the lips; also, to emit a similar sound, or series of notes, from the mouth or beak, as birds., To make a shrill sound with a wind or steam instrument, somewhat like that made with the lips; to blow a sharp, shrill tone., To sound shrill, or like a pipe; to make a sharp, shrill sound; as, a bullet whistles through the air., To form, utter, or modulate by whistling; as, to whistle a tune or an air., To send, signal, or call by a whistle., A sharp, shrill, more or less musical sound, made by forcing the breath through a small orifice of the lips, or through or instrument which gives a similar sound; the sound used by a sportsman in calling his dogs; the shrill note of a bird; as, the sharp whistle of a boy, or of a boatswain’s pipe; the blackbird’s mellow whistle., The shrill sound made by wind passing among trees or through crevices, or that made by bullet, or the like, passing rapidly through the air; the shrill noise (much used as a signal, etc.) made by steam or gas escaping through a small orifice, or impinging against the edge of a metallic bell or cup., An instrument in which gas or steam forced into a cavity, or against a thin edge, produces a sound more or less like that made by one who whistles through the compressed lips; as, a child’s whistle; a boatswain’s whistle; a steam whistle (see Steam whistle, under Steam)., The mouth and throat; — so called as being the organs of whistling. |
| whistly | adverb | In a whist manner; silently. |
| whiting | present participle & vb. noun | of White, A common European food fish (Melangus vulgaris) of the Codfish family; — called also fittin., A North American fish (Merlucius vulgaris) allied to the preceding; — called also silver hake., Any one of several species of North American marine sciaenoid food fishes belonging to genus Menticirrhus, especially M. Americanus, found from Maryland to Brazil, and M. littoralis, common from Virginia to Texas; — called also silver whiting, and surf whiting., Chalk prepared in an impalpable powder by pulverizing and repeated washing, used as a pigment, as an ingredient in putty, for cleaning silver, etc. |
| whitely | adjective | Like, or coming near to, white. |
| whither | adverb | To what place; — used interrogatively; as, whither goest thou?, To what or which place; — used relatively., To what point, degree, end, conclusion, or design; whereunto; whereto; — used in a sense not physical. |
| whitile | verb | The yaffle. |
| whitish | adjective | Somewhat white; approaching white; white in a moderate degree., Covered with an opaque white powder. |
| whitlow | adjective | An inflammation of the fingers or toes, generally of the last phalanx, terminating usually in suppuration. The inflammation may occupy any seat between the skin and the bone, but is usually applied to a felon or inflammation of the periosteal structures of the bone., An inflammatory disease of the feet. It occurs round the hoof, where an acrid matter is collected. |
| whitson | adjective | See Whitsun. |
| whitsun | adjective | Of, pertaining to, or observed at, Whitsuntide; as, Whitsun week; Whitsun Tuesday; Whitsun pastorals. |
| whittle | noun | A grayish, coarse double blanket worn by countrywomen, in the west of England, over the shoulders, like a cloak or shawl., Same as Whittle shawl, below., A knife; esp., a pocket, sheath, or clasp knife., To pare or cut off the surface of with a small knife; to cut or shape, as a piece of wood held in the hand, with a clasp knife or pocketknife., To edge; to sharpen; to render eager or excited; esp., to excite with liquor; to inebriate., To cut or shape a piece of wood with am small knife; to cut up a piece of wood with a knife. |
| whizzed | imp. & past participle | of Whiz |
| whoever | pronoun | Whatever person; any person who; be or she who; any one who; as, he shall be punished, whoever he may be. |
| whoobub | noun | Hubbub. |
| whooped | imp. & past participle | of Whoop |
| whooper | noun | One who, or that which, whooops. |
| whoring | present participle & vb. noun | of Whore |
| whorish | adjective | Resembling a whore in character or conduct; addicted to unlawful pleasures; incontinent; lewd; unchaste. |
| whorled | adjective | Furnished with whorls; arranged in the form of a whorl or whorls; verticillate; as, whorled leaves. |
| whorler | noun | A potter’s wheel. |
| whortle | noun | The whortleberry, or bilberry. |
| why-not | noun | A violent and peremptory procedure without any assigned reason; a sudden conclusive happening. |
| wicking | noun | the material of which wicks are made; esp., a loosely braided or twisted cord or tape of cotton. |
| widegap | noun | The angler; — called also widegab, and widegut. |
| widened | imp. & past participle | of Widen |
| widgeon | noun | Any one of several species of fresh-water ducks, especially those belonging to the subgenus Mareca, of the genus Anas. The common European widgeon (Anas penelope) and the American widgeon (A. Americana) are the most important species. The latter is called also baldhead, baldpate, baldface, baldcrown, smoking duck, wheat, duck, and whitebelly. |
| widowed | imp. & past participle | of Widow |
| widower | noun | A man who has lost his wife by death, and has not married again. |
| widowly | adjective | Becoming or like a widow. |
| wielded | imp. & past participle | of Wield |
| wielder | noun | One who wields or employs; a manager; a controller. |
| wigging | present participle & vb. noun | of Wig |
| wiggery | noun | A wig or wigs; false hair., Any cover or screen, as red-tapism. |
| wiggler | noun | The young, either larva or pupa, of the mosquito; — called also wiggletail. |
| wightly | adverb | Swiftly; nimbly; quickly. |
| wigless | adjective | Having or wearing no wig. |
| wilding | noun | A wild or uncultivated plant; especially, a wild apple tree or crab apple; also, the fruit of such a plant., Not tame, domesticated, or cultivated; wild. |
| wildish | adjective | Somewhat wild; rather wild. |
| wileful | adjective | Full of wiles; trickish; deceitful. |
| willing | present participle & vb. noun | of Will, Free to do or to grant; having the mind inclined; not opposed in mind; not choosing to refuse; disposed; not averse; desirous; consenting; complying; ready., Received of choice, or without reluctance; submitted to voluntarily; chosen; desired., Spontaneous; self-moved. |
| willful | adjective | Of set purpose; self-determined; voluntary; as, willful murder., Governed by the will without yielding to reason; obstinate; perverse; inflexible; stubborn; refractory; as, a willful man or horse. |
| willier | noun | One who works at a willying machine. |
| willock | noun | The common guillemot., The puffin. |
| willowy | adjective | Abounding with willows., Resembling a willow; pliant; flexible; pendent; drooping; graceful. |
| wilting | imp. & past participle | of Wilt |
| wimbled | imp. & past participle | of Wimble |
| wimbrel | noun | The whimbrel. |
| wimpled | imp. & past participle | of Wimple |
| winning | present participle & vb. noun | of Win, Attracting; adapted to gain favor; charming; as, a winning address., The act of obtaining something, as in a contest or by competition., The money, etc., gained by success in competition or contest, esp, in gambling; — usually in the plural., A new opening., The portion of a coal field out for working. |
| wincing | present participle & vb. noun | of Wince, The act of washing cloth, dipping it in dye, etc., with a wince. |
| winding | present participle & vb. noun | of Wind, of Wind, of Wind, A call by the boatswain’s whistle., Twisting from a direct line or an even surface; circuitous., A turn or turning; a bend; a curve; flexure; meander; as, the windings of a road or stream., A line- or ribbon-shaped material (as wire, string, or bandaging) wound around an object; as, the windings (conducting wires) wound around the armature of an electric motor or generator. |
| windage | noun | The difference between the diameter of the bore of a gun and that of the shot fired from it., The sudden compression of the air caused by a projectile in passing close to another body. |
| windore | noun | A window. |
| windowy | adjective | Having little crossings or openings like the sashes of a window. |
| windrow | noun | A row or line of hay raked together for the purpose of being rolled into cocks or heaps., Sheaves of grain set up in a row, one against another, that the wind may blow between them., The green border of a field, dug up in order to carry the earth on other land to mend it., To arrange in lines or windrows, as hay when newly made. |
| windsor | noun | A town in Berkshire, England. |
| winging | present participle & vb. noun | of Wing |
| winglet | noun | A little wing; a very small wing., A bastard wing, or alula. |
| winking | present participle & vb. noun | of Wink |
| winsing | adjective | Winsome. |
| winsome | adjective | Cheerful; merry; gay; light-hearted., Causing joy or pleasure; gladsome; pleasant. |
| wintery | adjective | Wintry. |
| wirbled | imp. & past participle | of Wirble |
| wishing | present participle & vb. noun | of Wish, a. & n. from Wish, v. t. |
| wishful | adjective | Having desire, or ardent desire; longing., Showing desire; as, wishful eyes., Desirable; exciting wishes. |
| wisping | present participle & vb. noun | of Wisp |
| wistful | adjective | Longing; wishful; desirous., Full of thought; eagerly attentive; meditative; musing; pensive; contemplative. |
| wist(e) | imp. | of Wit |
| witched | imp. & past participle | of Witch |
| witfish | noun | The ladyfish (a). |
| withing | present participle & vb. noun | of Withe |
| withers | preposition | The ridge between the shoulder bones of a horse, at the base of the neck. See Illust. of Horse. |
| without | preposition | On or at the outside of; out of; not within; as, without doors., Out of the limits of; out of reach of; beyond., Not with; otherwise than with; in absence of, separation from, or destitution of; not with use or employment of; independently of; exclusively of; with omission; as, without labor; without damage., Unless; except; — introducing a clause., On or art the outside; not on the inside; not within; outwardly; externally., Outside of the house; out of doors. |
| withsay | verb t. | To contradict; to gainsay; to deny; to renounce. |
| withset | verb t. | To set against; to oppose. |
| withies | plural | of Withy |
| witless | adjective | Destitute of wit or understanding; wanting thought; hence, indiscreet; not under the guidance of judgment. |
| witling | noun | A person who has little wit or understanding; a pretender to wit or smartness. |
| witness | verb i. | Attestation of a fact or an event; testimony., That which furnishes evidence or proof., One who is cognizant; a person who beholds, or otherwise has personal knowledge of, anything; as, an eyewitness; an earwitness., One who testifies in a cause, or gives evidence before a judicial tribunal; as, the witness in court agreed in all essential facts., One who sees the execution of an instrument, and subscribes it for the purpose of confirming its authenticity by his testimony; one who witnesses a will, a deed, a marriage, or the like., To see or know by personal presence; to have direct cognizance of., To give testimony to; to testify to; to attest., To see the execution of, as an instrument, and subscribe it for the purpose of establishing its authenticity; as, to witness a bond or a deed., To bear testimony; to give evidence; to testify. |
| witwall | noun | The golden oriole., The greater spotted woodpecker. |
| witworm | noun | One who, or that which, feeds on or destroys wit. |
| wizened | adjective | Dried; shriveled; withered; shrunken; weazen; as, a wizened old man. |
| wofully | adverb | In a woeful manner; sorrowfully; mournfully; miserably; dolefully. |
| woesome | adjective | Woeful. |
| wolfish | adjective | Like a wolf; having the qualities or form of a wolf; as, a wolfish visage; wolfish designs. |
| wolfkin | noun | A little or young wolf. |
| wolfram | noun | Same as Wolframite. |
| wolvish | adjective | Wolfish. |
| womanly | adjective | Becoming a woman; feminine; as, womanly behavior., In the manner of a woman; with the grace, tenderness, or affection of a woman. |
| wonders | adverb | See Wondrous. |
| wonting | present participle & vb. noun | of Wont |
| wooding | present participle & vb. noun | of Wood |
| woodcut | noun | An engraving on wood; also, a print from it. Same as Wood cut, under Wood. |
| woodmen | plural | of Woodman |
| woodman | noun | A forest officer appointed to take care of the king’s woods; a forester., A sportsman; a hunter., One who cuts down trees; a woodcutter., One who dwells in the woods or forest; a bushman. |
| woofell | noun | The European blackbird. |
| woolded | imp. & past participle | of Woold |
| woolder | noun | A stick used to tighten the rope in woolding., One of the handles of the top, formed by a wooden pin passing through it. See 1st Top, 2. |
| woolert | noun | The barn owl. |
| woolmen | plural | of Woolman |
| woolman | noun | One who deals in wool. |
| woolsey | noun | Linsey-woolsey. |
| woorali | noun | Same as Curare. |
| wording | present participle & vb. noun | of Word, The act or manner of expressing in words; style of expression; phrasing. |
| wordily | adverb | In a wordy manner. |
| wordish | adjective | Respecting words; full of words; wordy. |
| wrought | of Work, imp. & p. p. of Work., Worked; elaborated; not rough or crude. | |
| working | present participle & vb. noun | of Work, a & n. from Work. |
| workbag | noun | A bag for holding implements or materials for work; especially, a reticule, or bag for holding needlework, and the like. |
| workbox | noun | A box for holding instruments or materials for work. |
| workday | noun & adjective | A day on which work is performed, as distinguished from Sunday, festivals, etc., a working day. |
| workful | adjective | Full of work; diligent. |
| workmen | plural | of Workman |
| workman | noun | A man employed in labor, whether in tillage or manufactures; a worker., Hence, especially, a skillful artificer or laborer. |
| worldly | adjective | Relating to the world; human; common; as, worldly maxims; worldly actions., Pertaining to this world or life, in contradistinction from the life to come; secular; temporal; devoted to this life and its enjoyments; bent on gain; as, worldly pleasures, affections, honor, lusts, men., Lay, as opposed to clerical., With relation to this life; in a worldly manner. |
| worming | present participle & vb. noun | of Worm |
| wormian | adjective | Discovered or described by Olanus Wormius, a Danish anatomist. |
| worrier | noun | One who worries. |
| worried | imp. & past participle | of Worry |
| worries | plural | of Worry |
| worship | adjective | Excellence of character; dignity; worth; worthiness., Honor; respect; civil deference., Hence, a title of honor, used in addresses to certain magistrates and others of rank or station., The act of paying divine honors to the Supreme Being; religious reverence and homage; adoration, or acts of reverence, paid to God, or a being viewed as God., Obsequious or submissive respect; extravagant admiration; adoration., An object of worship., To respect; to honor; to treat with civil reverence., To pay divine honors to; to reverence with supreme respect and veneration; to perform religious exercises in honor of; to adore; to venerate., To honor with extravagant love and extreme submission, as a lover; to adore; to idolize., To perform acts of homage or adoration; esp., to perform religious service. |
| worsted | imp. & past participle | of Worst, Well-twisted yarn spun of long-staple wool which has been combed to lay the fibers parallel, used for carpets, cloth, hosiery, gloves, and the like., Fine and soft woolen yarn, untwisted or lightly twisted, used in knitting and embroidery. |
| wottest | 2d pers. sing. pres. of Wit, to know. | |
| wotteth | 3d pers. sing. pres. of Wit, to know. | |
| wounded | imp. & past participle | of Wound |
| wounder | noun | One who, or that which, wounds. |
| wourali | noun | Same as Curare. |
| wou-wou | noun | The agile, or silvery, gibbon; — called also camper. See Gibbon. |
| wow-wow | noun | See Wou-wou. |
| wrangle | verb i. | To argue; to debate; to dispute., To dispute angrily; to quarrel peevishly and noisily; to brawl; to altercate., To involve in a quarrel or dispute; to embroil., An angry dispute; a noisy quarrel; a squabble; an altercation. |
| wrapped | imp. & past participle | of Wrap |
| wrapper | noun | One who, or that which, wraps., That in which anything is wrapped, or inclosed; envelope; covering., Specifically, a loose outer garment; an article of dress intended to be wrapped round the person; as, a morning wrapper; a gentleman’s wrapper. |
| wrastle | verb i. | To wrestle. |
| wrawful | adjective | Ill-tempered. |
| wreaked | imp. & past participle | of Wreak |
| wreaken | p. p. of Wreak. | |
| wreaker | noun | Avenger. |
| wreaths | plural | of Wreath |
| wreathe | noun | To cause to revolve or writhe; to twist about; to turn., To twist; to convolve; to wind one about another; to entwine., To surround with anything twisted or convolved; to encircle; to infold., To twine or twist about; to surround; to encircle., To be intewoven or entwined; to twine together; as, a bower of wreathing trees. |
| wreathy | adjective | Wreathed; twisted; curled; spiral; also, full of wreaths. |
| wrecche | noun | A wretch., Wretched. |
| wrecked | imp. & past participle | of Wreck |
| wrecker | noun | One who causes a wreck, as by false lights, and the like., One who searches fro, or works upon, the wrecks of vessels, etc. Specifically: (a) One who visits a wreck for the purpose of plunder. (b) One who is employed in saving property or lives from a wrecked vessel, or in saving the vessel; as, the wreckers of Key West., A vessel employed by wreckers. |
| wrested | imp. & past participle | of Wrest |
| wrester | noun | One who wrests. |
| wrestle | verb t. | To contend, by grappling with, and striving to trip or throw down, an opponent; as, they wrestled skillfully., Hence, to struggle; to strive earnestly; to contend., To wrestle with; to seek to throw down as in wrestling., A struggle between two persons to see which will throw the other down; a bout at wrestling; a wrestling match; a struggle. |
| wriggle | verb i. | To move the body to and fro with short, writhing motions, like a worm; to squirm; to twist uneasily or quickly about., To move with short, quick contortions; to move by twisting and squirming; like a worm., Wriggling; frisky; pliant; flexible. |
| wringed | of Wring | |
| wringer | noun | One who, or that which, wrings; hence, an extortioner., A machine for pressing water out of anything, particularly from clothes after they have been washed. |
| wrinkle | noun | A winkle., A small ridge, prominence, or furrow formed by the shrinking or contraction of any smooth substance; a corrugation; a crease; a slight fold; as, wrinkle in the skin; a wrinkle in cloth., hence, any roughness; unevenness., A notion or fancy; a whim; as, to have a new wrinkle., To contract into furrows and prominences; to make a wrinkle or wrinkles in; to corrugate; as, wrinkle the skin or the brow., Hence, to make rough or uneven in any way., To shrink into furrows and ridges. |
| wrinkly | adjective | Full of wrinkles; having a tendency to be wrinkled; corrugated; puckered. |
| wrister | noun | A covering for the wrist. |
| written | past participle | of Write, p. p. of Write, v. |
| writing | present participle & vb. noun | of Write, The act or art of forming letters and characters on paper, wood, stone, or other material, for the purpose of recording the ideas which characters and words express, or of communicating them to others by visible signs., Anything written or printed; anything expressed in characters or letters, Any legal instrument, as a deed, a receipt, a bond, an agreement, or the like., Any written composition; a pamphlet; a work; a literary production; a book; as, the writings of Addison., An inscription., Handwriting; chirography. |
| writhed | imp. | of Writhe, of Writhe |
| writhen | of Writhe, Having a twisted distorted from. | |
| writhle | verb t. | To wrinkle. |
| wrizzle | verb t. | To wrinkle. |
| wronged | imp. & past participle | of Wrong |
| wronger | noun | One who wrongs or injures another. |
| wrongly | adverb | In a wrong manner; unjustly; erroneously; wrong; amiss; as, he judges wrongly of my motives. |
| wrybill | noun | See Crookbill. |
| wryneck | noun | A twisted or distorted neck; a deformity in which the neck is drawn to one side by a rigid contraction of one of the muscles of the neck; torticollis., Any one of several species of Old World birds of the genus Jynx, allied to the woodpeckers; especially, the common European species (J. torguilla); — so called from its habit of turning the neck around in different directions. Called also cuckoo’s mate, snakebird, summer bird, tonguebird, and writheneck. |
| wryness | noun | The quality or state of being wry, or distorted. |
| wrythen | past participle | Writhen. |