Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary 1908/Way Whitleather

Way, wā, v.t. (Spens.) to weigh, esteem.

Way, wā, n. passage: road: length of space: distance: direction: manner of life: condition, state: advance in life: general manner of acting: means: manner: will: (naut.) progress or motion through the water, headway.—v.i. (Spens.) to journey.—ns. ' (U.S.), baggage to be laid down at a way-station; ', list of passengers and goods carried by a coach; ', ', a thin stratum or seam separating thicker strata; ', the common plantain.—v.i. ', to travel on foot.—n. ', a traveller or passenger.—adj. ', travelling or passing.—n. ', the Viburnum lantana, a large shrub common in British hedges.—adjs. ', departing; ', exhausted by travelling.—v.t. ', to lie in the way for: to watch or lie in ambush for.—n. '.—adj. ', without a path.—ns. ', a pioneer, path-finder; ', ', guide-post; ', one taken up or set down by the way; ', the side of a way, path, or highway.—adj. growing or lying near the way-side.—ns. ' (rare), a wandering from the right way; ', an intermediate station between principal stations on a railway; ', the Canada thistle; ', local traffic, as distinguished from through or express traffic; ' (U.S.), a train stopping at most of the stations on a line.—adj. ', froward: wilful: irregular.—n. ', a keeper of roads.—adv. '.—n. '.—adj. ', worn-out by travel.—n. ' (see Right).—Way of the Cross, a series of pictorial representations representing the stages of Christ's progress to Calvary: devotions used in connection with these stages; Ways and means, resources: methods of raising money for the carrying on of government.—Be under way, Have way (naut.), to be in progress, as a vessel; By the way, as we go on; By way of, as for the purpose of: in character of; Come one's way, to come in one's direction; Committee of ways and means, the House of Commons in its capacity of raising the supplies; Give way (see Give); Go one's way (see Go); Go the way of all the earth, to die; Have one's way, to carry one's point or wish; In a small way, on a petty scale; In the family way (see Family); In the way, on the way: impeding, obstructing; In the way of, in a good position for effecting something: in respect of; Lead the way, to act as a guide in any movement; Make one's way, to push one's self forward; Make way, to give room: to advance; On the way, in progress; Out of the way, so as not to hinder or obstruct: away from the ordinary course: unusual: (Shak.) lost, hidden; Put one's self out of the way, to give one's self trouble; Take one's way, to set out: to follow one's own inclination or plan; The Way, the Christian Religion (Acts ix. 2, &c.). [A.S. weg; Ger. weg, L. via, Sans. vaha, akin to vehĕre, to carry.]

Waygoose, wā′gōōs, n. a printers' annual dinner or picnic, formerly one given by an apprentice to his fellow-workmen, at which a wase-goose or stubble-goose was the great dish.—Also ', '.

Wayment, wā-ment′, v.t. and v.i. (Spens.) to lament, grieve.—n. (Spens.) lamentation, grief. [O. Fr. waimenter—L. lamentāri, to lament.]

We, wē, pron.pl. of I: I and others. [A.S. wé; cog. with Goth. weis, Ger. wir.]

Weak, wēk, adj. soft: wanting strength and vigour: not able to sustain a great weight: wanting health: easily overcome: feeble of mind: wanting moral or mental force: frail: unsteady: slight or incomplete: having little of the chief ingredient: impressible: inconclusive: (Shak.) inconsiderable: (gram.) of a verb inflected by regular syllabic addition instead of by change of the main vowel: tending downward in price.—adj. ' (Shak.), ill-founded.—v.t. ', to make weak: to reduce in strength or spirit.—v.i. to grow weak or weaker.—n. ', one who or that which weakens.—adjs. ', having weak eyes or sight; ', powerless; ', having a feeble intellect; ' (Shak.), of weak or feeble heart or spirit; ', ill-balanced; ', having weak knees: weak in will.—n. ', a weak or feeble creature.—adv. '.—adj. ', of feeble powers of mind.—ns. '; '.—adjs. ', having feeble eyesight; ', bearing wrong tamely, cowardly.—Weaker sex, women; Weaker vessel (see Vessel).—Weak side, point, that side or point in which a person is most easily influenced or most liable to temptation. [A.S. wác, pliant—wican, to yield; Dut. week, Ice. veikr, Ger. weich.]

Weal, wēl, n. state of being well: a sound or prosperous state: welfare.—adj. ' (Shak.), explained by Schmidt as kept in a state of just proportion by reasons of state.—n. ' (Shak.), a statesman.—The public, general, or common weal, the well-being, interest, and prosperity of the country. [A.S. wela, wealth, bliss; Ger. wohl.]

Weal, wēl, n. a form of wale.

Weald, wēld, n. any open country.—adj. , pertaining to the Weald.—n. a geological formation seen in the Weald—viz. the upper oolitic series of rocks.—The Weald, a district comprising portions of Kent and Sussex, extending from Folkestone Hill near the Straits of Dover to Beachy Head. [From the root of wild; not directly conn. with A.S. weald, a forest, wold.]

Wealth, welth, n. large possessions of any kind: riches.—adv. '.—n. '.—adj. , rich: prosperous: well-fed. [An extension of weal.]

Wean, wēn, v.t. to accustom to nourishment other than the mother's milk: to reconcile to the want of anything: to estrange the affections from any object or habit.—n. (wān) an infant, a child (Scot.).—ns. ' (Spens.), a weanling; ', a severe form of diarrhœa, which supervenes, at times, on weaning.—adj. , newly weaned.—n. a child or animal newly weaned. [A.S. wenian; Ice. venja, Ger. gewöhnen, to accustom, ent-wöhnen, to disuse, to wean.]

Weapon, wep′un, n. any instrument or organ of offence or defence.—adjs. '; ', having no weapons.—n. , a salve supposed to cure a wound by being applied to the weapon that made it. [A.S. wǽpen; Goth. wepna, arms, Ger. waffen and wappen.]

Weapon-schaw=Wapinschaw (q.v.).

Wear, wār, v.t. to carry on the body: to have the appearance of: to consume by use, time, or exposure: to waste by rubbing: to do by degrees: to exhaust, efface: (naut.) to veer.—v.i. to be wasted by use or time: to be spent tediously: to consume slowly: to last under use: (Shak.) to be in fashion, to become accustomed: (naut.) to come round away from the wind: (obs.) to become:—pa.t. wōre; pa.p. wōrn.—n. act of wearing: lessening or injury by use or friction: article worn.—adj. ', fit to be worn.—n. '.—p.adj. ', made or designed for wear: consuming, exhausting.—n. the process of wasting by attrition or time: that which is worn, clothes.—ns. ', dress; , a friction-guard.—Wear and tear, loss by wear or use; Wear away, to impair, consume; Wear off, to rub off by friction: to diminish by decay: to pass away by degrees; Wear out, to impair by use: to render useless by decay: to consume tediously: to harass. [A.S. werian, to wear; Ice. verja, to cover, Goth. wasjan.]

Wear, wēr, n. another spelling of weir.

Wear, wēr, v.t. (obs.) to guard, ward off: to guide. [A.S. werian, to guard, from root of wary.]

Wearish, wēr′ish, adj. (Spens.) withered, shrunk.

Weary, wē′ri, adj. worn-out: having the strength or patience exhausted: tired: causing weariness: (prov.) puny.—v.t. to wear out or make weary: to reduce the strength or patience of: to harass.—v.i. to become weary or impatient: to long for.—adjs. ', tired; ', wearisome.—adv. '.—adj. ', incessant.—adv. '.—n. '.—adj. ', making weary: tedious.—adv. '.—n. .—Weary out, to exhaust. [A.S. wérig, weary.]

Weary, wē′ri, n. (Scot.) a curse, as in 'weary on you.'

Weasand, wē′zand, n. the windpipe: the throat. [A.S. wásend; not to be traced to A.S. hwésan (Ice. hvæsa), to wheeze.]

Weasel, wē′zl, n. a common carnivore belonging to the same genus as the polecat and stoat—the body long and slender—eating rats, frogs, birds, mice, &c.: (Shak.) a lean, hungry fellow.—n. ', the red-headed smew.—adj. ', having a lean sharp face. [A.S. wesle; Ger. wiesel.]

Weather, weth′ėr, n. state of the air as to heat or cold, dryness, wetness, cloudiness, &c.—v.t. to affect by exposing to the air: to sail to the windward of: to gain or pass, as a promontory or cape: to hold out stoutly against difficulties.—v.i. to become discoloured by exposure.—adj. (naut.) toward the wind, windward.—adjs. ', distressed or seasoned by the weather; ', worn or defaced by exposure to the winds.—n. ', the windward side of a ship: a plank in the port of a laid-up vessel placed so as to keep off rain, without preventing air to circulate.—v.t. to fit with such planks.—n. ', thin boards placed overlapping to keep out rain: exterior covering of a wall or roof.—adj. ', delayed by bad weather.—ns. ', ', a toy constructed on the principle of a barometer, consisting of a house with the figures of a man and wife who come out alternately as the weather is respectively bad or good; ', a tarpaulin protecting boats, hammocks, &c.; ', a vane (often in the form of a cock) to show the direction of the wind: anything turning easily and often.—v.t. to act as a weathercock for.—p.adj. ', driven by winds or storms.—adj. ' (archit.), made slightly sloping, so as to throw off water: (geol.) having the surface altered in colour, form, texture, or composition by the action of the elements.—n. ', the eye considered as the means by which one forecasts the weather.—v.t. ' (Shak.), to defend from the weather, to shelter.—ns. ', the position of a ship to the windward of another: advantage of position; ', a glass or instrument that indicates the changes of the weather: a barometer; ' (prov.), a bright aspect of the sky at the horizon; ', a keeping of the helm somewhat a-weather when a vessel shows a tendency to come into the wind while sailing; ' (archit.), a slight inclination given to the top of a cornice or moulding, to prevent water from lodging on it: (geol.) the action of the elements in altering the form, colour, texture, or composition of rocks.—adj. ' (naut.), making little leeway when close-hauled.—n. ', a map indicating meteorological conditions over a large tract of country.—adj. ', farthest to windward.—n. ', a system of abbreviation for meteorological phenomena.—adj. ', proof against rough weather.—ns. ', one who foretells weather: a device for foretelling the weather; ', the lurch of a vessel to windward when in the trough of the sea; ', an institution for superintending and utilising observed meteorological phenomena; ', the windward side; ', a phenomenon indicating change of weather: any prognostic; ', discolouration produced by exposure; ', a station where phenomena of weather are observed; ', a thin piece of some material used to keep out wind and cold; ', a conventional sign indicating some meteorological phenomenon.—adjs. ', wise or skilful in foreseeing the changes or state of the weather; ', worn by exposure to the weather.—Weather anchor, the anchor lying to windward; Weather a point, to gain an advantage or accomplish a purpose against opposition; Weather out (obs.), to hold out against till the end.—Keep one's weather eye open, to be on one's guard, to have one's wits in readiness; Make fair weather (Shak.), to conciliate: to flatter; Stress of weather, violent and especially unfavourable winds, force of tempests. [A.S. weder; Ice. vedhr, Ger. wetter.]

Weave, wēv, v.t. to twine threads together: to unite threads in a loom to form cloth: to work into a fabric: to unite by intermixture: to construct, contrive.—v.i. to practise weaving:—pa.t. wōve, (rarely) weaved; pa.p. —ns. '; ', a family of Passerine birds resembling the finches, so called from their remarkably woven nests; , the act or art of forming a web or cloth by the intersecting of two distinct sets of fibres, threads, or yarns—those passing longitudinally from end to end of the web forming the warp, those crossing and intersecting the warp at right angles forming the weft. [A.S. wefan; Ice. vefa, Ger. weben; cog. with Gr. huppē, a web, huphainein, to weave.]

Weave, wēv, v.t. and v.i. (Spens.) waved, floated.

Weazand, wē′zand, n. Same as Weasand.

Weazen, wē′zn, adj. thin, sharp. [Wizen.]

Web, web, n. that which is woven: anything resembling a web, as a roll of cloth, paper, &c.: a plot, scheme: in birds, the blade of a feather: (anat.) any connective tissue: the fine texture spun by the spider as a snare for flies: a film over the eye: the skin between the toes of water-fowls.—v.t. to envelop, to connect with a web.—adj. Webbed, having the toes united by a web or skin.—n. ', a narrow woven fabric of hemp, used for chairs, &c.: (zool.) the webs of the digits: (print.) tapes conducting webs of paper in a printing machine.—adj. '.—n. ', a film spreading over the eye.—adjs. '; '.—n. ', a foot the toes of which are united with a web or membrane.—adjs. '; '.—Web and pin (Shak.), or Pin and web, cataract on the eye. [A.S. webb; Ice. vefr, Ger. gewebe; from root of weave.]

Webster, web′stėr, n. (obs.) a weaver. [A.S. webbestre, a female weaver—webban, to weave.]

Wecht, weht, n. (Scot.) an instrument for lifting grain. [Perh. conn. with weigh.]

Wed, wed, v.t. to marry: to join in marriage: to unite closely.—v.i. to marry:—pr.p. pa.t. and pa.p.  or wed.—adj. ', married: belonging to marriage: clasped together.—ns. ', marriage: marriage ceremony; ', the bridal bed; ', a highly decorated cake served at a wedding, and also divided among absent friends.—n.pl. ', complimentary cards of a newly married pair, sent to friends.—ns. ', day of marriage; ', marriage portion; ', a bride's dress; ', white rosette worn by men at a wedding; ', garment worn at a wedding; , a plain ring given by the groom to the bride at a wedding.—Penny wedding, a wedding where the guests paid for the entertainment, and sometimes contributed to the outfit; Silver, Golden, Diamond wedding, the celebrations of the 25th, 50th, and 60th anniversaries of a wedding. [A.S. weddian, to engage, to marry (Ger. wetten, to wager)—wed, a pledge; Goth. wadi, Ger. wette, a bet.]

Wed, wed, n. a pledge, security—(Scot.) Wad.—v.t. to wager. [A.S. wed, a pledge.]

Wedge, wej, n. a piece of wood or metal, thick at one end and sloping to a thin edge at the other, used in splitting: anything shaped like a wedge: a mass of metal: at Cambridge, the man lowest on the list of the classical tripos.—v.t. to cleave with a wedge: to force or drive with a wedge: to press closely: to fasten with a wedge: to make into a wedge.—v.i. to force one's way like a wedge.—adjs. Wedged, cuneiform or wedge-shaped; ', having the shape of a wedge; ', having the tail wedge-shaped or cuneate.—adv. ', in the manner of a wedge.—n. ', a method of joining timbers.—Wedge of least resistance, the form in which a substance yields to pressure.—The thin, or small, end of the wedge, the insignificant-looking beginning of a principle or practice which will yet lead to something great and important. [A.S. wecg; Ice. veggr, Ger. weck, a wedge; prob. from the root of weigh.]

Wedgwood ware. See Ware.

Wedlock, wed′lok, n. marriage: matrimony.—Break wedlock, to commit adultery. [A.S. wedlác—wed, -lác, a gift.]

Wednesday, wenz′dā, n. fourth day of the week. [A.S. Wódenes dæg, the day of Woden or Odin, the chief Teutonic deity.]

Wee, wē, n. a short distance, a short time.—adj. tiny. [Scand. form of way; Dan. vei, Ice. vegr; not conn. with Ger. wenig, little.]

Weed, wēd, n. any useless plant of small growth: anything useless or troublesome; a sorry animal, a worthless fellow: (coll.) a cigar.—v.t. to free from weeds: to remove anything hurtful or offensive.—adjs. ', ', overgrown with weeds.—n. '.—n.pl. ' (Scot.), shears for weeding.—ns. ', a place full of weeds; '; ', ', ', ', ' (pl.) garden implements of varying forms for destroying weeds.—adjs. '; , weed-like, consisting of weeds; worthless. [A.S. wéod, an herb.]

Weed, wēd, n. a garment, esp. in pl. a widow's mourning apparel.—adj. , clad in widow's mourning. [A.S. wǽd, clothing; Old High Ger. wāt, cloth; cf. leinwand.]

Weed, wēd, n. (Scot.) a popular name for any sudden illness, cold, or relapse with febrile symptoms in women after confinement or nursing: lymphangitis in the horse.—Also Weid.

Week, wēk, n. the space of seven days, esp. from Sunday to Sunday: the six working days of the week.—n. ', any day of the week except Sunday.—adj. ', coming, happening, or done once a week.—adv. once a week.—n. a publication appearing once a week.—Week about, in alternate periods of seven days.—A prophetic week (B.), seven years; A week of Sundays (coll.), seven weeks: a long time; Feast of Weeks, a Jewish festival lasting seven weeks; Great Week, Holy Week, Passion Week, the week preceding Easter Sunday; This day week, a week from to-day. [A.S. wice; Dut. week, Ger. woche.]

Week, wēk, n. (Spens.). Same as Wick.

Weel, wēl, n. a whirlpool. [A.S. wǽl.]

Weel, wēl, n. (prov.) a trap or snare for fish: (her.) a bearing resembling such.

Weel, wēl, adv. (Scot.) well.

Weem, wēm, n. (Scot.) a subterranean dwelling.

Ween, wēn, v.i. to think or fancy. [A.S. wénan—wén (Ger. wahn), expectation, hope.]

Weep, wēp, v.i. to express grief by shedding tears: to wail or lament: to drip, rain: to be pendent, as a weeping willow.—v.t. to lament: to pour forth:—pa.t. and pa.p. wept.—n. ', one who weeps: a white border round the sleeve of a mourning dress: a crape hat-band: a widow's crape-veil: anything pendent.—adj. ', drooping the branches (as it were through grief).—ns. ', a variety of the common European ash, with drooping branches; ', a variety of the white birch, with drooping branches.—adv. '.—adj. ' (Shak.), ripe or ready for tears.—ns. ', a rock through which water percolates slowly; ', a spring from which water escapes slowly; ', a tree with long pendulous branches; ' (see Willow).—adj. , oozy. [A.S. wépan—wóp, clamour; allied to Goth. wópjan.]

Weet, Weet′ing, Weet′ingly, , obsolete form of wit, &c.

Weet, dialectal form of wet.

Weever, wē′vėr, n. a genus of fishes (Trachinus) of which two species are British, with sharp dorsal and opercular spines capable of inflicting serious wounds.—Also Sting-fish. [Perh. conn. with L. vipera.]

Weevil, wēv′il, n. a popular name for a large number of beetles, with the anterior part of the head prolonged into a beak or proboscis, feeding upon plants: any insect injurious to stored grain.—adjs. ', ', ', ', infested by weevils. [A.S. wifel; Ger. wiebel.]

Weft, weft, n. the threads woven into and crossing the warp—also Woof.—n. , texture. [A.S. weft—wefan, to weave.]

Weft, weft, n. (Spens.) a waif, a castaway.

Wefte, weft, v.pa.t. (Spens.) was wafted, avoided.

Weigh. wā, v.t. to compare by the balance: to find the heaviness of: to be equal to in heaviness: to bear up, to raise, esp. a ship's anchor: to ponder in the mind: to consider worthy of notice.—v.i. to have weight: to be considered of importance: to press heavily: to weigh anchor, get under sail.—adj. ', capable of being weighed.—ns. ', rate paid for the weighing of goods; ' (Scot.), the beam of a balance: (pl.) a pair of scales; ' (same as Way-board); ', a machine for weighing carts with their loads.—p.adj. Weighed (Bacon), experienced.—ns. ', an officer who weighs articles or tests weights; ', a public building for weighing goods, ascertaining the tonnage of boats, &c.; '; ', a cage in which live animals are weighed; ', a machine or apparatus for weighing heavy goods; Weight, the heaviness of a thing when weighed, or the amount which anything weighs: the force with which a body is attracted to the earth, measured by the mass into the acceleration: a mass of metal adjusted to a standard and used for finding weight: anything heavy: a ponderous mass: pressure: importance: power: impressiveness: in mining, subsidence of the roof due to overhead pressure, also called '.—v.t. to make more heavy.—adv. '.—n. '.—adjs. '; .—Weigh down, to depress: (Shak.) to preponderate over; Weigh in, to ascertain one's weight before a contest, as a horse-race; Weight of metal, total weight of iron thrown at one discharge from a ship's guns.—Dead weight (see Dead). [A.S. wegan, to carry; Ger. wiegen; L. vehĕre, to carry.]

Weigh, wā, n. a very common misspelling of way in the phrase 'Under way,' through confusion with the phrase 'To weigh anchor.'

Weir, Wear, wēr, n. a dam across a river: a fence of stakes set in a stream for catching fish. [A.S. wer, an enclosure, allied to werian, to protect; cf. Ger. wehr, a dam, wehren, to ward.]

Weird, wērd, n. fate: that which comes to pass: a spell or charm.—adj. skilled in witchcraft: unearthly, uncanny.—v.t. to destine, doom, adjure.—adv. '.—n. '.—Dree one's weird (see Dree).—The weird Sisters, the Fates. [A.S. wyrd, fate—weorthan, to become; Ger. werden.]

Weism, wē′izm, n. inordinate use of the pronoun we.

Weismannism, vīs′man-izm, n. the doctrine in biology of August Weismann (born 1834)—that acquired characters are not transmitted, function and environment affecting the individual only, not the species, the sole source of evolutionary change being the intermingling of germ-plasma which occurs in fertilisation, and the condition of progress being found in the action of natural selection on the germinal variations which thus arise.

Welaway. Same as Wellaway.

Welcome, wel′kum, adj. received with gladness: admitted willingly: causing gladness: free to enjoy.—n. kindly reception.—v.t. to receive with kindness: to entertain hospitably.—ns. '; ', one who welcomes.—Bid a welcome, to receive with professions of kindness. [Scand., Ice. velkominn—vel, well, kominn, pa.p. of koma, to come.]

Weld, weld, n. a scentless species of mignonette, yielding a yellow dye—(Scot.) Wald. [Cf. Ger. wau.]

Weld, weld, v.t. to join together as iron or steel by hammering, when softened by heat: to join closely.—v.i. to undergo welding.—n. a welded joint.—n. '.—adj. '.—ns. '; '; ', wrought-iron.—adj. ', having no welds.—n. , puddled steel. [Scand., Sw. välla, orig. to well up, and so cog. with A.S. weallan, to boil; Ger. wallen.]

Weld, weld, v.t. (Spens.) to wield.

Welder, wel′dėr, n. a land-tenant holding under the farmer or middleman. [Ir.]

Welfare, wel′fār, n. state of faring or doing well: freedom from any calamity, &c.: enjoyment of health, &c.: prosperity.

Welk, welk, v.i. (obs.) to wither, to shrivel or shrink: to decline.—v.t. to contract, shorten, or impair: to form into wrinkles or ridges. [From a root seen in Old High Ger. welc (Ger. welk), moist.]

Welkin, wel′kin, n. the sky or region of clouds.—adj. (Shak.) sky-blue. [A.S. wolcnu, pl. of wolcen, cloud, air, sky; Ger. wolke, cloud.]

Well, wel, n. a rise of water from the earth: a spring: a pit in the earth whence a supply of water is obtained: an enclosure in a ship's hold round the pumps: the open space in the middle of a staircase: a cavity: an eddy.—v.i. to issue forth, as water from the earth: to spring.—ns. ', ', a fishing-boat having a well; ', sinking wells by drilling through rock; ', a vessel for drawing up water from a well; ', the stone ring built round the mouth of a well; ', an enclosed space on the deck of a ship; ', a pit drawing the water from wet land; ', the festal decoration of wells and springs, as at Tissington in Derbyshire on Ascension-day, &c.; ', the source of a spring; ', the pit or shaft of a well; ', a room built over a well; ', an outpouring; ', a room enclosing a mineral well: a cavity in a boat for collecting leakage and rain-water; ', one who digs wells; ', the act of boring for water; ', a fountain.—The wells, any place where mineral wells are situated. [A.S. wella—weallan, to boil; cf. Ice. vella, to boil.]

Well, wel, adj. good in condition: fortunate: comfortable: in health.—n. (Spens.) good health, fortune.—adv. in a proper manner: rightly: thoroughly: favourably: conveniently: to a considerable extent: conscientiously: so be it (as a sign of assent).—adjs. ', having intimate personal knowledge; ', prudent.—adv. ' (Shak.), very soon.—adj. ', in good trim.—n. '.—adjs. ', properly adjusted; ', becoming in manner.—n. ', state of being well, welfare.—adjs. ', very dear; ', properly becoming; ' (Spens.), showy in appearance; ', born of a good or respectable family: not of mean birth; ', strong of lung; ', educated to polished manners: of good stock; ', in a desirable condition; ', properly led: acting properly; ', favourable.—ns. ', a benefactor; ', a doing of what is right or good.—adjs. ', thoroughly deserved; ', having a good education; ', famous; ', good-looking; ', fat; ', commendable; ', highly probable; ', popular; ', very likely; ', full of varied information; ', of upright intentions or purpose; ', correctly calculated; ', strongly framed; ', fully known: celebrated: notorious; ' (Shak.), in good condition: clever, smart; ', good-looking; ', polite: obedient; ', obvious, decided; ', well-intentioned; ', rightly intended; ', favourably inclined.—adv. ', nearly: almost.—adjs. ', correctly governed; ', acceptable; ' (Spens.), well folded; ', having correct proportions; ', of extensive reading; ', well-ordered; ', highly esteemed; ', symmetrical; ' (Shak.), experienced, skilful; ', properly arranged: fitly put together; ', spoken properly: graceful in speech; ' (mus.), tuned in equal temperament; ' (Spens.), well-educated, well-mannered, of good disposition; ', furnished with much timber; ', opportune: keeping accurate time; ', prosperous; ', accurately rounded or fashioned; ', having good credit.—ns. ', ', one who wills or wishes well.—adjs. ' (Shak.), held in good-will; ', honestly gained; ', worn threadbare: (rare) becomingly worn.—adv.  (prov.), well-nigh.—Well done, a word of praise, bravely! nobly! Well enough, in a moderate but sufficient degree; Well met (see Meet); Well off, in good circumstances; Well said, well done! Well up (coll.), well versed in, well acquainted with (with in).—As well as (see As); Just as well, all the same: so much the better. [A.S. wel; cog. with Goth. vaila, Ger. wohl, from the root of will.]

Welladay, wel′a-dā, Wellaway, interjs. alas! [Corr. from M. E. weylaway—A.S. wá, lá, wá, 'woe, lo! woe.']

Wellingtonia, wel-ing-tō′ni-a, n. the largest of existing trees, a native of California—the same as Sequoia (q.v.).

Wellingtons, wel′ing-tonz, n. a kind of riding-boots covering the knee in front, but cut away behind: a shorter closely-fitting boot, worn under the trousers. [Named after the great Duke of Wellington.]

Welsh, welsh, adj. pertaining to Wales or its inhabitants.—n.pl. the inhabitants of Wales:—sing. their language.—ns. ', a large instrument, furnished with three rows of strings, two tuned in unison and in the diatonic scale, the third in the sharps and flats of the chromatic; ', an old weapon, like the bill; ', a native of Wales; ', the cibol, a perennial plant with a garlic taste;  (see Rabbit). [A.S. welisc, foreign—wealh (pl. wealas), a foreigner, esp. the Celts or Welshmen.]

Welsh, welsh, v.t. and v.i. to run off from a race-course without settling or paying one's bets—also Welch.—ns. ', '. [Perh. in allusion to the alleged bad faith of Welshmen.]

Welt, welt, n. a kind of hem or edging round a shoe: (coll.) a weal.—v.t. to furnish with a welt: to flog severely.—adj. '.—n. '. [W. gwald, a hem.]

Welt, welt, v.i. (prov.) to decay: to become stringy. [Wilt.]

Welter, wel′tėr, v.i. to roll or tumble about, to wallow about, esp. in dirt: to lie in some floating substance.—v.t. to make way in a weltering manner.—n. a tossing about, a state of turmoil.—adj. . [M. E. walten, to roll over—A.S. wealtan, to roll.]

Welter-weight, wel′tėr-wāt, n. an unusually heavy weight, carried mostly in steeple-chases and hurdle-races.—n. ', a race in which such weights are carried.—n.pl. ', the stakes in a welter-race. [Perh. from welter, in allusion to the less free motion; others trace to swelter, from the heating of the heavily weighted horses.]

Welwitschia, wel-wich′i-a, n. a genus of African Gymnosperms belonging to the Gnetaceæ, and containing only one species, its flower consisting of a panicle of brilliant overlapping scarlet scales. [Friedrich Welwitsch (1806-72), an Austrian traveller.]

Wen, wen, n. a sebaceous cyst, most commonly on the scalp, consisting of obstructed sebaceous glands, which enlarge by the internal pressure of their accumulated secretions.—adjs. ', ', wen-like. [A.S. wen, a swelling, a wart; Dut. wen.]

Wench, wensh, n. a maid, damsel: a working-girl, a maid-servant: a lewd woman, a mistress, a whore.—v.i. to frequent the company of whores.—n. , one who indulges in lewdness. [Perh. from the sing. of A.S. winclo, children, prob. wencel, weak, wancol, unstable.]

Wend, wend, v.i. to go: to wind or turn. [A.S. wendan, the causative of windan, to turn round.]

Wend, wend, n. the name given by the Germans to a branch of the Slavs which, as early as the 6th century, occupied the north and east of Germany from the Elbe along the coast of the Baltic to the Vistula, and as far south as Bohemia: one of the Slavic population of Lusatia who still speak the Wendish tongue.—adjs. ', '. [Prob. ultimately cog. with wander.]

Wenlock, wen′lok, adj. (geol.) denoting a group or series of rocks of the Upper Silurian period, consisting of limestone and shale, and largely developed in the neighbourhood of Wenlock in Shropshire.

Went, went, properly pa.t. of wend, but now used as pa.t. of go.—n. (Spens.) a turning: a path.

Wentle-trap, wen′tl-trap, n. a genus of gasteropodous molluscs, having a spiral shell with many deep whorls, crossed by elevated ribs, and the aperture round and narrow. [Ger. wendel-treppe, a winding staircase.]

Wept, wept, pa.t. and pa.p. of weep.

Were, wer, v.i. the pl. of was, used as pa.t. of be. [A.S. wǽre; Ger. war, Ice. vera, to be. Cf. Was.]

Werewolf, Werwolf, wēr′woolf, n. a person supposed to be able by natural gift or magic art to change himself for a time into a wolf.—adjs. ', '.—n. , lycanthropy. [A.S. werwulf—wer, man (Goth. vair, L. vir), wulf, a wolf. The modern Ger. Währwolf is the Mid. High Ger. Werwolf, Latinised as garulphus or gerulphus, whence the O. Fr. garoul, the modern French name being pleonastically loup-garou.]

Weregild, Wergild, wēr′gild, n. a composition by which, by the custom of Anglo-Saxons, Franks, and other Teutonic peoples, homicide and other heinous crimes against the person were expiated. [A.S. wergield, from wer, man, gield—gieldan, to pay.]

Wernerian, wėr-nē′ri-an, adj. pertaining or according to the opinions or system of A. G. Werner, a German mineralogist and geologist (1750-1817), who classified minerals according to their external characters, and advocated that all geological phenomena are due to the action of water.—n. an upholder of this theory.—n. , a variety of scapolite.

Wersh, wersh, adj. (Scot.) tasteless, unsalted. [Wearish.]

Wert, wert, the 2d pers. sing. of were, used as the pa.t. subjunctive of be.

Wertherian, ver-tē′ri-an, adj. pertaining to or resembling the character of Werther in Goethe's romance, 'The Sorrows of Young Werther.'—n. , sentimentality like that of Werther.

Wesand, wē′zand, n. (Spens.). Same as Weasand.

Wesleyan, wes′le-an, adj. pertaining to Wesleyanism.—n. one who adopts Wesleyanism.—n. , the system of doctrine and church polity of the Wesleyan Methodists: Arminian Methodism. [Named from John Wesley (1703-91).]

West, west, n. the quarter where the sun sets: one of the four chief points of the compass: the direction faced when one stands with his back to the high altar of a church: the countries to the west of Europe.—adj. situated towards or coming from the west: opposite the high altar of a church.—adv. towards the west.—v.i. (Spens.) to move towards the west.—adv. ', towards the west.—v.i. ' (obs.), to turn westward.—adjs. ' (Milt.), passing to the west; ', lying or moving towards west: from the west.—adv. towards the west.—adj. ', situated in the west: belonging to the west: moving towards, or coming from, the west.—n. an inhabitant of a western region or country.—ns. ', a person belonging to the west; ', an idiom or other characteristic of western people.—adj. ', furthest to the west.—n. ', space or distance westward: departure westward: time of setting or reaching the west.—adv. ', towards the west.—adj. ', most westerly.—adj. and adv. ', towards the west.—advs. ', ', towards the west.—Western Church, the Latin Church, as distinguished from the Eastern or Greek Church; Western Empire, the western division of the later Roman Empire; Western States, the states of the American Union lying west of the Alleghanies.—Westward ho! to the west! an old cry of London watermen plying westwards. [A.S. west (Fr. ouest, Ice. vestr); prob. conn. with Ice. vist, abode, L. vesper, Gr. hespera.]

Westphalian, west-fā′li-an, adj. pertaining to Westphalia, a duchy, a kingdom, and now a province of Prussia.—n. a native of Westphalia.

Wet, wet, adj. containing water: having water on the surface: rainy: (slang) given to drinking, tipsy: (U.S.) allowing the sale of intoxicating liquors, as opposed to prohibition.—n. water or wetness: moisture: act of wetting, a dram, a debauch.—v.t. to make wet: to soak with water: to sprinkle: (slang) to celebrate by drinking:—pr.p. pa.t. and pa.p. wet, (rarely) —ns. ', the simultaneous application of a cupping-glass and the making an incision on the skin; ', a dock or basin for floating vessels at all states of the tide; '; ', a nurse who suckles a child for its mother.—adj. ', having shoes or feet wet.—n. ', a machine used to damp paper for printing.—adj. , somewhat wet.—Wet bob (slang), a boy at school who goes in for rowing in preference to cricket or football; Wet bulb thermometer (see Psychrometer); Wet goods, liquors; Wet meter, a gas-meter in which the gas to be measured passes through water; Wet plate (phot.), a plate coated with collodion and sensitised with a salt of silver.—A wet blanket, a damper, kill-joy. [A.S. wǽt; Ice. vátr; from root of water.]

Wether, weth′ėr, n. a castrated ram. [A.S. wither; Ger. widder.]

Wey, wā, n. a measure or weight differing with different articles=182 lb. wool, 40 bushels salt or corn, 48 bushels oats, &c. [Weigh.]

Whack, hwak, v.t. to thwack: (slang) to parcel out, share.—v.i. to keep on striking: (slang) to settle accounts.—n. a blow: a stroke, share.—n. ' (slang), something big.—adj. ', very large, astounding. [Thwack.]

Whaisle, Whaizle, hwā′zl, v.i. (Scot.) to wheeze. [A form of wheeze.]

Whale, hwāl, n. the common name of a cetaceous mammal, the largest of sea-animals, including the toothed whales, such as Sperm Whale and Dolphin, and the whalebone whales, such as Right Whale and Rorqual, in which the teeth are only embryonic.—v.i. to take whales.—ns. ', a boat whose maindecks are covered in and rounded, for rough seas; ', a long, narrow boat used in the pursuit of whales; ', a light flexible substance consisting of the baleen plates of the Arctic and allied whales.—adj. made of whalebone.—ns. ', a young whale—also Calf whale; ', one engaged in whale-fishery or the hunting of whales; '; '; ', strong rope used for harpoon-lines in the whale-fishery; ', a genus of Crustacea, parasitic on the skin of Cetaceans; ', ', a person employed in whale-fishing; ', oil obtained from the blubber of a whale; ', ', a ship employed in the whale-fishing; ', whaling.—adj. ', connected with whale-catching.—n. the business of catching whales.—ns. ', a contrivance for killing whales by means of a projectile; ', the captain of a whaler; , a port where whalers are registered.—Whale's bone, ivory.—Bull whale, an adult male whale. [A.S. hwæl (Ice. hvalr, Ger. walfisch); orig. unknown.]

Whale, hwāl, v.t. (slang) to thrash. [Form of wale.]

Whally, hwāl′i, adj. wall-eyed.—n. Whall, wall-eye.

Whang, hwang, n. a leathern thong. [Form of thwang, thong.]

Whang, hwang, v.t. to flog: (Scot.) to cut in great slices.—n. a blow, bang: a large slice. [Prob. a variant of whack.]

Whangam, hwang′gam, n. a feigned name of some animal, invented by Goldsmith.

Wharf, hworf, n. a bank of timber or stone on the shore of a harbour or river for lading and unlading vessels: (Shak.) the bank of a river:—pl. Wharfs, Wharves.—v.t. to secure by a wharf: to place on a wharf.—ns. ', the dues paid for using a wharf: accommodation at a wharf; ', material for making a wharf: wharfs; Wharfinger one who has the care of, or owns, a wharf; , the common brown rat: a fellow who loafs about a wharf in the hope of picking up a chance job. [A.S. hwerf, a dam; prob. conn. with hweorfan (Ice. hverfa), to turn.]

What, hwot, ''interrog. pron. applied both to persons and things—also used elliptically and as an interjection: (Shak.) used to express a summons, or as a mere expletive.—interrog. adj. of what sort, how much, how great—also used in an intensive manner.—rel. pron. that which, such ... as: (Shak.) any, who, which.—indef. pron. something: (Spens.) a portion, bit.—adv. (obs.'') why? to what degree?—conj. so much as: that, as in but what, that ... not.—ns. ', the things one is occupied about; ' (', '), a word substituted for the name of a thing (or person) because of forgetfulness, or in contempt.—adjs. ', ' (Scot.), what kind of.—prons. ', ', anything which: (coll.) what?—adj. any or all that, no matter what.—adjs. ' (coll.), of what kind; ' (Scot.), same as Whaten.—pron. ', whatever or whoever.—adj. ', of whatever kind.—pron. whosoever.—adjs. ', ', of whatever kind;  (coll.), whatsoever.—What an if (Shak.), what of; What else, could anything else be the case? What ... for (Shak.), what kind of; What ho! a loud summons; What if, what would happen if? What not, elliptical for 'what may I not say?' implying the presence or existence of many other things; What of, what comes of? what do you think of? What's what, the real or genuine thing; What though, what matters it though, notwithstanding; What time, at the very time when; What with, by reason of. [A.S. hwæt, neut. of hwa, who; Ger. was, L. quid.]

Whatnot, hwot′not, n. a piece of furniture with shelves for books, &c., so called because used to hold anything: anything, no matter what.

Whaup, hwawp, n. (Scot.) a curlew—sometimes Great Whaup as opposed to Little Whaup, the whimbrel.

Wheal, hwēl, n. a wale, weal.—v.t. to cause weals upon. [Prob. conn. with A.S. hwelan, to pine.]

Wheal, hwēl, n. a Cornish name for a mine.

Wheat, hwēt, n. the most valuable of all the cereal grasses, the grain furnishing a white flour for bread—known as bearded, beardless, or bald, according to the presence or the absence of the awns or beard; as white, red, or amber, according to colour; and as spring, summer, autumn, or winter, according to the time of sowing.—ns. ', the chaffinch; ', an ear of wheat; ', a disease in wheat—also Ear-cockle.—adj. ', made of wheat.—ns. ', a field of wheat; ', name of several flies which destroy wheat—e.g. the Hessian fly; ', a dipterous insect which lays its eggs in the flowers of wheat-heads, and whose reddish larvæ devour the kernels; ', the rust which gathers on wheat and oats; , one of several small moths whose larvæ devour stored wheat.—Wheat-ear stitch, a fancy stitch in embroidery. [A.S. hwǽte—hwit, white; Ger. weizen; allied to white, and named from its colour.]

Wheat-ear, hwēt′-ēr, n. a bird of the genus Chat, a common summer visitant of Britain, abounding on downs and fallow fields. [Corr. from White-arse.]

Wheedle, hwēd′l, v.t. to entice by soft words: to flatter.—n. a coaxing person.—n. '.—adj. ', coaxing.—n. . [Perh. from Ger. wedeln, to wag the tail, as a dog—wedel, a fan, brush—Old High Ger. wehan, to blow.]

Wheel, hwēl, n. a circular frame turning on an axle: an old instrument of torture: a steering-wheel: (fig.) the course of events, from the wheel, one of the attributes of Fortune, the emblem of mutability: (coll.) a bicycle or tricycle: circular motion: principle of life or motion: (Shak.) a refrain: (pl.) chariot: (slang) a dollar.—v.t. to cause to whirl: to convey on wheels: to turn.—v.i. to turn round or on an axis: to roll forward: to change direction: to move in a circle: to change about: (coll.) to ride a bicycle or tricycle.—ns. ', ', a rotifer; ', a barrow supported on one wheel and two handles, and driven forward by one man; ', a boat having wheels, for use on water or on inclined planes; ', any kind of carriage moved on wheels; ', a chair moving on wheels.—adj. ', cut, or ground and polished, on a wheel—of glass.—n. ', a machine for cutting the teeth on watch and clock wheels.—p.adj. Wheeled, having wheels.—ns. ', one who wheels: the horse nearest the wheels of a carriage: a maker of wheels; ', one of the horses next the wheels in a team; ', a box or small house erected over the steering-wheel in ships: a paddle-box; ', the act of moving or conveying on wheels: a turning or circular movement of troops; ', a lock for firing a gun by means of a small steel wheel; ', a steersman: a cyclist; ', a plough the depth of whose furrow is regulated by a wheel; ', the part of a race in which the water-wheel is fixed; ', a tax on carriages; ', a circular window with radiating tracery; ', a combination of wheels and their connection in machinery; ', a wright who makes wheels and wheel-carriages.—adj. , like a wheel.—Wheel and axle, one of the mechanical powers, in its primitive form a cylindrical axle, on which a wheel, concentric with the axle, is firmly fastened, the power being applied to the wheel, and the weight attached to the axis; Wheel of life (see Zoetrope); Wheels within wheels, a complication of circumstances.—Break a butterfly (fly, &c.) upon the wheel, to inflict a punishment out of all proportion to the offence: to employ great exertions for insignificant ends. [A.S. hwéol; Ice. hjól.]

Wheen, hwēn, n. (Scot.) a small quantity: a quantity. [A.S. hwǽne—hwón, adv., a little.]

Wheeze, hwēz, v.i. to breathe with a hissing sound: to breathe audibly or with difficulty.—n. Wheeze—also '.—adv. '.—v.i. ', to make wheezy sounds.—adj. '. [A.S. hwésan; Ice. hvæsa, to wheeze, to hiss.]

Whelk, hwelk, n. a popular name for a number of marine Gasteropods, especially applied to species of Buccinum common on the coasts of northern seas.—adjs. Whelked, ridged like a whelk; , knobby, rounded. [Wrong form of welk—A.S. wiloc, weoluc, prob. from wealcan, to roll.]

Whelk, hwelk, n. (Shak.) the mark of a stripe on the body, a wrinkle, an inequality or protuberance. [Weal, wheal.]

Whelm, hwelm, v.t. to cover completely: to plunge deep: to overburden: to ruin, destroy.—v.i. to pass over in such a way as to submerge. [M. E. whelmen, whelven, to overturn (Ice. hválfa, Ger. wölben); allied to A.S. hwealf, arched; cf. Gr. kolpos, a gulf.]

Whelp, hwelp, n. the young of the dog kind and of lions, &c.: a puppy: a cub: a young man (in contempt).—v.i. and v.t. to bring forth young. [A.S. hwelp; Ice. hvelpr.]

Whemmle, hwem′l, Whummle, hwum′l, n. an overthrow: (Scot.) confusion.—v.t. to whelm, overthrow. [Freq. form of whelm.]

When, hwen, adv. and conj. at what time? at which time: at or after the time that: while.—interj. (Shak.) an exclamation of impatience, like what!—conj. ' (Shak.), when: whereas.—adv. and conj. Whence (also From whence), from what place: from which things: wherefore.—adv. ' (Spens.), whence.—conjs. ', from what place, cause, or source soever; ', ', at every time when; ', at what time soever: whenever. [A.S. hwænne, hwonne (Ger. wann, wenn); orig. accus. of interrog. pron. hwá, who.]

Where, hwār, adv. and conj. at which place, at what place? to what place, to which place? (Shak.) whence, whereas: wherever.—n. (Shak.) situation, place.—adv. and conj. ', about which, about where: near what?—also '.—n. ', one's present place.—conjs. ' (Shak.), against which; ', as or on account of which: since: when in fact: where.—advs. and conjs. ', at which: at what? ', by which; ', for which reason: for what reason? why?—n. the cause.—advs. and conjs. ', whence; ', in which respect: in what? , in whatever place or respect; Whereinto  into what? into which.—n. ', state of having place or position.—advs. and conjs. ', of which: of what? , on which: on what? ', out of which; ', ', ', in what place soever: (Shak.) whencesoever; ', through which; ', to which: to what? ', under which; ' (Shak.), whereunto; ', ', whereto: for what purpose? ', upon or in consequence of which; ', ', at whatever place; ', , with which? with what.—Where away? (naut.), a query uttered by the officer of the deck as to the direction of an object sighted by the lookout.—The wherewith, wherewithal, means. [A.S. hwǽr, hwár; from stem of who. Cf. There.]

Wherry, hwer′i, n. a shallow, light boat, sharp at both ends for speed:—pl. '.—n. ', one who rows a wherry. [Ety. dub.; perh. conn. with Ice. hverfr, crank—hverfa, to turn.]

Wherry, hwer′i, n. a liquor made from the pulp of crab-apples.

Whet, hwet, v.t. to sharpen by rubbing: to make keen: to excite: (obs.) to preen:—pr.p. pa.t. and pa.p. —n. act of sharpening: something that sharpens the appetite.—ns. ', a stone for sharpening edged instruments: a stimulant; '.—Whet on, or forward (Shak.), to urge on. [A.S. hwettan—hwæt, sharp; Ger. wetzen.]

Whether, hweth′ėr, interrog. and ''rel. pron. signifying which of two.—conj. which of two alternatives.—interrog. adv. introducing the first of two questions, the second being introduced by or—also conj.—Whether or no (coll.''), in any case, surely. [A.S. hwæther, from hwá, who, with the old comp. suffix -ther; cog. with Goth. hwathar, Ger. weder; also with L. uter, Gr. koteros, Sans. katara. Cf. Other and Alter.]

Whethering, hweth′ėr-ing, n. (prov.) the retention of the afterbirth in cows.

Whew, Wheugh, hwū, interj. expressing wonder or dismay.—n. a whistling sound noting astonishment.—v.i. to utter such a sound.

Whew, hwū, v.i. (prov.) to bustle about.

Whey, hwā, n. the watery part of milk, separated from the curd, esp. in making cheese.—adjs. ', ', of whey: like whey.—n. ', a pale or white face, caused by fright.—adj. '.—ns. '; '. [A.S, hwǽg; Low Ger. wey.]

Which, hwich, ''interrog. pron. what one of a number?—also used adjectively.—rel. pron. (obs.) who, whom: now used of things only.—prons. ', ', every one which: whether one or other.—(obs.) Which...he, who; Which...his, whose—surviving in the vulgar use of which'' as a mere introductory word; Which is which? which is the one, which is the other? a common phrase denoting inability to decide between two or more things.—The which (obs.), which. [A.S. hwilc, hwelc, from hwí, instrumental case of hwá, who, and líc, like; Goth. hwei-leiks, Ger. welch, welcher; L. qualis. Cf. Such and Each.]

Whid, hwid, n. (Scot.) a rapid movement.—v.i. to move quickly, to whisk.—v.i. , to whiz. [Prob. conn. with W. chwid, a jerk; or perh. A.S. hwitha, a breeze.]

Whid, hwid, n. (Scot.) a lie: (obs.) a word: (prov.) a quarrel.—v.i. to lie.—Cut boon whids, to speak good words. [Perh. A.S. cwide, a word—cwethan, to say.]

Whidah-bird. See Whydah.

Whiff, hwif, n. a sudden puff of air or smoke from the mouth: a slight blast: a light kind of outrigger boat: (prov.) a glimpse.—v.t. to throw out in whiffs: to puff.—v.i. to go out or off in a whiff.—ns. '; ', a whipper-snapper.—v.i. ', to veer about, blow in gusts: to be fickle: to prevaricate: to talk idly.—n. a fickle, light-headed person.—ns. ', a fickle person: a herald, usher, piper, leading the way in a procession; , levity; Whift, a breath, snatch. [W. chwiff, a puff; imit.]

Whiff, hwif, v.i. to fish with a hand-line.—n. . [Whip.]

Whiffletree, hwif′l-trē, n. a swingletree.—Also . [From whifle, to turn. Cf. Whiff.]

Whig, hwig, n. the name, since 1830 almost superseded by 'Liberal,' of one of the great English political parties: a Scotch Presbyterian, first so called in the middle of the 17th century: (U.S.) one of those who in the colonial period were opposed to British rule: one of the survivors of the old National Republican party, first so called in 1834—it died in 1852.—adj. composed of Whigs—also '.—n. ', government by Whigs.—adv. '.—ns. ', ', ', , Whig principles. [Prob. short for whiggamore.]

Whig, hwig, v.i. (Scot.) to jog along.

Whig, hwig, n. (prov.) sour whey, buttermilk.

Whiggamore, hwig′a-mōr, n. originally a person who came from the west and south-west of Scotland to Leith to buy corn: one of the 7000 Western Covenanters who marched on Edinburgh in 1648, sealing the doom of Charles I.: a Scotch Presbyterian, a Whig. [Traced by some to whiggam, a sound used by the peasantry of the western Lowlands in driving their horses; others derive from whig, sour whey. Not derivable from whig (1) and Gael. mor, great.]

Whigmaleerie, hwig-ma-lē′ri, n. (Scot.) a trinket, knick-knack: a whim. [Orig. uncertain.]

While, hwīl, n. a space of time: trouble spent.—adv. during the time that: at the same time that, as long as.—v.t. to cause to pass without irksomeness (with away).—conjs. While, Whilst, as long as: at the same time that: (Shak.) until; Whiles (B.), while, at the same time that.—adv. (Scot.) at times (orig. gen. of A.S. hwíl).—advs. ', ' (Milt.), formerly, once (orig. dat. pl. of A.S. hwíl, time).—Every once in a while, now and then; The while (Shak.), in the meantime; The whilst (Shak.), while: in the meantime; Worth while, worth the trouble and time taken. [A.S. hwíl; Goth. hweila, Ger. weile.]

Whilk, hwilk, pron. an obsolete form of which.

Whilly, hwil′i, v.t. (Scot.) to cajole.—v.i. , to make wheedling speeches.—n. cajolery.—adv. smooth-tongued, wheedling. [Prob. a mixture of wile and wheedle.]

Whim, hwim, n. a caprice: a fancy: a machine for raising ore, a mine.—v.i. to turn round, to be seized with a whim.—v.t. to cause to turn.—adjs. ', ', full of whims, odd, fantastical.—ns. ', '.—adv. '.—ns. ', ', a whim, freak.—adj. full of whims, changeable.—n. ', a ridiculous notion or thing, a freak, an odd device. [Ice. hvima, to have the eyes wandering.]

Whimbrel, hwim′brel, n. a bird of the family Scolopacidæ, allied to the curlew and like it in form, plumage, and habits, but smaller, and having a shorter bill.—Also . [Prob. imit.]

Whimper, hwim′pėr, v.i. to cry with a low, whining voice.—n. a peevish cry.—ns. ', one who whimpers; ', peevish crying.—adv. .—Be on the whimper, to be peevish and ready to cry. [Scot. whimmer; Ger. wimmern; perh. from the root of whine.]

Whimple, hwim′pl (Spens.). Same as Wimple.

Whin, hwin, n. gorse, furze.—n. ', a bird very similar in appearance, esp. when it assumes its duller autumn plumage, to the Stone-chat, a summer visitant of Britain.—adj. ', abounding in whins. [W. chwyn, weeds.]

Whin, hwin, n. See Whinstone.

Whine, hwīn, v.i. to utter a plaintive, shrill cry: to complain in an unmanly way.—n. a plaintive cry: an affected nasal tone of complaint.—ns. '; '.—adv. . [A.S. hwínan, to whine; Ice. hvína.]

Whinge, hwinj, v.i. (Scot.) to whine. [Whine.]

Whinger, hwing′ėr, n. a dirk.—Also ' and '. [Prob. a corr. of hanger.]

Whinnock, hwin′ok, n. (prov.) the smallest pig in a litter: a milk-pail.

Whinny, hwin′i, v.i, to neigh:—pa.t. and pa.p. —n. a neigh. [Freq. of whine.]

Whinstone, hwin′stōn, n. a popular name in Scotland for any hard and compact kind of stone, as distinguished from sandstone or freestone and rocks of slaty structure.—Also Whin. [Perh. corr. from whernstone, quernstone, stone suitable for querns.]

Whinyard. See Whinger.

Whip, hwip, n. that which whips: a lash with a handle for punishing or driving: a driver, coachman: one who enforces the attendance of a political party: a whipper-in, the person who manages the hounds: a call made on members of parliament to be in their places against important divisions: a simple form of hoisting apparatus, a small tackle consisting of a single rope and block.—v.t. to strike with a lash: to drive or punish with lashes: to lash with sarcasm: (coll.) to beat, outdo: to beat into a froth, as eggs, cream, &c.: to keep together, as a party: to fish with fly: to overlay, as one cord with another, to enwrap, lay regularly on: to sew lightly: to overcast, as a seam: to move quickly, snatch (with up, away, out).—v.i. to move nimbly: to make a cast in fishing with fly:—pr.p. pa.t. and pa.p. whipped, whipt.—ns. ', a hoisting apparatus—same as whip above; ', a tailor; ', cord for making whips.—adj. ', tough like whipcord.—v.t. ', to graft by fitting a tongue cut on the scion to a slit cut slopingly in the stock.—ns. ', the hand that holds the whip: advantage over; ', the handle or stock of a whip: an advantage; ', a poor whining seaman who never was at sea; ', the lash of a whip; ', one who whips: an officer who inflicts the penalty of whipping; ', one who keeps the hounds from wandering, and whips them in to the line of chase: one who enforces the discipline of a party; ', a pretentious but insignificant person; ', act of whipping: punishment with the whip or lash: a defeat: a binding of twine, as at the end of a rope: in bookbinding, the sewing of the edges of single leaves in sections by overcasting the thread—also '; ', a boy formerly educated along with a prince and bearing his punishments for him; ' (Shak.), chastisement; ', a post to which offenders are tied to be whipped: the punishment itself; ', a saw usually set in a frame, for dividing timber lengthwise, and commonly worked by two persons.—v.t. to cut with a whip-saw: to have the advantage of a person at every point.—ns. , a name given in North America to various species of the genus Masticophis (esp. M. flagelliformis, the coach-whip snake, four to five feet long, slender, and harmless), as also to species of Philodryas, of Passerita, &c.; ', a socket to hold the butt of a whip; ', the handle of a whip; ' (Shak.), same as Whipper-snapper; ', a kind of half-ploughing—raftering: a hasty composition: a tailor; ', the rod or handle of a whip.—adjs. ', , having a long, slender tail.—Whip and spur, with great haste; Whip the cat, to practise small economies: to work by the day as a dressmaker going from house to house. [M. E. whippen; prob. a form of wippen—Old Dut. wippen, to shake, conn. with Old High Ger. wipph, swinging motion (Ger. weifen, to move), and akin to L. vibrāre, to tremble.]

Whippet, hwip′et, n. (obs.) a kind of dog, a cross between a greyhound and spaniel.

Whippletree. See Whiffletree.

Whip-poor-will, hwip′-pōōr-wil′, n. a species of goat-sucker, a native of North America. [So named from the fancied resemblance of its notes to the words whip poor Will.]

Whippy, hwip′i, adj. (Scot.) active, nimble.—n. a pert young woman.

Whir, hwėr, n. a sound from rapid whirling.—v.i. to whirl round with a noise.—v.t. (Shak.) to hurry away with a whizzing sound:—pr.p. pa.t. and pa.p. whirred.—n. . [Dan. hvirre, to whirl; ult. imit.]

Whirl, hwėrl, n. a turning with rapidity: anything that turns with velocity.—v.i. to revolve rapidly.—v.t. to turn round rapidly: to carry away rapidly, as on wheels.—ns. ', anything that turns round rapidly; ' (obs.), the ancient cestus; ', a whirling blast of wind; ', the knee-cap; '; ', a child's toy which is spun or whirled rapidly round: a merry-go-round: anything that revolves rapidly: the water-beetle (Gyrinus): an ancient instrument of punishment, consisting of a pivoted wooden cage in which the prisoner was spun round; '; ', one of an order of Mohammedan devotees who dance or spin round—the Mevlevis or dancing dervishes, founded in 1273; ', ', a machine exhibiting the effects of centripetal and centrifugal forces: an instrument used by potters; ', a circular current in a river or sea, produced by opposing tides, winds, or currents: an eddy; ', a violent aerial current, with a whirling, rotary, or spiral motion and wild circling rush. [Skeat explains M. E. whirlen as a contraction for an assumed whirf-le, a freq. of Ice. hvirfla, to whirl, freq. of hverfa (pa.t. hvarf), to turn round; Ger. wirbeln, to whirl.]

Whirret, hwir′et, n. (obs.) a blow.—v.t. to give a box on the ear to: to vex.—Also .

Whirry, hwėr′i, v.i. (Scot.) to fly rapidly.

Whish, hwish, v.i. to move with the whizzing sound of rapid motion. [Imit.]

Whish, hwish, interj. hush!—also Whisht.—adj. (obs.) silent.

Whisk, hwisk, v.t. to move with a quick motion: to sweep or stir rapidly.—v.i. to move nimbly and rapidly.—n. a rapid sweeping motion: a small bunch of anything used for a brush: a small instrument for beating or whisking, esp. eggs.—ns. ', he who, or that which, whisks: the hair on the sides of a man's face (esp. in pl.): the bristle on the face of a cat, &c.; ', a whiskered person, in allusion to Don Ferolo Whiskerandos in Sheridan's Critic.—adjs. ', ', ', having whiskers; ', moving briskly; , flighty. [Scand., Ice. visk, a wisp of hay; Sw. viska, to wipe, Ger. wischen; prob. conn. with wash.]

Whisk, hwisk, n. whist. [So called from the rapid action of sweeping the cards off the table after a trick has been won.]

Whisket, hwis′ket, n. (prov.) a basket.

Whisky, Whiskey, hwis′ki, n. a spirit made by the distillation of the fermented extract from malted and unmalted cereals, potatoes, or any starch-yielding material—the best qualities made either from malted barley alone, or from a mixed grist of barley-malt and dried barley and oats.—adjs. ', ', intoxicated.—n. , cirrhosis of the liver, from too much whisky.—Whisky insurrection, an outbreak against the excise regulations which occurred in Western Pennsylvania in 1794; Whisky toddy, toddy having whisky for its chief ingredient. [Gael. uisge beatha—uisge, water, beatha, life; cf. L. vita, Gr. bios, life.]

Whisky, Whiskey, hwis′ki, n. a light gig.

Whisky-jack, hwis′ki-jak, n. the gray or Canada jay.—Also . [Amer. Ind. wiss-ka-tjan.]

Whisper, hwis′pėr, v.i. to speak with a low sound: to speak very softly: to plot secretly.—v.t. to utter in a low voice or under the breath.—n. a low, hissing voice or sound: cautious or timorous speaking: a secret hint: a low rustling sound.—ns. ', one who whispers: (B.) a secret informer; ', whispered talk: insinuation.—adj. like a whisper.—n. ', a gallery or dome so constructed that a whisper or slight sound is carried to an unusual distance.—advs. ', in a whisper or low voice; , in a whisper. [A.S. hwisprian; Ger. wispern, Ice. hvískra; allied to whistle.]

Whist, hwist, adj. hushed: silent.—v.i. to become silent.—v.t. (Spens.) to hush or silence.—interj. hush! silence! be still! [Akin to hist!]

Whist, hwist, n. a well-known game at cards, played with the whole pack, by two against two.—ns. ', play in the game of whist; '.—Dummy whist (see Dummy); Five point Whist, whist played without counting honours; Long whist, a game of ten points with honours counting; Short whist, the game of five points, without honours. [Orig. whisk. Cf. Whisk.]

Whistle, hwis′l, v.i. to make a shrill sound by forcing the breath through the lips contracted: to make a like sound with an instrument: to sound shrill: to inform by whistling, to become informer.—v.t. to form or utter by whistling: to call by a whistle.—n. the sound made in whistling: a small wind instrument: an instrument sounded by escaping steam, used for signalling on railway-engines, steamships, &c.—adj. ' (obs.), too drunk to whistle.—ns. ', a rockling; ', one who, or that which, whistles: a kind of marmot: a broken-winded horse; '.—adv. '.—n. ' (slang), a shebeen, the keeper being called a whistler.—Whistle down the wind, to talk to no purpose; Whistle for, to summon by whistling; Whistle for a wind, a superstitious practice of old sailors during a calm; Whistle off, to send off by a whistle: (Shak.) turn loose.—Go whistle (Shak.), to go to the deuce; Pay for one's whistle, to pay highly for one's caprice; Pigs and whistles, an exclamation equivalent to 'The deuce!' or the like—also in phrase, 'To make pigs and whistles of anything'=to make a sad mess of it; Wet one's whistle (coll.), to take a drink of liquor; Worth the whistle, worth the trouble of calling for. [A.S. hwistlian; Sw. hvissla; cf. Whisper.]

Whit, hwit, n. the smallest particle imaginable: a bit. [By-form of wight, a creature.]

White, hwīt, adj. of the colour of pure snow: pale, pallid: colourless: pure: unblemished: purified from sin: bright: burnished without ornament: transparent and colourless, as of wine: pertaining to the Carmelite monks: gracious, favourable: (U.S.) reliable, honest.—n. the colour of snow: anything white, as a white man, the mark at which an arrow is shot, the albuminous part of an egg.—v.t. to make white.—ns. ', a cheap alloy used to imitate silver; ', a termite.—adj. ', having the back white or marked with white.—ns. ', the name by which the fry of the herring and sprat are known in the market, and when served for the table, esp. in London; ', a silvery serranoid fish of the American Great Lake region.—adj. ', having a white beak.—ns. ', the polar bear; ', an old man.-adjs. '; '; '.—ns. ', a member of an association of Irish peasants first formed in County Tipperary about 1761—wearing white shirts—long noted for agrarian outrages; ', the principles of the Whiteboys; ', an alloy of copper and zinc.—adj. '.—n.pl. ' (U.S.), the name given to a self-constituted committee of persons who generally commit outrageous acts under the guise of serving the community.—ns. ', a light two-wheeled spring-cart much used by London butchers, grocers, &c.; ', a light-coloured alloy of copper.—adjs. ', ', having the crest or crown white—of birds.—n.pl. ', grain, as barley, rye, wheat.—ns. ', carbonic oxide, a poisonous but not inflammable gas found in coal-mines in the after-damp; ' (see Elephant).—adjs. ', having a face pale with fear or from illness: with white front, forehead—also '; ', wearing white favours.—ns. ' (see Feather); ', a general name for such fish as the whiting, haddock, menhaden, &c.: the largest of all the Coregoni or American lake whitefish; ', one of the Carmelite order of friars, so called from their white dress.—adj. ', having white hands unstained with guilt.—ns. ' (Scot.), an oatmeal and suet pudding; ', the blue-winged snow-goose: a breed of domestic pigeons, a white-tailed monk; ', the degree of heat at which bodies become white; ', a fresh or uncured herring; ', the clammy azalea; ', the name applied to a figure of a horse on a hillside, formed by removing the turf so as to show the underlying chalk—the most famous in Berkshire, at Uffington, traditionally supposed to commemorate Alfred the Great's victory of Ashdown (871)—periodically 'scoured' or cleaned from turf, &c.—adj. '.—ns. ', pig-iron in which the carbon is almost entirely in chemical combination with the iron; ', a spectral figure which appears in many of the castles of Germany, as at Ansbach, Baireuth, Altenburg, &c., by night as well as by day, particularly when the death of any member of the family is imminent; ', land with a stiff clayey soil white when dry; ', a carbonate of lead used in painting white; ' (see Leather); ', an ailment of women after parturition—also Milk-leg; ' (see Lie); ', ordinary sunlight; ', whitewash.—adjs. ', whitewashed; ', having white lists or stripes on a darker ground; ', having a pale look, so called because thought to be caused by a white liver: cowardly: malicious; ' (Shak.), coming near to white, white-faced.—ns. ', food made of milk, butter, eggs, &c.: the flesh of poultry, rabbits, veal, &c.; ', a general name for alloys of light colour.—v.t. ', to make white: to bleach.—v.i. to become or turn white.—ns. '; '; ', a Devonshire dish of sliced rolls, milk, eggs, sugar, &c. baked; ', a white mercurial preparation used externally; ', marcasite; ', the tinner's poll-tax of eightpence to the Duke of Cornwall: rent paid in silver.—adj. '.—ns. Whites (see Leucorrhœa); ', salt dried and calcined; ', a worker in tinned or white iron: a tinsmith; ' (see Squall); ', granulite; ', a disease of the joints, esp. the knee, in which the synovial membrane passes into pulpy degeneration; ', the common hawthorn; ', a bird of the same genus as the Blackcap, having the breast and belly of a brownish-white; ', sulphate of zinc; ', slaked quicklime, reduced to the consistency of milk by means of water, used for colouring walls and as a disinfectant: a wash for the skin: false colouring.—v.t. to cover with whitewash: to give a fair appearance to.—ns. ', one who whitewashes; ', shoal water near the shore, breakers: the foaming water in rapids, &c.; ', bleached beeswax: Chinese wax, or pela; ', any wine of clear transparent colour, as hock, &c.; ', the velvet scoter, scurf-duck: the chaffinch.—adj. '.—ns. ', a name applied to a large number of trees or their timber—the American tulip-tree, white-wood cedar, cheesewood, &c.; ', a small sea-fish allied to the cod, so called from its white colour: ground chalk free from stony matter and other impurities, extensively used as a size-colour, &c.—also ', and Spanish white, Paris white (the finest); ' (Shak.), bleaching-time.—adj. ', somewhat white.—ns. '; ' (Shak.), a bleacher of cloth or clothes.—adjs. ', whitish; ', white with a tinge of brown.—White-headed eagle, the North American bald eagle; White horse, a white-topped wave; White House, a popular name of the official residence of the President of the United States at Washington; White of an egg, the albumen, the pellucid viscous fluid surrounding the yolk; White of the eye, that part of the ball of the eye which surrounds the iris or coloured part.—China white, a very pure variety of whitelead—also Silver white and French white; Pearl white, the basic nitrate of bismuth used as a cosmetic; Zinc white, impure oxide of zinc.—Mark with a white stone (see Stone); Show the white feather (see Feather). [A.S. hwít; Ice. hvitr, Ger. weiss.]

Whither, hwith′ėr, adv. to what place? to which place: to what: whithersoever.—adv. , to whatever place.—No whither, to no place. [A.S. hwider, from the stem of who. Cf. Thither, There.]

Whitleather, hwit′leth-ėr, n. leather dressed with alum, white leather: the paxwax or nuchal ligament of the ox.