Votive, vō′tiv,adj.given by vow: vowed.—adv.Vō′tively.—Votive offering, a tablet, picture, &c. dedicated in fulfilment of a vow. [L.votivus—votum, a vow.]
Vouch, vowch,v.t.to call upon to witness: to maintain by repeated affirmations: to warrant: to attest: to produce vouchers for: (Milt.) to second, support.—v.i.to bear witness: to give testimony.—n.confirmation, attestation.—ns.Vouchee′, the person vouched or summoned in a writ of right;Vouch′er, one who vouches or gives witness: a paper which vouches or confirms the truth of anything, as accounts: a mechanical contrivance used in shops for automatically registering the amount of money drawn;Vouch′ment, a solemn declaration. [O. Fr.voucher,vocher, to call to defend—L.vocāre, to call.]
Vouchsafe, vowch-sāf,v.t.to vouch or warrant safe: to sanction or allow without danger: to condescend to grant.—v.i.to condescend.—n.Vouchsafe′ment.
Voulge, vōōzh,n.a weapon carried by foot-soldiers in the 14th century, having a blade fixed on a long staff. [Fr.]
Voussoir, vōō-swär′,n.one of the wedge-like stones which form part of an arch.—v.t.to form with such. [Fr., through Low L., from L.volutus—volvĕre, to roll.]
Vow, vow,n.a voluntary promise made to God, and, as such, carrying with it the most stringent obligation to its fulfilment: a solemn or formal promise of fidelity or affection: (Shak.) a positive assertion.—v.t.to give by solemn promise: to devote: to threaten, to maintain solemnly.—v.i.to make vows.—n.Vow′-fell′ow(Shak.), one bound by the same vow.—Baptismal vows, the promises made at baptism by the person baptised, or by the sponsors or parents in his name;Monastic vows(seeMonastery);Solemn, as opposed toSimple vows, such vows as the Church takes under her special charge, or is said in a solemn manner to accept, as those of poverty, obedience, and chastity, involving complete and irrevocable surrender. [O. Fr.vou(Fr.vœu)—L.votum—vovēre, to vow.]
Vowel, vow′el,n.a sound or tone produced by the unimpeded passage of the breath, when modified by the glottis intovoice, through the tube of the mouth, which is made to assume different shapes by altering the form and position of the tongue and the lips—the lettersa,e,i,o,uare called vowels, as being able to be sounded by themselves, with a continuous passage of the breath; but there are thirteen simple vowel sounds in English.—adj.vocal: pertaining to a vowel.—vs.t.Vow′el,Vow′elise, to insert vowel signs in words written primarily with consonants only.—ns.Vow′elism, the use of vowels;Vow′elist, one given to vowelism.—adjs.Vow′elled, furnished with vowels;Vow′elless, without vowels;Vow′elly, full of vowels.—Vowel points, marks inserted in consonantal word to indicate vowels. [Fr.voyelle—L.vocalis—vox,vocis, the voice.]
Vox, voks,n.voice: a voice or song part.—Vox angelica, orcælestis, in organ-building, a stop producing a wavy effect;Vox humana, in organ-building, a reed-stop producing tones resembling those of the human voice. [L.]
Voyage, voi′āj,n.passage by water: (Shak.) an enterprise.—v.i.to make a voyage, or to pass by water.—v.t.to traverse, pass over.—adj.Voy′age-able, navigable.—n.Voy′ager, one who voyages.—n.pl.Voyageurs(vwo-ya-zher′),name given in Canada to the men who in their bark canoes kept up communication between the stations, and effected transportation of men and supplies, in the North-west and Hudson's Bay territory. [Fr.,—L.viaticum, travelling-money—L.via, a way.]
Vraisemblance, vrā-song-blongs′,n.verisimilitude. [Fr.,vrai, true,semblance, appearance.]
Vug, vug,n.a Cornish miner's name for a cavity in a rock.—adj.Vug′gy.
Vulcan, vul′kan,n.(Roman myth.) the god of fire.—n.Vulcanā′lia, an ancient Roman, festival in honour ofVulcan, held on 23d August.—adjs.Vulcā′nian, pertaining toVulcan, or to one who works in iron;Vulcan′ic(same asVolcanic).—n.Vulcanic′ity, volcanicity.—adj.Vulcanī′sable.—n.Vulcanisā′-tion.—v.t.Vul′canise, to combine with sulphur by heat, as caoutchouc—v.i.to admit of such treatment.—ns.Vul′canism, volcanism;Vul′canist, a supporter of the Huttonian theory in geology which asserted the igneous origin of such rocks as basalt;Vul′canite, the harder of the two kinds of vulcanised india-rubber or caoutchouc, the softer kind being calledsoft-rubber. [L.Vulcanus.]
Vulgar, vul′gar,adj.pertaining to or used by the common people, native: public: common; national, vernacular: mean or low: rude.—n.the common people: the common language of a country.—ns.Vulgā′rian, a vulgar person: a rich unrefined person;Vulgarisā′tion, a making widely known: a making coarse or common.—v.t.Vul′garise, to make vulgar or rude.—ns.Vul′garism, a vulgar phrase: coarseness;Vulgar′ity,Vul′garness, quality of being vulgar: mean condition of life: rudeness of manners.—adv.Vul′garly.—n.Vul′gate, an ancient Latin version of the Scriptures, so called from its common use in the R.C. Church, prepared by Jerome in the fourth century, and pronounced 'authentic' by the Council of Trent.—Vulgar fraction, a fraction written in the common way.—The vulgar, the common people. [L.vulgaris—vulgus, the people.]
Vulnerable, vul′ne-ra-bl,adj.capable of being wounded: liable to injury.—v.t.Vuln(her.), to wound.—adj.Vulned(her.).—ns.Vulnerabil′ity,Vul′nerableness.—adj.Vul′nerary, pertaining to wounds: useful in healing wounds.—n.anything useful in curing wounds.—adj.Vul′nerose, with many wounds. [L.vulnerabilis—vulnerāre, to wound—vulnus,vulneris, a wound.]
Vulpine, vul′pin,adj.relating to or like the fox: cunning.—adj.Vulpec′ūlar, vulpine.—ns.Vul′picide, the killing of a fox: a fox-killer;Vul′pinism, craftiness. [L.,—vulpes, a fox.]
Vulsella, vul-sel′a,n.a forceps with toothed or clawed blades:—pl.Vulsell′æ(-ē). [L.]
Vulture, vul′tūr,n.a large rapacious bird of prey, feeding largely on carrion: one who or that which resembles a vulture.—adjs.Vul′tūrine,Vul′tūrish,Vul′tūrous, like the vulture: rapacious.—ns.Vul′turism, rapacity;Vul′turn, the Australian brush-turkey. [O. Fr.voutour(Fr.vautour)—L.vultur; perh. fromvellĕre, to pluck, to tear.]
Vulva, vul′va,n.the orifice of the external organs of generation of the female.—adjs.Vul′var,Vul′vate;Vul′viform, oval.—ns.Vulvis′mus, vaginismus;Vulvī′tis, inflammation of the vulva.—adjs.Vulvo-ū′terine, pertaining to the vulva and the uterus;Vulvovag′inal, pertaining to the vulva and the vagina.—n.Vulvovaginī′tis, inflammation of both the vulva and the vagina.
Vum, vum,v.i.(U.S.) a corruption ofvow, in phrase 'I vum.'
Vying, vī′ing,pr.p.ofvie.
W
the twenty-third letter of our alphabet, likeæ, a ligature rather than a letter, with a double value, as consonant and as vowel—when the sound is voiced we havew, as in 'we' or 'wen,' the corresponding unvoiced sound beingwh, as in 'when,' 'what.' A finalwis vocalic, as in 'few.' The A.S.hwhas becomewh;cwhas becomequas inqueen, from A.S.cwén; whilewis occasionally intrusive, as inwhole, from A.S.hál.
Wabble,Wobble, wob′l,v.i.to incline alternately to one side and the other: to rock, to vacillate.—n.a hobbling, unequal motion.—ns.Wabb′ler,Wobb′ler, one who or that which wabbles: a boiled leg of mutton.—adjs.Wabb′ly,Wobb′ly, shaky, given to wabbling.—adj.andn.Wobb′ling, vacillating. [Low Ger.wabbeln, to wabble; cog. with Eng.waver.]
Wabster, wab′stėr,n.(Scot.) a webster, weaver.
Wacke, wak′e,n.German miners' term for a soft, grayish kind of trap-rock.
Wad, wod,n.a mass of loose matter thrust close together for packing, &c., as hay, tow, &c.: a little mass of paper, tow, or the like to keep the charge in a gun.—v.t.to form into a mass: to pad, stuff out: to stuff a wad into:—pr.p.wad′ding;pa.t.andpa.p.wad′ded.—n.Wad′ding, a wad, or the materials for wads: a soft stuff, also sheets of carded cotton for stuffing garments, &c. [Skeat refers to Scand., Sw.vadd, wadding; cf. Ger.watte, wadding,wat, cloth (whence Fr.ouate); ult. allied toweed.]
Wad, wad, a Scotch form ofwed, also ofwould.
Wad,Wadd, wod,n.an earthy ore of manganese.
Waddle, wod′l,v.i.to take short steps and move from side to side in walking.—n.a clumsy, rocking gait.—n.Wadd′ler.—adv.Wadd′lingly, with a waddling gait. [Perh.wade.]
Waddy, wad′i,n.a native Australian wooden war-club, a walking-stick—alsoWadd′ie.—v.t.to strike with a waddy.
Wade, wād,v.i.to walk through any substance that yields to the feet, as water: to pass with difficulty or labour.—n.(coll.) a ford.—n.Wā′der, one who wades: a bird that wades, e.g, the heron: (pl.) high waterproof boots used by fishermen for wading. [A.S.wadan, to move; Ger.waten.]
Wadi,Wady, wod′i,n.the dry bed of a torrent: a river-valley. [Ar.wadī, a ravine (Sp.guad-, first syllable of many river-names).]
Wadmal, wod′mal,n.(Scot.) a thick woollen cloth.—AlsoWad′moll. [Ice.vadhmál—vadhr, cloth,mál, a measure.]
Wadset, wod′set,n.a mortgage—alsoWad′sett.—n.Wad′setter, a mortgagee. [Wad=wed,set.]
Wae, wā,n.(Spens.) woe.—adj.(Scot.) sorrowful.—adjs.Wae′ful,Wae′some, woeful, pitiful.—n.Wae′ness, sadness.—interj.Wae′sucks, alas!
Wafer, wā′fėr,n.a thin round cake of unleavened bread, usually stamped with a cross, an Agnus Dei, the letters I.H.S., &c., used in the Eucharist in the R.C. Church: a thin leaf of coloured paste for sealing letters, &c.: a thin cake of paste used to facilitate the swallowing of powders.—v.t.to close with a wafer.—n.Wā′fer-cake.—adj.Wā′fery, like a wafer. [O. Fr.waufre(Fr.gaufre)—Old Dut.waefel, a cake of wax; Ger.wabe, a honeycomb.]
Waff, waf,adj.(Scot.) weak, worthless, paltry.—n.a worthless person. [Waif.]
Waff, waf,n.(Scot.) a slight hasty motion: a quick light blow: a sudden ailment: a faint but disagreeable odour: a ghost.
Waff, waf,n.an obsolete form ofwave.
Waff, waf,v.i.(prov.) to bark.—AlsoWaugh.
Waffle, wof′l,n.a kind of batter-cake, baked over the fire in an iron utensil of hinged halves called aWaff′le-ī′ron. [Dut.wafel, wafer.]
Waffle, wof′l,v.i.(prov.) to wave. [Waff(3).]
Waft, waft,v.t.to bear through a fluid medium, as air or water: (Shak.) to wave the hand, beckon, to turn.—v.i.to float.—n.a floating body: a signal made by moving something in the air, esp. an ensign, stopped together at the head and middle portions, slightly rolled up lengthwise, and hoisted at different positions at the after-part of a ship: a breath, puff, slight odour.—ns.Waf′tāge, act of wafting, transportation in air or water;Waf′ter, one who or that which wafts;Waf′tūre(Shak.), act of wafting or of waving, waving motion, beckoning. [Wave.]
Wag, wag,v.t.andv.i.to move from side to side: to shake to and fro: (coll.) to depart: (Shak.) to move on, make progress:—pr.p.wag′ging;pa.t.andpa.p.wagged.—n.a shaking, moving to and fro. [Referred by Skeat to Old Sw.wagga, to wag (Ice.vagga, a cradle); allied to A.S.wagian, to wag, Old High Ger.wagōn, to shake, A.S.wegan, to carry, move.]
Wag, wag,n.a droll, mischievous fellow: a man full of sport and humour: a wit: a fellow generally.—n.Wag′gery, mischievous merriment.—adjs.Wag′gish—(rare)Wag′some.—adv.Wag′gishly.—ns.Wag′gishness;Wag′-wit, a would-be wit. [Prob.waghalter, one who deserves hanging.]
Wage, wāj,v.t.to pledge: to engage in as if by pledge: to carry on, esp. of war: to venture: (prov.) to hire for pay: (Shak.) to pay wages to: (Spens.) to let out for pay.—v.i.(Shak.) to be equal in value, to contend, battle (with).—n.a gage or stake: that for which one labours: wages.—ns.Wage′-earn′er, one receiving pay for work done;Wage′-fund,Wā′ges-fundtheory, the theory that there is at any given time in a country a determinate amount of capital available for the payment of labour, therefore the average wage depends on the proportion of this fund to the number of persons who have to share in it;Wā′ger, that which is waged or pledged: something staked on the issue of anything: a bet: that on which bets are laid: (law) an offer to make oath.—v.t.to hazard on the issue of anything.—v.i.to lay a wager.—n.Wā′gerer.—n.pl.Wā′ges(used assing.), wage: that which is paid for services.—n.Wage′-work, work done for wages.—Wager of battle, trial by combat, an ancient usage which permitted the accused and accuser, in defect of sufficient direct evidence, to challenge each other to mortal combat, for issue of the dispute.—Living wage(seeLiving). [O. Fr.wager(Fr.gager), to pledge.]
Waggle, wag′l,v.i.andv.t.to wag or move from side to side. [Freq. ofwag(1).]
Wagmoire, wag′moir,n.(Spens.) a quagmire.
Wagnerian, vag-nē′ri-an,adj.pertaining to or characterised by the ideas or style of RichardWagner(1813-83), a famous German composer of music-dramas: pertaining to RudolfWagner(1805-64), a famous physiologist.—ns.Wag′nerism,Wagne′rianism, the art theory of Richard Wagner, its main object being the freeing of opera from traditional and conventional forms, and its one canon, dramatic fitness;Wag′nerist, an adherent of Wagner's musical methods.
Wagon,Waggon, wag′un,n.a four-wheeled vehicle for carrying heavy goods: (Shak.) a chariot.—v.t.to transport by wagon.—ns.Wag′onage, money, paid for conveyance by wagon;Wag′on-box,-bed, the carrying part of a wagon;Wag′oner,Wag′goner, one who conducts a wagon: (Shak.) a charioteer: (Spens.) the constellation Auriga;Wagonette′, a kind of open carriage built to carry six or eight persons, with one or two seats crosswise in front, and two back seats arranged lengthwise and facing inwards;Wag′onful, as much as a wagon will hold;Wag′on-load, the load carried by a wagon: a great amount;Wag′on-lock, a kind of iron shoe which is placed on the rear-wheel of a wagon to retard motion in going downhill;Wag′on-train, the machines used by an army for the conveyance of ammunition, provisions, sick, &c.;Wag′on-wright, a maker of wagons. [Dut.wagen; A.S.wægn, Eng.,wain.]Wagtail,wag′tāl,n.any bird of the familyMotacillidæ, so named from their constant wagging of the tail—the pipits or titlarks, &c.: (Shak.) a pert person.
Wahabee,Wahabai, wä-hä′bē,n.one of a sect of Puritan Moslems founded in Central Arabia about 1760 by Abd-el-Wahhab(1691-1787), whose aim was to restore primitive Mohammedanism—alsoWahä′bite.—n.Wahä′biism, the doctrine and practices of the Wahabis.
Wahoo, wa-hōō′,n.the burning bush, a richly ornamental shrub: the bear-berry, which yields cascara sagrada: the winged elm, with valuable hard-grained wood.
Waid,Waide. Old spellings ofweighed.
Waif, wāf,n.a stray article: anything found astray without an owner: a worthless wanderer.—adj.vagabond, worthless. [O. Fr.waif,wef—Ice.veif, any flapping or waving thing.]
Waift, wāft,n.(Spens.) a waif.
Wail, wāl,v.i.to lament or sorrow audibly.—v.t.to bemoan: to grieve over.—n.a cry of woe: loud weeping.—n.Wail′er.—adj.Wail′ful, sorrowful, mournful.—n.Wail′ing.—adv.Wail′ingly. [M. E.weilen—Ice.vaela,vála, to wail—væ,vei, woe.]
Wain, wān,n.a wagon.—v.t.(rare) to carry.—ns.Wain′age, the team and implements necessary for the cultivation of land;Wain′-rope, a rope for binding a load on a wain or wagon;Wain′wright, a wagon-maker.—The lesser wain, the constellation Ursa Minor. [A.S.wægen,wæn—wegen, to carry; cf. Ger.wagen, L.vehĕre.]
Wainscot, wān′skot,n.the panelled boards on the walls of apartments: a collector's name for certain noctuoid moths.—v.t.to line with, or as if with, boards or panels.—ns.Wain′scoting,Wain′scotting, the act of lining with boards or panels: materials for making a wainscot. [Orig. perh. wood used for a partition in a wagon—Dut.wagenschot, oakwood, beechwood—wagen, wagon,schot, partition. Skeat explains as a corr. of Old Dut.waegheschot, wall-hoarding, from Old Dut.waeg, a wall,schot, a partition.]
Waist, wāst,n.the smallest part of the human trunk, between the ribs and the hips: the bodice of a woman's dress: the middle part, as of a ship, of a musical instrument—(Shak.) of a period of time; (Shak.) something that surrounds.—ns.Waist′-anchor, an anchor stowed in the waist of a ship;Waist′band, the band or part of a garment which encircles the waist;Waist′belt, a belt for the waist;Waist′boat, a boat carried in the waist of a vessel;Waist′cloth, a piece of cloth worn around the waist, and hanging below it, in India;Waist′coat, a short coat worn immediately under the coat, and fitting the waist tightly;Waistcoateer′(obs.), a strumpet;Waist′coating, material for men's waistcoats, usually of a fancy pattern and containing silk.—adjs.Waist′-deep,-high, as deep, high, as to reach up to the waist.—n.Waist′er, a green-hand on a whaler: an old man-of-war's-man who has not risen. [A.S.wæxt, growth (Ice.vöxtr); conn, withwæstme, growth,weaxen, to grow.]
Wait, wāt,v.i.to stay in expectation (withfor): to remain: to attend (withon): to follow: to lie in ambush.—v.t.to stay for: to await: (coll.) to defer: (obs.) to accompany.—n.ambush, now used only in such phrases as 'to lie in wait,' 'to lay wait:' the: act of waiting or expecting: delay: (pl.) itinerant musicians, originally watchmen, who welcome-in Christmas.—ns.Wait′er, one who waits: an attending servant: a salver or tray: a custom-house officer: (obs.) a watchman;Wait′erage, service;Wait′ering, the employment of a waiter;Wait′ing, act of waiting: attendance.—adv.Wait′ingly.—ns.Wait′ing-maid,-wom′an, a female attendant;Wait′ing-room, a room for the convenience of persons waiting;Wait′ing-vass′al(Shak.), an attendant;Wait′ress, a female waiter.—Wait attendance(Shak.), to remain in attendance;Wait upon,on, to call upon, visit: to accompany, to be in the service of: (B.) to look toward, to attend to, do the bidding of.—Lie in wait, to be in hiding ready for attack or surprise.—Lords, orGrooms,in waiting, certain officers in the Lord Chamberlain's department of the royal household;Minority waiter, a waiter out of employment, as a political minority is out of office. [O. Fr.waiter(Fr.guetter), to watch, attend—waite, a sentinel—Old High Ger.wahta(Ger.wacht), a watchman; cog. with A.S.wacan, to watch.]
Waive, wāv,v.t.to relinquish for the present: to give up claim to: not to insist on a right or claim.—n.Wai′ver, the act of waiving: renouncement of a claim: process by which a woman was outlawed. [O. Fr.guever, to refuse, resign—perh. Ice.veifa, to move to and fro; cf. L.vibrāre.]
Waivode,Waiwode,Waiwodeship. Same asVoivode, &c.
Wake, wāk,v.i.to cease from sleep: to lie awake: (B.) to watch: to be roused up, active, or vigilant: to return to life: (Shak.) to hold a late revel: to keep vigil.—v.t.to rouse from sleep: to keep vigil over: to excite, disturb: to reanimate:—pa.t.andpa.p.waked or woke.—n.act of waking: feast of the dedication of a church, formerly kept by watching all night: sitting up of persons with a corpse.—adj.Wake′ful, being awake: indisposed to sleep: vigilant.—adv.Wake′fully.—n.Wake′fulness.—v.t.andv.i.Wā′ken, to wake or awake: to be awake.—ns.Wake′ner, one who or that which wakens;Wake′ning, act of one who wakens; (Scots law) revival of an action;Wā′ker, one who wakes.—adj.Wake′rife(Scot.), wakeful.—ns.Wake′-time, time during which one is awake;Wā′king.—adj.being awake: rousing from sleep: passed in the waking state. [A.S.wacan, to be born, alsowacian, to waken (cf.weccan, Ger.wecken). Cf.Wait,Watch.]
Wake, wāk,n.the streak of smooth water left in the track of a ship: hence (fig.) 'in the wake of,' in the train of, immediately after. [Ice.vök, a hole in the ice,vökr, moist. The root is seen in L.humēre, to be moist, Gr.hugros, moist.]
Wake-robin, wāk′-rob′in,n.the cuckoo-pint,Arum maculatum: in America, any species of trillium.
Waldenses, wol-den′sēz,n.pl.a famous Christian community of austere morality and devotion to the simplicity of the Gospel, which originally grew out of an anti-sacerdotal movement originated by PeterWaldoof Lyons in the second half of the 12th century—long cruelly persecuted, but still flourishing in the valleys of the Cottian Alps.—adj.andn.Walden′sian.
Waldgrave, wold′grāv,n.an old German title of nobility, originally a head forest-ranger. [Ger.waldgraf.]
Waldhorn, wold′horn,n.a hunting-horn, a French horn without valves. [Ger.]
Wale, wāl,n.a raised streak left by a stripe: a ridge on the surface of cloth: a plank all along the outer timbers on a ship's side.—v.t.to mark with wales.—n.Wā′ler, one who chastises severely. [A.S.walu, the mark of a stripe or blow; Ice.völr, a rod.]
Wale, wāl,n.(Scot.) the choice or pick of anything.—v.t.to choose. [Ice.val, choice; Ger.wahl, choice; from the root ofwill.]
Waler, wā′lėr,n.in India, a horse imported from New SouthWales, or from Australia generally.
Walhalla, wal-hal′la,n.Same asValhalla.
Walk, wawk,v.i.to move along leisurely on foot with alternate steps: to pace: to travel on foot: to conduct one's self: to act or behave: to live: to be guided by: (coll.) to move off, depart: to be stirring, move about, go restlessly about (as of a ghost).—v.t.to pass through or upon: to cause to walk.—n.act or manner of walking: gait: that in or through which one walks: distance walked over: place for walking, promenade: place for animals to exercise: path: high pasture-ground: conduct: course of life, sphere of action, a hawker's district or round: (obs.) a hunting-ground: (pl.) grounds, park (obs.).—adj.Walk′able, fit for walking.—ns.Walk′-around′, a dancing performance by negroes in which a large circle is described, also the music for such;Walk′er, one who walks: (law) a forester: one who trains and walks young hounds: a gressorial bird;Walk′ing, the verbal noun of walk: pedestrianism;Walk′ing-beam, in a vertical engine, a horizontal beam, usually trussed, that transmits power to the crankshaft through the connecting-rod;Walk′ingdress, a dress for the street or for walking;Walk′ing-fan, a large fan used out of doors to protect the face from the sun;Walk′ing-leaf, a leaf-insect;Walk′ing-stick,-cane,-staff, a stick, cane, or staff used in walking;Walk′ing-stick, also a sort of long, slender-bodied bug;Walk′ing-toad, a natterjack;Walk′-ō′ver, a race where one competitor appears, who has to cover the course to be entitled to the prize: an easy victory.—Walk about, a former order of an officer to a sentry, waiving the customary salute;Walk away from, to distance easily;Walk′er!a slang interjection of incredulity (alsoHookey Walker!);Walking gentleman,lady, a gentleman, lady, who plays ornamental but unimportant parts on the stage;Walk into(coll.), to beat: to storm at: to eat heartily of;Walk one's chalks, to quit, go away without ceremony;Walk tall, to behave haughtily;Walk the chalk,chalk-mark, to keep a correct course in manners or morals;Walk the hospitals, to be a student under clinical instruction at a general hospital or infirmary;Walk with, to attend as a sweetheart.—Heel-and-toe walk, a mode of walking in which the heel of one foot is put on the ground before the toe of the other leaves it. [A.S.wealcan, to roll, turn; cog. with Ger.walken, to full cloth.]
Walking, wawk′ing,n.the act or process of fulling cloth.—n.Walk′mill, a fulling-mill.
Walkyr, wol′kir. Same asValkyr.
Wall, wawl,n.an erection of brick, stone, &c. for a fence or security: the side of a building: (fig.) defence, means of security: in mining, one of the surfaces of rock enclosing the lode: (anat.) a paries or containing structure or part of the body: (pl.) fortifications.—v.t.to enclose with, or as with, a wall: to defend with walls: to hinder as by a wall.—n.Wall′-clock, a clock hung on a walk.—adj.Walled, fortified.—ns.Wall′er, one who builds walls;Wall′-flower, a plant with fragrant yellow flowers, found on old walls: a woman at a ball who keeps her seat, presumably for want of a partner—applied sometimes to men;Wall′-fruit, fruit growing on a wall;Wall′ing, walls collectively: materials for walls;Wall′-knot, a nautical method of tying the end of a rope.—adj.Wall′-less.—ns.Wall′-liz′ard,-newt, a gecko;Wall′-moss, the yellow wall-lichen: the stone-crop;Wall′-paint′ing, the decoration of walls with ornamental painted designs;Wall′-pā′per, paper usually coloured and decorated, for pasting on the walls of a room;Wall′-piece, a gun mounted on a wall;Wall′-plate, a horizontal piece of timber on a wall, under the ends of joists, &c.;Wall′-space(archit.), a plain expanse of wall;Wall′-spring, a spring of water running between stratified rocks;Wall′-tow′er, a tower built into and forming part of a line of fortification or a fortified city-wall;Wall′-tree, a tree trained against a wall;Wall′-wort, the European dwarf elder;Hang′ing-wall, that wall of the vein which is over the miner's head while working, the opposite wall being called theFoot′-wall.—Wall a rope, to make a wall-knot on the end of a rope.—Drive to the wall, to push to extremities;Go to the wall, to be hard pressed: to be pushed to extremes;Hang by the wall, to hang up neglected: to remain unused;Push, orThrust,to the wall, to force to give place;The wall, the right of taking the side of the road near the wall when encountering another person, as in the phrase toGive, orTake,the wall. [A.S.weall,wall; Ger.wall, both from L.vallum, a rampart—vallus, a stake.]
Walla,Wallah, wol′a,n.a worker, agent: fellow.—Competition wallah, a term applied in Anglo-Indian colloquial speech to a member of the Civil Service who obtained appointment by the competitive system instituted in 1856. [Yule explainswālāas a Hindi adjectival affix, corresponding in a general way to the Latin-arius. Its usual employment as affix to a substantive makes it frequently denote agent, doer, keeper, owner, &c.]
Wallaba, wol′a-ba,n.a Guiana tree with winged leaves and streaked reddish wood.
Wallaby, wol′ab-i,n.a small kangaroo.—On the wallaby,On the wallaby track, out of employment, a slang Australian phrase derived from the shy habits of the kangaroo.
Wallachian, wäl-ā′ki-an,adj.of or pertaining toWallachia, a Danubian principality, since 1878 forming with Moldavia the kingdom of Roumania.—ns.Wall′ach,Wall′ack, a native or inhabitant ofWallachia. [From a Slavonic term represented by Pol.Wloch, an Italian,Woloch, a Wallach; all from Old High Ger.walh(A.S.wealh), a foreigner.]
Wallet, wol′et,n.a bag for carrying necessaries on a journey: a knapsack: a pocket-book: a bag for tools: (Shak.) anything protuberant. [M. E.walet, possibly fromwatel, a bag.]
Wall-eye, wawl′-ī,n.an eye in which the white part is very large: the popular name for the disease of the eye called glaucoma.—adj.Wall′-eyed, very light gray in the eyes, esp. of horses: (Shak.) glaring, fierce. [The adj. is the earlier, prob. from Ice.vald-eygthr—vagl, a disease of the eye, andeygthr, eyed—auga, an eye.]
Walloon, wal′ōōn,adj.of or pertaining to a population of mixed Celtic and Romanic stock akin to the French, occupying the tract along the frontiers of the Teutonic-speaking territory in the South Netherlands, from Dunkirk to Malmedy.—n.a native or inhabitant of that part of Flanders: the language of the Walloons, a patois or popular dialect of northern French, with a considerable infusion both of Old Celtic and Low German elements. [O. Fr.Wallon—Late L.Wallus—L.Gallus, a Gaul; cog. withGael,Welsh,Wallachian, A.S.wealh, a foreigner.]
Wallop, wol′op,v.i.(dial.) to boil and bubble: to move clumsily, to waddle about, to kick about as one does for a little when hung up by the neck—alson.[O. Fr.galoper, to boil, gallop—Old Flem.walop, a gallop; perh. traceable to Old. Flem.wallen(A.S.weallan), to boil.]
Wallop, wol′op,v.t.(slang) to beat, flog.—n.a blow.—ns.Wall′oper, one that wallops;Wall′oping, a thrashing.—adj.(slang) great, bouncing. [Orig. dubious; most prob. a particular use of preceding word.]
Wallow, wol′ō,v.i.to roll about, as in mire: to live in filth or gross vice.—n.the place an animal wallows in.—n.Wall′ower. [A.S.wealwian—L.volvĕre.]
Wallow, wol′ō,v.i.(prov.) to fade away.
Wallsend, wawlz′end,n.a kind of coal originally dug atWallsendon the Tyne.
Walnut, wawl′nut,n.a genus (Juglans) comprising seven or eight species of beautiful trees of natural orderJuglandaceæ—the wood of the common walnut is much used for furniture and gunstocks; its ripe fruit is one of the best of nuts, and yields an oil used by artists, &c.—Black walnut, a North American walnut, the timber of which is more valuable than that of common walnut, though the fruit is inferior. [A.S.wealh, foreign,hnut, a nut; Ger.wallnuss.]
Walpurgis night, val-pōōr′gis nīt, the night before the first of May, during which German witches rode on broomsticks and he-goats to hold revel with their master the devil at the ancient places of sacrifice, esp. the Brocken in the Harz Mountains. [So called with reference to the day of StWalpurga, abbess of Heidenheim, who died about 778.]
Walrus, wol′rus,n.a genus of aquatic, web-footed (pinniped) Carnivores, representative of a family (Trichechidæ) intermediate between the sea-lions and the seals—the upper canine teeth developed into enormous tusks—also called theMorseor the Seahorse. [Dut.,—Sw.vallross(Ice.hross-hvalr)—vall, a whale, Ice.hross, a horse.]
Walty, wol′ti,adj.(naut.) inclined to lean or roll over.
Waltz, wawlts,n.a German national dance performed by two persons with a rapid whirling motion, introduced into England in 1813: the music for such.—v.i.to dance a waltz: (slang) to move trippingly.—ns.Waltz′er;Waltz′ing. [Ger.walzer—walzen, to roll.]
Waly,Walie, wä′li,adj.(Scot.) beautiful: strong, large. [Conn. withwale, choice, and perh. influenced by A. S.welig, rich—wel, well.]
Waly, wā′li,interj.(Scot.) alas! [Wellaway.]
Wamble, wom′bl,v.i.(prov.) to rumble, of the stomach.—n.a rumbling, a feeling of nausea.—adj.Wam′ble-cropped, sick at stomach.
Wame, wām,n.a provincial form of womb.—n.Wame′-tow, a belly-band, girth.
Wammus, wam′us,n.(U.S.) a warm knitted jacket.
Wampish, wom′pish,v.t.(Scot.) to brandish, flourish.
Wampum, wom′pum,n.the North American Indian name for shells or beads used as money.—Wampum peag(wom′pumpēg), lit. 'white strung beads,' strings of wampum.
Wan, won,adj.faint: wanting colour: pale and sickly: languid: gloomy, dark.—v.i.to become wan.—adv.Wan′ly.—n.Wan′ness.—adj.Wan′nish, somewhat wan. [A.S.wann, dark, lurid; but perh. conn, with A.S.wan, deficient.]
Wan, wan, oldpa.t.ofwin.
Wanchancy, won-chan′si,adj.(Scot.) unlucky, wicked. [Old pfx.wan-, still Seen inwanton(q.v.).]
Wand, wond,n.a long slender rod: a rod of authority, or of conjurers.—adj.Wand′y, long and flexible. [Ice.vöndr, a shoot of a tree; Dan.vaand.]
Wander, won′dėr,v.i.to ramble with no definite object: (lit.orfig.) to go astray: to leave home; to depart from the subject: to be delirious: (coll.) to lose one's way.—v.t.to traverse: (coll.) to lead astray.—n.Wan′derer.—adj.Wan′dering.—adv.Wan′deringly, in a wandering, uncertain, or unsteady manner.—Wandering Jew, a legendary Jew in the folklore of north-western Europe who cannot die but must wander till the Day of Judgment, for an insult offered to Christ on the way to the Crucifixion—various names given him areCartaphilus,Isaac Laquedom, andButtadeus. [A.S.wandrian; Ger.wandern; allied towend, and towind, to turn round.]
Wanderoo, won-de-rōō′,n.a catarrhine monkey, a native of the Malabar coast of India. [Cingalese.]
Wandle, won′dl,adj.(prov.) supple, pliant, nimble.
Wandoo, won′dōō,n.the white-gum of Western Australia.
Wane, wān,v.i.to decrease, esp. of the moon—opp. toWax: to decline, to fail.—n.decline: decrease. [A.S.wanian(Ice.vana), to decrease—wan, deficient, lacking.]
Wang, wang,n.(obs.) the jaw.—n.Wang′-tooth, a grinder. [A.S.wange, cheek.]
Wanhope, won′hōp,n.(obs.) despair.
Wanion, wan′yon,n.(obs.orScot.) found only in phrases—e.g.With a wanion, bad luck to you: with a vengeance, vehemently. [Prob. conn. withwane, to decline.]
Wankle, wang′kl,adj.(prov.) unstable, not to be depended on.
Wannish, won′ish,adj.SeeWan.
Wanrestful, won-rest′fool,adj.(Scot.) restless. [Wan-, negative pfx., andrestful.]
Want, wont,n.state of being without anything: absence of what is needful or desired: poverty: scarcity: need.—v.t.to be destitute of: to need: to dispense with: to feel need of: to fall short: to wish for.—v.i.to be deficient: to fall short: to be in need.—n.Wan′tage, deficiency.—adj.Wan′ted, sought after, being searched for.—n.Wan′ter, one who wants.—adj.Wan′ting, absent: deficient: (obs.) poor.—prep.except.—n.Want′-wit(Shak.), a fool. [Scand., Ice.vant, neut. ofvanr, lacking; cog. withwane.]
Wanthriven, won-thriv′n,adj.(Scot.) decayed.
Wanton, won′tun,adj.moving or playing loosely: roving in sport: frisky: wandering from rectitude: licentious: running to excess: unrestrained: irregular.—n.a wanton or lewd person, esp. a female: a trifler.—v.i.to ramble without restraint: to frolic: to play lasciviously.—adv.Wan′tonly.—n.Wan′tonness. [M. E.wantowen, from pfx.wan-, sig. want, A.S.togen, educated, pa.p. ofteón, to draw, lead; cf. Ger.ungezogen, rude.]
Wanty, won′ti,n.(prov.) a leather strap, wagon-rope.
Wap, wop,v.t.(coll.) to strike, drub: to flap.—n.a smart blow. [Whop.]
Wap, wop,v.t.(obs.) to wrap, bind.—n.a bundle.
Wapacut, wop′a-kut,n.a large white American owl.
Wapenshaw, wap′n-shaw,n.=Wapinschaw.
Wapentake, wap′n-tāk,n.a name given in Yorkshire to the territorial divisions of the county, similar to thehundredsof southern counties and thewardsof more northern counties, so called from the inhabitants being formerly taught the use of arms. [A.S.wæpen-getæc, lit. 'weapon-taking.']
Wapinschaw, wap′n-shaw,n.in ancient Scottish usage, a periodical gathering of the people within various areas for the purpose of seeing that each man was armed in accordance with his rank, and ready to take the field when required. The name is sometimes revived for volunteer meetings and shooting competitions.—v.i.to hold a wapinschaw.—ns.Wap′inschawing,Wap′enshawing. [Lit., 'weapon-show.']
Wapiti, wop′i-ti,n.a species of deer of large size, native to North America—often calledelkandgray moose, though very different from the true elk or moose-deer.
Wappened, wop′nd,adj.(Shak.) a word of doubtful meaning—perh. a misprint forweeping.
Wapper, wap′ėr,n.a gudgeon.
Wapper, wap′ėr,v.i.to move tremulously.—adj.Wapp′er-eyed, blinking.
Wapper-jaw, wap′ėr-jaw,n.a projecting under-jaw.—adj.Wapp′er-jawed.
Wappet, wap′et,n.a yelping cur.
War, wawr,n.a state of opposition or contest: a contest between states carried on by arms: open hostility: the profession of arms: (rare) army, warlike preparations, warlike outfit.—v.i.to make war: to contend: to fight:—pr.p.war′ring;pa.t.andpa.p.warred.—ns.War′-cry, a cry or signal used in war;War′-dance, a dance engaged in by some savage tribes before going to war;War′fāre, armed contest, military life;War′fārer;War′fāring;War′-horse, a charger, a horse used in battle.—adj.War′like, fond of war, pertaining to or threatening war: martial, military.—ns.War′likeness;War′man(rare), a warrior.—adj.War′-marked(Shak.), experienced in war.—ns.War′-mong′er(Spens.), a mercenary soldier;War′-off′ice, the English military bureau or department;War′-paint, paint applied to the face and person by savages, indicating that they are going to war: (slang) full-dress, equipment;War′-path, among the Red Indians, the path followed on a military expedition, the expedition itself;War′-proof(rare), fitness to be a soldier;War′rior, a soldier, a veteran:—fem.War′rioress(rare);War′-ship, a vessel for war;War′-song, a song sung by men about to fight: a song celebrating brave deeds in war;War′-tax, a tax levied for purposes of war;War′-thought(Shak.), martial deliberation.—adjs.War′-wast′ed, laid waste or ravaged by war;War′-wea′ried,-worn, wearied, worn, with military service—of a veteran.—ns.War′-whoop, a cry uttered by savages on going into battle;War′-wolf, a medieval military engine used in defending fortresses;Man′-of-war(seeMan).—War Department, in Great Britain, a department of the state under a Cabinet Minister, the Secretary of State for War, assisted by a permanent and a parliamentary under-secretary, having control of everything connected with the army;War of Liberation, the war of independence carried on by Prussia, with the help of Russia and Great Britain, against Napoleon in 1813.—Declaration of war, that public announcement of war by a duly organised state or kingdom which is necessary to constitute an enemy;Declare war, to announce war publicly;Holy war(seeHoly);Make war, to carry on hostilities;Napoleonic Wars, a general name for the wars of France dating from the campaigns of Napoleon in Italy (1796) to his overthrow in 1815;Private war, warfare waged between persons in their individual capacity, as by duelling, family feuds, &c.;Sacred Wars, in ancient Greek history, wars against states judged guilty of sacrilege by the Amphictyonic Council;Seven weeks' war, orSeven days' war, the Austro-Prussian war of 1866. [A.S.werre, influenced by O. Fr.werre(Fr.guerre), which is from Old High Ger.werra, quarrel.]
War, wawr,adj.(Spens.) worse.—v.t.(Scot.) to defeat.
Warble, wawr′bl,v.i.to sing in a quavering way, or with variations: to chirp as birds do.—v.t.to sing in a vibratory manner: to utter musically: to carol.—n.a quavering modulation of the voice: a song.—n.War′bler, one that warbles: a songster: a singing-bird: any bird of the familySylviidæ, theFauvettes—nightingale, redbreast, stonechat, wheatear, whitethroat, &c., also the reed-warbler, &c.: in bagpipe music an ornamental group of grace-notes, introduced to glide from one passage to the other;War′bling.—adv.War′blingly. [O. Fr.werbler, to warble, make turns with the voice—Old High Ger.werban; cf. A.S.hweorfan, to turn (Ger.wirbeln), to make a turn.]
Warble, wawr′bl,n.a small hard swelling on a horse's back, caused by the galling of the saddle: a tumour caused by the gadfly, &c.—n.War′ble-fly, a fly causing warbles. [Other forms arewormil,wornal; ety. dub.]
Ward, wawrd,v.t.to guard or take care of: to keep in safety: to keep away, fend off (withoff).—v.i.to act on the defensive.—n.act of warding, watch: those whose business is to ward or defend: state of being guarded: means of guarding: one who is under a guardian: a division of a city, hospital, county, (B.) army, &c.: that which guards a lock or hinders any but the right key from opening it: (B.) guard, prison: a defensive movement in fencing.—ns.Ward′en, one who wards or guards: a keeper, especially a public officer appointed for the naval or military protection of some particular district of country: the head of a school, college, &c.;Ward′enry(rare), the district in charge of a warden;Ward′enship, the office of a warden;Ward′er, one who wards or keeps: a staff of authority;Ward′-mote, a meeting of a ward, or of a court of a ward, which has power to inquire into and present defaults in matters relating to watch, police, &c.;Ward′robe, a room or portable closet for robes or clothes: wearing apparel;Ward′-room, a room used as a messroom by the officers of a war-ship;Ward′ship, the office of a ward or guardian: state of being under a guardian: in English feudal law, the guardianship which the feudal lord had of the land of his vassal while the latter was an infant or minor.—Ward in Chancery, a minor under the protection of the Court of Chancery.—Warden of the Cinque Ports, the governor of the Cinque Ports, having the authority of an admiral and the power to hold a court of admiralty;Warden of the Marches, officers formerly appointed to keep the districts of England adjoining Scotland and Wales in a state of defence;Warden of the Mint, formerly the official of the English Mint next in rank to the Master.—Port warden, the chief officer in a port. [A.S.weardian; Ger.warten, to watch in order to protect.]
Warden, wawr′dn,n.a kind of pear.—Warden pie, a pie made of warden pears. [Prob. 'a pear which may bekept long,' from the preceding word.]
Wardian, wawr′di-an,adj.denoting a kind of close-fitting glass case for transporting delicate ferns and other such plants, or for keeping them indoors—so named from Nathaniel BagshawWard(1791-1868), the inventor.
Ware, wār,n.(used generally inpl.) merchandise: commodities: goods.—v.t.(obs.) to expend, lay out.—n.Ware′house, a house or store for wares or goods.—v.t.to deposit in a warehouse.—ns.Ware′houseman, a man who keeps, or is employed in, a warehouse or wholesale store;Ware′housing, the act of depositing goods in a warehouse;Ware′room, a room where goods are exposed for sale.—Warehousing system, the plan of allowing importers of dutiable goods to store them in a government warehouse without payment of duties until ready to bring the goods into market.—Benares ware, a fine ornamental metal-work made atBenaresand other places in India;Delft ware(seeDelf);Small ware,wares, textile articles of a small kind—e.g. tape, bindings and braids of cotton, silk, &c.; buttons, hooks, &c.: trifles;Tunbridge ware, inlaid or mosaic wood-work manufactured atTunbridge;Wedgwood ware, a superior kind of pottery invented by JosiahWedgwood(1730-1795), ornamented by white cameo reliefs on a blue ground and the like;Welsh ware, a yellowish-brown earthenware with a transparent glaze. [A.S.waru, wares; Ger.waare.]
Ware, wār,adj.aware.—v.t.to take care of. [Wary.]
Ware, wār, inB.pa.t.of wear.
Wareless, wār′les,adj.(Spens.) unwary, incautious: unperceived.
Warely, wār′li,adv.(Spens.) warily.
Warhable, wawr′a-bl,adj.(Spens.) fit for war.
Wariated, wā′ri-ā-ted,adj.(her.) varriated.
Warily,Wariness,Wareful, &c. SeeWary.
Wariment, wār′i-ment,n.(Spens.) wariness.
Warison,Warrison, war′i-son,n.(obs.) healing: reward—used by Scott erroneously for a note of assault. [O. Fr.,—warir, to guard.]
Wark, wawrk,n.(Spens.) work.
Warlock, wawr′lok,n.a sorcerer, a wizard.—n.War′lockry, sorcery. [A.S.wǽrloga, a breaker of an agreement—wǽr, a compact,leógan, to lie.]
Warm, wawrm,adj.having moderate heat, hot: subject to heat: zealous: easily excited: violent: enthusiastic: intimate, close: fresh, of a scent: (coll.) comfortable, well-off: (coll.) indelicate.—v.t.to make warm: to interest: to excite: (coll.) to beat.—v.i.to become warm or ardent.—n.(coll.) a heating.—adj.Warm′-blood′ed, having warm blood: generous, passionate.—n.War′mer.—adj.Warm′-heart′ed, having warm affections: affectionate: hearty.—ns.Warm′-heart′edness;War′ming, act of warming: (slang) a beating;War′ming-pan, a covered pan, with a long handle, for holding live-coals to warm a bed: a person put into a situation to hold it till another is able to take it.—adv.Warm′ly.—ns.Warm′ness;Warmth, moderate heat: geniality: earnestness, moderate or growing anger: the bright effect of warm colours.—Warm colours(paint.), colours of which the basis is yellow or red. [A.S.wearm; Ger.warm.]
Warn, wawrn,v.t.to make wary or aware: to put on ward or guard: to give notice of danger: to caution against: to admonish: (Spens.) to defend.—ns.War′ner;War′ning, caution against danger, &c.: admonition: previous notice: notice to quit, notice of the termination of an engagement, &c.: summons, call.—adj.of threatening aspect.—adv.War′ningly. [A.S.warnian; cf. Ice.varna, to warn, forbid, Ger.warnen; allied toward,beware,wary.]
Warp, wawrp,v.t.to turn: to twist out of shape: to turn from the right course: to pervert: to move a vessel by hauling on warps or ropes attached to buoys, other ships, anchors, &c.: to improve land by distributing on it, by means of embankments, canals, flood-gates, &c., the alluvial mud brought down by rivers: (rare) to change.—v.i.to be twisted out of a straight direction: to bend: to swerve: to move with a bending motion.—n.alluvial sediment: the threads stretched out lengthwise in a loom to be crossed by a woof: a rope used in towing.—adj.Warped, twisted by shrinking: perverted.—ns.War′per;War′ping;War′ping-bank, a bank to retain water in the process of warping land;War′ping-hook, a ropemakers' hook used in twisting rope-yarns;War′ping-post, a post in a rope-walk, used in warping rope-yarn. [A.S.weorpan,werpan; Ger.werfen, to cast; conn. with Ice.varpa, to throw—varp, a casting, a throw with a net.]
Warragal, war′a-gal,n.the Australian dingo: an Australian horse run wild.—AlsoWar′ri-gal.
Warrant, wor′ant,v.t.to guarantee or make secure: to give assurance against harm to: to authorise: to maintain: to assure.—n.that which warrants or authorises: a commission giving authority: a writ for arresting a person or for carrying a judgment into execution: security: in the army and navy, a writ or authority inferior to a commission: in coal-mining, under-clay.—n.Warr′andice(Scot.), warranty, a clause in a deed by which the grantor binds himself to make good to the grantee the right conveyed.—adj.Warr′antable, authorised by warrant or right: justifiable: of sufficient age to be hunted.—n.Warr′antableness.—adv.Warr′antably.—adj.Warr′anted.—ns.Warr′antee, one to whom warrant is given;Warr′anter,-or, one who warrants;Warr′anting;Warr′antise(Shak.), warrant, authority: promise;Warr′ant-off′icer, in the army and navy, an officer holding a warrant, being the highest rank open to seamen and ordinary soldiers under ordinary circumstances;Warr′anty, a legal warrant or deed of security: a guarantee: authority.—Warrant of arrest,attachment, a writ authorising the arrest of a person or the seizure of property.—Distress warrant, warrant authorising distraining of goods;General warrant, a warrant directed against suspected persons generally;General warranty, a warranty against the claims of all and every person;Justice's warrant, warrant of a justice of the peace to arrest a suspected criminal;Special warranty, warrant against the claims of a particular person. [O. Fr.warantir(Fr.garantir), perh. conn. withwarir, to defend—Old High Ger.warjan,werjan.]
Warray, wawr′ā,v.t.(Spens.) to make war upon.
Warre, wor,adj.(Spens.) worse.
Warren, wor′en,n.a piece of ground kept for breeding game or rabbits: (law) a right of enclosure (extending to hares, rabbits, partridges, &c.) by prescription or grant from the Crown.—n.Warr′ener, the keeper of a warren. [O. Fr.warenne(Fr.garenne)—warir, to defend.]
Wart, wawrt,n.a small, hard excrescence on the skin: a protuberance on trees.—adj.Wart′ed.—n.Wart′-hog, a kind of hog found in Africa, having a very large head and the cheeks furnished with large wart-like excrescences.—adj.Wart′less.—ns.Wart′weed, the sun-spurge;Wart′wort, a common name for certain lichens having a warty thallus: the wart-cress or swine-cress, the cud-weed.—adj.Wart′y, like a wart: overgrown with warts. [A.S.wearte; Ger.warze; prob. allied to L.verruca.]
Warth, wawrth,n.(prov.) a ford.
Wary, wā′ri,adj.warding or guarding against deception, &c.: cautious.—adj.Ware′ful, careful.—n.Ware′fulness.—adv.Wā′rily.—n.Wā′riness. [Longer form ofware(2). SeeAware.]
Was, woz, used aspa.t.ofbe. [A.S.wæs,wǽre—wesan, to remain, be; Goth.wisan, pa.t.was, to remain; Ice.vera, pa.t.var.]
Wase, wāz,n.(prov.) a wisp of hay, straw, &c.: a pad on the head to ease the pressure of a burden.
Wase-goose. SeeWaygoose.
Wash, wosh,v.t.to cleanse with water: to overflow: to waste away by the action of water: to cover with a thin coat of metal or paint: in mining, to separate from earth by means of water.—v.i.to cleanse one's self, to cleanse clothes with water: to stand water, of clothes: (coll.) to stand the test.—n.a washing: the break of waves on the shore: the rough water left behind by a moving vessel: the shallow part of a river or arm of the sea: a marsh or fen: alluvial matter: waste liquor, refuse of food, &c.: that with which anything is washed: a lotion: a thin coat of paint, metal, &c.: (slang) a fictitious kind of sale of stock or other securities between parties of one interest, or by a broker who is at once the buyer and the seller, and who minds his own interest rather than that of his clients.—adj.Wash′able.—ns.Wash′-ball, a ball of toilet-soap;Wash′-bā′sin,-bowl,Wash′handbā′sin, a bowl in which to wash face and hands;Wash′-board, a corrugated board for rubbing clothes on in washing: a thin plank placed on a boat's gunwale to prevent the sea from breaking over: a board round the bottom of the walls of a room;Wash′-bott′le, a bottle used by chemists for washing chemical preparations and instruments;Wash′-cloth, a piece of cloth used in washing;Wash′-dirt, earth rich enough in metal to pay for washing;Wash′er, one who washes: a flat ring of iron or leather between the nave of a wheel and the linch-pin, under the head of a screw, &c.—v.t to lift with washers;Wash′erman, a man who washes clothes, esp. for hire:—fem.Wash′erwoman;Wash′-gild′ing, a gilding made with an amalgam of gold from which the mercury is driven off by heat, leaving a coating of gold;Wash′-house,Wash′ing-house, a house for washing clothes in;Wash′iness, state of being watery, weakness, worthlessness;Wash′ing, the act of cleansing by water: the clothes washed, esp. at one time: what is washed;Was′hing-machine′, a machine for washing clothes;Wash′ing-pow′der, a powdered preparation used in washing clothes;Wash′ing-up,Wash′-up, cleaning up;Wash′-leath′er, split sheepskin prepared with oil in imitation of chamois, and used for household purposes: buff leather for regimental belts.—adj.Wash′-off, that will not stand washing.—ns.Wash′-out, an erosion of earth by the action of water, the hole made by such;Wash′-pot, a vessel for washing;Wash′-stand,Wash′handstand, a piece of furniture for holding ewer, basin, and other requisites for washing a person;Wash′-tub, a tub for washing clothes.—adj.Wash′y, watery, moist: thin, feeble.—n.Rain′-wash, a washing away by the force of rain: a deposit formed by rain. [A.S.wascan; Ice.vaska, Ger.waschen.]
Washingtonia, wosh-ing-tō′ni-a,n.a Californian genus of palms, valued for ornament in lawns—from GeorgeWashington(1732-99).
Wasp, wosp,n.a popular name for Hymenopterous insects belonging to the familyVespidæ, or to closely related families—(Wasps are generally more slender and much less hairy than bees, and their stinging organ—an ovipositor—resembles that of bees in structure and mode of action): a petulant and spiteful person.—adjs.Was′pish, like a wasp: having a slender waist like a wasp: quick to resent an affront;Was′pish-head′ed(Shak.), passionate.—adv.Was′pishly.—n.Was′pishness.—adjs.Wasp′-tongued(Shak.), biting in tongue, shrewish;Wasp′-waist′ed, very slender waisted, laced tightly;Was′py, waspish. [A.S.wæsp,wæps; Ger.wespe, L.vespa.]
Wassail, wos′āl,n.the salutation uttered in drinking a person's health, a festive occasion: a drunken bout: a liquor consisting of ale with roasted apples, sugar, nutmeg, and toast, once much used on festive occasions.—v.i.to hold a wassail or merry drinking-meeting: to drink to the health of.—ns.Wass′ail-bout, a carouse;Wass′ail-bowl,-cup, a cup from which healths were drunk;Wass′ailer, one who wassails or drinks wassail: a reveller. [A.S.wes hál, 'may you be in health,' the salutation used in pledging another, which the Normans transferred to mean 'a carousal.']