Wasserman, wos′ėr-man,n.(Spens.) a sea-monster, shaped like a man. [Ger.wasser, water,mann, man.]
Wast, wost,pa.t.2d pers. sing. of the verbbe.
Waste, wāst,adj.empty, desert: desolate: useless, vain: stripped: lying unused: unproductive.—v.t.to lay waste or make desolate: to destroy: to wear out gradually: to squander: to diminish: to impair.—v.i.to be diminished: to dwindle: to be consumed.—n.act of wasting: useless expenditure: superfluous material, stuff left over: loss: destruction: that which is wasted or waste: uncultivated country: desert: refuse, as of coal, &c.: decay, decline: (law) natural but permanent injury to the inheritance.—ns.Wās′tage, loss by use, natural decay;Waste′-bas′ket,Waste′paper-bas′ket, a basket for holding useless scraps of paper;Waste′-book, a book in which merchants make entries of transactions in order as they occur, and for a temporary purpose.—adj.Waste′ful, full of waste: destructive: lavish: (Spens.) desolate.—adv.Waste′fully.—ns.Waste′fulness;Waste′-gate, a gate for discharging surplus water from a dam, &c.;Wās′ten(Spens.), a desert;Waste′ness(B.), devastation;Waste′-pipe, a pipe for carrying off waste or surplus water;Wās′ter, one who or that which wastes: a spendthrift: a destroyer: an article spoilt in the making.—adj.Wās′ting, devastating: enfeebling—(Wasting investments, stocks redeemable on a certain date at a fixed price, for which a premium above the redemption price is paid).—ns.Wās′ting, devastation;Wās′trel, refuse: anything neglected, a neglected child: (dial.) a profligate;Wās′try(Scot.), prodigality.—adj.improvident.—Waste lands, uncultivated and unprofitable tracts in populous and cultivated countries;Waste time, to employ time unprofitably or not at all.—Run to waste, to become incapable or useless.—Utilisation of waste products, the putting to other use of such material as is rendered either wholly or partially useless in the manufacture of articles and products—e.g.waste-silkis now a valuable raw material for a large spun-silk industry. [O. Fr.wast,gaste—L.vastus, waste; cf. A.S.wéste, Ger.wüst, desolate.]
Wastel-bread, wās′tel-bred,n.bread made from the finest of the flour. [O. Fr.wastel, pastry—Old High Ger.wastel, a cake, andbread.]
Waster, wās′tėr,n.a wooden sword for practising fencing with: (Scot.) a leister.—Play at wasters, to practise fencing. [Ety. dub.]
Wat, wot,n.(Shak.) a hare.
Wat, wot,adj.(Scot.) drunken. [Wet.]
Watch, woch,n.act of looking out: close observation: guard: one who watches or those who watch: a sentry: a pocket timepiece: the place where a guard is kept: a division of the night: time of watching, esp. in a ship, a division of a ship's crew into two or three sections, so that one set of men may have charge of the vessel while the others rest. (The day and night are divided into watches of four hours each, except the period from 4 to 8 P.M., which is divided into twodog-watchesof two hours' duration each).—v.i.to look with attention: to keep guard: to look out: to attend the sick by night: to inspect, keep guard over (withover).—v.t.to keep in view: to give heed to: to have in keeping: to guard: to wait for, detect by lying in wait: (Shak.) to keep from sleep.—ns.Watch′-bill, a list of the officers and crew of a ship, as divided into watches, with their several stations;Watch′-box, a sentry-box;Watch′case, the outer case of a watch: (Shak.) a sentry-box;Watch′-clock, a watchman's clock;Watch′-dog, a dog kept to guard premises and property;Watch′er, one who watches;Watch′-fire, a night-fire acting as a signal: a fire for the use of a watching-party, sentinels, scouts, &c.—adj.Watch′ful, careful to watch or observe: attentive: circumspect: cautious.—adv.Watch′fully.—ns.Watch′fulness;Watch′-glass, a sand-glass: the glass covering of the face of a watch;Watch′-guard, a watch-chain of any material;Watch′-gun, a gun fired at the changing of the watch, as on a ship;Watch′-house, a house in which a guard is placed: a lock-up, detaining office;Watch′-jew′el, a jewel used in the works of a watch for lessening friction;Watch′-key, a key for winding a watch;Watch′-light, a light used for watching or sitting up in the night;Watch′-māk′er, one who makes and repairs watches;Watch′-māk′ing;Watch′man, a man who watches or guards, esp. the streets of a city at night;Watch′-meet′ing, a religious meeting to welcome in the New Year, held on the night before, called theWatch′-night;Watch′-off′icer, the officer in charge of the ship during a watch, also calledOfficer of the watch;Watch′-pā′per, a round piece of paper, often decorated, put inside the outer case of a watch to prevent rubbing;Watch′-pock′et, a small pocket for holding a watch;Watch′-spring, the mainspring of a watch;Watch′-tow′er, a tower on which a sentinel is placed to watch or keep guard against the approach of an enemy;Watch′word, the password to be given to a watch or sentry: any signal: a maxim, rallying-cry.—Watch and ward, the old custom of watching by night and by day in towns and cities: uninterrupted vigilance.—The Black Watch, the 42d and 73d Regiments, now the 1st and 2d Battalions of the Black Watch or Royal Highlanders. [A.S.wæcce—wacan, wake.]
Watchet, woch′et,adj.(Spens.) pale-blue. [M. E.wachet, perh. conn. ultimately withwoad.]
Water, waw′tėr,n.in a state of purity, at ordinary temperatures, a clear transparent liquid, perfectly neutral in its reaction, and devoid of taste or smell: any collection of such, as the ocean, a lake, river, &c.: mineral water: tears: saliva: eye-water: urine: transparency, lustre, as of a diamond: (pl.) waves.—v.t.to wet, overflow, or supply with water: to wet and press so as to give a wavy appearance to: to increase the nominal capital of a company by the issue of new shares without a corresponding increase of actual capital.—v.i.to shed water: to gather saliva, noting strong craving: to take in water.—ns.Wa′terage, money paid for a journey by water;Wa′ter-bag, the bag-like compartment in which the camel stores water;Wa′ter-bail′iff, a custom-house officer who inspects ships on reaching or leaving a port: a person appointed to guard the fish in a protected piece of water;Wa′ter-barom′eter, a barometer in which water is substituted for mercury;Wa′ter-barr′el,-cask, a barrel, cask, for holding water;Wa′ter-bath, a bath composed of water: a vessel containing warm water used for chemical purposes;Wa′ter-batt′ery, a voltaic battery in which the electrolyte is water: (fort.) a battery nearly on a level with the water;Wa′ter-bear′er, one who carries water: (astron.) a sign of the zodiac;Wa′ter-bed, an india-rubber mattress filled with water, used by invalids to prevent bed-sores;Wa′ter-bell′ows, a form of blower used in gas-machines, and formerly to supply a blast for furnaces;Wa′ter-bird, a bird that frequents the water;Wa′ter-bis′cuit, a biscuit made of flour and water;Wa′ter-blink, a spot of cloud hanging over open water in arctic regions;Wa′ter-boat, a boat carrying water in bulk to supply ships;Wa′ter-boat′man, a kind of aquatic bug.—adj.Wa′ter-borne, conveyed in a boat.—ns.Wa′ter-bott′le, a glass, rubber, &c. bottle for carrying water;Wa′ter-brash, an affection consisting of a hot sensation in the stomach with eructations of an acrid burning liquid;Wa′ter-break, a ripple;Wa′ter-brose(Scot.), brose made of meal and water alone;Wa′ter-buck, an African water-antelope;Wa′ter-bug, a species of hemipterous insects found in ponds and still water;Wa′ter-butt, a large barrel for rain-water, usually kept out of doors;Wa′ter-carr′iage, carriage or conveyance by water;Wa′ter-cart, a cart for conveying water, esp. for the purpose of watering streets or roads;Wa′ter-cell, one of several small paunches in a camel used for storing water: a voltaic cell containing pure water;Wa′ter-cement′, hydraulic cement;Wa′ter-chest′nut(Marron d'eau), the name given in France to the edible seeds of theTrapa natans;Wa′ter-clock, a clock which is made to go by the fall of water;Wa′ter-clos′et, a closet used as a privy, in which the discharges are carried off by water;Wa′ter-cock, the kora, a large East Indian gallinule;Wa′ter-col′our, a colour or pigment diluted with water and gum, instead of oil: a painting in such a colour or colours;Wa′ter-col′ourist, a painter in water-colours;Wa′ter-cool′er, a machine for cooling water or for keeping water cool;Wa′ter-core, an apple with watery-looking core: in founding, a hollow core through which water may be passed;Wa′tercourse, a course or channel for water;Wa′ter-craft, boats plying on the water;Wa′ter-crane, a crane for turning water from a railway-tank into a locomotive tender;Wa′ter-cress, a small plant growing in watery places, much esteemed as a salad, and used as a preventive of scurvy;Wa′ter-cure, medical treatment by means of water;Wa′ter-deck, a decorated canvas cover for a dragoon's saddle;Wa′ter-deer, a small Chinese musk-deer of aquatic habits: in Africa, one of the chevrotains;Wa′ter-doc′tor, a hydropathist: one who divines diseases from the urine;Wa′ter-dog, a dog accustomed to the water: a variety of the common dog valuable to sportsmen in hunting water-fowl on account of its aquatic habits: (coll.) an experienced sailor: (pl.) small irregular floating clouds supposed to indicate rain;Wa′ter-drain, a channel through which water runs;Wa′ter-drain′age;Wa′ter-drink′er, a drinker of water: a teetotaler;Wa′ter-drop, a drop of water: a tear;Wa′ter-drop′wort, a genus of umbelliferous plants.—adj.Wa′tered, marked with wavy lines like those made by water—(Watered stocks, a term applied to securities whose nominal amount has been increased without any corresponding payment in cash).—ns.Wa′ter-el′evator, a device for raising water to a level: a lift that works by water;Wa′ter-en′gine, an engine for raising water: an engine for extinguishing fires;Wa′terer, one who waters: a vessel for watering with;Wa′terfall, a fall or perpendicular descent of a body of water: a cataract or cascade: (coll.) a neck-tie, a chignon;Wa′ter-flag, the yellow iris;Wa′ter-flea, the common name for minute aquatic crustaceans;Wa′ter-flood, an inundation;Wa′ter-flow, current of water.—adj.Wa′ter-flow′ing, streaming.—ns.Wa′ter-fly, an aquatic insect: (Shak.) an insignificant, troublesome person;Wa′ter-fowl, a fowl that frequents water;Wa′ter-frame, Arkwright's spinning-frame, which was driven by water;Wa′ter-gall, a watery appearance in the sky accompanying the rainbow: a pit or cavity made by a torrent of water;Wa′ter-gas, a gas partly derived from the decomposition of steam;Wa′ter-gate, a flood-gate: a gate admitting to a river or other body of water;Wa′ter-gauge,-gage, an instrument for gauging or measuring the quantity or height of water;Wa′ter-gilding=Wash-gilding;Wa′ter-glass, a water-clock: an instrument for making observations beneath the surface of water: soluble glass;Wa′ter-god, a deity presiding over some tract of water;Wa′ter-gru′el, gruel made of water and meal, &c., eaten without milk;Wa′ter-guard, river, harbour, or coast police;Wa′ter-hamm′er, the noise made by the sudden stoppage of moving water in a pipe: an air vacuum containing some water: (med.) a metal hammer heated in water and applied to the skin as a counter-irritant;Wa′ter-hen, the moorhen;Wa′ter-hole, a reservoir for water, a water-pool;Wa′teriness;Wa′tering, act of one who waters: the art or process of giving a wavy, ornamental appearance;Wa′tering-call, a cavalry trumpet-signal to water horses;Wa′tering-can,-pot, a vessel used for watering plants;Wa′tering-house, a place where cab-horses are watered;Wa′tering-place, a place where water may be obtained: a place to which people resort to drink mineral water, for bathing, &c.;Wa′tering-trough, a trough in which horses and cattle drink.—adj.Wa′terish, resembling, abounding in, water: somewhat watery: thin.—ns.Wa′terishness;Wa′ter-jack′et, a casing containing water placed around anything to keep it cool—alsoWa′ter-boxandWa′ter-man′tle;Wa′ter-kel′pie, a malignant water-spirit, generally in the form of a horse, which delights to drown unwary travellers;Wa′ter-lem′on, a species of passion-flower;Wa′ter-lens, a simple lens formed by placing a few drops of water in a small brass cell with blackened sides and a glass bottom.—adj.Wa′terless, lacking water.—ns.Wa′ter-lev′el, the level formed by the surface of still water: a levelling instrument in which water is used;Wa′ter-lil′y, a name commonly given to the different species ofNymphæaandNuphar, and also ofNelumbium, all genera of the natural orderNymphæaceæ, and indeed often extended to all the plants of that order—of the three British species all have heart-shaped leaves, floating on the water;Wa′ter-line, the line on a ship to which the water rises: a water-mark.—adj.Wa′ter-logged, rendered log-like or unmanageable from being filled with water.—ns.Wa′ter-lot, a lot of ground which is under water;Wa′ter-main, a great subterranean pipe supplying water in cities;Wa′terman, a man who plies a boat on water for hire: a boatman: a ferryman: a neat oarsman;Wa′termanship, oarsmanship;Wa′termark, a mark showing the height to which water has risen: a tide-mark: a mark wrought into paper, denoting its size or its manufacturer.—v.t.to mark with water-marks.—ns.Wa′ter-mead′ow, a meadow periodically overflowed by a stream;Wa′ter-mel′on, a plant having a spherical, pulpy, pleasantly flavoured fruit, the fruit itself;Wa′ter-me′ter, an instrument measuring the quantity of water passing through it: an instrument for measuring evaporation;Wa′ter-mill, a mill driven by water;Wa′ter-mole, the desman: a duck-mole or duck-billed platypus;Wa′ter-monk′ey, an earthenware jar for keeping drinking-water in hot climates, round, with narrow neck—alsoMonkey-jar;Wa′ter-mō′tor, any water-wheel or turbine, esp. any small motor driven by water under pressure;Wa′ter-nix′y, a spirit inhabiting water;Wa′ter-nymph, a Naiad;Wa′ter-ou′sel, the dipper;Wa′ter-pars′nip, a plant of the aquatic genusSium—the skirret;Wa′ter-part′ing(same asWatershed);Wa′ter-phone, an instrument for detecting leaks in pipes;Wa′ter-pipe, a pipe for conveying water;Wa′ter-plane, a plane passing through a vessel when afloat;Wa′ter-plant, a plant which grows in water;Wa′ter-plate, a plate having a double bottom and a space for hot water, used to keep food warm;Wa′ter-pō′lo, an aquatic game played by swimmers in swimming-baths, at piers, &c., the sides numbering seven each—a goal-keeper, two backs, one half-back, and three forwards;Wa′ter-pot, a pot or vessel for holding water;Wa′ter-pow′er, the power of water, employed to move machinery, &c.;Wa′ter-pox, varicella;Wa′ter-priv′ilege, the right to the use of water, esp. for machinery.—adj.Wa′terproof, proof against water: not permitting water to enter.—n.anything with such qualities: a garment of some waterproof substance, like india-rubber.—ns.Wa′terproofing, the act of making any substance impervious to water: the material with which a thing is made waterproof, as caoutchouc;Wa′ter-pump, a pump for water, used humorously of the eyes;Wa′ter-pur′pie(Scot.), brook-lime, a species ofVeronica;Wa′ter-rail, the common rail of Europe;Wa′ter-ram, a hydraulic ram;Wa′ter-rat, the popular name of the water-vole: the American musk-rat;Wa′ter-rate, a rate or tax for the supply of water;Wa′ter-route, a stream, lake, &c. used as a means of travel;Wa′ter-rug(Shak.), a kind of dog;Wa′tershed, the line which separates two river-basins: a district from which several rivers rise;Wa′ter-side, the brink of water: the sea-shore;Wa′ter-smoke, water evaporating as visible mist;Wa′ter-snake, a snake frequenting the water;Wa′ter-sol′dier, an aquatic plant (Stratiotes aloïdes) common in lakes and ditches in the east of England;Wa′ter-span′iel(seeSpaniel);Wa′ter-spī′der, an aquatic spider;Wa′terspout, a pipe from which water spouts: a moving spout or column of water, often seen at sea, and sometimes on land;Wa′ter-sprin′kle(Spens.), a water-pot;Wa′ter-sprite, a spirit inhabiting the water.—adj.Wa′ter-stand′ing(Shak.), containing water, tearful.—ns.Wa′ter-strid′er, any aquatic heteropterous insect of the familyHydrobatidæ;Wa′ter-supply′, the obtaining and distribution of sufficient water to the inhabitants of a town: the amount of water thus distributed;Wa′ter-tā′ble, a moulding or other projection in the wall of a building to throw off the water;Wa′ter-tank, a tank or cistern for holding water;Wa′ter-tap, a tap or cock used for letting out water;Wa′ter-thermom′eter, a thermometer filled with water instead of mercury, and used for showing the point at which water acquires its greatest density;Wa′ter-thief(Shak.), a pirate.—adj.Wa′ter-tight, so tight as not to admit water nor let it escape—(Water-tight compartment, a division of a ship's hull or other sub-aqueous structure so formed that water cannot enter it from any other part; seeBulkhead).—ns.Wa′ter-tube, a pipe for rain-water;Wa′ter-twist, a kind of cotton-twist, first made by the water-frame;Wa′ter-vī′olet, a plant of the genusHottonia;Wa′ter-vole, the common European water-rat;Wa′ter-wag′tail, a wagtail, the pied wagtail;Wa′ter-way(naut.) a series of pieces of timber, extending round a ship at the junction of the decks with the sides, pierced by scuppers to carry off the water: a water-route;Wa′terwheel, a wheel moved by water: an engine for raising water;Wa′terwork(mostly inpl.) any work or engine by which water is furnished, as to a town, &c.: a textile fabric, used like tapestry: (slang) used humorously of shedding tears.—adj.Wa′ter-worn, worn by the action of water.—n.Wa′ter-wraith, a water-spirit supposed to portend death.—adj.Wa′tery, pertaining to or like water: thin or transparent: tasteless: weak, vapid: affecting water (of the moon, as governing the tide): (Shak.) eager.—ns.High′-wa′ter,High′-wa′ter-mark(seeHigh);Low′-wa′ter(seeLow);Low′-wa′ter-mark, the limit of water at low tide: the lowest point of anything.—Water of life, spiritual refreshment: (Scot.) whisky;Water on the brain, knee, an accumulation of serous fluid in the cranial cavity, knee-joint;Watered silk, silk on which a changeable pattern has been worked by means of pressing and moistening.—Above water, out of trouble;Aerated water(seeAerate);Apollinaris water, an agreeable table-water, obtained in Rhenish Prussia;Bag of waters, the fœtal membranes, filled withliquor amnii, which dilate the mouth of the womb;Cast a person's water, to examine urine to aid in the diagnosis of disease;Deep water, orwaters, water too deep for safety, sore trouble, distress;First water, the highest degree of fineness in a diamond, &c., hence the highest rank generally;Hold water, to be correct or well-grounded, to stand investigation;Holy water, water used symbolically as a means of purification;Like water, with the quick, full flow of water: extravagantly, recklessly;Make the mouth water, to arouse in any one a strong desire for a thing—from the gathering of saliva in the mouth at the prospect of a savoury morsel;Make water, to micturate;Mineral water(seeMineral);Oil on troubled waters, anything that allays or assuages, from the effect of pouring oil on rough water;Tread water, to keep the head above water by an up-and-down movement of the feet;Under water, below the surface;White water, breakers, foaming water. [A.S.wæter; Dut.water, Ger.wasser; Gr.hydōr, L.udus, wet,unda, a wave, Sans.udan, water.]
Watling Street, wat′ling strët,n.one of the great Roman highways of Britain, commencing at Dover, passing through Canterbury and Rochester to London, and thence to Chester and York, and northwards in two branches to Carlisle and the Wall in the neighbourhood of Newcastle.
Watt, wot,n.the practical unit of electrical activity or power—from JamesWatt(1736-1819).
Watteau bodice, wat′ō bod′is,n.a bodice with a square opening at the neck resembling the costumes in the paintings of the French artist AntoineWatteau(1684-1721).
Wattle, wot′l,n.a twig or flexible rod: a hurdle: the fleshy excrescence under the throat of a cock or a turkey: one of various Australian acacias.—v.t.to bind with wattles or twigs: to form by plaiting twigs.—n.Watt′le-bird, a wattled honey-eater of Australia.—adj.Watt′led, having wattles like a bird.—n.Watt′ling, a construction made by interweaving twigs. [A.S.watel,watul, a hurdle.]
Waught,Waucht, wāht,n.(Scot.) a large draught. [Gael.cuach, a cup.]
Waukrife. SeeWake.
Waul,Wawl, wawl,v.t.to cry as a cat. [Imit.]
Wave, wāv,n.a ridge on the surface of water swaying or moving backwards and forwards: (poet.) the sea: a state of vibration propagated through a system of particles: inequality of surface: a line or streak like a wave: an undulation: a rush of anything: a gesture.—v.i.to move like a wave: to play loosely: to be moved, as a signal: to fluctuate.—v.t.to move backwards and forwards: to brandish: to waft or beckon: to raise into inequalities of surface.—p.adj.Waved, showing a wavelike form or outline: undulating: (her.) indented: (nat. hist.) having on the margin a succession of curved segments or incisions.—n.Wave′-length, the distance between the crests of adjacent waves.—adj.Wave′less, free from waves: undisturbed.—n.Wave′let, a little wave.—adj.Wave′like.—ns.Wave′-line, the outline, path, of a wave: the surface of the waves: the line made by a wave on the shore;Wave′-loaf, a loaf for a wave-offering;Wave′-mō′tion, undulatory movement;Wave′-mould′ing(archit.), undulating moulding;Wave′-off′ering, an ancient Jewish custom of moving the hands in succession towards the four points of the compass in presenting certain offerings—opposed to theHeave-offering, in which the hands were only lifted up and lowered.—v.t.Wā′ver, to move to and fro: to shake: to falter: to be unsteady or undetermined: to be in danger of falling.—ns.Wā′verer;Wā′vering.—adv.Wā′veringly, in a wavering or irresolute manner.—n.Wā′veringness.—adjs.Wā′verous,Wā′very, unsteady.—n.Wave′son, goods floating on the sea after a shipwreck.—adj.Wave′-worn, worn or washed away by the waves.—ns.Wā′viness, the state or quality of being wavy;Wā′ving.—adj.Wā′vy, full of or rising in waves: playing to and fro: undulating.—Hot wave,Warm wave, a movement of heat or warmth onwards, generally eastward. [A.S.wafian, to wave; cf. Ice.vafra, to waver.]
Wavey,Wavy, waw′vi,n.the snow-goose.
Wawe, waw,n.(Spens.) a wave.
Wax, waks,n.the name given to some animal and vegetable substances, and even to one or two mineral bodies (e.g.ozokerite), which more or less resemble beeswax both in their appearance and in their physical properties: the fat-like yellow substance produced by bees, and used by them in making their cells: any substance like it, as that in the ear: the substance used to seal letters: that used by shoemakers to rub their thread: in coal-mining, puddled clay: a thick sugary substance made by boiling down the sap of the sugar-maple, and cooling by exposure to the air: (coll.) a passion.—v.t.to smear or rub with wax.—ns.Wax′-bill, one of various small spermestine seed-eating birds with bills like sealing-wax;Wax′-chand′ler, a maker or dealer in wax candles;Wax′-cloth, cloth covered with a coating of wax, used for table-covers, &c., a popular name for all oil floorcloths;Wax′-doll, a child's doll having the head and bust made of hardened beeswax.—adj.Wax′en, made of wax, like wax, easily effaced.—ns.Wax′-end, betterWaxed end, a strong thread having its end stiffened by shoemakers' wax, so as to go easily through the hole made by the awl;Wax′er, one who or that which waxes;Wax′-flow′er, a flower made of wax;Wax′iness, waxy appearance;Wax′ing, a method of putting a finish on dressed leather: the process of stopping out colours in calico-printing;Wax′-in′sect, an insect which secretes wax;Wax′-light, a candle or taper made of wax;Wax′-mod′elling, the process of forming figures in wax;Wax′-moth, a bee-moth;Wax′-myr′tle, the candle-berry tree;Wax′-paint′ing, a kind of painting, the pigments for which are ground with wax and diluted with oil of turpentine;Wax′-palm, either of two South American palms yielding wax;Wax′-pā′per, paper prepared by spreading over its surface a thin coating made of white wax and other materials.—adj.Wax′-red(Shak.), bright-red like sealing-wax.—ns.Wax′tree, a genus of plants of natural orderHypericaceæ, all whose species yield a yellow resinous juice when wounded, forming when dried the so-called American gamboge;Wax′-wing, a genus of small Passerine birds, so named from most of the species having small red horny appendages, resembling red sealing-wax, on their wings;Wax′work, work made of wax, esp. figures or models formed of wax: (pl.) an exhibition of wax figures;Wax′worker.—adj.Wax′y, resembling wax: soft: pallid, pasty: adhesive: (slang) irate, incensed.—Waxy degeneration, a morbid process in which the healthy tissue of various organs is transformed into a peculiar waxy albuminous substance—alsoamyloidorlardaceous degeneration. [A.S.weax; Ice.vax, Dut.was, Ger.wachs.]
Wax, waks,v.i.to grow or increase, esp. of the moon, as opposed toWane: to pass into another state.—pa.p.Wax′en(B.), grown. [A.S.weaxan; Ice.vaxa, Ger.wachsen, L.augēre, to increase, Gr.auxanein.]
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.Way′-bag′gage(U.S.), baggage to be laid down at a way-station;Way′-bill, list of passengers and goods carried by a coach;Way′-board,Weigh′-board, a thin stratum or seam separating thicker strata;Way′bread, the common plantain.—v.i.Way′fāre, to travel on foot.—n.Way′fārer, a traveller or passenger.—adj.Way′fāring, travelling or passing.—n.Way′fāring-tree, theViburnum lantana, a large shrub common in British hedges.—adjs.Way′-gō′ing, departing;Way′gone, exhausted by travelling.—v.t.Way′lay, to lie in the way for: to watch or lie in ambush for.—n.Waylay′er.—adj.Way′less, without a path.—ns.Way′-māk′er, a pioneer, path-finder;Way′-mark,-post, guide-post;Way′-pass′enger, one taken up or set down by the way;Way′-side, the side of a way, path, or highway.—adj.growing or lying near the way-side.—ns.Way′-slid′ing(rare), a wandering from the right way;Way′-stā′tion, an intermediate station between principal stations on a railway;Way′-this′tle, the Canada thistle;Way′-traff′ic, local traffic, as distinguished from through or express traffic;Way′-train(U.S.), a train stopping at most of the stations on a line.—adj.Way′ward, froward: wilful: irregular.—n.Way′-war′den, a keeper of roads.—adv.Way′wardly.—n.Way′wardness.—adj.Way′worn, worn-out by travel.—n.Right′-of-way(seeRight).—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(seeGive);Go one's way(seeGo);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(seeFamily);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 tovehĕre, to carry.]
Waygoose, wā′gōōs,n.a printers' annual dinner or picnic, formerly one given by an apprentice to his fellow-workmen, at which awase-goose or stubble-goose was the great dish.—AlsoWase′-goose,Wayz′-goose.
Wayment, wā-ment′,v.t.andv.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.Weak′-built(Shak.), ill-founded.—v.t.Weak′en, to make weak: to reduce in strength or spirit.—v.i.to grow weak or weaker.—n.Weak′ener, one who or that which weakens.—adjs.Weak′-eyed, having weak eyes or sight;Weak′-hand′ed, powerless;Weak′-head′ed, having a feeble intellect;Weak′-heart′ed(Shak.), of weak or feeble heart or spirit;Weak′-hinged, ill-balanced;Weak′-kneed, having weak knees: weak in will.—n.Weak′ling, a weak or feeble creature.—adv.Weak′ly.—adj.Weak′-mind′ed, of feeble powers of mind.—ns.Weak′-mind′edness;Weak′ness.—adjs.Weak′-sight′ed, having feeble eyesight;Weak′-spir′ited, bearing wrong tamely, cowardly.—Weaker sex, women;Weaker vessel(seeVessel).—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.Weal′-bal′anced(Shak.), explained by Schmidt as kept in a state of just proportion by reasons of state.—n.Weals′man(Shak.), a statesman.—The public,general, orcommon weal, the well-being, interest, and prosperity of the country. [A.S.wela, wealth, bliss; Ger.wohl.]
Weal, wēl,n.a form ofwale.
Weald, wēld,n.any open country.—adj.Weald′en, pertaining to theWeald.—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 ofwild; not directly conn. with A.S.weald, a forest, wold.]
Wealth, welth,n.large possessions of any kind: riches.—adv.Wealth′ily.—n.Wealth′iness.—adj.Wealth′y, rich: prosperous: well-fed. [An extension ofweal.]
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.Wean′el(Spens.), a weanling;Wean′ing-brash, a severe form of diarrhœa, which supervenes, at times, on weaning.—adj.Wean′ling, 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.Weap′oned;Weap′onless, having no weapons.—n.Weap′on-salve, a salve supposed to cure a wound by being applied to the weapon that made it. [A.S.wǽpen; Goth.wepna, arms, Ger.waffenandwappen.]
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.Wear′able, fit to be worn.—n.Wear′er.—p.adj.Wear′ing, made or designed for wear: consuming, exhausting.—n.the process of wasting by attrition or time: that which is worn, clothes.—ns.Wear′ing-appar′el, dress;Wear′-ī′ron, 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 ofweir.
Wear, wēr,v.t.(obs.) to guard, ward off: to guide. [A.S.werian, to guard, from root ofwary.]
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.Wea′ried, tired;Wea′riful, wearisome.—adv.Wea′rifully.—adj.Wea′riless, incessant.—adv.Wea′rily.—n.Wea′riness.—adj.Wea′risome, making weary: tedious.—adv.Wea′risomely.—n.Wea′risomeness.—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.Wea′sel-coot, the red-headed smew.—adj.Wea′sel-faced, 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.Weath′er-beat′en, distressed or seasoned by the weather;Weath′er-bit′ten, worn or defaced by exposure to the winds.—n.Weath′er-board, 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.Weath′er-board′ing, thin boards placed overlapping to keep out rain: exterior covering of a wall or roof.—adj.Weath′er-bound, delayed by bad weather.—ns.Weath′er-box,-house, 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;Weath′er-cloth, a tarpaulin protecting boats, hammocks, &c.;Weath′ercock, 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.Weath′er-driv′en, driven by winds or storms.—adj.Weath′ered(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.Weath′er-eye, the eye considered as the means by which one forecasts the weather.—v.t.Weath′er-fend(Shak.), to defend from the weather, to shelter.—ns.Weath′er-gage, the position of a ship to the windward of another: advantage of position;Weath′er-glass, a glass or instrument that indicates the changes of the weather: a barometer;Weath′er-gleam(prov.), a bright aspect of the sky at the horizon;Weath′er-helm, a keeping of the helm somewhat a-weather when a vessel shows a tendency to come into the wind while sailing;Weath′ering(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.Weath′erly(naut.), making little leeway when close-hauled.—n.Weath′er-map, a map indicating meteorological conditions over a large tract of country.—adj.Weath′ermost, farthest to windward.—n.Weath′er-notā′tion, a system of abbreviation for meteorological phenomena.—adj.Weath′er-proof, proof against rough weather.—ns.Weath′er-proph′et, one who foretells weather: a device for foretelling the weather;Weath′er-roll, the lurch of a vessel to windward when in the trough of the sea;Weath′er-ser′vice, an institution for superintending and utilising observed meteorological phenomena;Weath′er-side, the windward side;Weath′er-sign, a phenomenon indicating change of weather: any prognostic;Weath′er-stain, discolouration produced by exposure;Weath′er-stā′tion, a station where phenomena of weather are observed;Weath′er-strip, a thin piece of some material used to keep out wind and cold;Weath′er-sym′bol, a conventional sign indicating some meteorological phenomenon.—adjs.Weath′er-wise, wise or skilful in foreseeing the changes or state of the weather;Weath′er-worn, 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.wōv′en.—ns.Weav′er;Weav′er-bird, a family of Passerine birds resembling the finches, so called from their remarkably woven nests;Weav′ing, 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.andv.i.(Spens.) waved, floated.
Weazand, wē′zand,n.Same asWeasand.
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.Web′bing, 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.Web′by.—n.Web′-eye, a film spreading over the eye.—adjs.Web′-eyed;Web′-fing′ered.—n.Web′-foot, a foot the toes of which are united with a web or membrane.—adjs.Web′-foot′ed;Web′-toed.—Web and pin(Shak.), orPin and web, cataract on the eye. [A.S.webb; Ice.vefr, Ger.gewebe; from root ofweave.]
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. withweigh.]
Wed, wed,v.t.to marry: to join in marriage: to unite closely.—v.i.to marry:—pr.p.wed′ding;pa.t.andpa.p.wed′dedor wed.—adj.Wed′ded, married: belonging to marriage: clasped together.—ns.Wed′ding, marriage: marriage ceremony;Wed′ding-bed, the bridal bed;Wed′ding-cake, a highly decorated cake served at a wedding, and also divided among absent friends.—n.pl.Wed′ding-cards, complimentary cards of a newly married pair, sent to friends.—ns.Wed′ding-day, day of marriage;Wed′ding-dower, marriage portion;Wed′ding-dress, a bride's dress;Wed′ding-fāvour, white rosette worn by men at a wedding;Wed′ding-gar′ment, garment worn at a wedding;Wed′ding-ring, 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;Wedge′-shaped, having the shape of a wedge;Wedge′-tailed, having the tail wedge-shaped or cuneate.—adv.Wedge′wise, in the manner of a wedge.—n.Wedg′ing, a method of joining timbers.—Wedge of least resistance, the form in which a substance yields to pressure.—The thin, orsmall,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 ofweigh.]
Wedgwood ware. SeeWare.
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 ofWodenorOdin, the chief Teutonic deity.]
Wee, wē,n.a short distance, a short time.—adj.tiny. [Scand. form ofway; 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.Weed′ed,Weed′-grown, overgrown with weeds.—n.Weed′er.—n.pl.Weed′er-clips(Scot.), shears for weeding.—ns.Weed′ery, a place full of weeds;Weed′iness;Weed′ing-chis′el,-for′ceps,-fork,-hook,-tongs(pl.) garden implements of varying forms for destroying weeds.—adjs.Weed′less;Weed′y, weed-like, consisting of weeds; worthless. [A.S.wéod, an herb.]
Weed, wēd,n.a garment, esp. inpl.a widow's mourning apparel.—adj.Weed′y, 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.—AlsoWeid.
Week, wēk,n.the space of seven days, esp. from Sunday to Sunday: the six working days of the week.—n.Week′day, any day of the week except Sunday.—adj.Week′ly, 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 asWick.
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 aweepingwillow.—v.t.to lament: to pour forth:—pa.t.andpa.p.wept.—n.Weep′er, 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.Weep′ing, drooping the branches (as it were through grief).—ns.Weep′ing-ash, a variety of the common European ash, with drooping branches;Weep′ing-birch, a variety of the white birch, with drooping branches.—adv.Weep′ingly.—adj.Weep′ing-ripe(Shak.), ripe or ready for tears.—ns.Weep′ing-rock, a rock through which water percolates slowly;Weep′ing-spring, a spring from which water escapes slowly;Weep′ing-tree, a tree with long pendulous branches;Weep′ing-will′ow(seeWillow).—adj.Weep′y, oozy. [A.S.wépan—wóp, clamour; allied to Goth.wópjan.]
Weet,Weet′ing,Weet′ingly,Weet′less, obsolete form of wit, &c.
Weet, dialectal form ofwet.
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.—AlsoSting-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.Weev′iled,Weev′illed,Weev′ily,Weev′illy, infested by weevils. [A.S.wifel; Ger.wiebel.]
Weft, weft,n.the threads woven into and crossing the warp—alsoWoof.—n.Weft′age, 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.Weigh′able, capable of being weighed.—ns.Weigh′age, rate paid for the weighing of goods;Weigh′-bauk(Scot.), the beam of a balance: (pl.) a pair of scales;Weigh′-board(same asWay-board);Weigh′-bridge, a machine for weighing carts with their loads.—p.adj.Weighed(Bacon), experienced.—ns.Weigh′er, an officer who weighs articles or tests weights;Weigh′-house, a public building for weighing goods, ascertaining the tonnage of boats, &c.;Weigh′ing;Weigh′ing-cage, a cage in which live animals are weighed;Weigh′ing-machine′, 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 calledWeigh′ting.—v.t.to make more heavy.—adv.Weigh′tily.—n.Weigh′tiness.—adjs.Weight′less;Weigh′ty.—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(seeDead). [A.S.wegan, to carry; Ger.wiegen; L.vehĕre, to carry.]
Weigh, wā,n.a very common misspelling ofwayin 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 towerian, 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.Weird′ly.—n.Weird′ness.—Dree one's weird(seeDree).—The weird Sisters, the Fates. [A.S.wyrd, fate—weorthan, to become; Ger.werden.]
Weism, wē′izm,n.inordinate use of the pronounwe.
Weismannism, vīs′man-izm,n.the doctrine in biology of AugustWeismann(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 asWellaway.
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.Wel′comeness;Wel′comer, one who welcomes.—Bid a welcome, to receive with professions of kindness. [Scand., Ice.velkominn—vel, well,kominn, pa.p. ofkoma, 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.Weldabil′ity.—adj.Wel′dable.—ns.Wel′der;Wel′ding;Weld′-ī′ron, wrought-iron.—adj.Weld′less, having no welds.—n.Weld′-steel, 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. ofwolcen, 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.Well′-boat,-smack, a fishing-boat having a well;Well′-bor′ing, sinking wells by drilling through rock;Well′-buck′et, a vessel for drawing up water from a well;Well′-curb, the stone ring built round the mouth of a well;Well′-deck, an enclosed space on the deck of a ship;Well′-drain, a pit drawing the water from wet land;Well′-dress′ing, the festal decoration of wells and springs, as at Tissington in Derbyshire on Ascension-day, &c.;Well′-head, the source of a spring;Well′-hole, the pit or shaft of a well;Well′-house, a room built over a well;Well′ing, an outpouring;Well′-room, a room enclosing a mineral well: a cavity in a boat for collecting leakage and rain-water;Well′-sink′er, one who digs wells;Well′-sink′ing, the act of boring for water;Well′-spring, 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.Well′-acquaint′ed, having intimate personal knowledge;Well′-advised′, prudent.—adv.Well′-anear′(Shak.), very soon.—adj.Well′-appoint′ed, in good trim.—n.Well′-appoint′edness′.—adjs.Well′-bal′anced, properly adjusted;Well′-behāved′, becoming in manner.—n.Well′-bē′ing, state of being well, welfare.—adjs.Well′-beloved′, very dear;Well′-beseem′ing, properly becoming;Well′-beseen′(Spens.), showy in appearance;Well′-born, born of a good or respectable family: not of mean birth;Well′-breathed, strong of lung;Well′-bred, educated to polished manners: of good stock;Well′-condi′tioned, in a desirable condition;Well′-conduct′ed, properly led: acting properly;Well′-disposed′, favourable.—ns.Well′-do′er, a benefactor;Well′-do′ing, a doing of what is right or good.—adjs.Well′-earned, thoroughly deserved;Well′-ed′ucated, having a good education;Well′-famed, famous;Well-fā′voured, good-looking;Well′-fed, fat;Well′-found, commendable;Well′-found′ed, highly probable;Well′-graced, popular;Well′-ground′ed, very likely;Well′-informed′, full of varied information;Well′-inten′tioned, of upright intentions or purpose;Well′-judged, correctly calculated;Well′-knit, strongly framed;Well′-known, fully known: celebrated: notorious;Well′-lik′ing(Shak.), in good condition: clever, smart;Well′-look′ing, good-looking;Well′-mann′ered, polite: obedient;Well′-marked, obvious, decided;Well′-mean′ing, well-intentioned;Well′-meant, rightly intended;Well′-mind′ed, favourably inclined.—adv.Well′-nigh, nearly: almost.—adjs.Well′-or′dered, correctly governed;Well′-pleas′ing, acceptable;Well′-plight′ed(Spens.), well folded;Well′-propor′tioned, having correct proportions;Well′-read, of extensive reading;Well′-reg′ulated, well-ordered;Well′-respect′ed, highly esteemed;Well-round′ed, symmetrical;Well′-seen(Shak.), experienced, skilful;Well′-set, properly arranged: fitly put together;Well′-spō′ken, spoken properly: graceful in speech;Well′-tem′pered(mus.), tuned in equal temperament;Well′-thewed(Spens.), well-educated, well-mannered, of good disposition;Well′-tim′bered, furnished with much timber;Well′-timed, opportune: keeping accurate time;Well′-to-do, prosperous;Well′-turned, accurately rounded or fashioned;Well′-warr′anted, having good credit.—ns.Well′-will′er,-wish′er, one who wills or wishes well.—adjs.Well′-wished(Shak.), held in good-will;Well′-won, honestly gained;Well′-worn, worn threadbare: (rare) becomingly worn.—adv.Well′y(prov.), well-nigh.—Well done, a word of praise, bravely! nobly!Well enough, in a moderate but sufficient degree;Well met(seeMeet);Well off, in good circumstances;Well said, well done!Well up(coll.), well versed in, well acquainted with (within).—As well as(seeAs);Just as well, all the same: so much the better. [A.S.wel; cog. with Goth.vaila, Ger.wohl, from the root ofwill.]