Welladay, wel′a-dā,Wellaway,wel′a-wā,interjs.alas! [Corr. from M. E.weylaway—A.S.wá,lá,wá, 'woe, lo! woe.']
Wellingtonia, wel-ing-tō′ni-a,n.the largest of existing trees, a native of California—the same asSequoia(q.v.).
Wellingtons, wel′ing-tonz,n.a kind of riding-boots covering the knee in front, but cut away behind: a shorter closely-fitting boot, worn under the trousers. [Named after the great Duke ofWellington.]
Welsh, welsh,adj.pertaining toWalesor its inhabitants.—n.pl.the inhabitants of Wales:—sing.their language.—ns.Welsh′-harp, a large instrument, furnished with three rows of strings, two tuned in unison and in the diatonic scale, the third in the sharps and flats of the chromatic;Welsh′-hook, an old weapon, like the bill;Welsh′man, a native ofWales;Welsh′-on′ion, the cibol, a perennial plant with a garlic taste;Welsh′-rabb′it(seeRabbit). [A.S.welisc, foreign—wealh(pl.wealas), a foreigner, esp. the Celts or Welshmen.]
Welsh, welsh,v.t.andv.i.to run off from a race-course without settling or paying one's bets—alsoWelch.—ns.Welsh′er,Welch′er. [Perh. in allusion to the alleged bad faith of Welshmen.]
Welt, welt,n.a kind of hem or edging round a shoe: (coll.) a weal.—v.t.to furnish with a welt: to flog severely.—adj.Welt′ed.—n.Welt′ing. [W.gwald, a hem.]
Welt, welt,v.i.(prov.) to decay: to become stringy. [Wilt.]
Welter, wel′tėr,v.i.to roll or tumble about, to wallow about, esp. in dirt: to lie in some floating substance.—v.t.to make way in a weltering manner.—n.a tossing about, a state of turmoil.—adj.Wel′tering. [M. E.walten, to roll over—A.S.wealtan, to roll.]
Welter-weight, wel′tėr-wāt,n.an unusually heavy weight, carried mostly in steeple-chases and hurdle-races.—n.Wel′ter-race, a race in which such weights are carried.—n.pl.Wel′ter-stakes, the stakes in a welter-race. [Perh. fromwelter, in allusion to the less free motion; others trace toswelter, from the heating of the heavily weighted horses.]
Welwitschia, wel-wich′i-a,n.a genus of African Gymnosperms belonging to theGnetaceæ, and containing only one species, its flower consisting of a panicle of brilliant overlapping scarlet scales. [FriedrichWelwitsch(1806-72), an Austrian traveller.]
Wen, wen,n.a sebaceous cyst, most commonly on the scalp, consisting of obstructed sebaceous glands, which enlarge by the internal pressure of their accumulated secretions.—adjs.Wen′nish,Wen′ny, wen-like. [A.S.wen, a swelling, a wart; Dut.wen.]
Wench, wensh,n.a maid, damsel: a working-girl, a maid-servant: a lewd woman, a mistress, a whore.—v.i.to frequent the company of whores.—n.Wench′er, one who indulges in lewdness. [Perh. from the sing. of A.S.winclo, children, prob.wencel, weak,wancol, unstable.]
Wend, wend,v.i.to go: to wind or turn. [A.S.wendan, the causative ofwindan, to turn round.]
Wend, wend,n.the name given by the Germans to a branch of the Slavs which, as early as the 6th century, occupied the north and east of Germany from the Elbe along the coast of the Baltic to the Vistula, and as far south as Bohemia: one of the Slavic population of Lusatia who still speak the Wendish tongue.—adjs.Wen′dic,Wen′dish. [Prob. ultimately cog. withwander.]
Wenlock, wen′lok,adj.(geol.) denoting a group or series of rocks of the Upper Silurian period, consisting of limestone and shale, and largely developed in the neighbourhood ofWenlockin Shropshire.
Went, went, properlypa.t.ofwend, but now used aspa.t.ofgo.—n.(Spens.) a turning: a path.
Wentle-trap, wen′tl-trap,n.a genus of gasteropodous molluscs, having a spiral shell with many deep whorls, crossed by elevated ribs, and the aperture round and narrow. [Ger.wendel-treppe, a winding staircase.]
Wept, wept,pa.t.andpa.p.ofweep.
Were, wer,v.i.thepl.ofwas, used aspa.t.ofbe. [A.S.wǽre; Ger.war, Ice.vera, to be. Cf.Was.]
Werewolf,Werwolf, wēr′woolf,n.a person supposed to be able by natural gift or magic art to change himself for a time into a wolf.—adjs.Were′wolfish,Wer′wolfish.—n.Were′wolfism, lycanthropy. [A.S.werwulf—wer, man (Goth.vair, L.vir),wulf, a wolf. The modern Ger.Währwolfis the Mid. High Ger.Werwolf, Latinised asgarulphusorgerulphus, whence the O. Fr.garoul, the modern French name being pleonasticallyloup-garou.]
Weregild,Wergild, wēr′gild,n.a composition by which, by the custom of Anglo-Saxons, Franks, and other Teutonic peoples, homicide and other heinous crimes against the person were expiated. [A.S.wergield, fromwer, man,gield—gieldan, to pay.]
Wernerian, wėr-nē′ri-an,adj.pertaining or according to the opinions or system of A. G.Werner, a German mineralogist and geologist (1750-1817), who classified minerals according to their external characters, and advocated that all geological phenomena are due to the action of water.—n.an upholder of this theory.—n.Wer′nerite, a variety of scapolite.
Wersh, wersh,adj.(Scot.) tasteless, unsalted. [Wearish.]
Wert, wert, the 2d pers. sing. ofwere, used as thepa.t.subjunctive ofbe.
Wertherian, ver-tē′ri-an,adj.pertaining to or resembling the character ofWertherin Goethe's romance, 'The Sorrows of Young Werther.'—n.Wer′therism, sentimentality like that ofWerther.
Wesand, wē′zand,n.(Spens.). Same asWeasand.
Wesleyan, wes′le-an,adj.pertaining to Wesleyanism.—n.one who adopts Wesleyanism.—n.Wes′leyanism, the system of doctrine and church polity of the Wesleyan Methodists: Arminian Methodism. [Named from JohnWesley(1703-91).]
West, west,n.the quarter where the sun sets: one of the four chief points of the compass: the direction faced when one stands with his back to the high altar of a church: the countries to the west of Europe.—adj.situated towards or coming from the west: opposite the high altar of a church.—adv.towards the west.—v.i.(Spens.) to move towards the west.—adv.West′-about′, towards the west.—v.i.Wes′ter(obs.), to turn westward.—adjs.Wes′tering(Milt.), passing to the west;Wes′terly, lying or moving towards west: from the west.—adv.towards the west.—adj.Wes′tern, situated in the west: belonging to the west: moving towards, or coming from, the west.—n.an inhabitant of a western region or country.—ns.Wes′terner, a person belonging to the west;Wes′ternism, an idiom or other characteristic of western people.—adj.Wes′ternmost, furthest to the west.—n.Wes′ting, space or distance westward: departure westward: time of setting or reaching the west.—adv.West′ling, towards the west.—adj.West′most, most westerly.—adj.andadv.West′ward, towards the west.—advs.West′wardly,West′wards, towards the west.—Western Church, the Latin Church, as distinguished from the Eastern or Greek Church;Western Empire, the western division of the later Roman Empire;Western States, the states of the American Union lying west of the Alleghanies.—Westward ho!to the west! an old cry of London watermen plying westwards. [A.S.west(Fr.ouest, Ice.vestr); prob. conn. with Ice.vist, abode, L.vesper, Gr.hespera.]
Westphalian, west-fā′li-an,adj.pertaining toWestphalia, a duchy, a kingdom, and now a province of Prussia.—n.a native of Westphalia.
Wet, wet,adj.containing water: having water on the surface: rainy: (slang) given to drinking, tipsy: (U.S.) allowing the sale of intoxicating liquors, as opposed to prohibition.—n.water or wetness: moisture: act of wetting, a dram, a debauch.—v.t.to make wet: to soak with water: to sprinkle: (slang) to celebrate by drinking:—pr.p.wet′ting;pa.t.andpa.p.wet, (rarely)wet′ted.—ns.Wet′-cup′ping, the simultaneous application of a cupping-glass and the making an incision on the skin;Wet′-dock, a dock or basin for floating vessels at all states of the tide;Wet′ness;Wet′-nurse, a nurse who suckles a child for its mother.—adj.Wet′-shod, having shoes or feet wet.—n.Wet′ting-machine′, a machine used to damp paper for printing.—adj.Wet′tish, somewhat wet.—Wet bob(slang), a boy at school who goes in for rowing in preference to cricket or football;Wet bulb thermometer(seePsychrometer);Wet goods, liquors;Wet meter, a gas-meter in which the gas to be measured passes through water;Wet plate(phot.), a plate coated with collodion and sensitised with a salt of silver.—A wet blanket, a damper, kill-joy. [A.S.wǽt; Ice.vátr; from root of water.]
Wether, weth′ėr,n.a castrated ram. [A.S.wither; Ger.widder.]
Wey, wā,n.a measure or weight differing with different articles=182 lb. wool, 40 bushels salt or corn, 48 bushels oats, &c. [Weigh.]
Whack, hwak,v.t.to thwack: (slang) to parcel out, share.—v.i.to keep on striking: (slang) to settle accounts.—n.a blow: a stroke, share.—n.Whack′er(slang), something big.—adj.Whack′ing, very large, astounding. [Thwack.]
Whaisle,Whaizle, hwā′zl,v.i.(Scot.) to wheeze. [A form ofwheeze.]
Whale, hwāl,n.the common name of a cetaceous mammal, the largest of sea-animals, including thetoothedwhales, such as Sperm Whale and Dolphin, and thewhalebonewhales, such as Right Whale and Rorqual, in which the teeth are only embryonic.—v.i.to take whales.—ns.Whale′-back, a boat whose maindecks are covered in and rounded, for rough seas;Whale′-boat, a long, narrow boat used in the pursuit of whales;Whale′bone, a light flexible substance consisting of the baleen plates of the Arctic and allied whales.—adj.made of whalebone.—ns.Whale′-calf, a young whale—alsoCalf whale;Whale′-fish′er, one engaged in whale-fishery or the hunting of whales;Whale′-fish′ery;Whale′-fish′ing;Whale′-line, strong rope used for harpoon-lines in the whale-fishery;Whale′-louse, a genus of Crustacea, parasitic on the skin of Cetaceans;Whale′-man,Whāl′er, a person employed in whale-fishing;Whale′-oil, oil obtained from the blubber of a whale;Whāl′er,Whale′ship, a ship employed in the whale-fishing;Whāl′ery, whaling.—adj.Whāl′ing, connected with whale-catching.—n.the business of catching whales.—ns.Whāl′ing-gun, a contrivance for killing whales by means of a projectile;Whāl′ing-mas′ter, the captain of a whaler;Whāl′ing-port, a port where whalers are registered.—Whale's bone, ivory.—Bull whale, an adult male whale. [A.S.hwæl(Ice.hvalr, Ger.walfisch); orig. unknown.]
Whale, hwāl,v.t.(slang) to thrash. [Form ofwale.]
Whally, hwāl′i,adj.wall-eyed.—n.Whall, wall-eye.
Whang, hwang,n.a leathern thong. [Form ofthwang,thong.]
Whang, hwang,v.t.to flog: (Scot.) to cut in great slices.—n.a blow, bang: a large slice. [Prob. a variant ofwhack.]
Whangam, hwang′gam,n.a feigned name of some animal, invented by Goldsmith.
Wharf, hworf,n.a bank of timber or stone on the shore of a harbour or river for lading and unlading vessels: (Shak.) the bank of a river:—pl.Wharfs,Wharves.—v.t.to secure by a wharf: to place on a wharf.—ns.Wharf′age, the dues paid for using a wharf: accommodation at a wharf;Wharf′ing, material for making a wharf: wharfs;Wharfinger(hworf′in-jėr),one who has the care of, or owns, a wharf;Wharf′-rat, the common brown rat: a fellow who loafs about a wharf in the hope of picking up a chance job. [A.S.hwerf, a dam; prob. conn. withhweorfan(Ice.hverfa), to turn.]
What, hwot,interrog. pron.applied both to persons and things—also used elliptically and as an interjection: (Shak.) used to express a summons, or as a mere expletive.—interrog. adj.of what sort, how much, how great—also used in an intensive manner.—rel. pron.that which, such ... as: (Shak.) any, who, which.—indef. pron.something: (Spens.) a portion, bit.—adv.(obs.) why? to what degree?—conj.so much as: that, as inbut what, that ... not.—ns.What′abouts, the things one is occupied about;What′-d'ye-call(-it,-'em), a word substituted for the name of a thing (or person) because of forgetfulness, or in contempt.—adjs.What′en,What′ten(Scot.), what kind of.—prons.Whatev′er,Whate'er′, anything which: (coll.) what?—adj.any or all that, no matter what.—adjs.What′-like(coll.), of what kind;What′na(Scot.), same asWhaten.—pron.What′not, whatever or whoever.—adj.What′so, of whatever kind.—pron.whosoever.—adjs.Whatsoev′er,Whatsoe'er′, of whatever kind;Whatsomev′er(coll.), whatsoever.—What an if(Shak.), what of;What else, could anything else be the case?What ... for(Shak.), what kind of;What ho!a loud summons;What if, what would happen if?What not, elliptical for 'what may I not say?' implying the presence or existence of many other things;What of, what comes of? what do you think of?What's what, the real or genuine thing;What though, what matters it though, notwithstanding;What time, at the very time when;What with, by reason of. [A.S.hwæt, neut. ofhwa, who; Ger.was, L.quid.]
Whatnot, hwot′not,n.a piece of furniture with shelves for books, &c., so called because used to hold anything: anything, no matter what.
Whaup, hwawp,n.(Scot.) a curlew—sometimesGreat Whaupas opposed toLittle Whaup, the whimbrel.
Wheal, hwēl,n.a wale, weal.—v.t.to cause weals upon. [Prob. conn. with A.S.hwelan, to pine.]
Wheal, hwēl,n.a Cornish name for a mine.
Wheat, hwēt,n.the most valuable of all the cereal grasses, the grain furnishing a white flour for bread—known asbearded,beardless, orbald, according to the presence or the absence of the awns or beard; aswhite,red, oramber, according to colour; and asspring,summer,autumn, orwinter, according to the time of sowing.—ns.Wheat′-bird, the chaffinch;Wheat′-ear, an ear of wheat;Wheat′-eel, a disease in wheat—alsoEar-cockle.—adj.Wheat′en, made of wheat.—ns.Wheat′-field, a field of wheat;Wheat′-fly, name of several flies which destroy wheat—e.g. the Hessian fly;Wheat′-midge, a dipterous insect which lays its eggs in the flowers of wheat-heads, and whose reddish larvæ devour the kernels;Wheat′-mil′dew, the rust which gathers on wheat and oats;Wheat′-moth, one of several small moths whose larvæ devour stored wheat.—Wheat-ear stitch, a fancy stitch in embroidery. [A.S.hwǽte—hwit, white; Ger.weizen; allied towhite, and named from its colour.]
Wheat-ear, hwēt′-ēr,n.a bird of the genus Chat, a common summer visitant of Britain, abounding on downs and fallow fields. [Corr. fromWhite-arse.]
Wheedle, hwēd′l,v.t.to entice by soft words: to flatter.—n.a coaxing person.—n.Wheed′ler.—adj.Wheed′lesome, coaxing.—n.Wheed′ling. [Perh. from Ger.wedeln, to wag the tail, as a dog—wedel, a fan, brush—Old High Ger.wehan, to blow.]
Wheel, hwēl,n.a circular frame turning on an axle: an old instrument of torture: a steering-wheel: (fig.) the course of events, from the wheel, one of the attributes of Fortune, the emblem of mutability: (coll.) a bicycle or tricycle: circular motion: principle of life or motion: (Shak.) a refrain: (pl.) chariot: (slang) a dollar.—v.t.to cause to whirl: to convey on wheels: to turn.—v.i.to turn round or on an axis: to roll forward: to change direction: to move in a circle: to change about: (coll.) to ride a bicycle or tricycle.—ns.Wheel′-an′imal,-animal′cule, a rotifer;Wheel′-barrow, a barrow supported on one wheel and two handles, and driven forward by one man;Wheel′-boat, a boat having wheels, for use on water or on inclined planes;Wheel′-carr′iage, any kind of carriage moved on wheels;Wheel′-chair, a chair moving on wheels.—adj.Wheel′-cut, cut, or ground and polished, on a wheel—of glass.—n.Wheel′-cut′ter, a machine for cutting the teeth on watch and clock wheels.—p.adj.Wheeled, having wheels.—ns.Wheel′er, one who wheels: the horse nearest the wheels of a carriage: a maker of wheels;Wheel′-horse, one of the horses next the wheels in a team;Wheel′-house, a box or small house erected over the steering-wheel in ships: a paddle-box;Wheel′ing, the act of moving or conveying on wheels: a turning or circular movement of troops;Wheel′-lock, a lock for firing a gun by means of a small steel wheel;Wheel′man, a steersman: a cyclist;Wheel′-plough, a plough the depth of whose furrow is regulated by a wheel;Wheel′-race, the part of a race in which the water-wheel is fixed;Wheel′-tax, a tax on carriages;Wheel′-win′dow, a circular window with radiating tracery;Wheel′-work, a combination of wheels and their connection in machinery;Wheel′wright, a wright who makes wheels and wheel-carriages.—adj.Wheel′y, like a wheel.—Wheel and axle, one of the mechanical powers, in its primitive form a cylindrical axle, on which a wheel, concentric with the axle, is firmly fastened, the power being applied to the wheel, and the weight attached to the axis;Wheel of life(seeZoetrope);Wheels within wheels, a complication of circumstances.—Break a butterfly(fly, &c.)upon the wheel, to inflict a punishment out of all proportion to the offence: to employ great exertions for insignificant ends. [A.S.hwéol; Ice.hjól.]
Wheen, hwēn,n.(Scot.) a small quantity: a quantity. [A.S.hwǽne—hwón,adv., a little.]
Wheeze, hwēz,v.i.to breathe with a hissing sound: to breathe audibly or with difficulty.—n.Wheeze—alsoWheez′ing.—adv.Wheez′ily.—v.i.Wheez′le, to make wheezy sounds.—adj.Wheez′y. [A.S.hwésan; Ice.hvæsa, to wheeze, to hiss.]
Whelk, hwelk,n.a popular name for a number of marine Gasteropods, especially applied to species ofBuccinumcommon on the coasts of northern seas.—adjs.Whelked, ridged like a whelk;Whel′ky, knobby, rounded. [Wrong form ofwelk—A.S.wiloc,weoluc, prob. fromwealcan, to roll.]
Whelk, hwelk,n.(Shak.) the mark of a stripe on the body, a wrinkle, an inequality or protuberance. [Weal,wheal.]
Whelm, hwelm,v.t.to cover completely: to plunge deep: to overburden: to ruin, destroy.—v.i.to pass over in such a way as to submerge. [M. E.whelmen,whelven, to overturn (Ice.hválfa, Ger.wölben); allied to A.S.hwealf, arched; cf. Gr.kolpos, a gulf.]
Whelp, hwelp,n.the young of the dog kind and of lions, &c.: a puppy: a cub: a young man (in contempt).—v.i.andv.t.to bring forth young. [A.S.hwelp; Ice.hvelpr.]
Whemmle, hwem′l,Whummle,hwum′l,n.an overthrow: (Scot.) confusion.—v.t.to whelm, overthrow. [Freq. form ofwhelm.]
When, hwen,adv.andconj.at what time? at which time: at or after the time that: while.—interj.(Shak.) an exclamation of impatience, likewhat!—conj.When′as(Shak.), when: whereas.—adv.andconj.Whence(alsoFrom whence), from what place: from which things: wherefore.—adv.Whenceforth′(Spens.), whence.—conjs.Whencesoev′er, from what place, cause, or source soever;Whenev′er,Whene'er′, at every time when;Whensoev′er, at what time soever: whenever. [A.S.hwænne,hwonne(Ger.wann,wenn); orig. accus. of interrog. pron.hwá, who.]
Where, hwār,adv.andconj.at which place, at what place? to what place, to which place? (Shak.) whence, whereas: wherever.—n.(Shak.) situation, place.—adv.andconj.Whereabout′, about which, about where: near what?—alsoWhere′abouts.—n.Where′abouts, one's present place.—conjs.Whereagainst′(Shak.), against which;Whereas′, as or on account of which: since: when in fact: where.—advs.andconjs.Whereat′, at which: at what?Whereby′, by which;Where′fore, for which reason: for what reason? why?—n.the cause.—advs.andconjs.Wherefrom′, whence;Wherein′, in which respect: in what?Whereinsoev′er, in whatever place or respect;Whereinto(hwār-in′tōō,-in-tōō′),into what? into which.—n.Where′ness, state of having place or position.—advs.andconjs.Whereof′, of which: of what?Whereon′, on which: on what?Whereout′, out of which;Where′so,Wheresoe'er′,Wheresoev′er, in what place soever: (Shak.) whencesoever;Wherethrough′, through which;Whereto′, to which: to what?Whereun′der, under which;Whereuntil′(Shak.), whereunto;Whereunto′,Whereun′to, whereto: for what purpose?Whereupon′, upon or in consequence of which;Where'er′,Wherev′er, at whatever place;Wherewith′,Wherewithal′, with which? with what.—Where away?(naut.), a query uttered by the officer of the deck as to the direction of an object sighted by the lookout.—The wherewith,wherewithal, means. [A.S.hwǽr,hwár; from stem of who. Cf.There.]
Wherry, hwer′i,n.a shallow, light boat, sharp at both ends for speed:—pl.Wherr′ies.—n.Wherr′y-man, one who rows a wherry. [Ety. dub.; perh. conn. with Ice.hverfr, crank—hverfa, to turn.]
Wherry, hwer′i,n.a liquor made from the pulp of crab-apples.
Whet, hwet,v.t.to sharpen by rubbing: to make keen: to excite: (obs.) to preen:—pr.p.whet′ting:pa.t.andpa.p.whet′ted.—n.act of sharpening: something that sharpens the appetite.—ns.Whet′-stone, a stone for sharpening edged instruments: a stimulant;Whet′ter.—Whet on, orforward(Shak.), to urge on. [A.S.hwettan—hwæt, sharp; Ger.wetzen.]
Whether, hweth′ėr,interrog.andrel. pron.signifying which of two.—conj.which of two alternatives.—interrog. adv.introducing the first of two questions, the second being introduced by or—alsoconj.—Whether or no(coll.), in any case, surely. [A.S.hwæther, fromhwá, who, with the old comp. suffix-ther; cog. with Goth.hwathar, Ger.weder; also with L.uter, Gr.koteros, Sans.katara. Cf.OtherandAlter.]
Whethering, hweth′ėr-ing,n.(prov.) the retention of the afterbirth in cows.
Whew,Wheugh, hwū,interj.expressing wonder or dismay.—n.a whistling sound noting astonishment.—v.i.to utter such a sound.
Whew, hwū,v.i.(prov.) to bustle about.
Whey, hwā,n.the watery part of milk, separated from the curd, esp. in making cheese.—adjs.Whey′ey,Whey′ish, of whey: like whey.—n.Whey′-face, a pale or white face, caused by fright.—adj.Whey′-faced.—ns.Whey′ishness;Whey′-tub. [A.S,hwǽg; Low Ger.wey.]
Which, hwich,interrog. pron.what one of a number?—also used adjectively.—rel. pron.(obs.) who, whom: now used of things only.—prons.Whichev′er,Whichsoev′er, every one which: whether one or other.—(obs.)Which...he, who;Which...his, whose—surviving in the vulgar use ofwhichas a mere introductory word;Which is which?which is the one, which is the other? a common phrase denoting inability to decide between two or more things.—The which(obs.), which. [A.S.hwilc,hwelc, fromhwí, instrumental case ofhwá, who, andlíc, like; Goth.hwei-leiks, Ger.welch,welcher; L.qualis. Cf.SuchandEach.]
Whid, hwid,n.(Scot.) a rapid movement.—v.i.to move quickly, to whisk.—v.i.Whid′der, to whiz. [Prob. conn. with W.chwid, a jerk; or perh. A.S.hwitha, a breeze.]
Whid, hwid,n.(Scot.) a lie: (obs.) a word: (prov.) a quarrel.—v.i.to lie.—Cut boon whids, to speak good words. [Perh. A.S.cwide, a word—cwethan, to say.]
Whidah-bird. SeeWhydah.
Whiff, hwif,n.a sudden puff of air or smoke from the mouth: a slight blast: a light kind of outrigger boat: (prov.) a glimpse.—v.t.to throw out in whiffs: to puff.—v.i.to go out or off in a whiff.—ns.Whiff′er;Whiff′et, a whipper-snapper.—v.i.Whiff′le, to veer about, blow in gusts: to be fickle: to prevaricate: to talk idly.—n.a fickle, light-headed person.—ns.Whiff′ler, a fickle person: a herald, usher, piper, leading the way in a procession;Whiff′lery, levity;Whift, a breath, snatch. [W.chwiff, a puff; imit.]
Whiff, hwif,v.i.to fish with a hand-line.—n.Whiff′ing. [Whip.]
Whiffletree, hwif′l-trē,n.a swingletree.—AlsoWhip′pletree. [From whifle, to turn. Cf.Whiff.]
Whig, hwig,n.the name, since 1830 almost superseded by 'Liberal,' of one of the great English political parties: a Scotch Presbyterian, first so called in the middle of the 17th century: (U.S.) one of those who in the colonial period were opposed to British rule: one of the survivors of the old National Republican party, first so called in 1834—it died in 1852.—adj.composed of Whigs—alsoWhig′gish.—n.Whig′garchy, government byWhigs.—adv.Whig′gishly.—ns.Whig′gism,Whig′gery,Whig′gishness,Whig′ship, Whig principles. [Prob. short forwhiggamore.]
Whig, hwig,v.i.(Scot.) to jog along.
Whig, hwig,n.(prov.) sour whey, buttermilk.
Whiggamore, hwig′a-mōr,n.originally a person who came from the west and south-west of Scotland to Leith to buy corn: one of the 7000 Western Covenanters who marched on Edinburgh in 1648, sealing the doom of Charles I.: a Scotch Presbyterian, aWhig. [Traced by some towhiggam, a sound used by the peasantry of the western Lowlands in driving their horses; others derive fromwhig, sour whey. Not derivable fromwhig(1) and Gael.mor, great.]
Whigmaleerie, hwig-ma-lē′ri,n.(Scot.) a trinket, knick-knack: a whim. [Orig. uncertain.]
While, hwīl,n.a space of time: trouble spent.—adv.during the time that: at the same time that, as long as.—v.t.to cause to pass without irksomeness (withaway).—conjs.While,Whilst, as long as: at the same time that: (Shak.) until;Whiles(B.), while, at the same time that.—adv.(Scot.) at times (orig. gen. of A.S.hwíl).—advs.Whī′lom,Whī′lome(Milt.), formerly, once (orig. dat. pl. of A.S.hwíl, time).—Every once in a while, now and then;The while(Shak.), in the meantime;The whilst(Shak.), while: in the meantime;Worth while, worth the trouble and time taken. [A.S.hwíl; Goth.hweila, Ger.weile.]
Whilk, hwilk,pron.an obsolete form ofwhich.
Whilly, hwil′i,v.t.(Scot.) to cajole.—v.i.Whill′y-whaw, to make wheedling speeches.—n.cajolery.—adv.smooth-tongued, wheedling. [Prob. a mixture ofwileandwheedle.]
Whim, hwim,n.a caprice: a fancy: a machine for raising ore, a mine.—v.i.to turn round, to be seized with a whim.—v.t.to cause to turn.—adjs.Whim′my,Whim′sical, full of whims, odd, fantastical.—ns.Whimsical′ity,Whim′sicalness.—adv.Whim′sically.—ns.Whim′sy,Whim′sey, a whim, freak.—adj.full of whims, changeable.—n.Whim′-wham, a ridiculous notion or thing, a freak, an odd device. [Ice.hvima, to have the eyes wandering.]
Whimbrel, hwim′brel,n.a bird of the familyScolopacidæ, allied to the curlew and like it in form, plumage, and habits, but smaller, and having a shorter bill.—AlsoWim′brel. [Prob. imit.]
Whimper, hwim′pėr,v.i.to cry with a low, whining voice.—n.a peevish cry.—ns.Whim′perer, one who whimpers;Whim′pering, peevish crying.—adv.Whim′peringly.—Be on the whimper, to be peevish and ready to cry. [Scot.whimmer; Ger.wimmern; perh. from the root ofwhine.]
Whimple, hwim′pl (Spens.). Same asWimple.
Whin, hwin,n.gorse, furze.—n.Whin′-chat, a bird very similar in appearance, esp. when it assumes its duller autumn plumage, to the Stone-chat, a summer visitant of Britain.—adj.Whin′ny, abounding in whins. [W.chwyn, weeds.]
Whin, hwin,n.SeeWhinstone.
Whine, hwīn,v.i.to utter a plaintive, shrill cry: to complain in an unmanly way.—n.a plaintive cry: an affected nasal tone of complaint.—ns.Whī′ner;Whī′ning.—adv.Whī′ningly. [A.S.hwínan, to whine; Ice.hvína.]
Whinge, hwinj,v.i.(Scot.) to whine. [Whine.]
Whinger, hwing′ėr,n.a dirk.—AlsoWhin′iardandWhin′yard. [Prob. a corr. ofhanger.]
Whinnock, hwin′ok,n.(prov.) the smallest pig in a litter: a milk-pail.
Whinny, hwin′i, v.i, to neigh:—pa.t.andpa.p.whinn′ied.—n.a neigh. [Freq. ofwhine.]
Whinstone, hwin′stōn,n.a popular name in Scotland for any hard and compact kind of stone, as distinguished from sandstone or freestone and rocks of slaty structure.—AlsoWhin. [Perh. corr. fromwhernstone,quernstone, stone suitable for querns.]
Whinyard. SeeWhinger.
Whip, hwip,n.that which whips: a lash with a handle for punishing or driving: a driver, coachman: one who enforces the attendance of a political party: a whipper-in, the person who manages the hounds: a call made on members of parliament to be in their places against important divisions: a simple form of hoisting apparatus, a small tackle consisting of a single rope and block.—v.t.to strike with a lash: to drive or punish with lashes: to lash with sarcasm: (coll.) to beat, outdo: to beat into a froth, as eggs, cream, &c.: to keep together, as a party: to fish with fly: to overlay, as one cord with another, to enwrap, lay regularly on: to sew lightly: to overcast, as a seam: to move quickly, snatch (withup,away,out).—v.i.to move nimbly: to make a cast in fishing with fly:—pr.p.whip′ping;pa.t.andpa.p.whipped, whipt.—ns.Whip′-and-der′ry, a hoisting apparatus—same aswhipabove;Whip′cat, a tailor;Whip′cord, cord for making whips.—adj.Whip′cordy, tough like whipcord.—v.t.Whip′-graft, to graft by fitting a tongue cut on the scion to a slit cut slopingly in the stock.—ns.Whip′-hand, the hand that holds the whip: advantage over;Whip′-hand′le, the handle or stock of a whip: an advantage;Whip′jack, a poor whining seaman who never was at sea;Whip′lash, the lash of a whip;Whip′per, one who whips: an officer who inflicts the penalty of whipping;Whip′per-in, one who keeps the hounds from wandering, and whips them in to the line of chase: one who enforces the discipline of a party;Whip′per-snap′per, a pretentious but insignificant person;Whip′ping, act of whipping: punishment with the whip or lash: a defeat: a binding of twine, as at the end of a rope: in bookbinding, the sewing of the edges of single leaves in sections by overcasting the thread—alsoWhip′-stitch′ing;Whip′ping-boy, a boy formerly educated along with a prince and bearing his punishments for him;Whip′ping-cheer(Shak.), chastisement;Whip′ping-post, a post to which offenders are tied to be whipped: the punishment itself;Whip′-saw, a saw usually set in a frame, for dividing timber lengthwise, and commonly worked by two persons.—v.t.to cut with a whip-saw: to have the advantage of a person at every point.—ns.Whip′-snake, a name given in North America to various species of the genusMasticophis(esp.M. flagelliformis, the coach-whip snake, four to five feet long, slender, and harmless), as also to species ofPhilodryas, ofPasserita, &c.;Whip′-sock′et, a socket to hold the butt of a whip;Whip′-staff, the handle of a whip;Whip′ster(Shak.), same asWhipper-snapper;Whip′-stitch, a kind of half-ploughing—raftering: a hasty composition: a tailor;Whip′-stock, the rod or handle of a whip.—adjs.Whip′-tail,-tailed, having a long, slender tail.—Whip and spur, with great haste;Whip the cat, to practise small economies: to work by the day as a dressmaker going from house to house. [M. E.whippen; prob. a form ofwippen—Old Dut.wippen, to shake, conn. with Old High Ger.wipph, swinging motion (Ger.weifen, to move), and akin to L.vibrāre, to tremble.]
Whippet, hwip′et,n.(obs.) a kind of dog, a cross between a greyhound and spaniel.
Whippletree. SeeWhiffletree.
Whip-poor-will, hwip′-pōōr-wil′,n.a species of goat-sucker, a native of North America. [So named from the fancied resemblance of its notes to the wordswhip poor Will.]
Whippy, hwip′i,adj.(Scot.) active, nimble.—n.a pert young woman.
Whir, hwėr,n.a sound from rapid whirling.—v.i.to whirl round with a noise.—v.t.(Shak.) to hurry away with a whizzing sound:—pr.p.whir′ring;pa.t.andpa.p.whirred.—n.Whir′ring. [Dan.hvirre, to whirl; ult. imit.]
Whirl, hwėrl,n.a turning with rapidity: anything that turns with velocity.—v.i.to revolve rapidly.—v.t.to turn round rapidly: to carry away rapidly, as on wheels.—ns.Whirl′-about′, anything that turns round rapidly;Whirl′-bat(obs.), the ancient cestus;Whirl′-blast, a whirling blast of wind;Whirl′-bone, the knee-cap;Whirl′er;Whirl′igig, a child's toy which is spun or whirled rapidly round: a merry-go-round: anything that revolves rapidly: the water-beetle (Gyrinus): an ancient instrument of punishment, consisting of a pivoted wooden cage in which the prisoner was spun round;Whirl′ing;Whirl′ing-der′vish, one of an order of Mohammedan devotees who dance or spin round—the Mevlevis or dancing dervishes, founded in 1273;Whirl′ing-tā′ble,-machine′, a machine exhibiting the effects of centripetal and centrifugal forces: an instrument used by potters;Whirl′pool, a circular current in a river or sea, produced by opposing tides, winds, or currents: an eddy;Whirl′wind, a violent aerial current, with a whirling, rotary, or spiral motion and wild circling rush. [Skeat explains M. E.whirlenas a contraction for an assumedwhirf-le, a freq. of Ice.hvirfla, to whirl, freq. ofhverfa(pa.t.hvarf), to turn round; Ger.wirbeln, to whirl.]
Whirret, hwir′et,n.(obs.) a blow.—v.t.to give a box on the ear to: to vex.—AlsoWhirr′ick.
Whirry, hwėr′i,v.i.(Scot.) to fly rapidly.
Whish, hwish,v.i.to move with the whizzing sound of rapid motion. [Imit.]
Whish, hwish,interj.hush!—alsoWhisht.—adj.(obs.) silent.
Whisk, hwisk,v.t.to move with a quick motion: to sweep or stir rapidly.—v.i.to move nimbly and rapidly.—n.a rapid sweeping motion: a small bunch of anything used for a brush: a small instrument for beating or whisking, esp. eggs.—ns.Whis′ker, he who, or that which, whisks: the hair on the sides of a man's face (esp. inpl.): the bristle on the face of a cat, &c.;Whiskeran′do, a whiskered person, in allusion to Don FeroloWhiskerandosin Sheridan'sCritic.—adjs.Whiskeran′doed,Whis′kered,Whis′kery, having whiskers;Whis′king, moving briskly;Whis′ky-fris′ky, flighty. [Scand., Ice.visk, a wisp of hay; Sw.viska, to wipe, Ger.wischen; prob. conn. withwash.]
Whisk, hwisk,n.whist. [So called from the rapid action of sweeping the cards off the table after a trick has been won.]
Whisket, hwis′ket,n.(prov.) a basket.
Whisky,Whiskey, hwis′ki,n.a spirit made by the distillation of the fermented extract from malted and unmalted cereals, potatoes, or any starch-yielding material—the best qualities made either from malted barley alone, or from a mixed grist of barley-malt and dried barley and oats.—adjs.Whis′kified,Whis′keyfied, intoxicated.—n.Whis′ky-liv′er, cirrhosis of the liver, from too much whisky.—Whisky insurrection, an outbreak against the excise regulations which occurred in Western Pennsylvania in 1794;Whisky toddy, toddy having whisky for its chief ingredient. [Gael.uisge beatha—uisge, water,beatha, life; cf. L.vita, Gr.bios, life.]
Whisky,Whiskey, hwis′ki,n.a light gig.
Whisky-jack, hwis′ki-jak,n.the gray or Canada jay.—AlsoWhis′ky-john. [Amer. Ind.wiss-ka-tjan.]
Whisper, hwis′pėr,v.i.to speak with a low sound: to speak very softly: to plot secretly.—v.t.to utter in a low voice or under the breath.—n.a low, hissing voice or sound: cautious or timorous speaking: a secret hint: a low rustling sound.—ns.Whis′perer, one who whispers: (B.) a secret informer;Whis′pering, whispered talk: insinuation.—adj.like a whisper.—n.Whis′pering-gall′ery, a gallery or dome so constructed that a whisper or slight sound is carried to an unusual distance.—advs.Whis′peringly, in a whisper or low voice;Whis′perously, in a whisper. [A.S.hwisprian; Ger.wispern, Ice.hvískra; allied towhistle.]
Whist, hwist,adj.hushed: silent.—v.i.to become silent.—v.t.(Spens.) to hush or silence.—interj.hush! silence! be still! [Akin tohist!]
Whist, hwist,n.a well-known game at cards, played with the whole pack, by two against two.—ns.Whist′-play, play in the game of whist;Whist′-play′er.—Dummy whist(see Dummy);Five point Whist, whist played without counting honours;Long whist, a game of ten points with honours counting;Short whist, the game of five points, without honours. [Orig.whisk. Cf.Whisk.]
Whistle, hwis′l,v.i.to make a shrill sound by forcing the breath through the lips contracted: to make a like sound with an instrument: to sound shrill: to inform by whistling, to become informer.—v.t.to form or utter by whistling: to call by a whistle.—n.the sound made in whistling: a small wind instrument: an instrument sounded by escaping steam, used for signalling on railway-engines, steamships, &c.—adj.Whis′tle-drunk(obs.), too drunk to whistle.—ns.Whis′tle-fish, a rockling;Whis′tler, one who, or that which, whistles: a kind of marmot: a broken-winded horse;Whis′tling.—adv.Whis′tlingly.—n.Whis′tling-shop(slang), a shebeen, the keeper being called awhistler.—Whistle down the wind, to talk to no purpose;Whistle for, to summon by whistling;Whistle for a wind, a superstitious practice of old sailors during a calm;Whistle off, to send off by a whistle: (Shak.) turn loose.—Go whistle(Shak.), to go to the deuce;Pay for one's whistle, to pay highly for one's caprice;Pigs and whistles, an exclamation equivalent to 'The deuce!' or the like—also in phrase, 'To make pigs and whistles of anything'=to make a sad mess of it;Wet one's whistle(coll.), to take a drink of liquor;Worth the whistle, worth the trouble of calling for. [A.S.hwistlian; Sw.hvissla; cf.Whisper.]
Whit, hwit,n.the smallest particle imaginable: a bit. [By-form ofwight, a creature.]
White, hwīt,adj.of the colour of pure snow: pale, pallid: colourless: pure: unblemished: purified from sin: bright: burnished without ornament: transparent and colourless, as of wine: pertaining to the Carmelite monks: gracious, favourable: (U.S.) reliable, honest.—n.the colour of snow: anything white, as a white man, the mark at which an arrow is shot, the albuminous part of an egg.—v.t.to make white.—ns.White′-alloy′, a cheap alloy used to imitate silver;White′-ant, a termite.—adj.White′-backed, having the back white or marked with white.—ns.White′bait, the name by which the fry of the herring and sprat are known in the market, and when served for the table, esp. in London;White′-bass, a silvery serranoid fish of the American Great Lake region.—adj.White′-beaked, having a white beak.—ns.White′-bear, the polar bear;White′-beard, an old man.-adjs.White′-beard′ed;White′-bell′ied;White′-billed.—ns.White′boy, a member of an association of Irish peasants first formed in County Tipperary about 1761—wearing white shirts—long noted for agrarian outrages;White′boyism, the principles of the Whiteboys;White′-brass, an alloy of copper and zinc.—adj.White′-breast′ed.—n.pl.White′caps(U.S.), the name given to a self-constituted committee of persons who generally commit outrageous acts under the guise of serving the community.—ns.White′chapel-cart, a light two-wheeled spring-cart much used by London butchers, grocers, &c.;White′-copp′er, a light-coloured alloy of copper.—adjs.White′-crest′ed,-crowned, having the crest or crown white—of birds.—n.pl.White′-crops, grain, as barley, rye, wheat.—ns.White′-damp, carbonic oxide, a poisonous but not inflammable gas found in coal-mines in the after-damp;White′-el′ephant(seeElephant).—adjs.White′-faced, having a face pale with fear or from illness: with white front, forehead—alsoWhite′-front′ed;White′-fā′voured, wearing white favours.—ns.White′-feath′er(seeFeather);White′fish, a general name for such fish as the whiting, haddock, menhaden, &c.: the largest of all theCoregonior American lake whitefish;White′friar, one of the Carmelite order of friars, so called from their white dress.—adj.White′-hand′ed, having white hands unstained with guilt.—ns.White′-hass(Scot.), an oatmeal and suet pudding;White′head, the blue-winged snow-goose: a breed of domestic pigeons, a white-tailed monk;White′-heat, the degree of heat at which bodies become white;White′-herr′ing, a fresh or uncured herring;White′-hon′eysuckle, the clammy azalea;White′-horse, the name applied to a figure of a horse on a hillside, formed by removing the turf so as to show the underlying chalk—the most famous in Berkshire, at Uffington, traditionally supposed to commemorate Alfred the Great's victory of Ashdown (871)—periodically 'scoured' or cleaned from turf, &c.—adj.White′-hot.—ns.White′-īron, pig-iron in which the carbon is almost entirely in chemical combination with the iron;White′-lā′dy, a spectral figure which appears in many of the castles of Germany, as at Ansbach, Baireuth, Altenburg, &c., by night as well as by day, particularly when the death of any member of the family is imminent;White′-land, land with a stiff clayey soil white when dry;White′lead, a carbonate of lead used in painting white;White′-leath′er(seeLeather);White′-leg, an ailment of women after parturition—alsoMilk-leg;White′-lie(seeLie);White′-light, ordinary sunlight;White′-lime, whitewash.—adjs.White′-limed, whitewashed;White′-list′ed, having white lists or stripes on a darker ground;White′-liv′ered, having a pale look, so called because thought to be caused by a white liver: cowardly: malicious;White′ly(Shak.), coming near to white, white-faced.—ns.White′-meat, food made of milk, butter, eggs, &c.: the flesh of poultry, rabbits, veal, &c.;White′-met′al, a general name for alloys of light colour.—v.t.Whī′ten, to make white: to bleach.—v.i.to become or turn white.—ns.Whīt′ener;White′ness;White′-pot, a Devonshire dish of sliced rolls, milk, eggs, sugar, &c. baked;White′-precip′itate, a white mercurial preparation used externally;White′-pyrī′tes, marcasite;White′-rent, the tinner's poll-tax of eightpence to the Duke of Cornwall: rent paid in silver.—adj.White′-rumped.—ns.Whites(seeLeucorrhœa);White′-salt, salt dried and calcined;White′smith, a worker in tinned or white iron: a tinsmith;White′-squall(seeSquall);White′stone, granulite;White′-swell′ing, a disease of the joints, esp. the knee, in which the synovial membrane passes into pulpy degeneration;White′thorn, the common hawthorn;White′throat, a bird of the same genus as the Blackcap, having the breast and belly of a brownish-white;White′-vit′riol, sulphate of zinc;White′wash, slaked quicklime, reduced to the consistency of milk by means of water, used for colouring walls and as a disinfectant: a wash for the skin: false colouring.—v.t.to cover with whitewash: to give a fair appearance to.—ns.White′washer, one who whitewashes;White′-wa′ter, shoal water near the shore, breakers: the foaming water in rapids, &c.;White′-wax, bleached beeswax: Chinese wax, or pela;White′-wine, any wine of clear transparent colour, as hock, &c.;White′wing, the velvet scoter, scurf-duck: the chaffinch.—adj.White′-winged.—ns.White′wood, a name applied to a large number of trees or their timber—the American tulip-tree, white-wood cedar, cheesewood, &c.;Whī′ting, a small sea-fish allied to the cod, so called from its white colour: ground chalk free from stony matter and other impurities, extensively used as a size-colour, &c.—alsoWhite′ning, andSpanish white,Paris white(the finest);Whī′ting-time(Shak.), bleaching-time.—adj.Whī′tish, somewhat white.—ns.Whī′tishness;Whīt′ster(Shak.), a bleacher of cloth or clothes.—adjs.Whī′ty, whitish;Whī′ty-brown, white with a tinge of brown.—White-headed eagle, the North American bald eagle;White horse, a white-topped wave;White House, a popular name of the official residence of the President of the United States at Washington;White of an egg, the albumen, the pellucid viscous fluid surrounding the yolk;White of the eye, that part of the ball of the eye which surrounds the iris or coloured part.—China white, a very pure variety of whitelead—alsoSilver whiteandFrench white;Pearl white, the basic nitrate of bismuth used as a cosmetic;Zinc white, impure oxide of zinc.—Mark with a white stone(seeStone);Show the white feather(seeFeather). [A.S.hwít; Ice.hvitr, Ger.weiss.]
Whither, hwith′ėr,adv.to what place? to which place: to what: whithersoever.—adv.Whithersoev′er, to whatever place.—No whither, to no place. [A.S.hwider, from the stem ofwho. Cf.Thither,There.]
Whitleather, hwit′leth-ėr,n.leather dressed with alum, white leather: the paxwax or nuchal ligament of the ox.
Whitlow, hwit′lō,n.a painful inflammatory affection of the fingers, almost always proceeding to suppuration, paronychia.—n.Whit′low-grass, a small British saxifrage: the smallDraba vernaof America. [A corr. ofwhick-flaw=quick-flaw. Cf.QuickandFlaw.]
Whit-Monday, hwit′-mun′dā,n.the Monday following Whitsunday.
Whitsour, hwit′sowr,n.a kind of summer apple.
Whitsun, hwit′sun,adj.pertaining to, or observed at,Whitsuntide.—ns.Whit′sun-ale, a festival formerly held atWhitsuntide;Whit′sunday,Whit′suntide, the seventh Sunday after Easter, commemorating the day of Pentecost, when the converts in the primitive Church wore white robes: in Scotland, one of the term-days (May 15) on which rents, annuities, &c. are payable, the Whitsunday removal terms in towns being fixed as May 28;Whit′suntide, the season of Pentecost, comprising the week following Pentecost Sunday;Whit′sun-week, the week beginning with Whitsunday.
Whittaw, hwit′aw,n.(prov.) a saddler.—AlsoWhitt′awer.
Whittie-whattie, hwit′i-hwot′i,v.i.(Scot.) to mutter, whisper.—n.language intended to deceive.
Whittle, hwit′l,v.t.to pare or cut with a knife: to cut to an edge.—v.i.to cut wood aimlessly: (obs. slang) to confess at the gallows.—n.a small pocket-knife. [M. E.thwitel—A.S.thwítan, to cut.]
Whittle, hwit′l,n.(prov.) a woollen shawl: a blanket. [A.S.hwítel, a white mantle—hwít, white.]
Whiz, hwiz,v.i.to make a hissing sound, like an arrow or ball flying through the air:—pr.p.whiz′zing;pa.t.andpa.p.whizzed.—n.a hissing sound.—ns.Whiz′zer;Whiz′zing.—adv.Whiz′zingly. [Imit.; cf.Wheeze,Whist, andHiss.]
Who, hōō,pron.(bothrel.andinterrog.) what person? which person.—pron.Whoev′er, every one who: whatever person.—Who but he, who else? he only.—As who should say, as if one should say.—The who(Shak.), who. [A.S.hwá; cog. with Goth.hwas, Ice.hver, Ger.wer; also with Sans.kas, Gr.pos, L.quis.]
Whoa, hwō,interj.stop!
Whole, hōl,adj.sound, as in health (so inB.): unimpaired: containing the total amount, number, &c.: all: not defective: complete: in mining, as yet unworked.—n.the entire thing: a system or combination of parts.—adv.wholly.—adjs.Whole′-col′oured, all of one colour;Whole′-foot′ed(coll.) unreserved;Whole′-heart′ed,-souled, noble: hearty, generous;Whole′-hoofed, having undivided hoof;Whole′-length, giving the whole figure, as a portrait: full-length.—n.a portrait or statue giving the whole figure.—ns.Whole′ness;Whole′sāle, sale of goods by the whole piece or large quantity.—adj.buying and selling in large quantities: extensive.—n.Whole′sāler, one who sells by wholesale.—adjs.Whole′-skinned, having an unbroken skin: unhurt: safe in reputation;Whole′some, healthy: sound: salutary: (Shak.) prosperous.—adv.Whole′somely.—ns.Whole′someness;Whole′-stitch, a lace-making stitch used in filling.—adv.Wholly(hō′li),completely, altogether.—n.Wholth, wholeness, soundness.—Whole number, a unit, or a number composed of units, an integral number.—Upon,On,the whole, generally speaking, to sum up.—With whole skin, safe, unscathed. [A.S.hál, healthy; Ice.heill, Ger.heil. By-formhale(1).]
Whom, hōōm,pron.objective case ofwho.—prons.Whomev′er,Whomsoev′er, objective case ofwhoever,whosoever. [A.S.hwám, which was orig. dat. ofhwá, who, and replaced in the 12th and 13th centuries the older accus.hwone.]
Whommle, hwom′l,Whomble,hwomb′l,v.t.(prov.). Same asWhemmle.
Whoobub, hōō′bub,n.(Shak.). Same asHubbub.
Whoop, hwōōp, or hōōp,n.a loud eager cry.—v.i.to give a clear, sharp cry: to shout in scorn, eagerness, &c.—v.t.to insult with shouts.—interj.(Shak.) ho!—ns.Whoop′er, one who whoops: a species of swan;Whoop′ing-cough,Hooping-cough, an infectious and epidemic disease, mostly attacking children under ten, esp. in spring and autumn, its characteristic sign a cough occurring in paroxysms consisting of a series of short expiratory puffs followed by a deep inspiration of air through the contracted cleft of the glottis. [O. Fr.houper, to shout; cf.Houp!Houp-la!Perh. of Teut. origin, cog. with Goth.wōpjan, to crow.]
Whoot. SeeHoot.
Whop,Whap, hwop,v.t.(coll.) to whip.—v.i.to flop on the ground.—n.Whop′per, one who whops: anything very large, esp. a monstrous lie.—adj.Whop′ping(slang), very large. [Whip.]
Whore, hōr,n.a woman who prostitutes her body for hire, a prostitute, harlot, strumpet, hence any unchaste woman.—v.i.to practise lewdness.—v.t.to corrupt by lewd commerce.—ns.Whore′dom, unlawful sexual intercourse: idolatry;Whore′house, a brothel;Whore′master(Shak.), a pimp.—adj.Whore′masterly, libidinous.—ns.Whore′monger, a lecher: a pander;Whore′son(Shak.), a bastard.—adj.mean, scurvy.—adj.Whō′rish.—adv.Whō′rishly.—n.Whō′rishness. [Ice.hóra, an adulteress, fem. ofhórr, an adulterer. The word was confused with A.S.horu(Old High Ger.horo), dirt. There is no connection withhire.]
Whorl, hworl,n.a number of leaves in a circle round the stem: a turn in a spiral shell: a volution—e.g. in the ear: the fly of a spindle.—p.adj.Whorled, having whorls: arranged in the form of a whorl or whorls. [By-form ofwhirl.]
Whortleberry, hwor′tl-ber-i,n.a widely-spread health plant with a purple edible berry, called also theBilberry—in Scotland,Blaeberry—sometimes abbrev.Whort. [A.S.wyrtil, a shrub (Ger.wurzel, root), dim. ofwyrt, root, andberie, berry; confused rather than conn. with A.S.heort berge, berry of the buckthorn.]
Whose, hōōz,pron.the possessive case ofwhoorwhich.—pron.Whosesoev′er(B.), of whomsoever. [M. E.hwas—A.S.hwæs, gen. ofhwá, who.]
Whoso, hōō′so,Whosoever,hōō-so-ev′ėr,indef. rel. pron.every one who: whoever.
Whot, hwot,adj.(Spens.). Same asHot.
Whummle, a form ofwhemmle.
Whunstane, a form ofwhinstone.
Why, hwī,adv.andconj.for what cause or reason? on which account: wherefore.—interj.used us an expletive or exclamation.—n.Why′-not(obs.), a dilemma.—Why, so(Shak.), an expression of unwilling consent.—The cause why,The reason why, the reason why a thing is, or is to be done;The why and wherefore, the whole reason. [A.S.hwí,hwý, instrumental case ofhwá, who.]
Whydah,Whidah, hwid′a,n.a genus of birds of the Weaver family, natives of the tropical parts of Africa, often brought to Britain as cage-birds. [From the country ofWhydahin Dahomey.]
Wick, wik,n.a creek. [Ice.vík, a bay. Cf.Viking.]
Wick, wik,v.t.in curling, to strike a stone in an oblique direction. [Prob. A.S.wícan, to bend.]
Wick, wik,n.the twisted threads of cotton or other substance in a candle or lamp which draw up the inflammable liquid to a flame. [A.S.weoca; allied toweak—A.S.wác.]
Wick, wik,adj.(prov.) quick, alive.—n.a lively person.
Wick, wik,n.a village or town, as in Berwick, Greenwich. [A.S.wíc—L.vicus, a village.]