5. A frequented track; habitual place of action; sphere; as, the walkof the historian.The mountains are his walks. Sandys.He opened a boundless walk for his imagination. Pope.
6. Conduct; course of action; behavior.
7. The route or district regularly served by a vender; as, a milkman's walk. [Eng.]
WALKABLEWalk"a*ble, a.
Defn: Fit to be walked on; capable of being walked on or over. [R.]Swift.
WALKERWalk"er, n.
1. One who walks; a pedestrian.
2. That with which one walks; a foot. [Obs.] Lame Mulciber, his walkers quite misgrown. Chapman.
3. (Law)
Defn: A forest officer appointed to walk over a certain space for inspection; a forester.
4. Etym: [AS. wealcere. See Walk, v. t., 3.]
Defn: A fuller of cloth. [Obs. or Prov. Eng. & Scot.]She cursed the weaver and the walker The cloth that had wrought.Percy's Reliques.
5. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any ambulatorial orthopterous insect, as a stick insect.
WALKINGWalk"ing,
Defn: a. & n. from Walk, v. Walking beam. See Beam, 10. — Walking crane, a kind of traveling crane. See under Crane. — Walking fern. (Bot.) See Walking leaf, below. — Walking fish (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of Asiatic fishes of the genus Ophiocephalus, some of which, as O. marulius, become over four feet long. They have a special cavity over the gills lined with a membrane adapted to retain moisture to aid in respiration, and are thus able to travel considerable distances over the land at night, whence the name. They construct a curious nest for their young. Called also langya. — Walking gentleman (Theater), an actor who usually fills subordinate parts which require a gentlemanly appearance but few words. [Cant] — Walking lady (Theater), an actress who usually fills such parts as require only a ladylike appearance on the stage. [Cant] — Walking leaf. (a) (Bot.) A little American fern (Camptosorus rhizophyllus); — so called because the fronds taper into slender prolongations which often root at the apex, thus producing new plants. (b) (Zoöl.) A leaf insect. See under Leaf. — Walking papers, or Walking ticket, an order to leave; dismissal, as from office. [Colloq.] Bartlett. — Walking stick. (a) A stick or staff carried in the hand for hand for support or amusement when walking; a cane. (b) (Zoöl.) A stick insect; — called also walking straw. See Illust. of Stick insect, under Stick. — Walking wheel (Mach.), a prime mover consisting of a wheel driven by the weight of men or animals walking either in it or on it; a treadwheel.
WALK-MILLWalk"-mill`, n. Etym: [Walk to Walking Leaf, or full + mill.]
Defn: A fulling mill. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
WALK-OVERWalk"-o`ver, n.
Defn: In racing, the going over a course by a horse which has no competitor for the prize; hence, colloquially, a one-sided contest; an uncontested, or an easy, victory.
WALKYRWal"kyr, n. (Scand. Myth.)
Defn: See Valkyria.
WALLWall, n. (Naut.)
Defn: A kind of knot often used at the end of a rope; a wall knot; a wale. Wall knot, a knot made by unlaying the strands of a rope, and making a bight with the first strand, then passing the second over the end of the first, and the third over the end of the second and through the bight of the first; a wale knot. Wall knots may be single or double, crowned or double-crowned.
WALL Wall, n. Etym: [AS. weall, from L. vallum a wall, vallus a stake, pale, palisade; akin to Gr. Interval.]
1. A work or structure of stone, brick, or other materials, raised to some height, and intended for defense or security, solid and permanent inclosing fence, as around a field, a park, a town, etc., also, one of the upright inclosing parts of a building or a room. The plaster of the wall of the King's palace. Dan. v. 5.
2. A defense; a rampart; a means of protection; in the plural, fortifications, in general; works for defense. The waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. Ex. xiv. 22. In such a night, Troilus, methinks, mounted the Troyan walls. Shak. To rush undaunted to defend the walls. Dryden.
3. An inclosing part of a receptacle or vessel; as, the walls of a steam-engine cylinder.
4. (Mining) (a) The side of a level or drift. (b) The country rock bounding a vein laterally. Raymond.
Note: Wall is often used adjectively, and also in the formation of compounds, usually of obvious signification; as in wall paper, or wall-paper; wall fruit, or wall-fruit; wallflower, etc. Blank wall, Blind wall, etc. See under Blank, Blind, etc. — To drive to the wall, to bring to extremities; to push to extremes; to get the advantage of, or mastery over. — To go to the wall, to be hard pressed or driven; to be the weaker party; to be pushed to extremes. — To take the wall. to take the inner side of a walk, that is, the side next the wall; hence, to take the precedence. "I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague's." Shak. — Wall barley (Bot.), a kind of grass (Hordeum murinum) much resembling barley; squirrel grass. See under Squirrel. — Wall box. (Mach.) See Wall frame, below. — Wall creeper (Zoöl.), a small bright-colored bird (Tichodroma muraria) native of Asia and Southern Europe. It climbs about over old walls and cliffs in search of insects and spiders. Its body is ash- gray above, the wing coverts are carmine-red, the primary quills are mostly red at the base and black distally, some of them with white spots, and the tail is blackish. Called also spider catcher. — Wall cress (Bot.), a name given to several low cruciferous herbs, especially to the mouse-ear cress. See under Mouse-ear. — Wall frame (Mach.), a frame set in a wall to receive a pillow block or bearing for a shaft passing through the wall; — called also wall box. — Wall fruit, fruit borne by trees trained against a wall. — Wall gecko (Zoöl.), any one of several species of Old World geckos which live in or about buildings and run over the vertical surfaces of walls, to which they cling by means of suckers on the feet. — Wall lizard (Zoöl.), a common European lizard (Lacerta muralis) which frequents houses, and lives in the chinks and crevices of walls; — called also wall newt. — Wall louse, a wood louse. — Wall moss (Bot.), any species of moss growing on walls. — Wall newt (Zoöl.), the wall lizard. Shak. — Wall paper, paper for covering the walls of rooms; paper hangings. — Wall pellitory (Bot.), a European plant (Parictaria officinalis) growing on old walls, and formerly esteemed medicinal. — Wall pennywort (Bot.), a plant (Cotyledon Umbilicus) having rounded fleshy leaves. It is found on walls in Western Europe. — Wall pepper (Bot.), a low mosslike plant (Sedum acre) with small fleshy leaves having a pungent taste and bearing yellow flowers. It is common on walls and rocks in Europe, and is sometimes seen in America. — Wall pie (Bot.), a kind of fern; wall rue. — Wall piece, a gun planted on a wall. H. L. Scott. — Wall plate (Arch.), a piece of timber placed horizontally upon a wall, and supporting posts, joists, and the like. See Illust. of Roof. — Wall rock, granular limestone used in building walls. [U. S.] Bartlett. — Wall rue (Bot.), a species of small fern (Asplenium Ruta-muraria) growing on walls, rocks, and the like. — Wall spring, a spring of water issuing from stratified rocks. — Wall tent, a tent with upright cloth sides corresponding to the walls of a house. — Wall wasp (Zoöl.), a common European solitary wasp (Odynerus parietus) which makes its nest in the crevices of walls.
WALLWall (, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Walled (; p. pr. & vb. n. Walling.]
1. To inclose with a wall, or as with a wall. "Seven walled towns ofstrength." Shak.The king of Thebes, Amphion, That with his singing walled that city.Chaucer.
2. To defend by walls, or as if by walls; to fortify. The terror of his name that walls us in. Denham.
3. To close or fill with a wall, as a doorway.
WALLABAWal"la*ba, n. (Bot.)
Defn: A leguminous tree (Eperua falcata) of Demerara, with pinnate leaves and clusters of red flowers. The reddish brown wood is used for palings and shingles. J. Smith (Dict. Econ. Plants).
WALLABYWal"la*by, n.; pl. Wallabies. Etym: [From a native name.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any one of numerous species of kangaroos belonging to the genus Halmaturus, native of Australia and Tasmania, especially the smaller species, as the brush kangaroo (H. Bennettii) and the pademelon (H. thetidis). The wallabies chiefly inhabit the wooded district and bushy plains. [Written also wallabee, and whallabee.]
WALLACHIANWal*la"chi*an, a. [Also Walachian, Wallach, Wallack, Vlach, etc.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to Wallachia, a former principality, now part of the kingdom, of Roumania. — n.
Defn: An inhabitant of Wallachia; also, the language of theWallachians; Roumanian.
WALLACKWal"lack, a. & n.
Defn: See Wallachian.
WALLAHWal"lah, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A black variety of the jaguar; — called also tapir tiger.[Written also walla.]
WALLAROOWal`la*roo", n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any one of several species of kangaroos of the genus Macropus, especially M. robustus, sometimes called the great wallaroo.
WALLBIRDWall"bird`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The spotted flycatcher. [Prov. Eng.]
WALLERWall"er, n.
Defn: One who builds walls.
WALLERWall"er, n. Etym: [G.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The wels.
WALLERIAN DEGENERATIONWal*le"ri*an de*gen`er*a"tion. (Med.)
Defn: A form of degeneration occurring in nerve fibers as a result of their division; — so called from Dr. Waller, who published an account of it in 1850.
WALLET Wal"let, n. Etym: [OE. walet, probably the same word as OE. watel a bag. See Wattle.]
1. A bag or sack for carrying about the person, as a bag for carrying the necessaries for a journey; a knapsack; a beggar's receptacle for charity; a peddler's pack. [His hood] was trussed up in his walet. Chaucer.
2. A pocketbook for keeping money about the person.
3. Anything protuberant and swagging. "Wallets of flesh." Shak.
WALLETEERWal`let*eer", n.
Defn: One who carries a wallet; a foot traveler; a tramping beggar.[Colloq.] Wright.
WALL-EYEWall"-eye`, n. Etym: [See Wall-eyed.]
1. An eye in which the iris is of a very light gray or whitish color; — said usually of horses. Booth.
Note: Jonson has defined wall-eye to be "a disease in the crystalline humor of the eye; glaucoma." But glaucoma is not a disease of the crystalline humor, nor is wall-eye a disease at all, but merely a natural blemish. Tully. In the north of England, as Brockett states, persons are said to be wall-eyed when the white of the eye is very large and distorted, or on one side.
2. (Zoöl.) (a) An American fresh-water food fish (Stizostedion vitreum) having large and prominent eyes; — called also glasseye, pike perch, yellow pike, and wall-eyed perch. (b) A California surf fish (Holconotus argenteus). (c) The alewife; — called also wall-eyed herring.
WALL-EYED Wall"-eyed`, a. Etym: [Icel. valdeygedhr, or vagleygr; fr. vagl a beam, a beam in the eye (akin to Sw. vagel a roost, a perch, a sty in the eye) + eygr having eyes (from auga eye). See Eye.]
Defn: Having an eye of a very light gray or whitish color. Booth.
Note: Shakespeare, in using wall-eyed as a term of reproach (as "wall-eyed rage," a "wall-eyed wretch"), alludes probably to the idea of unnatural or distorted vision. See the Note under Wall-eye. It is an eye which is utterly and incurably perverted, an eye that knows no pity.
WALLFLOWERWall"flow`er, n.
1. (Bot.)
Defn: A perennial, cruciferous plant (Cheiranthus Cheiri), with sweet-scented flowers varying in color from yellow to orange and deep red. In Europe it very common on old walls.
Note: The name is sometimes extended to other species of Cheiranthus and of the related genus Erysimum, especially the American Western wallflower (Erysimum asperum), a biennial herb with orange-yellow flowers.
2. A lady at a ball, who, either from choice, or because not asked to dance, remains a spectator. [Colloq.]
WALLHICKWall"hick`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The lesser spotted woodpecker (Dryobates minor). [Prov. Eng.]
WALLINGWall"ing, n.
1. The act of making a wall or walls.
2. Walls, in general; material for walls. Walling wax, a composition of wax and tallow used by etchers and engravers to make a bank, or wall, round the edge of a plate, so as to form a trough for holding the acid used in etching, and the like. Fairholt.
WALLOONSWal*loons", n. pl.; sing. Walloon (. Etym: [Cf. F. wallon.]
Defn: A Romanic people inhabiting that part of Belgium which comprises the provinces of Hainaut, Namur, Liége, and Luxembourg, and about one third of Brabant; also, the language spoken by this people. Used also adjectively. [Written also Wallons.] "A base Walloon . . . thrust Talbot with a spear." Shak. Walloon guard, the bodyguard of the Spanish monarch; — so called because formerly consisting of Walloons.
WALLOPWal"lop, v. i. Etym: [Cf. OFlem. walop a gallop; of uncertain origin.Cf. Gallop.]
Defn: To move quickly, but with great effort; to gallop. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
WALLOPWal"lop, n.
Defn: A quick, rolling movement; a gallop. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
WALLOPWal"lop, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Walloped; p. pr. & vb. n. Walloping.]Etym: [Probably fr. AS. weallan to spring up, to boil or bubble. sq.root147. See Well, n. & v. i.]
1. To boil with a continued bubbling or heaving and rolling, with noise. [Prov. Eng.] Brockett.
2. To move in a rolling, cumbersome manner; to waddle. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
3. To be slatternly. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
WALLOPWal"lop, v. t.
1. To beat soundly; to flog; to whip. [Prov. Eng., Scot., & Colloq. U. S.]
2. To wrap up temporarily. [Prov. Eng.]
3. To throw or tumble over. [Prov. Eng.]
WALLOPWal"lop, n.
1. A thick piece of fat. Halliwell.
2. A blow. [Prov. Eng., Scot., & Colloq. U.S.]
WALLOWWal"low, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Wallowed; p. pr. & vb. n. Wallowing.]Etym: [OE. walwen, AS. wealwian; akin to Goth. walwjan (in comp.) toroll, L. volvere; cf. Skr. val to turn. *147. Cf. Voluble Well, n.]
1. To roll one's self about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire. I may wallow in the lily beds. Shak.
2. To live in filth or gross vice; to disport one's self in a beastly and unworthy manner. God sees a man wallowing in his native impurity. South.
3. To wither; to fade. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
WALLOWWal"low, v. t.
Defn: To roll; esp., to roll in anything defiling or unclean. "Wallow thyself in ashes." Jer. vi. 26.
WALLOWWal"low, n.
Defn: A kind of rolling walk.One taught the toss, and one the new French wallow. Dryden.
WALLOWERWal"low*er, n.
1. One who, or that which, wallows.
2. (Mach.)
Defn: A lantern wheel; a trundle.
WALLOWISHWal"low*ish, a. Etym: [Scot. wallow to fade or wither.]
Defn: Flat; insipid. [Obs.] Overbury.
WALL-PLATWall"-plat`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The spotted flycatcher. It builds its nest on walls. [Prov.Eng.]
WALL-SIDEDWall"-sid`ed, a. (Naut.)
Defn: Having sides nearly perpendicular; — said of certain vessels to distinguish them from those having flaring sides, or sides tumbling home (see under Tumble, v. i.).
WALL STREETWall Street.
Defn: A street towards the southern end of the borough of Manhattan, New York City, extending from Broadway to the East River; — so called from the old wall which extended along it when the city belonged to the Dutch. It is the chief financial center of the United States, hence the name is often used for the money market and the financial interests of the country.
WALLWORTWall"wort`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: The dwarf elder, or danewort (Sambucus Ebulus).
WALMWalm, v. i. Etym: [AS. weallan; cf. wælm, billow. *147.]
Defn: To roll; to spout; to boil up. [Obs.] Holland.
WALNUTWal"nut, n. Etym: [OE. walnot, AS. wealh-hnutu a Welsh or foreignnut, a walnut; wealh foreign, strange, n., a Welshman, Celt (akin toOHG. Walh, properly, a Celt, from the name of a Celtic tribe, in L.Volcae) + hnutu a nut; akin to D. walnoot, G. walnuss, Icel. valhnot,Sw. valnöt, Dan valnöd. See Nut, and cf. Welsh.] (Bot.)
Defn: The fruit or nut of any tree of the genus Juglans; also, the tree, and its timber. The seven or eight known species are all natives of the north temperate zone.
Note: In some parts of America, especially in New England, the name walnut is given to several species of hickory (Carya), and their fruit. Ash-leaved walnut, a tree (Juglans fraxinifolia), native in Transcaucasia. — Black walnut, a North American tree (J. nigra) valuable for its purplish brown wood, which is extensively used in cabinetwork and for gunstocks. The nuts are thick-shelled, and nearly globular. — English, or European, walnut, a tree (J. regia), native of Asia from the Caucasus to Japan, valuable for its timber and for its excellent nuts, which are also called Madeira nuts. — Walnut brown, a deep warm brown color, like that of the heartwood of the black walnut. — Walnut oil, oil extracted from walnut meats. It is used in cooking, making soap, etc. — White walnut, a North American tree (J. cinerea), bearing long, oval, thick-shelled, oily nuts, commonly called butternuts. See Butternut.
WALRUS Wal"rus, n. Etym: [D. walrus; of Scand. origin; cf. Dan valros, Sw. vallross, Norw. hvalros; literally, whale horse; akin to Icel. hrosshvalr, AS. horshwæl. See Whale, and Horse.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A very large marine mammal (Trichecus rosmarus) of the Seal family, native of the Arctic Ocean. The male has long and powerful tusks descending from the upper jaw. It uses these in procuring food and in fighting. It is hunted for its oil, ivory, and skin. It feeds largely on mollusks. Called also morse.
Note: The walrus of the North Pacific and Behring Strait (Trichecus obesus) is regarded by some as a distinct species, by others as a variety of the common walrus.
WALTERWal"ter, v. i. Etym: [See Welter.]
Defn: To roll or wallow; to welter. [Obs. or Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
WALTRONWal"tron, n.
Defn: A walrus. [Obs.] Woodward.
WALTYWal"ty, a. Etym: [Cf. Walter to roll.]
Defn: Liable to roll over; crank; as, a walty ship. [R.] Longfellow.
WALTZ Waltz, n. Etym: [G. walzer, from walzen to roll, revolve, dance, OHG. walzan to roll; akin to AS. wealtan. See Welter.]
Defn: A dance performed by two persons in circular figures with a whirling motion; also, a piece of music composed in triple measure for this kind of dance.
WALTZWaltz, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Waltzed; p. pr. & vb. n. Waltzing.]
Defn: To dance a waltz.
WALTZERWaltz"er, n.
Defn: A person who waltzes.
WALWEWal"we, v.
Defn: To wallow. [Obs.] Chaucer.
WALYWa"ly, interj. Etym: [Cf. Welaway.]
Defn: An exclamation of grief. [Obs. or Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
WAMBLE Wam"ble, v. i. Etym: [Cf. Dan. vamle, and vammel squeamish, ready to vomit, Icel. væma to feel nausea, væminn nauseous.]
1. To heave; to be disturbed by nausea; — said of the stomach. L'Estrange.
2. To move irregularly to and fro; to roll.
WAMBLEWam"ble, n.
Defn: Disturbance of the stomach; a feeling of nausea. Holland.
WAMBLE-CROPPEDWam"ble-cropped`, a.
Defn: Sick at the stomach; also, crestfallen; dejected. [Slang]
WAMMELWam"mel, v. i.
Defn: To move irregularly or awkwardly; to wamble, or wabble. [Prov.Eng.]
WAMPWamp, n. Etym: [From the North American Indian name.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The common American eider.
WAMPEE Wam*pee", n. (Bot.) (a) A tree (Cookia punctata) of the Orange family, growing in China and the East Indies; also, its fruit, which is about the size of a large grape, and has a hard rind and a peculiar flavor. (b) The pickerel weed. [Southern U.S.]
WAMPUMWam"pum, n. Etym: [North American Indian wampum, wompam, from theMass. wómpi, Del. wape, white.]
Defn: Beads made of shells, used by the North American Indians asmoney, and also wrought into belts, etc., as an ornament.Round his waist his belt of wampum. Longfellow.Girded with his wampum braid. Whittier.
Note: These beads were of two kinds, one white, and the other black or dark purple. The term wampum is properly applied only to the white; the dark purple ones are called suckanhock. See Seawan. "It [wampum] consisted of cylindrical pieces of the shells of testaceous fishes, a quarter of an inch long, and in diameter less than a pipestem, drilled . . . so as to be strung upon a thread. The beads of a white color, rated at half the value of the black or violet, passed each as the equivalent of a farthing in transactions between the natives and the planters." Palfrey.
WANWan, obs. imp. of Win.
Defn: Won. Chaucer.
WANWan (, a. Etym: [AS. wann, wonn, wan, won, dark, lurid, livid,perhaps originally, worn out by toil, from winnan to labor, strive.See Win.]
Defn: Having a pale or sickly hue; languid of look; pale; pallid."Sad to view, his visage pale and wan." Spenser.My color . . . [is] wan and of a leaden hue. Chaucer.Why so pale and wan, fond lover Suckling.With the wan moon overhead. Longfellow.
WANWan, n.
Defn: The quality of being wan; wanness. [R.]Tinged with wan from lack of sleep. Tennyson.
WANWan, v. i.
Defn: To grow wan; to become pale or sickly in looks. "All his visagewanned." Shak.And ever he mutter'd and madden'd, and ever wann'd with despair.Tennyson.
WANDWand, n. Etym: [Of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. vöndr, akin to Dan.vaand, Goth. wandus; perhaps originally, a pliant twig, and akin toE. wind to turn.]
1. A small stick; a rod; a verge. With good smart blows of a wand on his back. Locke.
2. Specifically: (a) A staff of authority. Though he had both spurs and wand, they seemed rather marks of sovereignty than instruments of punishment. Sir P. Sidney.
(b) A rod used by conjurers, diviners, magicians, etc. Picus bore a buckler in his hand; His other waved a long divining wand. Dryden. Wand of peace (Scots Law), a wand, or staff, carried by the messenger of a court, which he breaks when deforced (that is, hindered from executing process), as a symbol of the deforcement, and protest for remedy of law. Burrill.
WANDERWan"der, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Wandered; p. pr. & vb. n. Wandering.]Etym: [OE. wandren, wandrien, AS. wandrian; akin to G. wandern towander; fr. AS. windan to turn. See Wind to turn.]
1. To ramble here and there without any certain course or with no definite object in view; to range about; to stroll; to rove; as, to wander over the fields. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins. Heb. xi. 37. He wandereth abroad for bread. Job xv. 23.
2. To go away; to depart; to stray off; to deviate; to go astray; as, a writer wanders from his subject. When God caused me to wander from my father's house. Gen. xx. 13. O, let me not wander from thy commandments. Ps. cxix. 10.
3. To be delirious; not to be under the guidance of reason; to rave; as, the mind wanders.
Syn. — To roam; rove; range; stroll; gad; stray; straggly; err; swerve; deviate; depart.
WANDERWan"der, v. t.
Defn: To travel over without a certain course; to traverse; to stroll through. [R.] "[Elijah] wandered this barren waste." Milton.
WANDERERWan"der*er, n.
Defn: One who wanders; a rambler; one who roves; hence, one who deviates from duty.
WANDERINGWan"der*ing,
Defn: a. & n. from Wander, v. Wandering albatross (Zoöl.), the great white albatross. See Illust. of Albatross. — Wandering cell (Physiol.), an animal cell which possesses the power of spontaneous movement, as one of the white corpuscles of the blood. — Wandering Jew (Bot.), any one of several creeping species of Tradescantia, which have alternate, pointed leaves, and a soft, herbaceous stem which roots freely at the joints. They are commonly cultivated in hanging baskets, window boxes, etc. — Wandering kidney (Med.), a morbid condition in which one kidney, or, rarely, both kidneys, can be moved in certain directions; — called also floating kidney, movable kidney. — Wandering liver (Med.), a morbid condition of the liver, similar to wandering kidney. — Wandering mouse (Zoöl.), the whitefooted, or deer, mouse. See Illust. of Mouse. — Wandering spider (Zoöl.), any one of a tribe of spiders that wander about in search of their prey.
WANDERINGLYWan"der*ing*ly, adv.
Defn: In a wandering manner.
WANDERMENTWan"der*ment, n.
Defn: The act of wandering, or roaming. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
WANDEROOWan`der*oo", n. Etym: [Cingalese wanderu a monkey.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A large monkey (Macacus silenus) native of Malabar. It is black, or nearly so, but has a long white or gray beard encircling the face. Called also maha, silenus, neelbhunder, lion-tailed baboon, and great wanderoo. [Written also ouanderoo.]
Note: The name is sometimes applied also to other allied species.
WANDYWand"y, a.
Defn: Long and flexible, like a wand. [Prov. Eng.] Brockett.
WANE Wane, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Waned; p. pr. & vb. n. Waning.] Etym: [OE. wanien, AS. wanian, wonian, from wan, won, deficient, wanting; akin to D. wan-, G. wahnsinn, insanity, OHG. wan, wana-, lacking, wan to lessen, Icel. vanr lacking, Goth. vans; cf. Gr. wanting, inferior. Want lack, and Wanton.]
1. To be diminished; to decrease; — contrasted with wax, and especially applied to the illuminated part of the moon. Like the moon, aye wax ye and wane. Waning moons their settled periods keep. Addison.
2. To decline; to fail; to sink. You saw but sorrow in its waning form. Dryden. Land and trade ever will wax and wane together. Sir J. Child.
WANEWane, v. t.
Defn: To cause to decrease. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
WANEWane, n.
1. The decrease of the illuminated part of the moon to the eye of a spectator.
2. Decline; failure; diminution; decrease; declension. An age in which the church is in its wane. South. Though the year be on the wane. Keble.
3. An inequality in a board. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
WANEYWan"ey, n.
Defn: A sharp or uneven edge on a board that is cut from a log not perfectly squared, or that is made in the process of squaring. See Wany, a.
WANG Wang, n. Etym: [OE. wange, AS. wange, wonge, cheek, jaw; akin to D. wang, OS. & OHG. wanga, G. wange.]
1. The jaw, jawbone, or cheek bone. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] So work aye the wangs in his head. Chaucer.
2. A slap; a blow. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell. Wang tooth, a cheek tooth; a molar. [Obs.] Chaucer.
WANGWang, n.
Defn: See Whang. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
WANGANWan"gan, n. Etym: [American Indian.]
Defn: A boat for conveying provisions, tools, etc.; — so called byMaine lumbermen. [Written also wangun.] Bartlett.
WANGERWang"er, n. Etym: [AS. wangere. See 1st Wang.]
Defn: A pillow for the cheek; a pillow. [Obs. & R.]His bright helm was his wanger. Chaucer.
WANGHEEWang*hee", n. Etym: [Chin. wang yellow + he a root.] (Bot.)
Defn: The Chinese name of one or two species of bamboo, or jointed cane, of the genus Phyllostachys. The slender stems are much used for walking sticks. [Written also whanghee.]
WANGOWang"o, n.
Defn: A boomerang.
WANHOPE Wan"hope`, n. Etym: [AS. wan, won, deficient, wanting + hopa hope: cf. D. wanhoop. . See Wane, and Hope.]
Defn: Want of hope; despair; also, faint or delusive hope; delusion.[Obs.] Piers Plowman. "Wanhope and distress." Chaucer.
WANHORNWan"horn` n. Etym: [Corruption fr. Siamese wanhom.] (Bot.)
Defn: An East Indian plant (Kæmpferia Galanga) of the Ginger family.See Galanga.
WANIANDWan"i*and, n. Etym: [See Wanion.]
Defn: The wane of the moon. [Obs.] Halliwell.
WANINGWan"ing, n.
Defn: The act or process of waning, or decreasing. This earthly moon, the Church, hath fulls and wanings, and sometimes her eclipses. Bp. Hall.
WANION Wan"ion, n. Etym: [Probably for OE. waniand waning, p. pr. of wanien; hence, used of the waning of the moon, supposed to be an unlucky time. See Wane.]
Defn: A word of uncertain signification, used only in the phrase with a wanion, apparently equivalent to with a vengeance, with a plague, or with misfortune. [Obs.] B. Jonson. Latimer.
WANKLEWan"kle, a. Etym: [AS. wancol.]
Defn: Not to be depended on; weak; unstable. [Prov. Eng.] Grose.
WANLYWan"ly, adv.
Defn: In a wan, or pale, manner.
WANNEDWanned, a.
Defn: Made wan, or pale.
WANNESSWan"ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being wan; a sallow, dead, pale color; paleness; pallor; as, the wanness of the cheeks after a fever.
WANNISHWan"nish, a.
Defn: Somewhat wan; of a pale hue.No sun, but a wannish glare, In fold upon fold of hueless cloud.Tennyson.
WANT Want (277), n. Etym: [Originally an adj., from Icel. vant, neuter of vanr lacking, deficient. sq. root139. See Wane, v. i.]
1. The state of not having; the condition of being without anything; absence or scarcity of what is needed or desired; deficiency; lack; as, a want of power or knowledge for any purpose; want of food and clothing. And me, his parent, would full soon devour For want of other prey. Milton. From having wishes in consequence of our wants, we often feel wants in consequence of our wishes. Rambler. Pride is as loud a beggar as want, and more saucy. Franklin.
2. Specifically, absence or lack of necessaries; destitution; poverty; penury; indigence; need. Nothing is so hard for those who abound in riches, as to conceive how others can be in want. Swift.
3. That which is needed or desired; a thing of which the loss is felt; what is not possessed, and is necessary for use or pleasure. Habitual superfluities become actual wants. Paley.
4. (Mining)
Defn: A depression in coal strata, hollowed out before the subsequent deposition took place. [Eng.]
Syn. — Indigence; deficiency; defect; destitution; lack; failure; dearth; scarceness.
WANTWant, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Wanted; p. pr. & vb. n. Wanting.]
1. To be without; to be destitute of, or deficient in; not to have; to lack; as, to want knowledge; to want judgment; to want learning; to want food and clothing. They that want honesty, want anything. Beau. & Fl. Nor think, though men were none, That heaven would want spectators, God want praise. Milton. The unhappy never want enemies. Richardson.
2. To have occasion for, as useful, proper, or requisite; to require; to need; as, in winter we want a fire; in summer we want cooling breezes.
3. To feel need of; to wish or long for; to desire; to crave. " What wants my son" Addison. I want to speak to you about something. A. Trollope.
WANTWant, v. i. Etym: [Icel. vanta to be wanting. See Want to lack.]
1. To be absent; to be deficient or lacking; to fail; not to be sufficient; to fall or come short; to lack; — often used impersonally with of; as, it wants ten minutes of four. The disposition, the manners, and the thoughts are all before it; where any of those are wanting or imperfect, so much wants or is imperfect in the imitation of human life. Dryden.
2. To be in a state of destitution; to be needy; to lack. You have a gift, sir (thank your education), Will never let you want. B. Jonson. For as in bodies, thus in souls, we find What wants in blood and spirits, swelled with wind. Pope.
Note: Want was formerly used impersonally with an indirect object."Him wanted audience." Chaucer.
WA'N'TWa'n't.
Defn: A colloquial contraction of was not.
WANTAGEWant"age, n.
Defn: That which is wanting; deficiency.
WANTINGWant"ing, a.
Defn: Absent; lacking; missing; also, deficient; destitute; needy; as, one of the twelve is wanting; I shall not be wanting in exertion.
WANTLESSWant"less, a.
Defn: Having no want; abundant; fruitful.
WANTON Wan"ton, a. Etym: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of teón to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]
1. Untrained; undisciplined; unrestrained; hence, loose; free; luxuriant; roving; sportive. "In woods and wanton wilderness." Spenser. "A wild and wanton herd." Shak. A wanton and a merry [friar]. Chaucer. [She] her unadorned golden tresses wore Disheveled, but in wanton ringlets waved. Milton. How does your tongue grow wanton in her praise! Addison.
2. Wandering from moral rectitude; perverse; dissolute. "Men grown wanton by prosperity." Roscommon.
3. Specifically: Deviating from the rules of chastity; lewd; lustful; lascivious; libidinous; lecherous. Not with wanton looking of folly. Chaucer. [Thou art] froward by nature, enemy to peace, Lascivious, wanton. Shak.
4. Reckless; heedless; as, wanton mischief.
WANTONWan"ton, n.
1. A roving, frolicsome thing; a trifler; — used rarely as a term ofendearment.I am afeard you make a wanton of me. Shak.Peace, my wantons; he will do More than you can aim unto. B. Jonson.
2. One brought up without restraint; a pampered pet. Anything, sir, That's dry and wholesome; I am no bred wanton. Beau. & Fl.
3. A lewd person; a lascivious man or woman.
WANTONWan"ton, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Wantoned; p. pr. & vb. n. Wantoning.]
1. To rove and ramble without restraint, rule, or limit; to revel; to play loosely; to frolic. Nature here wantoned as in her prime. Milton. How merrily we would sally into the fields, and strip under the first warmth of the sun, and wanton like young dace in the streams! Lamb.
2. To sport in lewdness; to play the wanton; to play lasciviously.
WANTONWan"ton, v. t.
Defn: To cause to become wanton; also, to waste in wantonness. [Obs.]
WANTONIZEWan"ton*ize, v. i.
Defn: To behave wantonly; to frolic; to wanton. [R.] Lamb.
WANTONLYWan"ton*ly, adv.
1. In a wanton manner; without regularity or restraint; loosely; sportively; gayly; playfully; recklessly; lasciviously.
2. Unintentionally; accidentally. [Obs.] J. Dee.
WANTONNESSWan"ton*ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being wanton; negligence of restraint; sportiveness; recklessness; lasciviousness. Gower. The tumults threatened to abuse all acts of grace, and turn them into wantonness. Eikon Basilike. Young gentlemen would be as sad as night Only for wantonness. Shak.
WANTRUSTWan"trust`, n. Etym: [Pref. wan- as in wanton + trust.]
Defn: Failing or diminishing trust; want of trust or confidence; distrust. [Obs.] Chaucer.
WANTWITWant"wit`, n.
Defn: One destitute of wit or sense; a blockhead; a fool. [Obs.]Shak.
WANTYWan"ty, n. Etym: [For womb tie, that is, bellyWomb, and Tie.]
Defn: A surcingle, or strap of leather, used for binding a load upon the back of a beast; also, a leather tie; a short wagon rope. [Prov. Eng.]
WANYWan"y, v. i.
Defn: To wane. [Obs.] Chaucer.
WANYWan"y, a.
1. Waning or diminished in some parts; not of uniform size throughout; — said especially of sawed boards or timber when tapering or uneven, from being cut too near the outside of the log.
2. Spoiled by wet; — said of timber. Halliwell.
WANZEWanze, v. i.
Defn: To wane; to wither. [Obs.]
WAPWap, v. t. & i. Etym: [See Whap.]
Defn: To beat; to whap. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Sir T. Malory.
WAPWap, n.
Defn: A blow or beating; a whap. [Prov. Eng.]
WAPACUTWap"a*cut, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The American hawk owl. See under Hawk.
WAPATOOWap"a*too`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: The edible tuber of a species of arrowhead (Sagittaria variabilis); — so called by the Indians of Oregon. [Written also wappato.]
WAPED Waped, a. Etym: [Prov. E. wape pale, v., to stupefy, akin to wap to beat. Cf. Whap, and Wappened.]
Defn: Cast down; crushed by misery; dejected. [Obs.]
WAPENTAKE Wap"en*take, n. Etym: [AS. w, w, from Icel. vapnatak, literally, a weapon taking or weapon touching, hence an expression of assent ("si displicuit sententia fremitu aspernantur; sin placuit frameas concutiunt." Tacitus, "Germania," xi.). See Weapon, and Take. This name had its origin in a custom of touching lances or spears when the hundreder, or chief, entered on his office. "Cum quis accipiebat præfecturam wapentachii, die statuto in loco ubi consueverant congregari, omnes majores natu contra eum conveniebant, et descendente eo de equo suo, omnes assurgebant ei. Ipse vero, erecta lancea sua, ab omnibus secundum morem foedus accipiebat; omnes enim quot-quot venissent cum lanceis suis ipsius hastam tangebant, et ita se confirmabant per contactum armorum, pace palam concessa. Wæpnu enim arma sonat; tac, tactus est — hac de causa totus ille conventus dicitur Wapentac, eo quod per tactum armorum suorum ad invicem confoederati sunt." L L. Edward Confessor, 33. D. Wilkins.]
Defn: In some northern counties of England, a division, or district, answering to the hundred in other counties. Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire are divided into wapentakes, instead of hundreds. [Written also wapentac.] Selden. Blackstone.
WAPINSCHAWWap"in*schaw, n. Etym: [Scot. See Weapon, and Show.]
Defn: An exhibition of arms. according to the rank of the individual, by all persons bearing arms; — formerly made at certain seasons in each district. [Scot.] Jamieson. Sir W. Scott.
WAPITIWap"i*ti, n. Etym: [Probably the Iroquois name. Bartlett.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The American elk (Cervus Canadensis). It is closely related to the European red deer, which it somewhat exceeds in size.
Note: By some writers it is thought to be a variety of the red deer, but it is considered a distinct species by others. It is noted for the large, branching antlers of the male.
WAPP Wapp, n. Etym: [CF. Prov. E. wap to wrap up.] (Naut.) (a) A fair-leader. (b) A rope with wall knots in it with which the shrouds are set taut.
WAPPATOWap"pa*to, n. (Bot.)
Defn: See Wapatoo.
WAPPENEDWap"pened, a. Etym: [Cf. Waped, Wapper.]
Defn: A word of doubtful meaning used once by Shakespeare.This [gold] is itThat makes the wappen'd widow wed again.
Note: It is conjectured by some that it is an error for wappered, meaning tremulous or exhausted.
WAPPER Wap"per, v. t. & i. Etym: [freq. of wap, v.; cf. dial. G. wappern, wippern, to move up and down, to rock.]
Defn: To cause to shake; to tremble; to move tremulously, as from weakness; to totter. [Obs.]
WAPPERWap"per, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A gudgeon. [Prov. Eng.]
WAPPETWap"pet, n.
Defn: A small yelping cur. [Prov. Eng.]
WAPPINGWap"ping, n.
Defn: Yelping. [R.] Fuller.
WARWar, a.
Defn: Ware; aware. [Obs.] Chaucer.
WAR War, n. Etym: [OE. & AS. werre; akin to OHG. werra scandal, quarrel, sedition, werran to confound, mix, D. warren, G. wirren, verwirren, to embroil, confound, disturb, and perhaps to E. worse; cf. OF. werre war, F. querre, of Teutonic origin. Cf. Guerrilla, Warrior.]
1. A contest between nations or states, carried on by force, whether for defence, for revenging insults and redressing wrongs, for the extension of commerce, for the acquisition of territory, for obtaining and establishing the superiority and dominion of one over the other, or for any other purpose; armed conflict of sovereign powers; declared and open hostilities. Men will ever distinguish war from mere bloodshed. F. W. Robertson.
Note: As war is the contest of nations or states, it always implies that such contest is authorized by the monarch or the sovereign power of the nation. A war begun by attacking another nation, is called an offensive war, and such attack is aggressive. War undertaken to repel invasion, or the attacks of an enemy, is called defensive.
2. (Law)
Defn: A condition of belligerency to be maintained by physical force. In this sense, levying war against the sovereign authority is treason.
3. Instruments of war. [Poetic] His complement of stores, and total war. Prior.
4. Forces; army. [Poetic] On their embattled ranks the waves return, And overwhelm their war. Milton.
5. The profession of arms; the art of war. Thou art but a youth, and he is a man of war from his youth. 1 Sam. xvii. 33.
6. a state of opposition or contest; an act of opposition; aninimical contest, act, or action; enmity; hostility. "Raised impiouswar in heaven." Milton.The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in hisheart. Ps. lv. 21.Civil war, a war between different sections or parties of the samecountry or nation.— Holy war. See under Holy.— Man of war. (Naut.) See in the Vocabulary.— Public war, a war between independent sovereign states.— War cry, a cry or signal used in war; as, the Indian war cry.— War dance, a dance among savages preliminary to going to war.Among the North American Indians, it is begun by some distinguishedchief, and whoever joins in it thereby enlists as one of the partyengaged in a warlike excursion. Schoolcraft.— War field, a field of war or battle.— War horse, a horse used in war; the horse of a cavalry soldier;especially, a strong, powerful, spirited horse for military service;a charger.— War paint, paint put on the face and other parts of the body bysavages, as a token of going to war. "Wash the war paint from yourfaces." Longfellow.— War song, a song of or pertaining to war; especially, among theAmerican Indians, a song at the war dance, full of incitements tomilitary ardor.— War whoop, a war cry, especially that uttered by the AmericanIndians.
WARWar, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Warred; p. pr. & vb. n. Warring.] 1
Defn: To make war; to invade or attack a state or nation with forceof arms; to carry on hostilities; to be in a state by violence.Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king ofIsrael, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it. Isa. vii. 1.Why should I war without the walls of Troy Shak.Our countrymen were warring on that day! Byron.
2. To contend; to strive violently; to fight. "Lusts which war against the soul." 1 Pet. ii. 11.
WARWar, v. t.
1. To make war upon; to fight. [R.] To war the Scot, and borders to defend. Daniel.
2. To carry on, as a contest; to wage. [R.] That thou . . . mightest war a good warfare. Tim. i. 18.
WAR-BEATENWar"-beat`en, a.
Defn: Warworn.
WARBLEWar"ble, n. Etym: [Cf. Wormil.]
1. (Far.) (a) A small, hard tumor which is produced on the back of a horse by the heat or pressure of the saddle in traveling. (b) A small tumor produced by the larvæ of the gadfly in the backs of horses, cattle, etc. Called also warblet, warbeetle, warnles.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: See Wormil.
WARBLEWar"ble, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Warbled; p. pr. & vb. n. Warbling.]Etym: [OE. werbelen, OF. werbler; of Teutonic origin; cf. G. wirbelnto turn, to warble, D. wervelen, akin to E. whirl. See Whirl.]
1. To sing in a trilling, quavering, or vibratory manner; to modulate with turns or variations; to trill; as, certain birds are remarkable for warbling their songs.
2. To utter musically; to modulate; to carol. If she be right invoked in warbled song. Milton. Warbling sweet the nuptial lay. Trumbull.
3. To cause to quaver or vibrate. "And touch the warbled string." Milton.
WARBLEWar"ble, v. i.
1. To be quavered or modulated; to be uttered melodiously. Such strains ne'er warble in the linnet's throat. Gay.
3. To sing in a trilling manner, or with many turns and variations. "Birds on the branches warbling." Milton.
3. To sing with sudden changes from chest to head tones; to yodel.
WARBLEWar"ble, n.
Defn: A quavering modulation of the voice; a musical trill; a song. And he, the wondrous child, Whose silver warble wild Outvalued every pulsing sound. Emerson.
WARBLERWar"bler, n.
1. One who, or that which, warbles; a singer; a songster; — applied chiefly to birds. In lulling strains the feathered warblers woo. Tickell.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any one of numerous species of small Old World singing birds belonging to the family Sylviidæ, many of which are noted songsters. The bluethroat, blackcap, reed warbler (see under Reed), and sedge warbler (see under Sedge) are well-known species.
3. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any one of numerous species of small, often bright colored,American singing birds of the family or subfamily Mniotiltidæ, orSylvicolinæ. They are allied to the Old World warblers, but most ofthem are not particularly musical.
Note: The American warblers are often divided, according to their habits, into bush warblers, creeping warblers, fly-catching warblers, ground warblers, wood warblers, wormeating warblers, etc. Bush warbler (Zoöl.) any American warbler of the genus Opornis, as the Connecticut warbler (O. agilis). — Creeping warbler (Zoöl.), any one of several species of very small American warblers belonging to Parula, Mniotilta, and allied genera, as the blue yellow-backed warbler (Parula Americana), and the black-and-white creeper (Mniotilta varia). — Fly-catching warbler (Zoöl.), any one of several species of warblers belonging to Setophaga, Sylvania, and allied genera having the bill hooked and notched at the tip, with strong rictal bristles at the base, as the hooded warbler (Sylvania mitrata), the black- capped warbler (S. pusilla), the Canadian warbler (S. Canadensis), and the American redstart (see Redstart). — Ground warbler (Zoöl.), any American warbler of the genus Geothlypis, as the mourning ground warbler (G. Philadelphia), and the Maryland yellowthroat (see Yellowthroat). — Wood warbler (Zoöl.), any one of numerous American warblers of the genus Dendroica. Among the most common wood warblers in the Eastern States are the yellowbird, or yellow warbler (see under Yellow), the black-throated green warbler (Dendroica virens), the yellow-rumped warbler (D. coronata), the blackpoll (D. striata), the bay-breasted warbler (D. castanea), the chestnut-sided warbler (D. Pennsylvanica), the Cape May warbler (D. tigrina), the prairie warbler (see under Prairie), and the pine warbler (D. pinus). See also Magnolia warbler, under Magnolia, and Blackburnian warbler.
WARBLINGLYWar"bling*ly, adv.
Defn: In a warbling manner.
WARBURG'S TINCTUREWar"burg's tinc"ture. (Pharm.)
Defn: A preparation containing quinine and many other ingredients, often used in the treatment of malarial affections. It was invented by Dr. Warburg of London.
-WARD; -WARDS -ward, -wards. Etym: [AS. -weard, -weardes; akin to OS. & OFries. - ward. OHG. -wert, G. -wärts, Icel. -verthr, Goth. -vaírÞs, L. vertere to turn, versus toward, and E. worth to become. *143. See Worth. v. i., and cf. Verse. Adverbs ending in -wards (AS. -weardes) and some other adverbs, such as besides, betimes, since (OE. sithens). etc., were originally genitive forms used adverbially.]
Defn: Suffixes denoting course or direction to; motion or tendency toward; as in backward, or backwards; toward, or towards, etc.
WARD Ward, n. Etym: [AS. weard, fem., guard, weard, ward a watcher, warden, G. wart, OHG. wart, Icel. vör a warden, a watch, Goth. -wards in daúrawards a doorkeeper, and E. wary; cf. OF. warde guard, from the German. See Ware, a., Wary, and cf. Guard, Wraith.]
1. The act of guarding; watch; guard; guardianship; specifically, a guarding during the day. See the Note under Watch, n., 1. Still, when she slept, he kept both watch and ward. Spenser.
2. One who, or that which, guards; garrison; defender; protector; means of guarding; defense; protection. For the best ward of mine honor. Shak. The assieged castle's ward Their steadfast stands did mightily maintain. Spenser. For want of other ward, He lifted up his hand, his front to guard. Dryden.
3. The state of being under guard or guardianship; confinement under guard; the condition of a child under a guardian; custody. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard. Gen. xl. 3. I must attend his majesty's command, to whom I am now in ward. Shak. It is also inconvenient, in Ireland, that the wards and marriages of gentlemen's children should be in the disposal of any of those lords. Spenser.
4. A guarding or defensive motion or position, as in fencing; guard. "Thou knowest my old ward; here I lay, and thus I bore my point." Shak.
5. One who, or that which, is guarded. Specifically: — (a) A minor or person under the care of a guardian; as, a ward in chancery. "You know our father's ward, the fair Monimia." Otway. (b) A division of a county. [Eng. & Scot.] (c) A division, district, or quarter of a town or city. Throughout the trembling city placed a guard, Dealing an equal share to every ward. Dryden.
(d) A division of a forest. [Eng.] (e) A division of a hospital; as, a fever ward.
6. (a) A projecting ridge of metal in the interior of a lock, to prevent the use of any key which has not a corresponding notch for passing it. (b) A notch or slit in a key corresponding to a ridge in the lock which it fits; a ward notch. Knight. The lock is made . . . more secure by attaching wards to the front, as well as to the back, plate of the lock, in which case the key must be furnished with corresponding notches. Tomlinson.
Ward penny (O. Eng. Law), money paid to the sheriff or castellan for watching and warding a castle. — Ward staff, a constable's or watchman's staff. [Obs.]
WARD Ward, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Warded; p. pr. & vb. n. Warding.] Etym: [OE. wardien, AS. weardian to keep, protect; akin to OS. ward to watch, take care, OFries. wardia, OHG. wart, G. warten to wait, wait on, attend to, Icel. var to guarantee defend, Sw. vårda to guard, to watch; cf. OF. warder, of German origin. See Ward, n., and cf. Award, Guard, Reward.]
1. To keep in safety; to watch; to guard; formerly, in a specific sense, to guard during the day time. Whose gates he found fast shut, no living wight To ward the same. Spenser.
2. To defend; to protect. Tell him it was a hand that warded him From thousand dangers. Shak.
3. To defend by walls, fortifications, etc. [Obs.]
4. To fend off; to repel; to turn aside, as anything mischievous that approaches; — usually followed by off. Now wards a felling blow, now strikes again. Daniel. The pointed javelin warded off his rage. Addison. It instructs the scholar in the various methods of warding off the force of objections. I. Watts.
WARDWard, v. i.
1. To be vigilant; to keep guard.
2. To act on the defensive with a weapon. She redoubling her blows drove the stranger to no other shift than to ward and go back. Sir P. Sidney.
WARD-CORNWard"-corn`, n. Etym: [Ward + F. corne horn, L. cornu.] (O. Eng. Law)
Defn: The duty of keeping watch and ward (see the Note under Watch, n., 1) with a horn to be blown upon any occasion of surprise. Burrill.
WARDCORPSWard"corps`, n. Etym: [Wars + corps.]
Defn: Guardian; one set to watch over another. [Obs.] "Though thou preyedest Argus . . . to be my wardcorps." Chaucer.
WARDEN Ward"en, n. Etym: [OE. wardein, OF. wardein, gardein, gardain, F. gardien. See Guardian, and Ward guard.]
1. A keeper; a guardian; a watchman. He called to the warden on the . . . battlements. Sir. W. Scott.
2. An officer who keeps or guards; a keeper; as, the warden of a prison.
3. A head official; as, the warden of a college; specifically (Eccl.), a churchwarden.
4. Etym: [Properly, a keeping pear.]
Defn: A large, hard pear, chiefly used for baking and roasting.[Obs.]I would have had him roasted like a warden. Beau. & Fl.Warden pie, a pie made of warden pears. [Obs.] Shak.
WARDENRY; WARDENSHIPWard"en*ry, Ward"en*ship, n.
Defn: The office or jurisdiction of a warden.
WARDERWard"er, n.
1. One who wards or keeps; a keeper; a guard. "The warders of the gate." Dryden.
2. A truncheon or staff carried by a king or a commander in chief, and used in signaling his will. When, lo! the king suddenly changed his mind, Casts down his warder to arrest them there. Daniel. Wafting his warder thrice about his head, He cast it up with his auspicious hand, Which was the signal, through the English spread, This they should charge. Drayton.
WARDIANWard"i*an, a.
Defn: Designating, or pertaining to, a kind of glass inclosure for keeping ferns, mosses, etc., or for transporting growing plants from a distance; as, a Wardian case of plants; — so named from the inventor, Nathaniel B. Ward, an Englishman.
WARDMOTEWard"mote`, n.
Defn: Anciently, a meeting of the inhabitants of a ward; also, a court formerly held in each ward of London for trying defaults in matters relating to the watch, police, and the like. Brande & C. "Wards and wardmotes." Piers Plowman.
WARDROBEWard"robe`, n. Etym: [OE. warderobe, OF. warderobe, F. garderobe; ofGerman origin. See Ward, v. t., and Robe.]
1. A room or apartment where clothes are kept, or wearing apparel is stored; a portable closet for hanging up clothes.
2. Wearing apparel, in general; articles of dress or personaldecoration.Flowers that their gay wardrobe wear. Milton.With a pair of saddlebags containing his wardrobe. T. Hughes.
3. A privy. [Obs.] Chaucer.
WARDROOMWard"room`, n.
1. (Naut.)
Defn: A room occupied as a messroom by the commissioned officers of a war vessel. See Gunroom. Totten.
2. A room used by the citizens of a city ward, for meetings, political caucuses, elections, etc. [U.S.]
-WARDS -wards.
Defn: See -ward.
WARDSHIPWard"ship, n.
1. The office of a ward or keeper; care and protection of a ward; guardianship; right of guardianship. Wardship is incident to tenure in socage. Blackstone.
2. The state of begin under a guardian; pupilage. It was the wisest act . . . in my wardship. B. Jonson.
WARDSMANWards"man, n.; pl. Wardsmen (.
Defn: A man who keeps ward; a guard. [R.] Sydney Smith.
WAREWare, obs. imp. of Wear.
Defn: Wore.
WAREWare, v. t. (Naut.)
Defn: To wear, or veer. See Wear.
WAREWare, n. Etym: [AS. war.] (Bot.)
Defn: Seaweed. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Ware goose (Zoöl.), the brant; — so called because it feeds on ware, or seaweed. [Prov. Eng.]
WARE Ware, n. Etym: [OE. ware, AS. waru; akin to D. waar, G. waare, Icel. & Sw. vara, Dan. vare; and probably to E. worth, a. See Worth, a.]
Defn: Articles of merchandise; the sum of articles of a particular kind or class; style or class of manufactures; especially, in the plural, goods; commodities; merchandise. "Retails his wares at wakes." Shak. "To chaffer with them and eke to sell them their ware." Chaucer. It the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the Sabbath, or on the holy day. Neh. x. 31.
Note: Although originally and properly a collective noun, it admits of a plural form, when articles of merchandise of different kinds are meant. It is often used in composition; as in hardware, glassware, tinware, etc.
WAREWare, a. Etym: [OE. war, AS. wær. sq. root142. See Wary.]
Defn: A ware; taking notice; hence, wary; cautious; on one's guard.See Beware. [Obs.]She was ware and knew it bet [better] than he. Chaucer.Of whom be thou ware also. 2. Tim. iv. 15.He is ware enough; he is wily and circumspect for stirring up anysedition. Latimer.The only good that grows of passed fear Is to be wise, and ware oflike again. Spenser.