1. A small bundle, as of straw or other like substance. In a small basket, on a wisp of hay. Dryden.
2. A whisk, or small broom.
3. A Will-o'-the-wisp; an ignis fatuus. The wisp that flickers where no foot can tread. Tennyson.
WISPWisp, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Wisped; p. pr. & vb. n. Wisping.]
1. To brush or dress, an with a wisp.
2. To rumple. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
WISPENWisp"en, a.
Defn: Formed of a wisp, or of wisp; as, a wispen broom. [Obs.]
WISSEWis"se, v. t. Etym: [AS. wisian. See Wise, a.]
Defn: To show; to teach; to inform; to guide; to direct. [Obs.] Ere we depart I shall thee so well wisse That of mine house ne shalt thou never misse. Chaucer.
WISTWist, archaic imp. & p. p. of Wit, v.
Defn: Knew.
WISTARIAWis*ta"ri*a, n. Etym: [NL.] Etym: [So named after Caspar Wistar, anAmerican anatomist.] (Bot.)
Defn: A genus of climbing leguminous plants bearing long, pendulous clusters of pale bluish flowers.
Note: The species commonest in cultivation is the Wistaria Sinensis from Eastern Asia. W. fruticosa grows wild in the southern parts of the United States.
WISTFUL Wist"ful, a. Etym: [For wishful; perhaps influenced by wistly, which is probably corrupted from OE. wisly certainly (from Icel. viss certain, akin to E. wit). See Wish.]
1. Longing; wishful; desirous. Lifting up one of my sashes, I cast many a wistful, melancholy look towards the sea. Swift.
2. Full of thought; eagerly attentive; meditative; musing; pensive; contemplative. That he who there at such an hour hath been, Will wistful linger on that hallowed spot. Byron. — Wist"ful*ly, adv. — Wist"ful*ness, n.
WISTITWis"tit, n. Etym: [Prob. from native name: cf. F. ouistiti.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A small South American monkey; a marmoset. [Written also wistiti, and ouistiti.]
WISTLYWist"ly, adv. Etym: [See Wistful.]
Defn: Attentively; observingly. [Obs.] Shak.
WISTONWISHWis"ton*wish, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: See Wishtonwish.
WITWit, v. t. & i. [inf. (To) Wit; pres. sing. Wot; pl. Wite; imp.Wist(e); p. p. Wist; p. pr. & vb. n. Wit(t)ing. See the Note below.]Etym: [OE. witen, pres. ich wot, wat, I know (wot), imp. wiste, AS.witan, pres. wat, imp. wiste, wisse; akin to OFries. wita, OS. witan,D. weten, G. wissen, OHG. wizzan, Icel. vita, Sw. veta, Dan. vide,Goth. witan to observe, wait I know, Russ. vidiete to see, L. videre,Gr. vid to know, learn; cf. Skr. vid to find. History, Idea, Idol, -oid, Twit, Veda, Vision, Wise, a. & n., Wot.]
Defn: To know; to learn. "I wot and wist alway." Chaucer.
Note: The present tense was inflected as follows; sing. 1st pers. wot; 2d pers. wost, or wot(t)est; 3d pers. wot, or wot(t)eth; pl. witen, or wite. The following variant forms also occur; pres. sing. 1st & 3d pers. wat, woot; pres. pl. wyten, or wyte, weete, wote, wot; imp. wuste (Southern dialect); p. pr. wotting. Later, other variant or corrupt forms are found, as, in Shakespeare, 3d pers. sing. pres. wots. Brethren, we do you to wit [make you to know] of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia. 2 Cor. viii. 1. Thou wost full little what thou meanest. Chaucer. We witen not what thing we prayen here. Chaucer. When that the sooth in wist. Chaucer.
Note: This verb is now used only in the infinitive, to wit, which is employed, especially in legal language, to call attention to a particular thing, or to a more particular specification of what has preceded, and is equivalent to namely, that is to say.
WIT Wit, n. Etym: [AS. witt, wit; akin to OFries. wit, G. witz, OHG. wizzi, Icel. vit, Dan. vid, Sw. vett. sq. root133. See Wit, v.]
1. Mind; intellect; understanding; sense.Who knew the wit of the Lord or who was his counselor Wyclif (Rom.xi. 34).A prince most prudent, of an excellent And unmatched wit andjudgment. Shak.Will puts in practice what wit deviseth. Sir J. Davies.He wants not wit the dander to decline. Dryden.
2. A mental faculty, or power of the mind; — used in this sense chiefly in the plural, and in certain phrases; as, to lose one's wits; at one's wits' end, and the like. "Men's wittes ben so dull." Chaucer. I will stare him out of his wits. Shak.
3. Felicitous association of objects not usually connected, so as to produce a pleasant surprise; also. the power of readily combining objects in such a manner. The definition of wit is only this, that it is a propriety of thoughts and words; or, in other terms, thoughts and words elegantly adapted to the subject. Dryden. Wit which discovers partial likeness hidden in general diversity. Coleridge. Wit lying most in the assemblage of ideas, and putting those together with quickness and variety wherein can be found any resemblance or congruity, thereby to make up pleasant pictures in the fancy. Locke.
4. A person of eminent sense or knowledge; a man of genius, fancy, or humor; one distinguished for bright or amusing sayings, for repartee, and the like. In Athens, where books and wits were ever busier than in any other part of Greece, I find but only two sorts of writings which the magistrate cared to take notice of; those either blasphemous and atheistical, or libelous. Milton. Intemperate wits will spare neither friend nor foe. L'Estrange. A wit herself, Amelia weds a wit. Young. The five wits, the five senses; also, sometimes, the five qualities or faculties, common wit, imagination, fantasy, estimation, and memory. Chaucer. Nares. But my five wits nor my five senses can Dissuade one foolish heart from serving thee. Shak.
Syn. — Ingenuity; humor; satire; sarcasm; irony; burlesque. — Wit, Humor. Wit primarily meant mind; and now denotes the power of seizing on some thought or occurrence, and, by a sudden turn, presenting it under aspects wholly new and unexpected — apparently natural and admissible, if not perfectly just, and bearing on the subject, or the parties concerned, with a laughable keenness and force. "What I want," said a pompous orator, aiming at his antagonist, "is common sense." "Exactly!" was the whispered reply. The pleasure we find in wit arises from the ingenuity of the turn, the sudden surprise it brings, and the patness of its application to the case, in the new and ludicrous relations thus flashed upon the view. Humor is a quality more congenial to the English mind than wit. It consists primarily in taking up the peculiarities of a humorist (or eccentric person) and drawing them out, as Addison did those of Sir Roger de Coverley, so that we enjoy a hearty, good-natured laugh at his unconscious manifestation of whims and oddities. From this original sense the term has been widened to embrace other sources of kindly mirth of the same general character. In a well-known caricature of English reserve, an Oxford student is represented as standing on the brink of a river, greatly agitated at the sight of a drowning man before him, and crying out, "O that I had been introduced to this gentleman, that I might save his life! The, "Silent Woman" of Ben Jonson is one of the most humorous productions, in the original sense of the term, which we have in our language.
WITANWit"an, n. pl. [AS., pl. of wita sage, councilor.]
Defn: Lit., wise men; specif. (A.-S. Hist.),
Defn: the members of the national, or king's, council which sat to assist the king in administrative and judicial matters; also, the council.
WITCHWitch, n. Etym: [Cf. Wick of a lamp.]
Defn: A cone of paper which is placed in a vessel of lard or other fat, and used as a taper. [Prov. Eng.]
WITCH Witch, n. Etym: [OE. wicche, AS. wicce, fem., wicca, masc.; perhaps the same word as AS. witiga, witga, a soothsayer (cf. Wiseacre); cf. Fries. wikke, a witch, LG. wikken to predict, Icel. vitki a wizard, vitka to bewitch.]
1. One who practices the black art, or magic; one regarded as possessing supernatural or magical power by compact with an evil spirit, esp. with the Devil; a sorcerer or sorceress; — now applied chiefly or only to women, but formerly used of men as well. There was a man in that city whose name was Simon, a witch. Wyclif (Acts viii. 9). He can not abide the old woman of Brentford; he swears she's a witch. Shak.
2. An ugly old woman; a hag. Shak.
3. One who exercises more than common power of attraction; a charming or bewitching person; also, one given to mischief; — said especially of a woman or child. [Colloq.]
4. (Geom.)
Defn: A certain curve of the third order, described by Maria Agnesi under the name versiera.
5. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The stormy petrel. Witch balls, a name applied to the interwoven rolling masses of the stems of herbs, which are driven by the winds over the steppes of Tartary. Cf. Tumbleweed. Maunder (Treas. of Bot.) — Witches' besoms (Bot.), tufted and distorted branches of the silver fir, caused by the attack of some fungus. Maunder (Treas. of Bot.) — Witches' butter (Bot.), a name of several gelatinous cryptogamous plants, as Nostoc commune, and Exidia glandulosa. See Nostoc. — Witch grass (Bot.), a kind of grass (Panicum capillare) with minute spikelets on long, slender pedicels forming a light, open panicle. — Witch meal (Bot.), vegetable sulphur. See under Vegetable.
WITCHWitch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Witched; p. pr. & vb. n. Witching.] Etym:[AS. wiccian.]
Defn: To bewitch; to fascinate; to enchant.[I 'll] witch sweet ladies with my words and looks. Shak.Whether within us or without The spell of this illusion be Thatwitches us to hear and see. Lowell.
WITCHCRAFTWitch"craft`, n. Etym: [AS. wiccecræft.]
1. The practices or art of witches; sorcery; enchantments; intercourse with evil spirits.
2. Power more than natural; irresistible influence. He hath a witchcraft Over the king in 's tongue. Shak.
WITCH-ELMWitch"-elm`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: See Wych-elm.
WITCHERYWitch"er*y, n; pl. Witcheries (.
1. Sorcery; enchantment; witchcraft. Great Comus, Deep skilled in all his mother's witcheries. Milton. A woman infamous . . . for witcheries. Sir W. Scott.
2. Fascination; irresistible influence; enchantment. He never felt The witchery of the soft blue sky. Wordsworth. The dear, dear witchery of song. Bryant.
WITCH-HAZELWitch"-ha`zel, n. Etym: [See Wych-elm, and Hazel.] (Bot.)
Defn: The wych-elm. (b) An American shrub or small tree (Hamamelis Virginica), which blossoms late in autumn.
WITCHINGWitch"ing, a.
Defn: That witches or enchants; suited to enchantment or witchcraft; bewitching. "The very witching time of night." Shak. — Witch"ing*ly, adv.
WITCH-TREEWitch"-tree`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: The witch-hazel.
WITCHUCKWit"chuck`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The sand martin, or bank swallow. [Prov. Eng.]
WIT-CRACKERWit"-crack`er, n.
Defn: One who breaks jests; a joker. [Obs.] Shak.
WITCRAFTWit"craft`, n.
1. Art or skill of the mind; contrivance; invention; wit. [Obs.] Camden.
2. The art of reasoning; logic. [R.]
WITE Wite, v. t. Etym: [AS. witan; akin to D. wijten, G. verweisen, Icel. vita to mulct, and E. wit; cf. AS. witan to see, L. animadvertere to observe, to punish. Wit, v.]
Defn: To reproach; to blame; to censure; also, to impute as blame.[Obs. or Scot.] Spenser.Though that I be jealous, wite me not. Chaucer.There if that I misspeak or say, Wite it the ale of Southwark, I youpray. Chaucer.
WITEWite, n. Etym: [AS. wite punishment. Wite, v.]
Defn: Blame; reproach. [Obs. or Scot.] Chaucer.
WITELESSWite"less, a.
Defn: Blameless. [Obs.] Spenser.
WITENWit"en, obs.
Defn: pl. pres. of Wit. Chaucer.
WITENAGEMOTE Wit"e*na*ge*mote`, n. Etym: [AS. witena gemot an assembly of the wise; wita a wise man + gemot assembly.] (AS. Hist.)
Defn: A meeting of wise men; the national council, or legislature, ofEngland in the days of the Anglo-Saxons, before the Norman Conquest.
WITFISHWit"fish`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The ladyfish (a).
WITFULWit"ful, a.
Defn: Wise; sensible. [R.] Chapman.
WITHWith, n.
Defn: See Withe.
WITH With, prep. Etym: [OE. with, AS. wi with, against; akin to AS. wi against, OFries. with, OS. wi, wi, D. weder, weêr (in comp.), G. wider against, wieder gain, OHG. widar again, against, Icel. vi against, with, by, at, Sw. vid at, by, Dan. ved, Goth. wipra against, Skr. vi asunder. Cf. Withdraw, Withers, Withstand.]
Defn: With denotes or expresses some situation or relation of nearness, proximity, association, connection, or the like. It is used especially: —
1. To denote a close or direct relation of opposition or hostility; - - equivalent to against. Thy servant will . . . fight with this Philistine. 1 Sam. xvii. 32.
Note: In this sense, common in Old English, it is now obsolete except in a few compounds; as, withhold; withstand; and after the verbs fight, contend, struggle, and the like.
2. To denote association in respect of situation or environment; hence, among; in the company of. I will buy with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you. Shak. Pity your own, or pity our estate, Nor twist our fortunes with your sinking fate. Dryden. See where on earth the flowery glories lie; With her they flourished, and with her they die. Pope. There is no living with thee nor without thee. Tatler. Such arguments had invincible force with those pagan philosophers. Addison.
3. To denote a connection of friendship, support, alliance, assistance, countenance, etc.; hence, on the side of. Fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee. Gen. xxvi. 24.
4. To denote the accomplishment of cause, means, instrument, etc; — sometimes equivalent to by. That with these fowls I be all to-rent. Chaucer. Thou wilt be like a lover presently, And tire the hearer with a book of words. Shak. [He] entertained a coffeehouse with the following narrative. Addison. With receiving your friends within and amusing them without, you lead a good, pleasant, bustling life of it. Goldsmith.
5. To denote association in thought, as for comparison or contrast. Can blazing carbuncles with her compare. Sandys.
6. To denote simultaneous happening, or immediate succession orconsequence.With that she told me . . . that she would hide no truth from me. SirP. Sidney.With her they flourished, and with her they die. Pope.With this he pointed to his face. Dryden.
7. To denote having as a possession or an appendage; as, the firmament with its stars; a bride with a large fortune. "A maid with clean hands." Shak.
Note: With and by are closely allied in many of their uses, and it is not easy to lay down a rule by which to distinguish their uses. See the Note under By.
WITHALWith*al", adv. Etym: [With + all.]
1. With this; with that. [Obs.] He will scarce be pleased withal. Shak.
2. Together with this; likewise; at the same time; in addition; also. [Archaic] Fy on possession But if a man be virtuous withal. Chaucer. If you choose that, then I am yours withal. Shak. How modest in exception, and withal How terrible in constant resolution. Shak.
WITHALWith*al", prep.
Defn: With; — put after its object, at the end of sentence or clausein which it stands. [Obs.]This diamond he greets your wife withal. Shak.Whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal. Lev.v. 3.
WITHAMITEWith"am*ite, n. Etym: [From its discoverer, H. Witham.] (Min.)
Defn: A variety of epidote, of a reddish color, found in Scotland.
WITHDRAWWith*draw", v. t. [imp. Withdrew; p. p. Withdrawn; p. pr. & vb. n.Withdrawing.] Etym: [With against + draw.]
1. To take back or away, as what has been bestowed or enjoyed; to draw back; to cause to move away or retire; as, to withdraw aid, favor, capital, or the like. Impossible it is that God should withdraw his presence from anything. Hooker.
2. To take back; to recall or retract; as, to withdraw false charges.
WITHDRAWWith*draw", v. i.
Defn: To retire; to retreat; to quit a company or place; to go away; as, he withdrew from the company. "When the sea withdrew." King Horn.
Syn.— To recede; retrograde; go back.
WITHDRAWALWith*draw"al, n.
Defn: The act of withdrawing; withdrawment; retreat; retraction.Fielding.
WITHDRAWERWith*draw"er, n.
Defn: One who withdraws; one who takes back, or retracts.
WITHDRAWING-ROOMWith*draw"ing-room`, n. Etym: [See Withdraw, and cf. Drawing-room.]
Defn: A room for retirement from another room, as from a dining room;a drawing-room.A door in the middle leading to a parlor and withdrawing-room. Sir W.Scott.
WITHDRAWMENTWith*draw"ment, n.
Defn: The act of withdrawing; withdrawal. W. Belsham.
WITHEWithe, n. Etym: [OE. withe. Withy, n.] [Written also with.]
1. A flexible, slender twig or branch used as a band; a willow or osier twig; a withy.
2. A band consisting of a twig twisted.
3. (Naut.)
Defn: An iron attachment on one end of a mast or boom, with a ring, through which another mast or boom is rigged out and secured; a wythe. R. H. Dana, Jr.
4. (Arch.)
Defn: A partition between flues in a chimney.
WITHEWithe, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Withed; p. pr. & vb. n. Withing.]
Defn: To bind or fasten with withes. You shall see him withed, and haltered, and staked, and baited to death. Bp. Hall.
WITHERWith"er, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Withered; p. pr. & vb. n. Withering.]Etym: [OE. wideren; probably the same word as wederen to weather (seeWeather, v. & n.); or cf. G. verwittern to decay, to be weather-beaten, Lith. vysti to wither.]
1. To fade; to lose freshness; to become sapless; to become sapless; to dry or shrivel up. Shall he hot pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither Ezek. xvii. 9.
2. To lose or want animal moisture; to waste; to pinThis is man, old, wrinkled, faded, withered. Shak.There was a man which had his hand withered. Matt. xii. 10.Now warm in love, now with'ring in the grave. Dryden.
3. To lose vigor or power; to languish; to pass away. "Names that must not wither." Byron. States thrive or wither as moons wax and wane. Cowper.
WITHERWith"er, v. t.
1. To cause to fade, and become dry. The sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth. James i. 11.
2. To cause to shrink, wrinkle, or decay, for want of animal moisture. "Age can not wither her." Shak. Shot forth pernicious fire Among the accursed, that withered all their strength. Milton.
3. To cause to languish, perish, or pass away; to blight; as, a reputation withered by calumny. The passions and the cares that wither life. Bryant.
WITHERBANDWith"er*band`, n. Etym: [Withers + band.] (Far.)
Defn: A piece of iron in a saddle near a horse's withers, to strengthen the bow.
WITHEREDWith"ered, a.
Defn: Faded; dried up; shriveled; wilted; wasted; wasted away.— With"ered*ness, n. Bp. Hall.
WITHERINGWith"er*ing, a.
Defn: Tending to wither; causing to shrink or fade.— With"er*ing*ly, adv.
WITHERITEWith"er*ite, n. Etym: [So called after Dr. W. Withering.] (Min.)
Defn: Barium carbonate occurring in white or gray six-sided twin crystals, and also in columnar or granular masses.
WITHERLINGWith"er*ling, n. Etym: [Wither + -ling.]
Defn: A withered person; one who is decrepit. [Obs.] Chapman.
WITHERNAM With"er*nam, n. Etym: [AS. withernam; wither against + nam a seizure, fr. niman to take.] (Law)
Defn: A second or reciprocal distress of other goods in lieu of goods which were taken by a first distress and have been eloigned; a taking by way of reprisal; — chiefly used in the expression capias in withernam, which is the name of a writ used in connection with the action of replevin (sometimes called a writ of reprisal), which issues to a defendant in replevin when he has obtained judgment for a return of the chattels replevied, and fails to obtain them on the writ of return. Blackstone.
WITHE-RODWithe"-rod`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: A North American shrub (Viburnum nudum) whose tough osierlike shoots are sometimes used for binding sheaves.
WITHERS With"ers, n. pl. Etym: [Properly, the parts which resist the pull or strain in drawing a load; fr. OE. wither resistance, AS. withre, fr. wither against; akin to G. widerrist withers. See With, prep.]
Defn: The ridge between the shoulder bones of a horse, at the base of the neck. See Illust. of Horse. Let the galled jade wince; our withers are unwrung. Shak.
WITHER-WRUNGWith"er-wrung`, a.
Defn: Injured or hurt in the withers, as a horse.
WITHHOLDWith*hold", v. t. [imp. Withheld; p. p. Withheld, Obs. or ArchaicWithholden (; p. pr. & vb. n. Withholding.] Etym: [With again,against, back + hold.]
1. To hold back; to restrain; to keep from action. Withhold, O sovereign prince, your hasty hand From knitting league with him. Spenser.
2. To retain; to keep back; not to grant; as, to withhold assent to aproposition.Forbid who will, none shall from me withhold Longer thy offered good.Milton.
3. To keep; to maintain; to retain. [Obs.] To withhold it the more easily in heart. Chaucer.
WITHHOLDERWith*hold"er, n.
Defn: One who withholds.
WITHHOLDMENTWith*hold"ment, n.
Defn: The act of withholding.
WITHINWith*in", prep. Etym: [OE. withinne, withinnen, AS. withinnan; withwith, against, toward + innan in, inwardly, within, from in in. SeeWith, prep., In, prep.]
1. In the inner or interior part of; inside of; not without; as, within doors. O, unhappy youth! Come not within these doors; within this roof The enemy of all your graces lives. Shak. Till this be cured by religion, it is as impossible for a man to be happy — that is, pleased and contented within himself — as it is for a sick man to be at ease. Tillotson.
2. In the limits or compass of; not further in length than; as, within five miles; not longer in time than; as, within an hour; not exceeding in quantity; as, expenses kept within one's income. "That he repair should again within a little while." Chaucer. Within these five hours lived Lord Hastings, Untainted, unexamined, free, at liberty. Shak.
3. Hence, inside the limits, reach, or influence of; not going outside of; not beyond, overstepping, exceeding, or the like. Both he and she are still within my power. Dryden. Within himself The danger lies, yet lies within his power. Milton. Were every action concluded within itself, and drew no consequence after it, we should, undoubtedly, never err in our choice of good. Locke.
WITHINWith*in", adv.
1. In the inner part; inwardly; internally. "The wound festers within." Carew. Ills from within thy reason must prevent. Dryden.
2. In the house; in doors; as, the master is within.
WITHINFORTHWith*in"forth`, adv.
Defn: Within; inside; inwardly. [Obs.] Wyclif. [It is much greater] labor for to withinforth call into mind, without sight of the eye withoutforth upon images, what he before knew and thought upon. Bp. Peacock.
WITHINSIDEWith*in"side`, adv.
Defn: In the inner parts; inside. [Obs.] Graves.
WITHOUT With*out", prep. Etym: [OE. withoute, withouten, AS. with; with with, against, toward + outside, fr. out. See With, prep., Out.]
1. On or at the outside of; out of; not within; as, without doors. Without the gate Some drive the cars, and some the coursers rein. Dryden.
2. Out of the limits of; out of reach of; beyond. Eternity, before the world and after, is without our reach. T. Burnet.
3. Not with; otherwise than with; in absence of, separation from, or destitution of; not with use or employment of; independently of; exclusively of; with omission; as, without labor; without damage. I wolde it do withouten negligence. Chaucer. Wise men will do it without a law. Bacon. Without the separation of the two monarchies, the most advantageous terms . . . must end in our destruction. Addison. There is no living with thee nor without thee. Tatler. To do without. See under Do. — Without day Etym: [a translation of L. sine die], without the appointment of a day to appear or assemble again; finally; as, the Fortieth Congress then adjourned without day. — Without recourse. See under Recourse.
WITHOUTWith*out", conj.
Defn: Unless; except; — introducing a clause. You will never live to my age without you keep yourselves in breath with exercise, and in heart with joyfulness. Sir P. Sidney.
Note: Now rarely used by good writers or speakers.
WITHOUTWith*out", adv.
1. On or art the outside; not on the inside; not within; outwardly; externally. Without were fightings, within were fears. 2 Cor. vii. 5.
2. Outside of the house; out of doors. The people came unto the house without. Chaucer.
WITHOUT-DOORWith*out"-door`, a.
Defn: Outdoor; exterior. [Obs.] "Her without-door form." Shak.
WITHOUTENWith*out"en, prep.
Defn: Without. [Obs.] Chaucer.
WITHOUTFORTHWith*out"forth`, adv.
Defn: Without; outside' outwardly. Cf. Withinforth. [Obs.] Chaucer.
WITHSAYWith*say", v. t.
Defn: To contradict; to gainsay; to deny; to renounce. [Obs.] Gower.If that he his Christendom withsay. Chaucer.
WITHSETWith*set", v. t.
Defn: To set against; to oppose. [Obs.] "Their way he them withset."R. of Brunne.
WITHSTANDWith*stand", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Withstood; p. pr. & vb. n.Withstanding.] Etym: [AS. wiedhstandan. See With, prep., and Stand.]
Defn: To stand against; to oppose; to resist, either with physical or moral force; as, to withstand an attack of troops; to withstand eloquence or arguments. Piers Plowman. I withstood him to the face. Gal. ii. 11. Some village Hampden, that, with dauntless breast. The little tyrant of his fields withstood. Gray.
WITHSTANDERWith*stand"er, n.
Defn: One who withstands, or opposes; an opponent; a resisting power.
WITHSTOODWith*stood", imp. & p. p.
Defn: oWithstand.
WITHVINEWith"vine`, n. Etym: [Withe + vine.] (Bot.)
Defn: Quitch grass.
WITHWINDWith"wind`, n. Etym: [AS. wiedhowinde.] (Bot.)
Defn: A kind of bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). He bare a burden ybound with a broad list, In a withewyndes wise ybounden about. Piers Plowman.
WITHWINEWith"wine`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: Same as Withvine.
WITHY With"y, n.; pl. Withies. Etym: [OE. withe, wipi, AS. wi a willow, willow twig; akin to G. weide willow, OHG. wida, Icel. vi, a withy, Sw. vide a willow twig, Dan. vidie a willow, osier, Gr. vitis a vine, viere to plait, Russ. vite. sq. root141. Cf. Wine, Withe.]
1. (Bot.)
Defn: The osier willow (Salix viminalis). See Osier, n. (a).
2. A withe. See Withe, 1.
WITHYWith"y, a.
Defn: Made of withes; like a withe; flexible and tough; also,abounding in withes.The stream is brimful now, and lies high in this little withyplantation. G. Eliot.
WITINGWit"ing, n. Etym: [See Wit, v.]
Defn: Knowledge. [Obs.] "Withouten witing of any other wight."Chaucer.
WITLESSWit"less, a.
Defn: Destitute of wit or understanding; wanting thought; hence,indiscreet; not under the guidance of judgment. "Witless bravery."Shak.A witty mother! witless else her son. Shak.Witless pity breedeth fruitless love. Fairfax.— Wit"less*ly, adv.— Wit"less*ness, n.
WITLINGWit"ling, n. Etym: [Wit + -ling; cf. G. witzling.]
Defn: A person who has little wit or understanding; a pretender towit or smartness.A beau and witing perished in the forming. Pope.Ye newspaper witlings! ye pert scribbling folks! Goldsmith.
WITNESS Wit"ness, n. Etym: [AS. witness, gewitnes, from witan to know. sq. root133. See Wit, v. i.]
1. Attestation of a fact or an event; testimony. May we with . . . the witness of a good conscience, pursue him with any further revenge Shak. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. John v. 31.
2. That which furnishes evidence or proof. Laban said to Jacob, . . . This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness. Gen. xxxi. 51, 52.
3. One who is cognizant; a person who beholds, or otherwise has personal knowledge of, anything; as, an eyewitness; an earwitness. "Thyself art witness I am betrothed." Shak. Upon my looking round, I was witness to appearances which filled me with melancholy and regret. R. Hall.
4. (Law) (a) One who testifies in a cause, or gives evidence before a judicial tribunal; as, the witness in court agreed in all essential facts. (b) One who sees the execution of an instrument, and subscribes it for the purpose of confirming its authenticity by his testimony; one who witnesses a will, a deed, a marriage, or the like. Privileged witnesses. (Law) See under Privileged. — With a witness, effectually; to a great degree; with great force, so as to leave some mark as a testimony. [Colloq.] This, I confess, is haste with a witness. South.
WITNESSWit"ness, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Witnessed; p. pr. & vb. n. Witnessing.]
1. To see or know by personal presence; to have direct cognizance of. This is but a faint sketch of the incalculable calamities and horrors we must expect, should we ever witness the triumphs of modern infidelity. R. Hall. General Washington did not live to witness the restoration of peace. Marshall.
2. To give testimony to; to testify to; to attest. Behold how many things they witness against thee. Mark xv. 4.
3. (Law)
Defn: To see the execution of, as an instrument, and subscribe it for the purpose of establishing its authenticity; as, to witness a bond or a deed.
WITNESSWit"ness, v. i.
Defn: To bear testimony; to give evidence; to testify. Chaucer. The men of Belial witnessed against him. 1 Kings xxi. 13. The witnessing of the truth was then so generally attended with this event [martyrdom] that martyrdom now signifies not only to witness, but to witness to death. South.
WITNESSERWit"ness*er, n.
Defn: One who witness.
WIT-SNAPPERWit"-snap`per, n.
Defn: One who affects repartee; a wit-cracker. [Obs.] Shak.
WIT-STARVEDWit"-starved`, a.
Defn: Barren of wit; destitute of genius. Examiner.
WITTEDWit"ted, a.
Defn: Having (such) a wit or understanding; as, a quick-witted boy.
WITTICASTERWit"tic*as`ter, n. Etym: [Formed like criticaster.]
Defn: A witling. [R.] Milton.
WITTICISMWit"ti*cism, n. Etym: [From Witty.]
Defn: A witty saying; a sentence or phrase which is affectedly witty; an attempt at wit; a conceit. Milton. He is full of conceptions, points of epigram, and witticisms; all which are below the dignity of heroic verse. Addison.
WITTIFIEDWit"ti*fied, a. Etym: [Witty + -fy + -ed.]
Defn: Possessed of wit; witty. [R.] R. North.
WITTILYWit"ti*ly, adv.
Defn: In a witty manner; wisely; ingeniously; artfully; with it; with a delicate turn or phrase, or with an ingenious association of ideas. Who his own harm so wittily contrives. Dryden.
WITTINESSWit"ti*ness, n.
Defn: The quality of being witty.
WITTINGLYWit"ting*ly, adv. Etym: [See Wit, v.]
Defn: Knowingly; with knowledge; by design.
WITTOL Wit"tol, n. Etym: [Said to be for white tail, and so called in allusion to its white tail; but cf. witwal.]
1. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The wheatear. [Prov. Eng.]
2. A man who knows his wife's infidelity and submits to it; a tame cuckold; — so called because the cuckoo lays its eggs in the wittol's nest. [Obs.] Shak.
WITTOLLYWit"tol*ly, a.
Defn: Like a wittol; cuckoldly. [Obs.] Shak.
WITTSWitts, n. (Mining)
Defn: Tin ore freed from earthy matter by stamping. Knight.
WITTY Wit"ty, a. [Compar. Wittier; superl. Wittiest.] Etym: [AS. witig, wittig. See Wit, n.]
1. Possessed of wit; knowing; wise; skillful; judicious; clever; cunning. [Obs.] "The deep-revolving witty Buckingham." Shak.
2. Especially, possessing wit or humor; good at repartee; droll; facetious; sometimes, sarcastic; as, a witty remark, poem, and the like. "Honeycomb, who was so unmercifully witty upon the women." Addison.
Syn. — Acute; smart; sharp; arch; keen; facetious; amusing; humorous; satirical; ironical; taunting.
WITWAL; WITWALL Wit"wal`, Wit"wall`, n. Etym: [Akin to G. wittewal, wiedewall, MHG. witewal, D. wiedewaal, wielewaal, OD. weduwael, and perhaps the same word as OE. wodewale. Cf. Wood, n., Wittol.] (Zoöl.) (a) The golden oriole. (b) The greater spotted woodpecker. [Prov. Eng.]
WITWORMWit"worm`, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, feeds on or destroys wit. [Obs.] B.Jonson.
WIVE Wive, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Wived; p. pr. & vb. n. Wiving.] Etym: [AS. wifian, gewifian. See Wite.]
Defn: To marry, as a man; to take a wife.Wherefore we pray you hastily to wive. Chaucer.
WIVEWive, v. t.
1. To match to a wife; to provide with a wife. "An I could get me but a wife . . . I were manned, horsed, and wived." Shak.
2. To take for a wife; to marry. I have wived his sister. Sir W. Scott.
WIVEHOODWive"hood, n.
Defn: Wifehood. [Obs.] Spenser.
WIVELESSWive"less, a.
Defn: Wifeless. [Obs.] Homilies.
WIVELYWive"ly, a.
Defn: Wifely. [Obs.] Udall.
WIVER; WIVERNWiv"er, Wiv"ern, n. Etym: [OE. wivere a serpent, OF. wivre, guivre,F. givre, guivre, wiver, from L. vipera; probably influenced by OHG.wipera, from the Latin. See Viper, and cf. Weever.]
1. (Her.)
Defn: A fabulous two-legged, winged creature, like a cockatrice, but having the head of a dragon, and without spurs. [Written also wyvern.] The jargon of heraldry, its griffins, its mold warps, its wiverns, and its dragons. Sir W. Scott.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The weever.
WIVESWives, n.
Defn: , pl of Wife.
WIZARDWiz"ard, n. Etym: [Probably from wise + -ard.]
1. A wise man; a sage. [Obs.] See how from far upon the eastern road The star-led wizards [Magi] haste with odors sweet! Milton.
2. One devoted to the black art; a magician; a conjurer; a sorcerer; an enchanter. The wily wizard must be caught. Dryden.
WIZARDWiz"ard, a.
1. Enchanting; charming. Collins.
2. Haunted by wizards. Where Deva spreads her wizard stream. Milton.
WIZARDLYWiz"ard*ly, a.
Defn: Resembling or becoming a wizard; wizardlike; weird.
WIZARDRYWiz"ard*ry, n.
Defn: The character or practices o "He acquired a reputation bordering on wizardry." J. A. Symonds.
WIZEN Wiz"en, v. i. Etym: [OE. wisenen, AS. wisnian akin to weornian to decay, OHG. wesan to grow dry, G. verwesen to rot, Icel. visna to wither, Sw. vissna, Dan. visne, and probably to L. virus an offensive odor, poison. Cf. Virus.]
Defn: To wither; to dry. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
WIZENWiz"en, a.
Defn: Wizened; thin; weazen; withered.A little lonely, wizen, strangely clad boy. Dickens.
WIZENWiz"en, n.
Defn: The weasand. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
WIZENEDWiz"ened, a.
Defn: Dried; shriveled; withered; shrunken; weazen; as, a wizened old man.
WIZEN-FACEDWiz"en-faced`, a.
Defn: Having a shriveled, thin, withered face.
WLATSOMEWlat"some, a. Etym: [AS. wlatian to disgust, irk, wl loathing.]
Defn: Loathsome; disgusting; hateful. [Obs.]Murder is . . . wlatsom and abhominable to God. Chaucer.
WOWo, n. & a.
Defn: See Woe. [Obs.] Chaucer.
WOAD Woad, n. Etym: [OE. wod, AS. wad; akin to D. weede, G. waid, OHG. weit, Dan. vaid, veid, Sw. veide, L. vitrum.] [Written also wad, and wade.]
1. (Bot.)
Defn: An herbaceous cruciferous plant (Isatis tinctoria). It was formerly cultivated for the blue coloring matter derived from its leaves.
2. A blue dyestuff, or coloring matter, consisting of the powdered and fermented leaves of the Isatis tinctoria. It is now superseded by indigo, but is somewhat used with indigo as a ferment in dyeing. Their bodies . . . painted with woad in sundry figures. Milton. Wild woad (Bot.), the weld (Reseda luteola). See Weld. — Woad mill, a mill grinding and preparing woad.
WOADEDWoad"ed, a.
Defn: Colored or stained with woad. "Man tattoed or woaded, winter- clad in skins." Tennyson.
WOAD-WAXENWoad"-wax`en, n. Etym: [Cf. Wood-wax.] (Bot.)
Defn: A leguminous plant (Genista tinctoria) of Europe and Russian Asia, and adventitious in America; — called also greenwood, greenweed, dyer's greenweed, and whin, wood-wash, wood-wax, and wood- waxen.
WOALDWoald, n.
Defn: See Weld.
WOBBLEWob"ble, v. i.
Defn: See Wabble.
WODEWode, a. Etym: [AS. wod.]
Defn: Mad. See Wood, a. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Chaucer.
WODEWode, n.
Defn: Wood. Chaucer.
WODEGELDWode"geld`, n. Etym: [See Wood, and Geld.] (O. Eng. Law)
Defn: A geld, or payment, for wood. Burrill.
WODENWo"den, n. Etym: [AS. Woden; akin to OS. Wodan, OHG. Wuotan, Icel.Othinn, and probably to E. wood, a. Cf. Wednesday.] (Northern Myth.)
Defn: A deity corresponding to Odin, the supreme deity of theScandinavians. Wednesday is named for him. See Odin.
WOE Woe, n. Etym: [OE. wo, wa, woo, AS. wa, interj.; akin to D. wee, OS. & OHG. we, G. weh, Icel. vei, Dan. vee, Sw. ve, Goth. wai; cf. L. vae, Gr. Wail.] [Formerly written also wo.]
1. Grief; sorrow; misery; heavy calamity. Thus saying, from her side the fatal key, Sad instrument of all our woe, she took. Milton. [They] weep each other's woe. Pope.
2. A curse; a malediction. Can there be a woe or curse in all the stores of vengeance equal to the malignity of such a practice South.
Note: Woe is used in denunciation, and in exclamations of sorrow. "Woe is me! for I am undone." Isa. vi. 5.O! woe were us alive [i.e., in life]. Chaucer.Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Isa. xlv. 9.Woe worth, Woe be to. See Worth, v. i.Woe worth the chase, woe worth the day, That costs thy life, mygallant gray! Sir W. Scott.
WOEWoe, a.
Defn: Woeful; sorrowful. [Obs.]His clerk was woe to do that deed. Robert of Brunne.Woe was this knight and sorrowfully he sighed. Chaucer.And looking up he waxed wondrous woe. Spenser.
WOE-BEGONEWoe"-be*gone`, a. Etym: [OE. wo begon. See Woe, and Begone, p. p.]
Defn: Beset or overwhelmed with woe; immersed in grief or sorrow;woeful. Chaucer.So woe-begone was he with pains of love. Fairfax.
WOEFUL; WOFULWoe"ful, Wo"ful, a.
1. Full of woe; sorrowful; distressed with grief or calamity; afflicted; wretched; unhappy; sad. How many woeful widows left to bow To sad disgrace! Daniel.
2. Bringing calamity, distress, or affliction; as, a woeful event; woeful want. O woeful day! O day of woe! Philips.
3. Wretched; paltry; miserable; poor. What woeful stuff this madrigal would be! Pope.
WOEFULLY; WOFULLYWoe"ful*ly, Wo"ful*ly, adv.
Defn: In a woeful manner; sorrowfully; mournfully; miserably; dolefully.
WOEFULNESS; WOFULNESSWoe"ful*ness, Wo"ful*ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being woeful; misery; wretchedness.
WOESOMEWoe"some, a.
Defn: Woeful. [Obs.] Langhorne.
WOKEWoke, imp. & p. p.
Defn: Wake.
WOLWol, v. t. & i.
Defn: See 2d Will. [Obs.] Chaucer.
WOLD Wold, n. Etym: [OE. wold, wald, AS. weald, wald, a wood, forest; akin to OFries. & OS. wald, D. woud, G. wald, Icel. völlr, a field, and probably to Gr. va a garden, inclosure. Cf. Weald.]
1. A wood; a forest.
2. A plain, or low hill; a country without wood, whether hilly or not. And from his further bank Ætolia's wolds espied. Byron. The wind that beats the mountain, blows More softly round the open wold. Tennyson.
WOLDWold, n.
Defn: See Weld.
WOLDEWolde, obs.
Defn: imp. of Will. See Would.
WOLF Wolf, n.; pl. Wolves. Etym: [OE. wolf, wulf, AS. wulf; akin to OS. wulf, D. & G. wolf, Icel. ulfr, Sw. ulf, Dan. ulv, Goth. wulfs, Lith. vilkas, Russ. volk', L. lupus, Gr. ly`kos, Skr. vrska; also to Gr. "e`lkein to draw, drag, tear in pieces. sq. root286. Cf. Lupine, a., Lyceum.]
1. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any one of several species of wild and savage carnivores belonging to the genus Canis and closely allied to the common dog. The best-known and most destructive species are the European wolf (Canis lupus), the American gray, or timber, wolf (C. occidentalis), and the prairie wolf, or coyote. Wolves often hunt in packs, and may thus attack large animals and even man.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: One of the destructive, and usually hairy, larvæ of several species of beetles and grain moths; as, the bee wolf.
3. Fig.: Any very ravenous, rapacious, or destructive person or thing; especially, want; starvation; as, they toiled hard to keep the wolf from the door.
4. A white worm, or maggot, which infests granaries.
5. An eating ulcer or sore. Cf. Lupus. [Obs.] If God should send a cancer upon thy face, or a wolf into thy side. Jer. Taylor.
6. (Mus.) (a) The harsh, howling sound of some of the chords on an organ or piano tuned by unequal temperament. (b) In bowed instruments, a harshness due to defective vibration in certain notes of the scale.
7. (Textile Manuf.)
Defn: A willying machine. Knight. Black wolf. (Zoöl.) (a) A black variety of the European wolf which is common in the Pyrenees. (b) A black variety of the American gray wolf. — Golden wolf (Zoöl.), the Thibetan wolf (Canis laniger); — called also chanco. — Indian wolf (Zoöl.), an Asiatic wolf (Canis pallipes) which somewhat resembles a jackal. Called also landgak. — Prairie wolf (Zoöl.), the coyote. — Sea wolf. (Zoöl.) See in the Vocabulary. — Strand wolf (Zoöl.) the striped hyena. — Tasmanian wolf (Zoöl.), the zebra wolf. — Tiger wolf (Zoöl.), the spotted hyena. — To keep the wolf from the door, to keep away poverty; to prevent starvation. See Wolf, 3, above. Tennyson. — Wolf dog. (Zoöl.) (a) The mastiff, or shepherd dog, of the Pyrenees, supposed by some authors to be one of the ancestors of the St. Bernard dog. (b) The Irish greyhound, supposed to have been used formerly by the Danes for chasing wolves. (c) A dog bred between a dog and a wolf, as the Eskimo dog. — Wolf eel (Zoöl.), a wolf fish. — Wolf fish (Zoöl.), any one of several species of large, voracious marine fishes of the genus Anarrhichas, especially the common species (A. lupus) of Europe and North America. These fishes have large teeth and powerful jaws. Called also catfish, sea cat, sea wolf, stone biter, and swinefish. — Wolf net, a kind of net used in fishing, which takes great numbers of fish. — Wolf's peach (Bot.), the tomato, or love apple (Lycopersicum esculentum). — Wolf spider (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of running ground spiders belonging to the genus Lycosa, or family Lycosidæ. These spiders run about rapidly in search of their prey. Most of them are plain brown or blackish in color. See Illust. in App. — Zebra wolf (Zoöl.), a savage carnivorous marsupial (Thylacinus cynocephalus) native of Tasmania; — called also Tasmanian wolf.
WOLFBERRYWolf"ber`ry, n. (Bot.)
Defn: An American shrub (Symphoricarpus occidentalis) which bears soft white berries.
WOLFFIANWolff"i*an, a (Anat.)
Defn: Discovered, or first described, by Caspar Friedrich Wolff(1733-1794), the founder of modern embryology. Wolffian body, themesonephros.— Wolffian duct, the duct from the Wolffian body.
WOLFHOUNDWolf"hound`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Originally, a large hound used in hunting wolves; now, any one of certain breeds of large dogs, some of which are nearly identical with the great Danes.
WOLFISHWolf"ish, a.
Defn: Like a wolf; having the qualities or form of a wolf; as, awolfish visage; wolfish designs.— Wolf"ish*ly, adv.— Wolf"ish*ness, n.
WOLFKINWolf"kin, n.
Defn: A little or young wolf. Tennyson.
WOLFLINGWolf"ling, n.
Defn: A young wolf. Carlyle.
WOLFRAMWol"fram, n. Etym: [G.] (Min.)
Defn: Same as Wolframite.
WOLFRAMATEWol"fram*ate, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A salt of wolframic acid; a tungstate.
WOLFRAMICWol*fram"ic, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to wolframium. See Tungstic.
WOLFRAMITE Wol"fram*ite, n. Etym: [G., wolframit, wolfram; wolf wolf + rahm cream, soot; cf. G. wolfsruss wolfram, lit., wolf's soot.] (Min.)
Defn: Tungstate of iron and manganese, generally of a brownish or grayish black color, submetallic luster, and high specific gravity. It occurs in cleavable masses, and also crystallized. Called also wolfram.
WOLFRAMIUMWol*fra"mi*um, n. Etym: [NL. See Wolfram.] (Chem.)
Defn: The technical name of the element tungsten. See Tungsten.
WOLFRAM STEELWol"fram steel.
Defn: Same as Tungsten steel.
WOLFSBANEWolfs"bane`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: A poisonous plant (Aconitum Lycoctonum), a kind of monkshood; also, by extension, any plant or species of the genus Aconitum. See Aconite.
WOLF'S-CLAWWolf's"-claw`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: A kind of club moss. See Lycopodium.
WOLF'S-FOOTWolf's"-foot`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: Club moss. See Lycopodium.
WOLF'S-MILKWolf's"-milk`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: Any kind of spurge (Euphorbia); — so called from its acrid milky juice.
WOLLWoll, v. t. & i.
Defn: See 2d Will. [Obs.]
WOLLASTONITE Wol"las*ton*ite, n. Etym: [After Dr. W. H. Wollaston, an English chemist, who died in 1828.] (Min.)
Defn: A silicate of lime of a white to gray, red, or yellow color, occurring generally in cleavable masses, rarely in tabular crystals; tabular spar.
WOLLASTON'S DOUBLETWol"las*ton's dou"blet. [After W. H. Wollaston, English physicist.](Optics)
Defn: A magnifying glass consisting of two plano-convex lenses. It is designed to correct spherical aberration and chromatic dispersion.
WOLLEWolle, n.
Defn: Wool. [Obs.] Chaucer.
WOLVERENE; WOLVERINE Wol`ver*ene", Wol`ver*ine", n. Etym: [From Wolf, with a dim suffix; prob. so called from its supposed wolfish qualities.]
1. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The glutton.
2. A nickname for an inhabitant of Michigan. [U. S.]
WOLVERENE STATEWol`ver*ene" State.
Defn: Michigan; — a nickname.
WOLVESWolves, n.,
Defn: pl. of Wolf.
WOLVISHWolv"ish, a.
Defn: Wolfish. Shak.
WOMAN Wom"an n.; pl. Women. Etym: [OE. woman, womman, wumman, wimman, wifmon, AS. wifmann, wimmann; wif woman, wife + mann a man. See Wife, and Man.]
1. An adult female person; a grown-up female person, as distinguished from a man or a child; sometimes, any female person. Women are soft, mild pitiful, and flexible. Shak. And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman. Gen. ii. 22. I have observed among all nations that the women ornament themselves more than the men; that, wherever found, they are the same kind, civil, obliging, humane, tender beings, inclined to be gay and cheerful, timorous and modest. J. Ledyard.
2. The female part of the human race; womankind. Man is destined to be a prey to woman. Thackeray.
3. A female attendant or servant. " By her woman I sent your message." Shak. Woman hater, one who hates women; one who has an aversion to the female sex; a misogynist. Swift.
WOMANWom"an, v. t.
1. To act the part of a woman in; — with indefinite it. Daniel.
2. To make effeminate or womanish. [R.] Shak.
3. To furnish with, or unite to, a woman. [R.] "To have him see me woman'd." Shak.
WOMANHEAD; WOMANHEDEWom"an*head, Wom"an*hede, n.
Defn: Womanhood. [Obs.] Chaucer.
WOMANHOODWom"an*hood, n.
1. The state of being a woman; the distinguishing character or qualities of a woman, or of womankind. Unspotted faith, and comely womanhood. Spenser. Perhaps the smile and the tender tone Came out of her pitying womanhood. Tennyson.
2. Women, collectively; womankind.
WOMANISHWom"an*ish, a.
Defn: Suitable to a woman, having the qualities of a woman;effeminate; not becoming a man; — usually in a reproachful sense.See the Note under Effeminate. " Thy tears are womanish." Shak. "Womanish entreaties." Macaulay.A voice not soft, weak, piping, and womanish, but audible, strong,and manlike. Ascham.— Wom"an*ish*ly, adv.— Wom"an*ish*ness, n.
WOMANIZEWom"an*ize, v. t.
Defn: To make like a woman; to make effeminate. [Obs.] V. Knox.
WOMANKINDWom"an*kind`, n.
Defn: The females of the human race; women, collectively. A sanctuary into which womankind, with her tools of magic, the broom and mop, has very infrequent access. Hawthorne.
WOMANLESSWom"an*less, a.
Defn: Without a woman or women.
WOMANLIKEWom"an*like, a.
Defn: Like a woman; womanly.Womanlike, taking revenge too deep. Tennyson.
WOMANLINESSWom"an*li*ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being womanly. There is nothing wherein their womanliness is more honestly garnished than with silence. Udall.
WOMANLYWom"an*ly, a.
Defn: Becoming a woman; feminine; as, womanly behavior. Arbuthnot.A blushing, womanly discovering grace. Donne.
WOMANLYWom"an*ly, adv.
Defn: In the manner of a woman; with the grace, tenderness, or affection of a woman. Gascoigne.
WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNIONWoman's Christian Temperance Union.
Defn: An association of women formed in the United States in 1874, for the advancement of temperance by organizing preventive, educational, evangelistic, social, and legal work.
WOMB Womb, n. Etym: [OE. wombe, wambe, AS. wamb, womb; akin to D. wam belly, OS. & OHG. wamba, G. wamme, wampe, Icel. vömb, Sw. v&mb, Dan. vom, Goth. wamba.]
1. The belly; the abdomen. [Obs.] Chaucer. And he coveted to fill his woman of the cods that the hogs eat, and no man gave him. Wyclif (Luke xv. 16). An I had but a belly of any indifferency, I were simply the most active fellow in Europe. My womb, my womb, my womb undoes me. Shak.
2. (Anat.)
Defn: The uterus. See Uterus.
3. The place where anything is generated or produced. The womb of earth the genial seed receives. Dryden.
4. Any cavity containing and enveloping anything. The center spike of gold Which burns deep in the bluebell's womb. R. Browning.
WOMBWomb, v. t.
Defn: To inclose in a womb, or as in a womb; to breed or hold in secret. [Obs.] Shak.
WOMBATWom"bat, n. Etym: [From the native name, womback, wombach, inAustralia.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any one of three species of Australian burrowing marsupials of the genus Phascolomys, especially the common species (P. ursinus). They are nocturnal in their habits, and feed mostly on roots.
WOMBYWomb"y, a.
Defn: Capacious. [Obs.] Shak.
WOMENWom"en, n.,
Defn: pl. of Woman.
WONWon,
Defn: imp. & p. p. of Win.
WONWon, v. i. Etym: [See 1st Wone.]
Defn: To dwell or abide. [Obs. or Scot.] " Where he wans in forestwild." Milton.This land where I have woned thus long. Spenser.
WONWon, n.
Defn: Dwelling; wone. [Obs.] Spenser.
WONDERWon"der, n. Etym: [OE. wonder, wunder, AS. wundor; akin to D. wonder,OS. wundar, OHG. wuntar, G. wunder, Icel. undr, Sw. & Dan. under, andperhaps to Gr.
1. That emotion which is excited by novelty, or the presentation to the sight or mind of something new, unusual, strange, great, extraordinary, or not well understood; surprise; astonishment; admiration; amazement. They were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. Acts iii. 10. Wonder is the effect of novelty upon ignorance. Johnson.
Note: Wonder expresses less than astonishment, and much less than amazement. It differs from admiration, as now used, in not being necessarily accompanied with love, esteem, or approbation.
2. A cause of wonder; that which excites surprise; a strange thing; a prodigy; a miracle. " Babylon, the wonder of all tongues." Milton. To try things oft, and never to give over, doth wonders. Bacon. I am as a wonder unto many. Ps. lxxi. 7. Seven wonders of the world. See in the Dictionary of Noted Names in Fiction.
WONDERWon"der, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Wondered; p. pr. & vb. n. Wondering.]Etym: [AS. wundrian.]
1. To be affected with surprise or admiration; to be struck with astonishment; to be amazed; to marvel. I could not sufficiently wonder at the intrepidity of these diminutive mortals. Swift. We cease to wonder at what we understand. Johnson.
2. To feel doubt and curiosity; to wait with uncertain expectation; to query in the mind; as, he wondered why they came. I wonder, in my soul, What you would ask me, that I should deny. Shak.
WONDERWon"der, a.
Defn: Wonderful. [Obs.] Gower.After that he said a wonder thing. Chaucer.
WONDERWon"der, adv.
Defn: Wonderfully. [Obs.] Chaucer.
WONDEREDWon"dered, a.