Wabble
Wab´ble (wob"b’l), v. i. [Cf. Prov. G. wabbeln to wabble, and E. whap. Cf. Quaver.] To move staggeringly or unsteadily from one side to the other; to vacillate; to move the manner of a rotating disk when the axis of rotation is inclined to that of the disk; — said of a turning or whirling body; as a top wabbles; a buzz saw wabbles.
Wabble
Wab´ble, n. A hobbling, unequal motion, as of a wheel unevenly hung; a staggering to and fro.
Wad, n. [See Woad.] Woad. [Obs.]
Wad, n. [Probably of Scand. origin; cf. Sw. vadd wadding, Dan vat, D. & G. watte. Cf. Wadmol.]
1. A little mass, tuft, or bundle, as of hay or tow. Holland.
2. Specifically: A little mass of some soft or flexible material, such as hay, straw, tow, paper, or old rope yarn, used for retaining a charge of powder in a gun, or for keeping the powder and shot close; also to diminish or avoid the effects of windage. also by extension, a dusk of felt, pasteboard, etc., serving a similar purpose.
3. A soft mass, especially of some loose, fibrous substance, used for various purposes, as for stopping an aperture, padding a garment, etc. Wed hook, a rod with a screw or hook at the end, used for removing the wad from a gun.
Wad, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Waded; p. pr. & vb. n. Wadding.]
1. To form into a mass, or wad, or into wadding; as to wad tow or cotton.
2. To insert or crowd a wad into; as to wad a gun; also to stuff or line with some soft substance, or wadding, like cotton; as to wad a cloak. { Wad, Wadd } n. (Min.) (a) An earthy oxide of manganese, or mixture of different oxides and water, with some oxide of iron, and often silica, alumina, lime, or baryta; black ocher. There are several varieties. (b) Plumbago, or black lead.
Wadding
Wad´ding, n. [See Wad a little mass.]
1. A wad, or the materials for wads; any pliable substance of which wads may be made.
2. Any soft stuff of loose texture, used for stuffing or padding garments; esp., sheets of carded cotton prepared for the purpose.
Waddle
Wad´dle, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Waddled p. pr. & vb. n. Waddling ] [Freq. of wade; cf. AS. waedlian to beg, from wadan to go. See Wade.] To walk with short steps, swaying the body from one side to the other, like a duck or very fat person; to move clumsily and totteringly along; to toddle; to stumble; as a child waddles when he begins to walk; a goose waddles. Shak.
"She drawls her words, and waddles in her pace." Young.
Waddle
Wad´dle, v. t. To trample or tread down, as high grass, by walking through it. [R.] Drayton.
Waddy
Wad´dy, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Waddied p. pr. & vb. n. Waddying.] To attack or beat with a waddy.
Wade, n. Woad. [Obs.] Mortimer.
Wade, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Waded; p. pr. & vb. n. Wading.] [OE. waden to wade, to go, AS. wadan; akin to OFries. wada, D. waden, OHG. watan, Icel. vaa, Sw. vada, Dan. vade, L. vadere to go, walk, vadum a ford. Cf. Evade, Invade, Pervade, Waddle.]
1. To go; to move forward. [Obs.]
"When might is joined unto cruelty,
Alas too deep will the venom wade." Chaucer.
"Forbear, and wade no further in this speech." Old Play.
2. To walk in a substance that yields to the feet; to move, sinking at each step, as in water, mud, sand, etc.
"So eagerly the fiend …
With head, hands, wings, or feet, pursues his way,
And swims, or sinks, or wades, or creeps, or flies." Milton.
3. Hence, to move with difficulty or labor; to proceed lowly among objects or circumstances that constantly inder or embarrass; as to wade through a dull book.
"And wades through fumes, and gropes his way." Dryden.
"The king’s admirable conduct has waded through all these difficulties." Davenant.
Wade, v. t. To pass or cross by wading; as he waded he rivers and swamps.
Wader
Wad´er, n.
1. One who, or that which, wades.
2. (Zoöl.) Any long-legged bird that wades in the water in search of food, especially any species of limicoline or grallatorial birds; — called also wading bird. See Illust. g, under Aves.
Wading
Wad´ing, a. & n. from Wade, v. Wading bird. (Zoöl.) See Wader, 2.
Wadmol
Wad´mol, n. [Of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. vamal a woollen stuff, Dan vadmel. Cf. Wad a small mass, and Woodmeil.] A coarse, hairy, woolen cloth, formerly used for garments by the poor, and for various other purposes. [Spelled also wadmal, wadmeal, wadmoll, wadmel, etc.] Beck (Draper’s Dict.). Sir W. Scott.
Wadset
Wad´set, n. [Scot. wad a pledge; akin to Sw. vad a wager. See Wed.] (Scots Law) A kind of pledge or mortgage. [Written also wadsett.]
Wafer
Wa´fer, n. [OE. wafre, OF. waufre, qaufre, F. qaufre; of Teutonic origin; cf. LG. & D. wafel, G. waffel, Dan. vaffel, Sw. våffla; all akin to G. wabe a honeycomb, OHG. waba, being named from the resemblance to a honeycomb. G. wabe is probably akin to E. weave. See Weave, and cf. Waffle, Gauffer.]
1. (Cookery) A thin cake made of flour and other ingredients.
"Wafers piping hot out of the gleed." Chaucer.
"The curious work in pastry, the fine cakes, wafers, and marchpanes." Holland.
"A woman’s oaths are wafers — break with making" B. Jonson.
2. (Eccl.) A thin cake or piece of bread (commonly unleavened, circular, and stamped with a crucifix or with the sacred monogram) used in the Eucharist, as in the Roman Catholic Church.
3. An adhesive disk of dried paste, made of flour, gelatin, isinglass, or the like, and coloring matter, — used in sealing letters and other documents. Wafer cake, a sweet, thin cake. Shak. — Wafer irons, or Wafer tongs (Cookery), a pincher-shaped contrivance, having flat plates, or blades, between which wafers are baked. — Wafer woman, a woman who sold wafer cakes; also one employed in amorous intrigues. Beau. & Fl.
Wafer
Wa´fer, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Wafered p. pr. & vb. n. Wafering.] To seal or close with a wafer.
Waferer
Wa´fer•er, n. A dealer in the cakes called wafers; a confectioner. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Waffle, n. [D. wafel. See Wafer.]
1. A thin cake baked and then rolled; a wafer.
2. A soft indented cake cooked in a waffle iron. Waffle iron, an iron utensil or mold made in two parts shutting together, — used for cooking waffles over a fire.
Waft, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Wafted; p. pr. & vb. n. Wafting.] [Prob. originally imp. & p. p. of wave, v. t. See Wave to waver.]
1. To give notice to by waving something; to wave the hand to; to beckon. [Obs.]
"But soft: who wafts us yonder?" Shak.
2. To cause to move or go in a wavy manner, or by the impulse of waves, as of water or air; to bear along on a buoyant medium; as a balloon was wafted over the channel.
"A gentle wafting to immortal life." Milton.
"Speed the soft intercourse from soul to soul,
And waft a sigh from Indus to the pole." Pope.
3. To cause to float; to keep from sinking; to buoy. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne. This verb is regular; but waft was formerly somtimes used, as by Shakespeare, instead of wafted.
Wag, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Wagged p. pr. & vb. n. Wagging.] [OE. waggen; probably of Scand. origin; cf. Sw. vagga to rock a cradle, vagga cradle, Icel. vagga, Dan. vugge; akin to AS. wagian to move, wag, wegan to bear, carry, G. & D. be wegen to move, and E. weigh. rad.136. See Weigh.] To move one way and the other with quick turns; to shake to and fro; to move vibratingly; to cause to vibrate, as a part of the body; as to wag the head.
"No discerner durst wag his tongue in censure." Shak.
"Every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head." Jer. xviii. 16. Wag expresses specifically the motion of the head and body used in buffoonery, mirth, derision, sport, and mockery.
Wag, n. [From Wag, v. ]
1. The act of wagging; a shake; as a wag of the head. [Colloq.]
2. [Perhaps shortened from wag-halter a rogue.] A man full of sport and humor; a ludicrous fellow; a humorist; a wit; a joker.
"We wink at wags when they offend." Dryden.
"A counselor never pleaded without a piece of pack thread in his hand, which he used to twist about a finger all the while he was speaking; the wags used to call it the thread of his discourse." Addison.
Wage, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Waged p. pr. & vb. n. Waging ] [OE. wagen, OF. wagier, gagier, to pledge, promise, F. gager to wager, lay, bet, fr. LL. wadium a pledge; of Teutonic origin; cf. Goth. wadi a pledge, ga wadjon to pledge, akin to E. wed, G. wette a wager. See Wed, and cf. Gage.]
1. To pledge; to hazard on the event of a contest; to stake; to bet, to lay; to wager; as to wage a dollar. Hakluyt.
"My life I never but as a pawn
To wage against thy enemies." Shak.
2. To expose one’s self to, as a risk; to incur, as a danger; to venture; to hazard. "Too weak to wage an instant trial with the king." Shak.
"To wake and wage a danger profitless." Shak.
3. To engage in, as a contest, as if by previous gage or pledge; to carry on, as a war.
" [He pondered] which of all his sons was fit
To reign and wage immortal war with wit." Dryden.
"The two are waging war, and the one triumphs by the destruction of the other." I. Taylor.
4. To adventure, or lay out, for hire or reward; to hire out. [Obs.] "Thou … must wage thy works for wealth." Spenser.
5. To put upon wages; to hire; to employ; to pay wages to. [Obs.]
"Abundance of treasure which he had in store, wherewith he might wage soldiers." Holinshed.
"I would have them waged for their labor." Latimer.
6. (O. Eng. Law) To give security for the performance of. Burrill. To wage battle (O. Eng. Law), to give gage, or security, for joining in the duellum, or combat. See Wager of battel, under Wager, n. Burrill. - - To wage one’s law (Law), to give security to make one’s law. See Wager of law, under Wager, n.
Wage, v. i. To bind one’s self; to engage. [Obs.]
Wage, n. [OF. wage, gage, guarantee, engagement. See Wage, v. t. ]
1. That which is staked or ventured; that for which one incurs risk or danger; prize; gage. [Obs.] "That warlike wage." Spenser.
2. That for which one labors; meed; reward; stipulated payment for service performed; hire; pay; compensation; — at present generally used in the plural. See Wages. "My day’s wage." Sir W. Scott. "At least I earned my wage." Thackeray. "Pay them a wage in advance." J. Morley. "The wages of virtue." Tennyson.
"By Tom Thumb, a fairy page,
He sent it, and doth him engage,
By promise of a mighty wage,
It secretly to carry." Drayton.
"Our praises are our wages." Shak.
"Existing legislation on the subject of wages." Encyc. Brit. Wage is used adjectively and as the first part of compounds which are usually self-explaining; as wage worker, or wage-worker; wage-earner, etc. Board wages. See under 1st Board.
Syn. — Hire; reward; stipend; salary; allowance; pay; compensation; remuneration; fruit.
Wager
Wa´ger, n. [OE. wager, wajour, OF. wagiere, or wageure, E. gageure. See Wage, v. t.]
1. Something deposited, laid, or hazarded on the event of a contest or an unsettled question; a bet; a stake; a pledge.
"Besides these plates for horse races, the wagers may be as the persons please." Sir W. Temple.
"If any atheist can stake his soul for a wager against such an inexhaustible disproportion, let him never hereafter accuse others of credulity." Bentley.
2. (Law) A contract by which two parties or more agree that a certain sum of money, or other thing, shall be paid or delivered to one of them, on the happening or not happening of an uncertain event. Bouvier. At common law a wager is considered as a legal contract which the courts must enforce unless it be on a subject contrary to public policy, or immoral, or tending to the detriment of the public, or affecting the interest, feelings, or character of a third person. In many of the United States an action can not be sustained upon any wager or bet. Chitty. Bouvier.
3. That on which bets are laid; the subject of a bet. Wager of battel, or Wager of battle (O. Eng. Law), the giving of gage, or pledge, for trying a cause by single combat, formerly allowed in military, criminal, and civil causes. In writs of right, where the trial was by champions, the tenant produced his champion, who, by throwing down his glove as a gage, thus waged, or stipulated, battle with the champion of the demandant, who, by taking up the glove, accepted the challenge. The wager of battel, which has been long in disuse, was abolished in England in 1819, by a statute passed in consequence of a defendant’s having waged his battle in a case which arose about that period. See Battel. — Wager of law (Law), the giving of gage, or sureties, by a defendant in an action of debt, that at a certain day assigned he would take a law, or oath, in open court, that he did not owe the debt, and at the same time bring with him eleven neighbors (called compurgators), who should avow upon their oaths that they believed in their consciences that he spoke the truth. — Wager policy. (Insurance Law) See under Policy.
Wager
Wa´ger, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Wagered p. pr. & vb. n. Wagering.] To hazard on the issue of a contest, or on some question that is to be decided, or on some casualty; to lay; to stake; to bet.
"And wagered with him
Pieces of gold ’gainst this which he wore." Shak.
Wagering
Wa´ger•ing, a. Hazarding; pertaining to the act of one who wagers. Wagering policy. (Com.) See Wager policy, under Policy.
Wages
Wa´ges, n. plural in termination, but singular in signification. [Plural of wage; cf. F. gages, pl., wages, hire. See Wage, n. ] A compensation given to a hired person for services; price paid for labor; recompense; hire. See Wage, n. , 2.
"The wages of sin is death." Rom. vi. 23.Wages fund (Polit. Econ.), the aggregate capital existing at any time in any country, which theoretically is unconditionally destined to be paid out in wages. It was formerly held, by Mill and other political economists, that the average rate of wages in any country at any time depended upon the relation of the wages fund to the number of laborers. This theory has been greatly modified by the discovery of other conditions affecting wages, which it does not take into account. Encyc. Brit.
Syn. — See under Wage, n.
Waggery
Wag´ger•y (-ger•y), n. ; pl. Waggeries (#). [From Wag.] The manner or action of a wag; mischievous merriment; sportive trick or gayety; good-humored sarcasm; pleasantry; jocularity; as the waggery of a schoolboy. Locke.
"A drollery and lurking waggery of expression." W. Irving.
Waggle
Wag´gle, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Waggled p. pr. & vb. n. Waggling ] To move frequently one way and the other; to wag; as a bird waggles his tail.
Wagon
Wag´on, n. [D. wagen. rad.136. See Wain.]
1. A wheeled carriage; a vehicle on four wheels, and usually drawn by horses; especially, one used for carrying freight or merchandise. In the United States, light wagons are used for the conveyance of persons and light commodities.
2. A freight car on a railway. [Eng.]
3. A chariot [Obs.] Spenser.
4. (Astron.) The Dipper, or Charles’s Wain. This word and its compounds are often written with two g’s ( waggon, waggonage, etc.), chiefly in England. The forms wagon, wagonage, etc., are, however, etymologically preferable, and in the United States are almost universally used. Wagon boiler. See the Note under Boiler, 3. — Wagon ceiling (Arch.), a semicircular, or wagon-headed, arch or ceiling; — sometimes used also of a ceiling whose section is polygonal instead of semicircular. — Wagon master, an officer or person in charge of one or more wagons, especially of those used for transporting freight, as the supplies of an army, and the like. — Wagon shoe, a skid, or shoe, for retarding the motion of a wagon wheel; a drag. — Wagon vault. (Arch.) See under 1st Vault.
Wagon
Wag´on, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Wagoned p. pr. & vb. n. Wagoning.] To transport in a wagon or wagons; as goods are wagoned from city to city.
Wagoner
Wag´on•er, n.
1. One who conducts a wagon; one whose business it is to drive a wagon.
2. (Astron.) The constellation Charles’s Wain, or Ursa Major. See Ursa major, under Ursa.
Wagon-roofed
Wag´on-roofed, a. Having a roof, or top, shaped like an inverted U; wagon- headed.
Wagonry
Wag´on•ry, n. Conveyance by means of a wagon or wagons. [Obs.] Milton.
Wagtail
Wag´tail, n. (Zoöl.) Any one of many species of Old World singing birds belonging to Motacilla and several allied genera of the family Motacillidae. They have the habit of constantly jerking their long tails up and down, whence the name. Field wagtail, any one of several species of wagtails of the genus Budytes having the tail shorter, the legs longer, and the hind claw longer and straighter, than do the water wagtails. Most of the species are yellow beneath. Called also yellow wagtail. — Garden wagtail, the Indian black-breasted wagtail ( Nemoricola Indica). — Pied wagtail, the common European water wagtail ( Motacilla lugubris). It is variegated with black and white. The name is applied also to other allied species having similar colors. Called also pied dishwasher. — Wagtail flycatcher, a true flycatcher ( Sauloprocta motacilloides) common in Southern Australia, where it is very tame, and frequents stock yards and gardens and often builds its nest about houses; — called also black fantail. — Water wagtail. (a) Any one of several species of wagtails of the restricted genus Motacilla. They live chiefly on the shores of ponds and streams. (b) The American water thrush. See Water thrush. — Wood wagtail, an Asiatic wagtail; ( Calobates sulphurea) having a slender bill and short legs.
Waid, a. [For weighed.] Oppressed with weight; crushed; weighed down. [Obs.] Tusser.
Waif, n. [OF. waif, gaif, as adj., lost, unclaimed, chose gaive a waif, LL. wayfium, res vaivae; of Scand. origin. See Waive.]
1. (Eng. Law.) Goods found of which the owner is not known; originally, such goods as a pursued thief threw away to prevent being apprehended, which belonged to the king unless the owner made pursuit of the felon, took him, and brought him to justice. Blackstone.
2. Hence, anything found, or without an owner; that which comes along, as it were, by chance. "Rolling in his mind old waifs of rhyme." Tennyson.
3. A wanderer; a castaway; a stray; a homeless child.
"A waif
Desirous to return, and not received." Cowper.
Wail, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Wailed p. pr. & vb. n. Wailing.] [OE. wailen, weilen, probably fr. Icel. vaela; cf. Icel. vae, vei, woe, and E. wayment, also OE. wai, wei, woe. Cf. Woe.] To lament; to bewail; to grieve over; as to wail one’s death. Shak.
Wail, n. Loud weeping; violent lamentation; wailing. "The wail of the forest." Longfellow.
Wailful
Wail´ful, a. Sorrowful; mournful. " Like wailful widows." Spenser. "Wailful sonnets." Shak.
Wailment
Wail´ment, n. Lamentation; loud weeping; wailing. [Obs.] Bp. Hacket.
Waiment
Wai´ment v. & n. See Wayment. [Obs.]
Wain, n. [OE. wain, AS. waegn; akin to D. & G. wagen, OHG. wagan, Icel. & Sw. vagn, Dan. vogn, and E. way. . See Way, Weigh, and cf. Wagon.]
1. A four-wheeled vehicle for the transportation of goods, produce, etc.; a wagon.
"The wardens see nothing but a wain of hay." Jeffrey.
"Driving in ponderous wains their household goods to the seashore." Longfellow.
2. A chariot. [Obs.] The Wain. (Astron.) See Charles’s Wain, in the Vocabulary. — Wain rope, a cart rope. Shak.
Wainable
Wain´a•ble, a. Capable of being plowed or cultivated; arable; tillable. [Obs.] Cowell.
Wainage
Wain´age ( 48), n. [From Wain.] A finding of carriages, carts, etc., for the transportation of goods, produce, etc. Ainsworth.
Wainbote
Wain´bote, n. [ Wain + bote.] (O. Eng. Law) See Cartbote. See also the Note under Bote.
Wainscot
Wain´scot, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Wainscoted; p. pr. & vb. n. Wainscoting.] To line with boards or panelwork, or as if with panelwork; as to wainscot a hall.
"Music soundeth better in chambers wainscoted than hanged." Bacon.
"The other is wainscoted with looking- glass." Addison.
Wair, n. (Carp.) A piece of plank two yard long and a foot broad. Bailey.
Waist, n. [OE. wast; originally, growth, akin to AS. weaxan to grow; cf. AS. waestm growth. See Wax to grow.]
1. That part of the human body which is immediately below the ribs or thorax; the small part of the body between the thorax and hips. Chaucer.
"I am in the waist two yards about." Shak.
2. Hence, the middle part of other bodies; especially (Naut.), that part of a vessel’s deck, bulwarks, etc., which is between the quarter-deck and the forecastle; the middle part of the ship.
3. A garment, or part of a garment, which covers the body from the neck or shoulders to the waist line.
4. A girdle or belt for the waist. [Obs.] Shak. Waist anchor. See Sheet anchor, 1, in the Vocabulary.
Waistcoat
Waist´coat, n. (a) A short, sleeveless coat or garment for men, worn under the coat, extending no lower than the hips, and covering the waist; a vest. (b) A garment occasionally worn by women as a part of fashionable costume. The waistcoat was a part of female attire as well as male … It was only when the waistcoat was worn without a gown or upper dress that it was considered the mark of a mad or profligate woman. Nares.
Syn. — See Vest.
Wait, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Waited; p. pr. & vb. n. Waiting.] [OE. waiten, OF. waitier, gaitier, to watch, attend, F. guetter to watch, to wait for, fr. OHG. wahta a guard, watch, G. wacht, from OHG. wahhen to watch, be awake. rad.134. See Wake, v. i.]
1. To watch; to observe; to take notice. [Obs.]
""But [unless] ye wait well and be privy,
I wot right well, I am but dead," quoth she." Chaucer.
2. To stay or rest in expectation; to stop or remain stationary till the arrival of some person or event; to rest in patience; to stay; not to depart.
"All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come." Job xiv. 14.
"They also serve who only stand and wait." Milton.
"Haste, my dear father; ’t is no time to wait." Dryden. To wait on or upon. (a) To attend, as a servant; to perform services for; as to wait on a gentleman; to wait on the table. "Authority and reason on her wait." Milton. "I must wait on myself, must I?" Shak. (b) To attend; to go to see; to visit on business or for ceremony. (c) To follow, as a consequence; to await. "That ruin that waits on such a supine temper." Dr. H. More. (d) To look watchfully at; to follow with the eye; to watch. [R.] "It is a point of cunning to wait upon him with whom you speak with your eye." Bacon. (e) To attend to; to perform. "Aaron and his sons … shall wait on their priest’s office." Num. iii. 10. (f) (Falconry) To fly above its master, waiting till game is sprung; — said of a hawk. Encyc. Brit.
Wait, n. [OF. waite, guaite, gaite, F. guet watch, watching, guard, from OHG. wahta. See Wait, v. i.]
1. The act of waiting; a delay; a halt.
"There is a wait of three hours at the border Mexican town of El Paso." S. B. Griffin.
2. Ambush. "An enemy in wait." Milton.
3. One who watches; a watchman. [Obs.]
4. pl. Hautboys, or oboes, played by town musicians; not used in the singular. [Obs.] Halliwell.
5. pl. Musicians who sing or play at night or in the early morning, especially at Christmas time; serenaders; musical watchmen. [Written formerly wayghtes.]
"Hark! are the waits abroad?" Beau & Fl.
"The sound of the waits, rude as may be their minstrelsy, breaks upon the mild watches of a winter night with the effect of perfect harmony." W. Irving.To lay wait, to prepare an ambuscade. — To lie in wait. See under 4th Lie.
Wait-a-while
Wait´-a-while, n. (a) One of the Australian wattle trees ( Acacia colletioides), so called from the impenetrability of the thicket which it makes. (b) = Wait-a-bit.
Waiter
Wait´er, n.
1. One who, or that which, waits; an attendant; a servant in attendance, esp. at table.
"The waiters stand in ranks; the yeomen cry,
"Make room," as if a duke were passing by." Swift.
2. A vessel or tray on which something is carried, as dishes, etc.; a salver. Coast waiter. See under Coast, n.
Waiting
Wait´ing, a. & n. from Wait, v. In waiting, in attendance; as lords in waiting. [Eng.] — Waiting gentlewoman, a woman who waits upon a person of rank. — Waiting maid, Waiting woman, a maid or woman who waits upon another as a personal servant.
Waitress
Wait´ress, n. A female waiter or attendant; a waiting maid or waiting woman.
Waive, n. [See Waive, v. t. ]
1. A waif; a castaway. [Obs.] Donne.
2. (O. Eng. Law) A woman put out of the protection of the law. See Waive, v. t., 3 (b), and the Note.
Waive, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Waived p. pr. & vb. n. Waiving.] [OE. waiven, weiven, to set aside, remove, OF. weyver, quesver, to waive, of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. veifa to wave, to vibrate, akin to Skr. vip to tremble. Cf. Vibrate, Waif.] [Written also wave.]
1. To relinquish; to give up claim to; not to insist on or claim; to refuse; to forego.
"He waiveth milk, and flesh, and all." Chaucer.
"We absolutely do renounce or waive our own opinions, absolutely yielding to the direction of others." Barrow.
2. To throw away; to cast off; to reject; to desert.
3. (Law) (a) To throw away; to relinquish voluntarily, as a right which one may enforce if he chooses. (b) (O. Eng. Law) To desert; to abandon. Burrill. The term was applied to a woman, in the same sense as outlaw to a man. A woman could not be outlawed, in the proper sense of the word, because, according to Bracton, she was never in law, that is, in a frankpledge or decennary; but she might be waived, and held as abandoned. Burrill.
Waive, v. i. To turn aside; to recede. [Obs.]
"To waive from the word of Solomon." Chaucer.
Waiver
Waiv´er, n. (Law) The act of waiving, or not insisting on, some right, claim, or privilege.
Wake, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Waked or Woke ; p. pr. & vb. n. Waking.] [AS. wacan, wacian; akin to OFries. waka, OS. wakn, D. waken, G. wachen, OHG. wahhn, Icel. vaka, Sw. vaken, Dan. vaage, Goth. wakan, v. i., us wakjan, v. t., Skr. vajay to rouse, to impel. . Cf. Vigil, Wait, v. i., Watch, v. i.]
1. To be or to continue awake; to watch; not to sleep.
"The father waketh for the daughter." Ecclus. xlii. 9.
"Though wisdom wake, suspicion sleeps." Milton.
"I can not think any time, waking or sleeping, without being sensible of it." Locke.
2. To sit up late festive purposes; to hold a night revel.
"The king doth wake to-night, and takes his rouse,
Keeps wassail, and the swaggering upspring reels." Shak.
3. To be excited or roused from sleep; to awake; to be awakened; to cease to sleep; — often with up.
"He infallibly woke up at the sound of the concluding doxology." G. Eliot.
4. To be exited or roused up; to be stirred up from a dormant, torpid, or inactive state; to be active.
"Gentle airs due at their hour
To fan the earth now waked." Milton.
"Then wake, my soul, to high desires." Keble.
Wake, n.
1. The act of waking, or being awaked; also the state of being awake. [Obs. or Poetic]
"Making such difference ’twixt wake and sleep." Shak.
"Singing her flatteries to my morning wake." Dryden.
2. The state of forbearing sleep, especially for solemn or festive purposes; a vigil.
"The warlike wakes continued all the night,
And funeral games played at new returning light." Dryden.
"The wood nymphs, decked with daises trim,
Their merry wakes and pastimes keep." Milton.
3. Specifically: (a) (Ch. of Eng.) An annual parish festival formerly held in commemoration of the dedication of a church. Originally, prayers were said on the evening preceding, and hymns were sung during the night, in the church; subsequently, these vigils were discontinued, and the day itself, often with succeeding days, was occupied in rural pastimes and exercises, attended by eating and drinking, often to excess.
"Great solemnities were made in all churches, and great fairs and wakes throughout all England." Ld. Berners.
"And every village smokes at wakes with lusty cheer." Drayton. (b) The sitting up of persons with a dead body, often attended with a degree of festivity, chiefly among the Irish. "Blithe as shepherd at a wake." Cowper. Wake play, the ceremonies and pastimes connected with a wake. See Wake, n. , 3 (b), above. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Waken
Wak´en, v. i. [ imp. & p. pr. Wakened p. pr. & vb. n. Wakening.] [OE. waknen, AS. waecnan; akin to Goth. ga waknan. See Wake, v. i.] To wake; to cease to sleep; to be awakened.
"Early, Turnus wakening with the light." Dryden.
Waketime
Wake´time, n. Time during which one is awake. [R.] Mrs. Browning.
Wakif
Wa´kif (wä"kif), n. [Ar. waqif.] (Moham. Law) The person creating a wakf.
Walaway
Wa´la•way, interj. See Welaway. [Obs.]
Wald, n. [AS. weald. See Wold.] A forest; — used as a termination of names. See Weald.
Waldenses
Wal•den´ses ( 277), n. pl. [So called from Petrus Waldus, or Peter Waldo, a merchant of Lyons, who founded this sect about a. d. 1170.] (Eccl. Hist.) A sect of dissenters from the ecclesiastical system of the Roman Catholic Church, who in the 13th century were driven by persecution to the valleys of Piedmont, where the sect survives. They profess substantially Protestant principles.
Waldgrave
Wald´grave, n. [See Wald, and Margrave.] In the old German empire, the head forest keeper.
Wale, n. [AS. walu a mark of stripes or blows, probably originally, a rod; akin to Icel. völr, Goth. walus a rod, staff. rad.146. Cf. Goal, Weal a wale.]
1. A streak or mark made on the skin by a rod or whip; a stripe; a wheal. See Wheal. Holland.
2. A ridge or streak rising above the surface, as of cloth; hence, the texture of cloth.
"Thou ’rt rougher far,
And of a coarser wale, fuller of pride." Beau & Fl.
3. (Carp.) A timber bolted to a row of piles to secure them together and in position. Knight.
4. (Naut.) (a) pl. Certain sets or strakes of the outside planking of a vessel; as the main wales, or the strakes of planking under the port sills of the gun deck; channel wales, or those along the spar deck, etc. (b) A wale knot, or wall knot. Wale knot. (Naut.) See Wall knot, under 1st Wall.
Walhalla
Wal•hal´la, n. [Cf. G. walhalla, See Valhalla.] See Valhalla.
Waling
Wal´ing, n. (Naut.) Same as Wale, n. , 4.
Walk (wak), v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Walked p. pr. & vb. n. Walking.] [OE. walken, probably from AS. wealcan to roll, turn, revolve, akin to D. walken to felt hats, to work a hat, G. walken to full, OHG. walchan to beat, to full, Icel. valka to roll, to stamp, Sw. valka to full, to roll, Dan. valke to full; cf. Skr. valg to spring; but cf. also AS. weallian to roam, ramble, G. wallen. rad.130.]
1. To move along on foot; to advance by steps; to go on at a moderate pace; specifically, of two-legged creatures, to proceed at a slower or faster rate, but without running, or lifting one foot entirely before the other touches the ground.
"At the end of twelve months, he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon." Dan. iv. 29.
"When Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus." Matt. xiv. 29. In the walk of quadrupeds, there are always two, and for a brief space there are three, feet on the ground at once, but never four.
2. To move or go on the feet for exercise or amusement; to take one’s exercise; to ramble.
3. To be stirring; to be abroad; to go restlessly about; — said of things or persons expected to remain quiet, as a sleeping person, or the spirit of a dead person; to go about as a somnambulist or a specter.
"I have heard, but not believed, the spirits of the dead
May walk again." Shak.
"When was it she last walked?" Shak.
4. To be in motion; to act; to move; to wag. [Obs.] "Her tongue did walk in foul reproach." Spenser.
"Do you think I’d walk in any plot?" B. Jonson.
"I heard a pen walking in the chimney behind the cloth." Latimer.
5. To behave; to pursue a course of life; to conduct one’s self.
"We walk perversely with God, and he will walk crookedly toward us." Jer. Taylor.
6. To move off; to depart. [Obs. or Colloq.]
"He will make their cows and garrans to walk." Spenser. To walk in, to go in; to enter, as into a house. — To walk after the flesh (Script.), to indulge sensual appetites, and to live in sin. Rom. viii. 1. — To walk after the Spirit (Script.), to be guided by the counsels and influences of the Spirit, and by the word of God. Rom. viii. 1. — To walk by faith (Script.), to live in the firm belief of the gospel and its promises, and to rely on Christ for salvation. 2 Cor. v. 7. — To walk in darkness (Script.), to live in ignorance, error, and sin. 1 John i. 6. — To walk in the flesh (Script.), to live this natural life, which is subject to infirmities and calamities. 2 Cor. x. 3. — To walk in the light (Script.), to live in the practice of religion, and to enjoy its consolations. 1 John i. 7. — To walk over, in racing, to go over a course at a walk; — said of a horse when there is no other entry; hence, colloquially, to gain an easy victory in any contest. — To walk through the fire (Script.), to be exercised with severe afflictions. Isa. xliii. 2. — To walk with God (Script.), to live in obedience to his commands, and have communion with him.
Walk, v. t.
1. To pass through, over, or upon; to traverse; to perambulate; as to walk the streets.
"As we walk our earthly round." Keble.
2. To cause to walk; to lead, drive, or ride with a slow pace; as to walk one’s horses. " I will rather trust … a thief to walk my ambling gelding." Shak.
3. [AS. wealcan to roll. See Walk to move on foot.] To subject, as cloth or yarn, to the fulling process; to full. [Obs. or Scot.] To walk the plank, to walk off the plank into the water and be drowned; — an expression derived from the practice of pirates who extended a plank from the side of a ship, and compelled those whom they would drown to walk off into the water; figuratively, to vacate an office by compulsion. Bartlett.
Walkable
Walk´a•ble, a. Fit to be walked on; capable of being walked on or over. [R.] Swift.
Walker
Walk´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) A forest officer appointed to walk over a certain space for inspection; a forester.
4. [AS. wealcere. See Walk, v. t., 3.] 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.) Any ambulatorial orthopterous insect, as a stick insect.
Walking
Walk´ing, 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, orWalking 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.
Wall, n. [AS. weall, from L. vallum a wall, vallus a stake, pale, palisade; akin to Gr. a nail. Cf. 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. 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.
Wall, 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 of strength." 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.
Wallbird
Wall´bird, n. (Zoöl.) The spotted flycatcher. [Prov. Eng.]
Wallet
Wal´let, n. [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.
Wall-eye
Wall´-eye, n. [See Wall- eyed.]
1. An eye in which the iris is of a very light gray or whitish color; — said usually of horses. Booth. 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. [Icel. valdeygðr, 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.] Having an eye of a very light gray or whitish color. Booth. 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.
Wallhick
Wall´hick, n. (Zoöl.) The lesser spotted woodpecker ( Dryobates minor). [Prov. Eng.]
Wallop
Wal´lop, v. i. [Cf. OFlem. walop a gallop; of uncertain origin. Cf. Gallop.] To move quickly, but with great effort; to gallop. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
Wallop
Wal´lop, n. A quick, rolling movement; a gallop. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
Wallop
Wal´lop, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Walloped p. pr. & vb. n. Walloping.] [Probably fr. AS. weallan to spring up, to boil or bubble. rad.147. 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.
Wallow
Wal´low, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Wallowed p. pr. & vb. n. Wallowing.] [OE. walwen, AS. wealwian; akin to Goth. walwjan (in comp.) to roll, L. volvere; cf. Skr. val to turn. rad.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.]
Wallower
Wal´low•er, n.
1. One who, or that which, wallows.
2. (Mach.) A lantern wheel; a trundle.
Wallowish
Wal´low•ish, a. [Scot. wallow to fade or wither.] Flat; insipid. [Obs.] Overbury.
Wall-plat
Wall´-plat, n. (Zoöl.) The spotted flycatcher. It builds its nest on walls. [Prov. Eng.]
Wall-sided
Wall´-sid•ed, a. (Naut.) 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.).
Wallwort
Wall´wort, n. (Bot.) The dwarf elder, or danewort ( Sambucus Ebulus).
Walnut
Wal´nut, n. [OE. walnot, AS. wealh-hnutu a Welsh or foreign nut, a walnut; wealh foreign, strange, n., a Welshman, Celt (akin to OHG. 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.) 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. 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. [D. walrus; of Scand. origin; cf. Dan valros, Sw. vallross, Norw. hvalros; literally, whale horse; akin to Icel. hrosshvalr, AS. horshwael. See Whale, and Horse.] (Zoöl.) 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. 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.
Walter
Wal´ter, v. i. [See Welter.] To roll or wallow; to welter. [Obs. or Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
Walty
Wal´ty, a. [Cf. Walter to roll.] Liable to roll over; crank; as a walty ship. [R.] Longfellow.
Waltz, n. [G. walzer, from walzen to roll, revolve, dance, OHG. walzan to roll; akin to AS. wealtan. See Welter.] 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.
Waltz, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Waltzed p. pr. & vb. n. Waltzing.] To dance a waltz.
Waly
Wa´ly, interj. [Cf. Welaway.] An exclamation of grief. [Obs. or Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
Wamble
Wam´ble, n. Disturbance of the stomach; a feeling of nausea. Holland.
Wamble-cropped
Wam´ble-cropped, a. Sick at the stomach; also crestfallen; dejected. [Slang]
Wammel
Wam´mel, v. i. To move irregularly or awkwardly; to wamble, or wabble. [Prov. Eng.]
Wamp, n. [From the North American Indian name.] (Zoöl.) The common American eider.
Wampum
Wam´pum, n. [North American Indian wampum, wompam, from the Mass. wómpi, Del. wape, white.] Beads made of shells, used by the North American Indians as money, and also wrought into belts, etc., as an ornament.
"Round his waist his belt of wampum." Longfellow.
"Girded with his wampum braid." Whittier. 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.
Wan, obs. imp. of Win. Won. Chaucer.
Wan, a. [AS. wann, wonn, wan, won, dark, lurid, livid, perhaps originally, worn out by toil, from winnan to labor, strive. See Win.] 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.
Wan, n. The quality of being wan; wanness. [R.]
"Tinged with wan from lack of sleep." Tennyson.
Wander
Wan´der, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Wandered p. pr. & vb. n. Wandering.] [OE. wandren, wandrien, AS. wandrian; akin to G. wandern to wander; 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.
Wanderer
Wan´der•er, n. One who wanders; a rambler; one who roves; hence, one who deviates from duty.
Wandering
Wan´der•ing, 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.
Wanderment
Wan´der•ment, n. The act of wandering, or roaming. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
Wandy
Wand´y, a. Long and flexible, like a wand. [Prov. Eng.] Brockett.
Wane, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Waned p. pr. & vb. n. Waning.] [OE. wanien, AS. wanian, wonian, from wan, won, deficient, wanting; akin to D. wan-, G. wahnsinn, insanity, OHG. wan, wana-, lacking, wann to lessen, Icel. vanr lacking, Goth. vans; cf. Gr. bereaved, Skr. n. wanting, inferior. . Cf. 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.
Wane, v. t. To cause to decrease. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
Wane, n. (Forestry) The natural curvature of a log or of the edge of a board sawed from a log.
Waney
Wan´ey, n. 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, n. See Whang. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
Wanger
Wang´er, n. [AS. wangere. See 1st Wang.] A pillow for the cheek; a pillow. [Obs. & R.]
"His bright helm was his wanger." Chaucer.
Wanhope
Wan´hope, n. [AS. wan, won, deficient, wanting + hopa hope: cf. D. wanhoop. . See Wane, and Hope.] Want of hope; despair; also faint or delusive hope; delusion. [Obs.] Piers Plowman. "Wanhope and distress." Chaucer.
Wanhorn
Wan´horn, n. [Corruption fr. Siamese wanhom.] (Bot.) An East Indian plant ( Kaempferia Galanga) of the Ginger family. See Galanga.
Waniand
Wan´i•and, n. [See Wanion.] The wane of the moon. [Obs.] Halliwell.
Wanion
Wan´ion, n. [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.] 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.
Wankle
Wan´kle, a. [AS. wancol.] Not to be depended on; weak; unstable. [Prov. Eng.] Grose.
Want (277), n. [Originally an adj., from Icel. vant, neuter of vanr lacking, deficient. rad.139. 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) A depression in coal strata, hollowed out before the subsequent deposition took place. [Eng.]
Syn. — Indigence; deficiency; defect; destitution; lack; failure; dearth; scarceness.
Want, 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.
Want, v. i. [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. Want was formerly used impersonally with an indirect object. "Him wanted audience." Chaucer.
Wanton
Wan´ton, a. [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.
Wanton
Wan´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.
Wanton
Wan´ton, v. t. To cause to become wanton; also to waste in wantonness. [Obs.]
Wantonize
Wan´ton•ize, v. i. To behave wantonly; to frolic; to wanton. [R.] Lamb.
Wantwit
Want´wit, n. One destitute of wit or sense; a blockhead; a fool. [Obs.] Shak.
Wanty
Wan´ty, n. [For womb tie, that is, bellyand. See Womb, and Tie.] 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.]
Wap, v. t. & i. [See Whap.] To beat; to whap. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Sir T. Malory.
Wapacut
Wap´a•cut, n. (Zoöl.) The American hawk owl. See under Hawk.
Waped, a. [Prov. E. wape pale, v., to stupefy, akin to wap to beat. Cf. Whap, and Wappened.] Cast down; crushed by misery; dejected. [Obs.]
Wapentake
Wap´en•take ( 277), n. [AS. wpengec, wpentac, 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 praefecturam 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 fœdus accipiebat; omnes enim quot-quot venissent cum lanceis suis ipsius hastam tangebant, et ita se confirmabant per contactum armorum, pace palam concessa. Waepnu enim arma sonat; tac, tactus est — hac de causa totus ille conventus dicitur Wapentac, eo quod per tactum armorum suorum ad invicem confœderati sunt." L L. Edward Confessor, 33. D. Wilkins.] 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.
Wapinschaw
Wap´in•schaw, n. [Scot. See Weapon, and Show.] 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.
Wappened
Wap´pened, a. [Cf. Waped, Wapper.] A word of doubtful meaning used once by Shakespeare.
"This [gold] is it"
"That makes the wappen’d widow wed again." It is conjectured by some that it is an error for wappered, meaning tremulous or exhausted.
War, a. Ware; aware. [Obs.] Chaucer.
War, n. [OE. & AS. werre; akin to OHG. werra scandal, quarrel, sedition, werran to confound, mix, D. warren, G. wirren, ver wirren, 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. 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) 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; an inimical contest, act, or action; enmity; hostility. "Raised impious war in heaven." Milton.
"The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart." Ps. lv. 21.Civil war, a war between different sections or parties of the same country 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 distinguished chief, and whoever joins in it thereby enlists as one of the party engaged 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 by savages, as a token of going to war. "Wash the war paint from your faces." Longfellow. — War song, a song of or pertaining to war; especially, among the American Indians, a song at the war dance, full of incitements to military ardor. — War whoop, a war cry, especially that uttered by the American Indians.
War, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Warred p. pr. & vb. n. Warring.]
1. To make war; to invade or attack a state or nation with force of arms; to carry on hostilities; to be in a state by violence.
"Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, 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.
Warble
War´ble, n. [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 larvae of the gadfly in the backs of horses, cattle, etc. Called also warblet, warbeetle, warnles.
2. (Zoöl.) See Wormil.
Warble
War´ble, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Warbled p. pr. & vb. n. Warbling ] [OE. werbelen, OF. werbler; of Teutonic origin; cf. G. wirbeln to 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.
Warbler
War´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.) Any one of numerous species of small Old World singing birds belonging to the family Sylviidae, 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.) Any one of numerous species of small, often bright colored, American singing birds of the family or subfamily Mniotiltidae, or Sylvicolinae. They are allied to the Old World warblers, but most of them are not particularly musical. 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.
Warburg’s tincture
War"burg’s tinc"ture (Pharm.) 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 (werd), -wards (werdz) }. [AS. -weard, -weardes; akin to OS. & OFries. -ward. OHG. -wert, G. -wärts, Icel. -verðr, Goth. - vaírþs, L. vertere to turn, versus toward, and E. worth to become. rad.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.] Suffixes denoting course or direction to; motion or tendency toward; as in back ward, or back wards; to ward, or to wards, etc.
Ward, n. [AS. weard, fem., guard, weard, masc., keeper, guard; akin to OS. ward a watcher, warden, G. wart, OHG. wart, Icel. vörðr a warden, a watch, Goth. -wards in daúra wards 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, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Warded; p. pr. & vb. n. Warding.] [OE. wardien, AS. weardian to keep, protect; akin to OS. wardn to watch, take care, OFries. wardia, OHG. wartn, G. warten to wait, wait on, attend to, Icel. vara 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.
Ward-corn
Ward´-corn, n. [ Ward + F. corne horn, L. cornu.] (O. Eng. Law) 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.
Warden
Ward´en, n. [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. [Properly, a keeping pear.] 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. { Ward´en•ry, Ward´en•ship } n. The office or jurisdiction of a warden.
Wardrobe
Ward´robe, n. [OE. warderobe, OF. warderobe, F. garderobe; of German 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 personal decoration.
"Flowers that their gay wardrobe wear." Milton.
"With a pair of saddlebags containing his wardrobe." T. Hughes.
3. A privy. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Wardroom
Ward´room, n.
1. (Naut.) 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.]
Wardsman
Wards´man, n. ; pl. Wardsmen . A man who keeps ward; a guard. [R.] Sydney Smith.
Ware, obs. imp. of Wear. Wore.
Ware, v. t. (Naut.) To wear, or veer. See Wear.
Ware, n. [OE. ware, AS. waru; akin to D. waar, G. waare, Icel. & Sw. vara, Dan. vare; and probably to E. worth, a. See Worth, a. ] 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. 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 hard ware, glass ware, tin ware, etc.
Ware, a. [OE. war, AS. waer. rad.142. See Wary.] 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 any sedition." Latimer.
"The only good that grows of passed fear
Is to be wise, and ware of like again." Spenser.
Ware, n. [AS. waru caution.] The state of being ware or aware; heed. [Obs.] Wyclif.
Warefulness
Ware´ful•ness, n. Wariness; cautiousness. [Obs.] "Full of warefulness." Sir P. Sidney.
Warehouse
Ware´house, n. ; pl. Warehouses . A storehouse for wares, or goods. Addison.
Warehouse
Ware´house, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Warehoused p. pr. & vb. n. Warehousing.]
1. To deposit or secure in a warehouse.
2. To place in the warehouse of the government or customhouse stores, to be kept until duties are paid.
Warehousing
Ware´hous•ing, n. The act of placing goods in a warehouse, or in a customhouse store. Warehousing system, an arrangement for lodging imported articles in the customhouse stores, without payment of duties until they are taken out for home consumption. If reëxported, they are not charged with a duty. See Bonded warehouse, under Bonded, a.
Wareless
Ware´less, a. [See Ware, n. ] Unwary; incautious; unheeding; careless; unaware. [Obs.]
"And wareless of the evil
That by themselves unto themselves is wrought." Spenser.
Warence
War´ence, n. [OF. warance. F. garance, LL. warentia, garantia.] (Bot.) Madder.
Wareroom
Ware´room, n. A room in which goods are stored or exhibited for sale.
Warfare
War´fare, n. [ War + OE. fare a journey, a passage, course, AS. faru. See Fare, n. ]
1. Military service; military life; contest carried on by enemies; hostilities; war.
"The Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel." I Sam. xxviii. 1.
"This day from battle rest;
Faithful hath been your warfare." Milton.
2. Contest; struggle.
"The weapons of our warfare are not carnal." 2 Cor. x. 4.
Warfare
War´fare, v. i. To lead a military life; to carry on continual wars. Camden.
Warfarer
War´far•er, n. One engaged in warfare; a military man; a soldier; a warrior.
Warhable
War´ha•ble, a. [ War + hable.] Fit for war. [Obs.] "Warhable youth." Spenser.
Warine
War´ine, n. (Zoöl.) A South American monkey, one of the sapajous.
Warish
War´ish, v. t. [OF. warir to protect, heal, cure, F. gueri to cure; of Teutonic origin; cf. OHG. werian, weren, to protect, to hinder. See Garret.] To protect from the effects of; hence, to cure; to heal. [Obs.]
"My brother shall be warished hastily." Chaucer.
"Varro testifies that even at this day there be some who warish and cure the stinging of serpents with their spittle." Holland.
Warison
War´i•son, n. [OF. warison safety, supplies, cure, F. guerison cure. See Warish, v. t.]
1. Preparation; protection; provision; supply. [Obs.]
2. Reward; requital; guerdon. [Obs. or Scot.]
"Wit and wisdom is good warysoun." Proverbs of Hending.
Wark, n. [See Work.] Work; a building. [Obs. or Scot.] Spenser.
Warlike
War´like, a.
1. Fit for war; disposed for war; as a warlike state; a warlike disposition.
"Old Siward, with ten thousand warlike men." Shak.
2. Belonging or relating to war; military; martial.
"The great archangel from his warlike toil Surceased." Milton.
Syn. — Martial; hostile; soldierly. See Martial.
Warlock
War´lock, n. [OE. warloghe a deceiver, a name or the Devil, AS. wrloga a belier or breaker of his agreement, word, or pledge; wr covenant, troth (aki to L. verus true; see Very) + loga a liar (in comp.), leógan to lie. See 3d Lie.] A male witch; a wizard; a sprite; an imp. [Written also warluck.] Dryden.
"It was Eyvind Kallda’s crew
Of warlocks blue,
With their caps of darkness hooded!" Longfellow.
Warm, a. [ Compar. Warmer; superl. Warmest.] [AS. wearm; akin to OS., OFries., D., & G. warm, Icel. varmr, Sw. & Dan. varm, Goth. warmjan to warm; probably akin to Lith. virti to cook, boil; or perhaps to Skr. gharma heat, OL. formus warm., .]
1. Having heat in a moderate degree; not cold as warm milk. "Whose blood is warm within." Shak.
"Warm and still is the summer night." Longfellow.
2. Having a sensation of heat, esp. of gentle heat; glowing.
3. Subject to heat; having prevalence of heat, or little or no cold weather; as the warm climate of Egypt.
4. Fig.: Not cool, indifferent, lukewarm, or the like, in spirit or temper; zealous; ardent; fervent; excited; sprightly; irritable; excitable.
"Mirth, and youth, and warm desire!" Milton.
"Each warm wish springs mutual from the heart." Pope.
"They say he’s warm man and does not care to be mad mouths at." Addison.
"I had been none of the warmest of partisans." Hawthor.
5. Violent; vehement; furious; excited; passionate; as a warm contest; a warm debate.
"Welcome, daylight; we shall have warm work on’t." Dryden.
6. Being well off as to property, or in good circumstances; forehanded; rich. [Colloq.]
"Warm householders, every one of them." W. Irving.
"You shall have a draft upon him, payable at sight: and let me tell you he as warm a man as any within five miles round him." Goldsmith.
7. In children’s games, being near the object sought for; hence, being close to the discovery of some person, thing, or fact concealed. [Colloq.]
"Here, indeed, young Mr. Dowse was getting "warm," children say at blindman’s buff." Black.
8. (Paint.) Having yellow or red for a basis, or in their composition; — said of colors, and opposed to cold which is of blue and its compounds.
Syn. — Ardent; zealous; fervent; glowing; enthusiastic; cordial; keen; violent; furious; hot.
Warm, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Warmed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Warming.] [AS. wearmian. See Warm, a. ]
1. To communicate a moderate degree of heat to; to render warm; to supply or furnish heat to; as a stove warms an apartment.
"Then shall it [an ash tree] be for a man to burn; for he will take thereof and warm himself." Isa. xliv 15
"Enough to warm, but not enough to burn." Longfellow.
2. To make engaged or earnest; to interest; to engage; to excite ardor or zeal; to enliven.
"I formerly warmed my head with reading controversial writings." Pope.
"Bright hopes, that erst bosom warmed." Keble.
Warm, n. The act of warming, or the state of being warmed; a warming; a heating. [Colloq.] Dickens.
Warm-blooded
Warm´-blood•ed, a. (Physiol.) Having warm blood; — applied especially to those animals, as birds and mammals, which have warm blood, or, more properly, the power of maintaining a nearly uniform temperature whatever the temperature of the surrounding air. See Homoiothermal.
Warming
Warm´ing, a. & n. from Warm, v. Warming pan, a long-handled covered pan into which live coals are put, — used for warming beds. Shak.
Warmonger
War´mon•ger, n. One who makes ar a trade or business; a mercenary. [R.] Spenser.
Warmthless
Warmth´less, a. Being without warmth; not communicating warmth; cold. [R.] Coleridge.
Warn (warn), v. t. [OE. wernen, AS. weornan, wyrnan. Cf. Warn to admonish.] To refuse. [Written also wern, worn.] [Obs.] Chaucer.
Warn, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Warned p. pr. & vb. n. Warning.] [OE. warnen, warnien, AS. warnian, wearnian, to take heed, to warn; akin to AS. wearn denial, refusal, OS. warning, wernian, to refuse, OHG. warnen, G. warnen to warn, OFries. warna, werna, Icel. varna to refuse; and probably to E. wary. .]
1. To make ware or aware; to give previous information to; to give notice to; to notify; to admonish; hence, to notify or summon by authority; as to warn a town meeting; to warn a tenant to quit a house. "Warned of the ensuing fight." Dryden.
"Cornelius the centurion … was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee." Acts x. 22.
"Who is it that hath warned us to the walls?" Shak.
2. To give notice to, of approaching or probable danger or evil; to caution against anything that may prove injurious. "Juturna warns the Daunian chief of Lausus’ danger, urging swift relief." Dryden.
3. To ward off. [Obs.] Spenser.
Warp, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Warped p. pr. & vb. n. Warping.] [OE. warpen; fr. Icel. varpa to throw, cast, varp a casting, fr. verpa to throw; akin to Dan. varpe to warp a ship, Sw. varpa, AS. weorpan to cast, OS. werpan, OFries. werpa, D. & LG. werpen, G. werfen, Goth. waírpan; cf. Skr. vrj to twist. . Cf. Wrap.]
1. To throw; hence, to send forth, or throw out, as words; to utter. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.
2. To turn or twist out of shape; esp., to twist or bend out of a flat plane by contraction or otherwise.
"The planks looked warped." Coleridge.
"Walter warped his mouth at this
To something so mock solemn, that I laughed." Tennyson.
3. To turn aside from the true direction; to cause to bend or incline; to pervert.
"This first avowed, nor folly warped my mind." Dryden.
"I have no private considerations to warp me in this controversy." Addison.
"We are divested of all those passions which cloud the intellects, and warp the understandings, of men." Southey.
4. To weave; to fabricate. [R. & Poetic.] Nares.
"While doth he mischief warp." Sternhold.
5. (Naut.) To tow or move, as a vessel, with a line, or warp, attached to a buoy, anchor, or other fixed object.
6. To cast prematurely, as young; — said of cattle, sheep, etc. [Prov. Eng.]
7. (Agric.) To let the tide or other water in upon (lowlying land), for the purpose of fertilization, by a deposit of warp, or slimy substance. [Prov. Eng.]
8. (Rope Making) To run off the reel into hauls to be tarred, as yarns.
9. (Weaving) To arrange (yarns) on a warp beam. Warped surface (Geom.), a surface generated by a straight line moving so that no two of its consecutive positions shall be in the same plane. Davies & Peck.
Warp, n. [AS. wearp; akin to Icel. varp a casting, throwing, Sw. varp the draught of a net, Dan. varp a towline, OHG. warf warp, G. werft. See Warp, v. ]
1. (Weaving) The threads which are extended lengthwise in the loom, and crossed by the woof.
2. (Naut.) A rope used in hauling or moving a vessel, usually with one end attached to an anchor, a post, or other fixed object; a towing line; a warping hawser.
3. (Agric.) A slimy substance deposited on land by tides, etc., by which a rich alluvial soil is formed. Lyell.
4. A premature casting of young; — said of cattle, sheep, etc. [Prov. Eng.]
5. Four; esp., four herrings; a cast. See Cast, n. , 17. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.
6. [From Warp, v. ] The state of being warped or twisted; as the warp of a board. Warp beam, the roller on which the warp is wound in a loom. — Warp fabric, fabric produced by warp knitting. — Warp frame, or Warp-net frame, a machine for making warp lace having a number of needles and employing a thread for each needle. — Warp knitting, a kind of knitting in which a number of threads are interchained each with one or more contiguous threads on either side; — also called warp weaving. — Warp lace, or Warp net, lace having a warp crossed by weft threads.
Warpage
Warp´age, n. The act of warping; also a charge per ton made on shipping in some harbors.
Warrandice
War´ran•dice, n. [See Warrantise.] (Scots Law) The obligation by which a person, conveying a subject or a right, is bound to uphold that subject or right against every claim, challenge, or burden arising from circumstances prior to the conveyance; warranty. [Written also warrandise.] Craig.
Warrant
War´rant, n. [OE. warant, OF. warant a warrant, a defender, protector, F. garant, originally a p. pr. pf German origin, fr. OHG. weren to grant, warrant, G. ge währen; akin to OFries. wera. Cf. Guarantee.]
1. That which warrants or authorizes; a commission giving authority, or justifying the doing of anything; an act, instrument, or obligation, by which one person authorizes another to do something which he has not otherwise a right to do; an act or instrument investing one with a right or authority, and thus securing him from loss or damage; commission; authority. Specifically: — (a) A writing which authorizes a person to receive money or other thing. (b) (Law) A precept issued by a magistrate authorizing an officer to make an arrest, a seizure, or a search, or do other acts incident to the administration of justice. (c) (Mil. & Nav.) An official certificate of appointment issued to an officer of lower rank than a commissioned officer. See Warrant officer, below.
2. That which vouches or insures for anything; guaranty; security.
"I give thee warrant of thy place." Shak.
"His worth is warrant for his welcome hither." Shak.
3. That which attests or proves; a voucher.
4. Right; legality; allowance. [Obs.] Shak. Bench warrant. (Law) See in the Vocabulary. — Dock warrant (Com.), a customhouse license or authority. — General warrant. (Law) See under General. — Land warrant. See under Land. — Search warrant. (Law) See under Search, n. — Warrant of attorney (Law), written authority given by one person to another empowering him to transact business for him; specifically, written authority given by a client to his attorney to appear for him in court, and to suffer judgment to pass against him by confession in favor of some specified person. Bouvier. — Warrant officer, a noncommissioned officer, as a sergeant, corporal, bandmaster, etc., in the army, or a quartermaster, gunner, boatswain, etc., in the navy. — Warrant to sue and defend. (a) (O. Eng. Law) A special warrant from the crown, authorizing a party to appoint an attorney to sue or defend for him. (b) A special authority given by a party to his attorney to commence a suit, or to appear and defend a suit in his behalf. This warrant is now disused. Burrill.
Warrant
War´rant, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Warranted; p. pr. & vb. n. Warranting.] [OE. waranten, OF. warantir, garantir, guarantir, garentir, garandir, F. garantir to warrant, fr. OF. warant, garant, guarant, a warrant, a protector, a defender, F. garant. rad.142. See Warrant, n. ]
1. To make secure; to give assurance against harm; to guarantee safety to; to give authority or power to do, or forbear to do, anything by which the person authorized is secured, or saved harmless, from any loss or damage by his action.
"That show I first my body to warrant." Chaucer.
"I’ll warrant him from drowning." Shak.
"In a place
Less warranted than this, or less secure,
I can not be." Milton.
2. To support by authority or proof; to justify; to maintain; to sanction; as reason warrants it.
"True fortitude is seen in great exploits,
That justice warrants, and that wisdom guides." Addison.
"How little while it is since he went forth out of his study, — chewing a Hebrew text of Scripture in his mouth, I warrant." Hawthorne.
3. To give a warrant or warranty to; to assure as if by giving a warrant to.
"[My neck is] as smooth as silk, I warrant ye." L’ Estrange.
4. (Law) (a) To secure to, as a grantee, an estate granted; to assure. (b) To secure to, as a purchaser of goods, the title to the same; to indemnify against loss. (c) To secure to, as a purchaser, the quality or quantity of the goods sold, as represented. See Warranty, n. , 2. (d) To assure, as a thing sold, to the purchaser; that is, to engage that the thing is what it appears, or is represented, to be, which implies a covenant to make good any defect or loss incurred by it.
Warrantee
War•ran•tee´, n. (Law) The person to whom a warrant or warranty is made.
Warrantise
War´rant•ise, n. [OF. warentise, warandise, garantise. See Warrant, n. ] Authority; security; warranty. [Obs.] Shak.
Warranty
War´rant•y, n. ; pl. Warranties (#). [OF. warantie, F. garantie. See Warrant, n. , and cf. Guaranty.]
1. (Anc. Law) A covenant real, whereby the grantor of an estate of freehold and his heirs were bound to warrant and defend the title, and, in case of eviction by title paramount, to yield other lands of equal value in recompense. This warranty has long singe become obsolete, and its place supplied by personal covenants for title. Among these is the covenant of warranty, which runs with the land, and is in the nature of a real covenant. Kent.
2. (Modern Law) An engagement or undertaking, express or implied, that a certain fact regarding the subject of a contract is, or shall be, as it is expressly or impliedly declared or promised to be. In sales of goods by persons in possession, there is an implied warranty of title, but, as to the quality of goods, the rule of every sale is, Caveat emptor. Chitty. Bouvier.
3. (Insurance Law) A stipulation or engagement by a party insured, that certain things, relating to the subject of insurance, or affecting the risk, exist, or shall exist, or have been done, or shall be done. These warranties, when express, should appear in the policy; but there are certain implied warranties. Bouvier.
4. Justificatory mandate or precept; authority; warrant. [R.] Shak.
"If they disobey precept, that is no excuse to us, nor gives us any warranty … to disobey likewise." Kettlewe.
5. Security; warrant; guaranty.
"The stamp was a warranty of the public." Locke.
Syn. — See Guarantee.
Warray
War´ray, v. t. [OF. werreier, werrier, guerroier, F. guerroyer, from OF. werre war, F. guerre; of German origin. See War.] To make war upon. [Obs.] Fairfax. "When a man warrayeth truth." Chaucer.
Warre, a. [OE. werre; of Scand. origin. See Worse.] Worse. [Obs.]
"They say the world is much warre than it wont." Spenser.
Warren
War´ren, n. [Of. waresne, warenne, garene, F. garenne, from OF. warer, garer, to beware, to take care; of Teutonic origin; cf. OHG. warn (in comp.), OS. warn to take care, to observe, akin to E. wary. . See Wary.]
1. (Eng Law) (a) A place privileged, by prescription or grant the king, for keeping certain animals (as hares, conies, partridges, pheasants, etc.) called beasts and fowls of warren. Burrill. (b) A privilege which one has in his lands, by royal grant or prescription, of hunting and taking wild beasts and birds of warren, to the exclusion of any other person not entering by his permission. Spelman.
"They wend both warren and in waste." Piers Plowman. The warren is the next franchise in degree to the park; and a forest, which is the highest in dignity, comprehends a chase, a park, and a free warren.
2. A piece of ground for the breeding of rabbits.
3. A place for keeping flash, in a river.
Warriangle
War•ri•an´gle, n. (Zoöl.) See Wariangle. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
Warrie
War´rie, v. t. See Warye. [Obs.]
Warrior
War´rior ( 277), n. [OE. werreour, OF. werreour, guerreor, from guerre, werre, war. See War, and Warray.] A man engaged or experienced in war, or in the military life; a soldier; a champion.
"Warriors old with ordered spear and shield." Milton. Warrior ant (Zoöl.), a reddish ant ( Formica sanguinea) native of Europe and America. It is one of the species which move in armies to capture and enslave other ants.
Warrioress
War´rior•ess, n. A female warrior. [Obs.] Spenser.
Warry
War´ry, v. t. See Warye. [Obs.]
Wart, n. [OE. werte, AS. wearte; akin to D. wrat, G. warze, OHG. warza, Icel. varta, Sw. vårta, Dan. vorte; perh. orig., a growth, and akin to E. wort; or cf. L. verruca wart.]
1. (Med.) A small, usually hard, tumor on the skin formed by enlargement of its vascular papillae, and thickening of the epidermis which covers them.
2. An excrescence or protuberance more or less resembling a true wart; specifically (Bot.), a glandular excrescence or hardened protuberance on plants. Fig wart, Moist wart (Med.), a soft, bright red, pointed or tufted tumor found about the genitals, often massed into groups of large size. It is a variety of condyloma. Called also pointed wart, venereal wart. L. A. Duhring. — Wart cress (Bot.), the swine’s cress. See under Swine. — Wart snake (Zoöl.), any one of several species of East Indian colubrine snakes of the genus Acrochordus, having the body covered with wartlike tubercles or spinose scales, and lacking cephalic plates and ventral scutes. — Wart spurge (Bot.), a kind of wartwort ( Euphorbia Helioscopia).
Warted
Wart´ed, a. (Bot.) Having little knobs on the surface; verrucose; as a warted capsule.
Warworn
War´worn, a. Worn with military service; as a warworn soldier; a warworn coat. Shak.
Wary
Wa´ry, a. [ Compar. Warier superl. Wariest.] [OE. war, AS. waer; akin to Icel. vrr, Dan. & Sw. var, Goth. wars, G. ge wahr aware, OHG. wara notice, attention, Gr. to see. Cf. Aware, Garment, Garnish, Garrison, Panorama, Ward, v. t. Ware, a. , Warren.]
1. Cautious of danger; carefully watching and guarding against deception, artifices, and dangers; timorously or suspiciously prudent; circumspect; scrupulous; careful. "Bear a wary eye." Shak.
"We should be wary, therefore, what persecution we raise against the living labors of public men." Milton.
2. Characterized by caution; guarded; careful.
"It behoveth our words to be wary and few." Hooker.
Syn. — Cautious; circumspect; watchful. See Cautious.
Warye
War´ye, v. t. [AS. wergian, wyrgean. Cf. Worry.] To curse; to curse; to execrate; to condemn; also to vex. [Obs.] [Spelled also warrie, warry, and wary.] "Whom I thus blame and warye." Chaucer.
Was (woz). [AS. waes, 2d pers. waere, 3d pers. waes, pl. waeron, with the inf. wesan to be; akin to D. wezen, imp. was, OHG. wesan, imp. was, G. wesen, n., a being, essence, war was Icel. vera to be, imp. var, Goth. wisan to be, to dwell, to remain, imp. was, Skr. vas to remain, to dwell. rad.148. Cf. Vernacular, Wassail, Were, v. ] The first and third persons singular of the verb be, in the indicative mood, preterit (imperfect) tense; as I was; he was.
Wash (wosh), v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Washed (wosht); p. pr. & vb. n. Washing.] [OE. waschen, AS. wascan; akin to D. wasschen, G. waschen, OHG. wascan, Icel. & Sw. vaska, Dan. vaske, and perhaps to E. water. rad.150.]
1. To cleanse by ablution, or dipping or rubbing in water; to apply water or other liquid to for the purpose of cleansing; to scrub with water, etc., or as with water; as to wash the hands or body; to wash garments; to wash sheep or wool; to wash the pavement or floor; to wash the bark of trees.
"When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, … he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person." Matt. xxvii. 24.
2. To cover with water or any liquid; to wet; to fall on and moisten; hence, to overflow or dash against; as waves wash the shore.
"Fresh-blown roses washed with dew." Milton.
"[The landscape] washed with a cold, gray mist." Longfellow.
3. To waste or abrade by the force of water in motion; as heavy rains wash a road or an embankment.
4. To remove by washing to take away by, or as by, the action of water; to drag or draw off as by the tide; — often with away, off, out, etc.; as to wash dirt from the hands.
"Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins." Acts xxii. 16.
"The tide will wash you off." Shak.
5. To cover with a thin or watery coat of color; to tint lightly and thinly.
6. To overlay with a thin coat of metal; as steel washed with silver. To wash gold, etc., to treat earth or gravel, or crushed ore, with water, in order to separate the gold or other metal, or metallic ore, through their superior gravity. — To wash the hands of. See under Hand.
Wash, n.
1. The act of washing; an ablution; a cleansing, wetting, or dashing with water; hence, a quantity, as of clothes, washed at once.
2. A piece of ground washed by the action of a sea or river, or sometimes covered and sometimes left dry; the shallowest part of a river, or arm of the sea; also a bog; a marsh; a fen; as the washes in Lincolnshire. "The Wash of Edmonton so gay." Cowper.
"These Lincoln washes have devoured them." Shak.
3. Substances collected and deposited by the action of water; as the wash of a sewer, of a river, etc.
"The wash of pastures, fields, commons, and roads, where rain water hath a long time settled." Mortimer.
4. Waste liquid, the refuse of food, the collection from washed dishes, etc., from a kitchen, often used as food for pigs. Shak.
5. (Distilling) (a) The fermented wort before the spirit is extracted. (b) A mixture of dunder, molasses, water, and scummings, used in the West Indies for distillation. B. Edwards.
6. That with which anything is washed, or wetted, smeared, tinted, etc., upon the surface. Specifically: — (a) A liquid cosmetic for the complexion. (b) A liquid dentifrice. (c) A liquid preparation for the hair; as a hair wash. (d) A medical preparation in a liquid form for external application; a lotion. (e) (Painting) A thin coat of color, esp. water color. (j) A thin coat of metal laid on anything for beauty or preservation.
7. (Naut.) (a) The blade of an oar, or the thin part which enters the water. (b) The backward current or disturbed water caused by the action of oars, or of a steamer’s screw or paddles, etc.
8. The flow, swash, or breaking of a body of water, as a wave; also the sound of it.
9. Ten strikes, or bushels, of oysters. [Prov. Eng.] Wash ball, a ball of soap to be used in washing the hands or face. Swift. — Wash barrel (Fisheries), a barrel nearly full of split mackerel, loosely put in, and afterward filled with salt water in order to soak the blood from the fish before salting. — Wash bottle. (Chem.) (a) A bottle partially filled with some liquid through which gases are passed for the purpose of purifying them, especially by removing soluble constituents. (b) A washing bottle. See under Washing. — Wash gilding. See Water gilding. — Wash leather, split sheepskin dressed with oil, in imitation of chamois, or shammy, and used for dusting, cleaning glass or plate, etc.; also alumed, or buff, leather for soldiers’ belts.
Wash sale. (Stock Exchange) A sale made in washing. See Washing, n. , 3, above.
Washable
Wash´a•ble, a. Capable of being washed without damage to fabric or color.
Washbowl
Wash´bowl, n. A basin, or bowl, to hold water for washing one’s hands, face, etc.
Washdish
Wash´dish, n.
1. A washbowl.
2. (Zoöl.) Same as Washerwoman, 2. [Prov. Eng.]
Washen
Wash´en, obs. p. p. of Wash. Chaucer.
Washer
Wash´er, n. [AS. waescere.]
1. One who, or that which, washes.
2. A ring of metal, leather, or other material, or a perforated plate, used for various purposes, as around a bolt or screw to form a seat for the head or nut, or around a wagon axle to prevent endwise motion of the hub of the wheel and relieve friction, or in a joint to form a packing, etc.
3. (Plumbing) A fitting, usually having a plug, applied to a cistern, tub, sink, or the like, and forming the outlet opening.
4. (Zoöl.) The common raccoon.
5. (Zoöl.) Same as Washerwoman, 2. [Prov. Eng.]
Washerman
Wash´er•man, n. ; pl. Washermen . A man who washes clothes, esp. for hire, or for others.
Washhouse
Wash´house, n. An outbuilding for washing, esp. one for washing clothes; a laundry.
Washiness
Wash´i•ness, n. The quality or state of being washy, watery, or weak.
Washing
Wash´ing, n.
1. The act of one who washes; the act of cleansing with water; ablution.
2. The clothes washed, esp. at one time; a wash. Washing bear (Zoöl.), the raccoon. — Washing bottle (Chem.), a bottle fitted with glass tubes passing through the cork, so that on blowing into one of the tubes a stream of water issuing from the other may be directed upon anything to be washed or rinsed, as a precipitate upon a filter, etc. — Washing fluid, a liquid used as a cleanser, and consisting usually of alkaline salts resembling soaps in their action. — Washing machine, a machine for washing; specifically, a machine for washing clothes. — Washing soda. (Chem.) See Sodium carbonate, under Sodium. — Washing stuff, any earthy deposit containing gold enough to pay for washing it; — so called among gold miners.
Washy
Wash´y, a. [From Wash.]
1. Watery; damp; soft. "Washy ooze." Milton.
2. Lacking substance or strength; weak; thin; dilute; feeble; as washy tea; washy resolutions.
" A polish … not over thin and washy." Sir H. Wotton.
3. Not firm or hardy; liable to sweat profusely with labor; as a washy horse. [Local, U. S.]
Wasite
Wa´site, n. [See Wasium.] (Min.) A variety of allanite from Sweden supposed to contain wasium.
Wasp, n. [OE. waspe, AS. waeps, waefs; akin to D. wesp, G. wespe, OHG. wafsa, wefsa, Lith. vapsa gadfly, Russ. osa wasp, L. vespa, and perhaps to E. weave.] (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of stinging hymenopterous insects, esp. any of the numerous species of the genus Vespa, which includes the true, or social, wasps, some of which are called yellow jackets. The social wasps make a complex series of combs, of a substance like stiff paper, often of large size, and protect them by a paperlike covering. The larvae are reared in the cells of the combs, and eat insects and insect larvae brought to them by the adults, but the latter feed mainly on the honey and pollen of flowers, and on the sweet juices of fruit. See Illust. in Appendix. Digger wasp, any one of numerous species of solitary wasps that make their nests in burrows which they dig in the ground, as the sand wasps. See Sand wasp, under Sand. - - Mud wasp. See under Mud. — Potter wasp. See under Potter. — Wasp fly, a species of fly resembling a wasp, but without a sting.
Wassail
Was´sail, n. [AS. wes hal (or an equivalent form in another dialect) be in health, which was the form of drinking a health. The form wes is imperative. See Was, and Whole.]
1. An ancient expression of good wishes on a festive occasion, especially in drinking to some one.
"Geoffrey of Monmouth relates, on the authority of Walter Calenius, that this lady [Rowena], the daughter of Hengist, knelt down on the approach of the king, and, presenting him with a cup of wine, exclaimed, Lord king waes heil, that is, literally, Health be to you." N. Drake.
2. An occasion on which such good wishes are expressed in drinking; a drinking bout; a carouse. "In merry wassail he … peals his loud song." Sir W. Scott.
"The king doth wake to-night and takes his rouse,
Keeps wassail." Shak.
"The victors abandoned themselves to feasting and wassail." Prescott.
3. The liquor used for a wassail; esp., a beverage formerly much used in England at Christmas and other festivals, made of ale (or wine) flavored with spices, sugar, toast, roasted apples, etc.; — called also lamb’s wool.
"A jolly wassail bowl,
A wassail of good ale." Old Song.
4. A festive or drinking song or glee. [Obs.]
"Have you done your wassail! ’T is a handsome, drowsy ditty, I’ll assure you." Beau. & Fl.
Wast The second person singular of the verb be, in the indicative mood, imperfect tense; — now used only in solemn or poetical style. See Was.
Wastage
Wast´age, n. Loss by use, decay, evaporation, leakage, or the like; waste.
Waste, a. [OE. wast, OF. wast, from L. vastus, influenced by the kindred German word; cf. OHG. wuosti, G. wüst, OS. wsti, D. woest, AS. weste. Cf. Vast.]
1. Desolate; devastated; stripped; bare; hence, dreary; dismal; gloomy; cheerless.
"The dismal situation waste and wild." Milton.
"His heart became appalled as he gazed forward into the waste darkness of futurity." Sir W. Scott.
2. Lying unused; unproductive; worthless; valueless; refuse; rejected; as waste land; waste paper.
"But his waste words returned to him in vain." Spenser.
"Not a waste or needless sound,
Till we come to holier ground." Milton.
"Ill day which made this beauty waste." Emerson.
3. Lost for want of occupiers or use; superfluous.
"And strangled with her waste fertility." Milton. Waste gate, a gate by which the superfluous water of a reservoir, or the like, is discharged. — Waste paper. See under Paper. — Waste pipe, a pipe for carrying off waste, or superfluous, water or other fluids. Specifically: (a) (Steam Boilers) An escape pipe. See under Escape. (b) (Plumbing) The outlet pipe at the bottom of a bowl, tub, sink, or the like. — Waste steam. (a) Steam which escapes the air. (b) Exhaust steam. — Waste trap, a trap for a waste pipe, as of a sink.
Waste, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Wasted; p. pr. & vb. n. Wasting.] [OE. wasten, OF. waster, guaster, gaster, F. gâter to spoil, L. vastare to devastate, to lay waste, fr. vastus waste, desert, uncultivated, ravaged, vast, but influenced by a kindred German word; cf. OHG. wuosten, G. wüsten, AS. westan. See Waste, a. ]
1. To bring to ruin; to devastate; to desolate; to destroy.
"Thou barren ground, whom winter’s wrath hath wasted,
Art made a mirror to behold my plight." Spenser.
"The Tiber
Insults our walls, and wastes our fruitful grounds." Dryden.
2. To wear away by degrees; to impair gradually; to diminish by constant loss; to use up; to consume; to spend; to wear out.
"Until your carcasses be wasted in the wilderness." Num. xiv. 33.
"O, were I able
To waste it all myself, and leave ye none!" Milton.
"Here condemned
To waste eternal days in woe and pain." Milton.
"Wasted by such a course of life, the infirmities of age daily grew on him." Robertson.
3. To spend unnecessarily or carelessly; to employ prodigally; to expend without valuable result; to apply to useless purposes; to lavish vainly; to squander; to cause to be lost; to destroy by scattering or injury.
"The younger son gathered all together, and … wasted his substance with riotous living." Luke xv. 13.
"Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air." Gray.
4. (Law) To damage, impair, or injure, as an estate, voluntarily, or by suffering the buildings, fences, etc., to go to decay.
Syn. — To squander; dissipate; lavish; desolate.
Waste, n. [OE. waste; cf. the kindred AS. wsten, OHG. wsti, wuosti, G. wüste. See Waste, a. & v. ]
1. The act of wasting, or the state of being wasted; a squandering; needless destruction; useless consumption or expenditure; devastation; loss without equivalent gain; gradual loss or decrease, by use, wear, or decay; as a waste of property, time, labor, words, etc. "Waste … of catel and of time." Chaucer.
"For all this waste of wealth loss of blood." Milton.
"He will never … in the way of waste, attempt us again." Shak.
"Little wastes in great establishments, constantly occurring, may defeat the energies of a mighty capital." L. Beecher.
2. That which is wasted or desolate; a devastated, uncultivated, or wild country; a deserted region; an unoccupied or unemployed space; a dreary void; a desert; a wilderness. "The wastes of Nature." Emerson.
"All the leafy nation sinks at last,
And Vulcan rides in triumph o’er the waste." Dryden.
"The gloomy waste of waters which bears his name is his tomb and his monument." Bancroft.
3. That which is of no value; worthless remnants; refuse. Specifically: Remnants of cops, or other refuse resulting from the working of cotton, wool, hemp, and the like, used for wiping machinery, absorbing oil in the axle boxes of railway cars, etc.
4. (Law) Spoil, destruction, or injury, done to houses, woods, fences, lands, etc., by a tenant for life or for years, to the prejudice of the heir, or of him in reversion or remainder. Waste is voluntary, as by pulling down buildings; or permissive, as by suffering them to fall for want of necessary repairs. Whatever does a lasting damage to the freehold is a waste. Blackstone.
5. (Mining) Old or abandoned workings, whether left as vacant space or filled with refuse.
Syn. — Prodigality; diminution; loss; dissipation; destruction; devastation; havoc; desolation; ravage.
Waster
Wast´er, n. [OE. wastour, OF. wasteor, gasteor. See Waste, v. t.]
1. One who, or that which, wastes; one who squanders; one who consumes or expends extravagantly; a spendthrift; a prodigal.
"He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster." Prov. xviii. 9.
"Sconces are great wasters of candles." Swift.
2. An imperfection in the wick of a candle, causing it to waste; — called also a thief. Halliwell.
3. A kind of cudgel; also a blunt-edged sword used as a foil.
"Half a dozen of veneys at wasters with a good fellow for a broken head." Beau. & Fl.
"Being unable to wield the intellectual arms of reason, they are fain to betake them unto wasters." Sir T. Browne.
Wasting
Wast´ing, a. Causing waste; also undergoing waste; diminishing; as a wasting disease; a wasting fortune. Wasting palsy (Med.), progressive muscular atrophy. See under Progressive.
Wastor
Wast´or, n. A waster; a thief. [Obs. or R.] [Written also wastour.] Chaucer. Southey.
Wastorel
Wast´o•rel, n. See Wastrel. [Obs.]
Watch (woch), n. [OE. wacche, AS. waecce, fr. wacian to wake; akin to D. wacht, waak, G. wacht, wache. rad.134. See Wake, v. i. ]
1. The act of watching; forbearance of sleep; vigil; wakeful, vigilant, or constantly observant attention; close observation; guard; preservative or preventive vigilance; formerly, a watching or guarding by night.
"Shepherds keeping watch by night." Milton.
"All the long night their mournful watch they keep." Addison. Watch was formerly distinguished from ward, the former signifying a watching or guarding by night, and the latter a watching, guarding, or protecting by day Hence, they were not unfrequently used together, especially in the phrase to keep watch and ward, to denote continuous and uninterrupted vigilance or protection, or both watching and guarding. This distinction is now rarely recognized, watch being used to signify a watching or guarding both by night and by day, and ward, which is now rarely used, having simply the meaning of guard, or protection, without reference to time.
"Still, when she slept, he kept both watch and ward." Spenser.
"Ward, guard, or custodia, is chiefly applied to the daytime, in order to apprehend rioters, and robbers on the highway … Watch, is properly applicable to the night only, … and it begins when ward ends, and ends when that begins." Blackstone.
2. One who watches, or those who watch; a watchman, or a body of watchmen; a sentry; a guard.
"Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch; go your way, make it as sure as ye can." Matt. xxvii. 65.
3. The post or office of a watchman; also the place where a watchman is posted, or where a guard is kept.
"He upbraids Iago, that he made him
Brave me upon the watch." Shak.
4. The period of the night during which a person does duty as a sentinel, or guard; the time from the placing of a sentinel till his relief; hence, a division of the night.
"I did stand my watch upon the hill." Shak.
"Might we but hear …
Or whistle from the lodge, or village cock
Count the night watches to his feathery dames." Milton.
5. A small timepiece, or chronometer, to be carried about the person, the machinery of which is moved by a spring. Watches are often distinguished by the kind of escapement used, as an anchor watch, a lever watch, a chronometer watch, etc. (see the Note under Escapement, n. , 3); also by the kind of case, as a gold or silver watch, an open-faced watch, a hunting watch, or hunter, etc.
6. (Naut.) (a) An allotted portion of time, usually four hour for standing watch, or being on deck ready for duty. Cf. Dogwatch. (b) That part, usually one half, of the officers and crew, who together attend to the working of a vessel for an allotted time, usually four hours. The watches are designated as the port watch, and the starboard watch. Anchor watch (Naut.), a detail of one or more men who keep watch on deck when a vessel is at anchor. — To be on the watch, to be looking steadily for some event. — Watch and ward (Law), the charge or care of certain officers to keep a watch by night and a guard by day in towns, cities, and other districts, for the preservation of the public peace. Wharton. Burrill. — Watch and watch (Naut.), the regular alternation in being on watch and off watch of the two watches into which a ship’s crew is commonly divided. — Watch barrel, the brass box in a watch, containing the mainspring. — Watch bell (Naut.), a bell struck when the half-hour glass is run out, or at the end of each half hour. Craig. — Watch bill (Naut.), a list of the officers and crew of a ship as divided into watches, with their stations. Totten. — Watch case, the case, or outside covering, of a watch; also a case for holding a watch, or in which it is kept. — Watch chain. Same as watch guard, below. — Watch clock, a watchman’s clock; see under Watchman. — Watch fire, a fire lighted at night, as a signal, or for the use of a watch or guard. — Watch glass. (a) A concavo-convex glass for covering the face, or dial, of a watch; — also called watch crystal. (b) (Naut.) A half-hour glass used to measure the time of a watch on deck. — Watch guard, a chain or cord by which a watch is attached to the person. — Watch gun (Naut.), a gun sometimes fired on shipboard at 8 p. m., when the night watch begins. — Watch light, a low-burning lamp used by watchers at night; formerly, a candle having a rush wick. — Watch night, The last night of the year; — so called by the Methodists, Moravians, and others, who observe it by holding religious meetings lasting until after midnight. — Watch paper, an old-fashioned ornament for the inside of a watch case, made of paper cut in some fanciful design, as a vase with flowers, etc. — Watch tackle (Naut.), a small, handy purchase, consisting of a tailed double block, and a single block with a hook.
Watch, v. i. [Cf. AS. wœccan, wacian. rad.134. See Watch, n. , Wake, v. i. ]
1. To be awake; to be or continue without sleep; to wake; to keep vigil.
"I have two nights watched with you." Shak.
"Couldest thou not watch one hour ?" Mark xiv. 37.
2. To be attentive or vigilant; to give heed; to be on the lookout; to keep guard; to act as sentinel.
"Take ye heed, watch and pray." Mark xiii. 33.
"The Son gave signal high
To the bright minister that watched." Milton.
3. To be expectant; to look with expectation; to wait; to seek opportunity.
"My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning." Ps. cxxx. 6.
4. To remain awake with any one as nurse or attendant; to attend on the sick during the night; as to watch with a man in a fever.
5. (Naut.) To serve the purpose of a watchman by floating properly in its place; — said of a buoy. To watch over, to be cautiously observant of; to inspect, superintend, and guard.
Watch, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Watched p. pr. & vb. n. Watching.]
1. To give heed to; to observe the actions or motions of, for any purpose; to keep in view; not to lose from sight and observation; as to watch the progress of a bill in the legislature.
"Saul also sent messengers unto David’s house to watch him, and to slay him." 1 Sam. xix. 11
"I must cool a little, and watch my opportunity." Landor.
"In lazy mood I watched the little circles die." Longfellow.
2. To tend; to guard; to have in keeping.
"And flaming ministers, to watch and tend
Their earthy charge." Milton.
"Paris watched the flocks in the groves of Ida." Broome.
Watch meeting. A religious meeting held in the closing hours of the year.
Watches
Watch´es (-ez), n. pl. (Bot.) The leaves of Saracenia flava. See Trumpets.
Watchmaker
Watch´mak•er, n. One whose occupation is to make and repair watches.
Water
Wa´ter (wa"ter), n. [AS. waeter; akin to OS. watar, OFries. wetir, weter, LG. & D. water, G. wasser, OHG. wazzar, Icel. vatn, Sw. vatten, Dan. vand, Goth. wato, O. Slav. & Russ. voda, Gr. ’y•dwr, Skr. udan water, ud to wet, and perhaps to L. unda wave. rad.137. Cf. Dropsy, Hydra, Otter, Wet, Whisky.]
1. The fluid which descends from the clouds in rain, and which forms rivers, lakes, seas etc. "We will drink water." Shak. "Powers of fire, air, water, and earth." Milton. Pure water consists of hydrogen and oxygen, H2O, and is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, transparent liquid, which is very slightly compressible. At its maximum density, 39° Fahr. or 4° C., it is the standard for specific gravities, one cubic centimeter weighing one gram. It freezes at 32° Fahr. or 0° C. and boils at 212° Fahr. or 100° C. (see Ice, Steam). It is the most important natural solvent, and is frequently impregnated with foreign matter which is mostly removed by distillation; hence, rain water is nearly pure. It is an important ingredient in the tissue of animals and plants, the human body containing about two thirds its weight of water.
2. A body of water, standing or flowing; a lake, river, or other collection of water.
"Remembering he had passed over a small water a poor scholar when first coming to the university, he kneeled." Fuller.
3. Any liquid secretion, humor, or the like, resembling water; esp., the urine.
4. (Pharm.) A solution in water of a gaseous or readily volatile substance; as ammonia water. U. S. Pharm.
5. The limpidity and luster of a precious stone, especially a diamond; as a diamond of the first water, that is, perfectly pure and transparent. Hence, of the first water, that is, of the first excellence.
6. A wavy, lustrous pattern or decoration such as is imparted to linen, silk, metals, etc. See Water, v. t., 3, Damask, v. t., and Damaskeen.
7. An addition to the shares representing the capital of a stock company so that the aggregate par value of the shares is increased while their value for investment is diminished, or "diluted." [Brokers’ Cant] Water is often used adjectively and in the formation of many self-explaining compounds; as water drainage; water gauge, or water-gauge; waterfowl, water-fowl, or water fowl; water-beaten; water-borne, water- circled, water-girdled, water-rocked, etc. Hard water. See under Hard. — Inch of water, a unit of measure of quantity of water, being the quantity which will flow through an orifice one inch square, or a circular orifice one inch in diameter, in a vertical surface, under a stated constant head; also called miner’s inch, and water inch. The shape of the orifice and the head vary in different localities. In the Western United States, for hydraulic mining, the standard aperture is square and the head from 4 to 9 inches above its center. In Europe, for experimental hydraulics, the orifice is usually round and the head from &frac1x12; of an inch to 1 inch above its top. — Mineral water, waters which are so impregnated with foreign ingredients, such as gaseous, sulphureous, and saline substances, as to give them medicinal properties, or a particular flavor or temperature. — Soft water, water not impregnated with lime or mineral salts. — To hold water. See under Hold, v. t. — To keep one’s head above water, to keep afloat; fig., to avoid failure or sinking in the struggles of life. [Colloq.] — To make water. (a) To pass urine. Swift. (b) (Naut.) To admit water; to leak. — Water of crystallization (Chem.), the water combined with many salts in their crystalline form. This water is loosely, but, nevertheless, chemically, combined, for it is held in fixed and definite amount for each substance containing it. Thus, while pure copper sulphate, CuSO4, is a white amorphous substance, blue vitriol, the crystallized form, CuSO4.5H2O, contains five molecules of water of crystallization. — Water on the brain (Med.), hydrocephalus. — Water on the chest (Med.), hydrothorax. Other phrases, in which water occurs as the first element, will be found in alphabetical order in the Vocabulary.
Water
Wa´ter, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Watered p. pr. & vb. n. Watering.] [AS. waeterian, ge waeterian.]
1. To wet or supply with water; to moisten; to overflow with water; to irrigate; as to water land; to water flowers.
"With tears watering the ground." Milton.
"Men whose lives gilded on like rivers that water the woodlands." Longfellow.
2. To supply with water for drink; to cause or allow to drink; as to water cattle and horses.
3. To wet and calender, as cloth, so as to impart to it a lustrous appearance in wavy lines; to diversify with wavelike lines; as to water silk. Cf. Water, n. , 6.
4. To add water to (anything), thereby extending the quantity or bulk while reducing the strength or quality; to extend; to dilute; to weaken. To water stock, to increase the capital stock of a company by issuing new stock, thus diminishing the value of the individual shares. Cf. Water, n. , 7. [Brokers’ Cant]
Water adder
Wa"ter ad"der (Zoöl.) (a) The water moccasin. (b) The common, harmless American water snake ( Tropidonotus sipedon). See Illust. under Water Snake.
Water bailiff
Wa"ter bail"iff An officer of the customs, whose duty it is to search vessels. [Eng.]
Water bear
Wa"ter bear (Zoöl.) Any species of Tardigrada, 2. See Illust. of Tardigrada.
Water beech
Wa"ter beech (Bot.) The American hornbeam. See Hornbeam.
Water bird
Wa"ter bird (Zoöl.) Any aquatic bird; a water fowl.
Water blackbird
Wa"ter black"bird (Zoöl.) The European water ousel, or dipper.
Water breather
Wa"ter breath"er (Zoöl.) Any arthropod that breathes by means of gills.
Water butt
Wa"ter butt A large, open-headed cask, set up on end, to contain water. Dickens.
Water can
Wa"ter can (Bot.) Any one of several species of Nuphar; the yellow frog lily; — so called from the shape of the seed vessel. See Nuphar, and cf. Candock. Dr. Prior.
Water chicken
Wa"ter chick"en (Zoöl.) The common American gallinule.
Water chinquapin
Wa"ter chin"qua•pin (Bot.) The American lotus, and its edible seeds, which somewhat resemble chinquapins. Cf. Yoncopin.
Water craft
Wa"ter craft Any vessel or boat plying on water; vessels and boats, collectively.
Water crake
Wa"ter crake (Zoöl.) (a) The dipper. (b) The spotted crake ( Porzana maruetta). See Illust. of Crake. (c) The swamp hen, or crake, of Australia.
Water cure
Wa"ter cure
1. (Med.) Hydropathy.
2. A hydropathic institution.
Water drain
Wa"ter drain A drain or channel for draining off water.
Water drainage
Wa"ter drain"age ( 48). The draining off of water.
Water elephant
Wa"ter el"e•phant (Zoöl.) The hippopotamus. [R.]
Water flounder
Wa"ter floun"der (Zoöl.) The windowpane ( Pleuronectes maculatus). [Local, U. S.]
Water fox
Wa"ter fox (Zoöl.) The carp; — so called on account of its cunning. Walton.
Water gauge
Wa"ter gauge [Written also water gage.]
1. A wall or bank to hold water back. Craig.
2. An instrument for measuring or ascertaining the depth or quantity of water, or for indicating the height of its surface, as in the boiler of a steam engine. See Gauge.
Water glass
Wa"ter glass (Chem.) See Soluble glass, under Glass.
Water hen
Wa"ter hen
1. (Zoöl.) Any gallinule.
2. (Zoöl.) The common American coot.
Water ice
Wa"ter ice Water flavored, sweetened, and frozen, to be eaten as a confection.
Water laverock
Wa"ter la"ver•ock (Zoöl.) The common sandpiper.
Water level
Wa"ter lev"el
1. The level formed by the surface of still water.
2. A kind of leveling instrument. See under Level, n.
Water lily
Wa"ter lil•y (Bot.) A blossom or plant of any species of the genus Nymphaea, distinguished for its large floating leaves and beautiful flowers. See Nymphaea. The name is extended to various plants of other related genera, as Nuphar, Euryale, Nelumbo, and Victoria. See Euryale, Lotus, and Victoria, 1.
Water lizard
Wa"ter liz"ard (Zoöl.) Any aquatic lizard of the genus Varanus, as the monitor of the Nile. See Monitor, n. , 3.
Water measurer
Wa"ter meas"ur•er (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of water; the skater. See Skater, n. , 2.
Water mole
Wa"ter mole (Zoöl.) (a) The shrew mole. See under Shrew. (b) The duck mole. See under Duck.
Water monkey. A jar or bottle, as of porous earthenware, in which water is cooled by evaporation.
Water murrain
Wa"ter mur"rain A kind of murrain affecting cattle. Crabb.
Water newt
Wa"ter newt (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of aquatic salamanders; a triton.
Water opossum
Wa"ter o•pos"sum (Zoöl.) See Yapock, and the Note under Opossum.
Water ordeal
Wa"ter or"de•al Same as Ordeal by water. See the Note under Ordeal, n. , 1. { Wa"ter ou"sel, Wa"ter ou"zel }. (Zoöl.) Any one of several species of small insessorial birds of the genus Cinclus (or Hydrobates), especially the European water ousel ( C. aquaticus), and the American water ousel ( C. Mexicanus). These birds live about the water, and are in the habit of walking on the bottom of streams beneath the water in search of food.
Water partridge
Wa"ter par"tridge (Zoöl.) The ruddy duck. [Local, U. S.]
Water pennywort
Wa"ter pen"ny•wort (Bot.) Marsh pennywort. See under Marsh.
Water pepper
Wa"ter pep"per (Bot.) (a) Smartweed. (b) Waterwort.
Water pheasant
Wa"ter pheas"ant (Zoöl.) (a) The pintail. See Pintail, n. , 1. (b) The goosander. (c) The hooded merganser.
Water pig
Wa"ter pig
1. (Zoöl.) The capybara.
2. (Zoöl.) The gourami.
Water pimpernel
Wa"ter pim"per•nel (Bot.) A small white- flowered shrub; brookweed.
Water plant
Wa"ter plant A plant that grows in water; an aquatic plant.
Water plantain
Wa"ter plan"tain (Bot.) A kind of plant with acrid leaves. See under 2d Plantain.
Water plate
Wa"ter plate A plate heated by hot water contained in a double bottom or jacket. Knight.
Water poa
Wa"ter po"a (Bot.) Meadow reed grass. See under Reed.
Water pox
Wa"ter pox (Med.) A variety of chicken pox, or varicella. Dunglison.
Water privilege
Wa"ter priv"i•lege The advantage of using water as a mechanical power; also the place where water is, or may be, so used. See under Privilege.
Water qualm
Wa"ter qualm (Med.) See Water brash, under Brash.
Water rail
Wa"ter rail (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of rails of the genus Rallus, as the common European species ( Rallus aquaticus). See Illust. of Rail.
Water rat
Wa"ter rat
1. (Zoöl.) (a) The water vole. See under Vole. (b) The muskrat. (c) The beaver rat. See under Beaver.
2. A thief on the water; a pirate.
Water souchy
Wa"ter souch•y (Cookery) A dish consisting of small fish stewed and served in a little water. [Written also water souchet.] See Zoutch.
Water spaniel
Wa"ter span"iel A curly-haired breed of spaniels, naturally very fond of the water.
Water sprite
Wa"ter sprite A sprite, or spirit, imagined as inhabiting the water. J. R. Drake.
Water tabby
Wa"ter tab"by A kind of waved or watered tabby. See Tabby, n. , 1.
Water table
Wa"ter ta"ble (Arch.) A molding, or other projection, in the wall of a building, to throw off the water, — generally used in the United States for the first table above the surface of the ground (see Table, n. , 9), that is, for the table at the top of the foundation and the beginning of the upper wall.
Water tiger
Wa"ter ti"ger (Zoöl.) A diving, or water, beetle, especially the larva of a water beetle. See Illust. b of Water beetle.
Water tu twist
Wa"ter tu twist Yarn made by the throstle, or water frame.
Water tube
Wa"ter tube (Zoöl.) One of a system of tubular excretory organs having external openings, found in many invertebrates. They are believed to be analogous in function to the kidneys of vertebrates. See Illust. under Trematodea, and Sporocyst.
Water tupelo
Wa"ter tu"pe•lo (Bot.) A species of large tupelo ( Nyssa aquatica) growing in swamps in the southern of the United States. See Ogeechee lime.
Water turkey
Wa"ter tur"key (Zoöl.) The American snakebird. See Snakebird.
Water witch
Wa"ter witch (Zoöl.) (a) The dabchick. (b) The stormy petrel. [Prov. Eng.]
Waterage
Wa´ter•age ( 48), n. Money paid for transportation of goods, etc., by water. [Eng.]
Water-bearer
Wa´ter-bear•er, n. (Astron.) The constellation Aquarius.
Waterboard
Wa´ter•board, n. A board set up to windward in a boat, to keep out water. Ham. Nav. Encyc.
Water-bound
Wa´ter-bound, a. Prevented by a flood from proceeding.
Water-colorist
Wa´ter-col•or•ist, n. One who paints in water colors.
Waterflood
Wa´ter•flood, n. [AS. waeterflod.] A flood of water; an inundation.
Waterhorse
Wa´ter•horse, n. A pile of salted fish heaped up to drain.
Waterie
Wa´ter•ie, n. (Zoöl.) The pied wagtail; — so called because it frequents ponds.
Wateriness
Wa´ter•i•ness, n. The quality or state of being watery; moisture; humidity.
Watering
Wa´ter•ing, a. & n. from Water, v. Watering call (Mil.), a sound of trumpet or bugle summoning cavalry soldiers to assemble for the purpose of watering their horses. — Watering cart, a sprinkling cart. See Water. — Watering place. (a) A place where water may be obtained, as for a ship, for cattle, etc. (b) A place where there are springs of medicinal water, or a place by the sea, or by some large body of water, to which people resort for bathing, recreation, boating, etc. - - Watering pot. (a) A kind of bucket fitted with a rose, or perforated nozzle, — used for watering flowers, paths, etc. (b) (Zoöl.) Any one of several species of marine bivalve shells of the genus Aspergillum, or Brechites. The valves are small, and consolidated with the capacious calcareous tube which incases the entire animal. The tube is closed at the anterior end by a convex disk perforated by numerous pores, or tubules, and resembling the rose of a watering pot. — Watering trough, a trough from which cattle, horses, and other animals drink.
Waterishness
Wa´ter•ish•ness, n. The quality of being waterish.
Watermark
Wa´ter•mark, n.
1. A mark indicating the height to which water has risen, or at which it has stood; the usual limit of high or low water.
2. A letter, device, or the like, wrought into paper during the process of manufacture. "The watermark in paper is produced by bending the wires of the mold, or by wires bent into the shape of the required letter or device, and sewed to the surface of the mold; — it has the effect of making the paper thinner in places. The old makers employed watermarks of an eccentric kind. Those of Caxton and other early printers were an oxhead and star, a collared dog’s head, a crown, a shield, a jug, etc. A fool’s cap and bells, employed as a watermark, gave the name to foolscap paper; a postman’s horn, such as was formerly in use, gave the name to post paper." Tomlinson.
3. (Naut.) See Water line, 2. [R.]
Watermelon
Wa´ter•mel•on, n. (Bot.) The very large ovoid or roundish fruit of a cucurbitaceous plant ( Citrullus vulgaris) of many varieties; also the plant itself. The fruit sometimes weighs many pounds; its pulp is usually pink in color, and full of a sweet watery juice. It is a native of tropical Africa, but is now cultivated in many countries. See Illust. of Melon.
Waterproof
Wa´ter•proof, v. t. To render impervious to water, as cloth, leather, etc.
Waterproofing
Wa´ter•proof•ing, n.
1. The act or process of making waterproof.
2. Same as Waterproof, n. , 1.
Water-ret
Wa´ter-ret, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Water-retted; p. pr. & vb. n. Water-retting.] To ret, or rot, in water, as flax; to water- rot.
Water-rot
Wa´ter-rot, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Water-rotted; p. pr. & vb. n. Water-rotting.] To rot by steeping in water; to water-ret; as to water-rot hemp or flax.
Waterscape
Wa´ter•scape´, n. [Cf. Landscape.] A sea view; — distinguished from landscape. [Jocose] Fairholt.
Water-soak
Wa´ter-soak, v. t. To soak water; to fill the interstices of with water.
Water-standing
Wa´ter-stand•ing, a. Tear- filled. [R.] "Many an orphan’s water-standing eye." Shak.
Water-tight
Wa´ter-tight, a. So tight as to retain, or not to admit, water; not leaky.
Waterworn
Wa´ter•worn, a. Worn, smoothed, or polished by the action of water; as waterworn stones.
Wattle
Wat´tle, n. [AS. watel, watul, watol, hurdle, covering, wattle; cf. OE. watel a bag. Cf. Wallet.]
1. A twig or flexible rod; hence, a hurdle made of such rods.
"And there he built with wattles from the marsh
A little lonely church in days of yore." Tennyson.
2. A rod laid on a roof to support the thatch.
3. (Zoöl.) (a) A naked fleshy, and usually wrinkled and highly colored, process of the skin hanging from the chin or throat of a bird or reptile. (b) Barbel of a fish.
4. (a) The astringent bark of several Australian trees of the genus Acacia, used in tanning; — called also wattle bark. (b) (Bot.) The trees from which the bark is obtained. See Savanna wattle, under Savanna. Wattle turkey. (Zoöl.) Same as Brush turkey.
Wattle
Wat´tle, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Wattled p. pr. & vb. n. Wattling ]
1. To bind with twigs.
2. To twist or interweave, one with another, as twigs; to form a network with; to plat; as to wattle branches.
3. To form, by interweaving or platting twigs.
"The folded flocks, penned in their wattled cotes." Milton.
Wattless
Watt´less, a. (Elec.) Without any power (cf. Watt); — said of an alternating current or component of current when it differs in phase by ninety degrees from the electromotive force which produces it, or of an electromotive force or component thereof when the current it produces differs from it in phase by 90 degrees.
Wattmeter
Watt´me•ter, n. [ Watt + meter.] (Physics) An instrument for measuring power in watts, — much used in measuring the energy of an electric current. { Waucht, Waught }, n. [Cf. Quaff.] A large draught of any liquid. [Scot.] Jamieson.
Waur, a. [See Worse.] Worse. [Scot.]
"Murder and waur than murder." Sir W. Scott.
Wave (wav), v. t. See Waive. Sir H. Wotton. Burke.
Wave, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Waved (wavd); p. pr. & vb. n. Waving.] [OE. waven, AS. wafian to waver, to hesitate, to wonder; akin to waefre wavering, restless, MHG. wabern to be in motion, Icel. vafra to hover about; cf. Icel. vafa to vibrate. Cf. Waft, Waver.]
1. To play loosely; to move like a wave, one way and the other; to float; to flutter; to undulate.
"His purple robes waved careless to the winds." Trumbull.
"Where the flags of three nations has successively waved." Hawthorne.
2. To be moved to and fro as a signal. B. Jonson.
3. To fluctuate; to waver; to be in an unsettled state; to vacillate. [Obs.]
"He waved indifferently ’twixt doing them neither good nor harm." Shak.
Wave, n. [From Wave, v. ; not the same word as OE. wawe, waghe, a wave, which is akin to E. wag to move. rad.136. See Wave, v. i.]
1. An advancing ridge or swell on the surface of a liquid, as of the sea, resulting from the oscillatory motion of the particles composing it when disturbed by any force their position of rest; an undulation.
"The wave behind impels the wave before." Pope.
2. (Physics) A vibration propagated from particle to particle through a body or elastic medium, as in the transmission of sound; an assemblage of vibrating molecules in all phases of a vibration, with no phase repeated; a wave of vibration; an undulation. See Undulation.
3. Water; a body of water. [Poetic] "Deep drank Lord Marmion of the wave." Sir W. Scott.
"Build a ship to save thee from the flood,
I ’ll furnish thee with fresh wave, bread, and wine." Chapman.
4. Unevenness; inequality of surface. Sir I. Newton.
5. A waving or undulating motion; a signal made with the hand, a flag, etc.
6. The undulating line or streak of luster on cloth watered, or calendered, or on damask steel.
7. Fig.: A swelling or excitement of thought, feeling, or energy; a tide; as waves of enthusiasm. Wave front (Physics), the surface of initial displacement of the particles in a medium, as a wave of vibration advances. — Wave length (Physics), the space, reckoned in the direction of propagation, occupied by a complete wave or undulation, as of light, sound, etc.; the distance from a point or phase in a wave to the nearest point at which the same phase occurs. - - Wave line (Shipbuilding), a line of a vessel’s hull, shaped in accordance with the wave-line system. — Wave-line system, Wave-line theory (Shipbuilding), a system or theory of designing the lines of a vessel, which takes into consideration the length and shape of a wave which travels at a certain speed. — Wave loaf, a loaf for a wave offering. Lev. viii. 27. — Wave moth (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of small geometrid moths belonging to Acidalia and allied genera; — so called from the wavelike color markings on the wings. — Wave offering, an offering made in the Jewish services by waving the object, as a loaf of bread, toward the four cardinal points. Num. xviii. 11. — Wave of vibration (Physics), a wave which consists in, or is occasioned by, the production and transmission of a vibratory state from particle to particle through a body. — Wave surface. (a) (Physics) A surface of simultaneous and equal displacement of the particles composing a wave of vibration. (b) (Geom.) A mathematical surface of the fourth order which, upon certain hypotheses, is the locus of a wave surface of light in the interior of crystals. It is used in explaining the phenomena of double refraction. See under Refraction. — Wave theory. (Physics) See Undulatory theory, under Undulatory.
Waveless
Wave´less, a. Free from waves; undisturbed; not agitated; as the waveless sea.
Waver
Wa´ver, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Wavered p. pr. & vb. n. Wavering.] [OE. waveren, from AS. waefre wavering, restless. See Wave, v. i.]
1. To play or move to and fro; to move one way and the other; hence, to totter; to reel; to swing; to flutter.
"With banners and pennons wavering with the wind." Ld. Berners.
"Thou wouldst waver on one of these trees as a terror to all evil speakers against dignities." Sir W. Scott.
2. To be unsettled in opinion; to vacillate; to be undetermined; to fluctuate; as to water in judgment.
"Let us hold fast … without wavering." Heb. x. 23.
"In feeble hearts, propense enough before
To waver, or fall off and join with idols." Milton.
Syn. — To reel; totter; vacillate. See Fluctuate.
Waver
Wa´ver, n. [From Wave, or Waver, v. ] A sapling left standing in a fallen wood. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
Waveringness
Wa´ver•ing•ness, n. The quality or state of wavering.
Waveson
Wave´son, n. [From Wave; cf. Jetsam.] (O. Eng. Law) Goods which, after shipwreck, appear floating on the waves, or sea.
Wave-worn
Wave´-worn, a. Worn by the waves.
"The shore that o’er his wave-worn basis bowed." Shak.
Wavey
Wa´vey, n. (Zoöl.) The snow goose. [Canadian, & Local U. S.]
Wavure
Wav´ure, n. See Waivure. [R.]
Wawaskeesh
Wa•was´keesh, n. [From an Indian name.] (Zoöl.) The wapiti, or wapiti, or American elk.
Wawe (wa), n. [See Woe.] Woe. [Obs.]
Wawl, v. i. See Waul. Shak.
Wax, v. i. [ imp. Waxed p. p. Waxed, and Obs. or Poetic Waxen ; p. pr. & vb. n. Waxing.] [AS. weaxan; akin to OFries. waxa, D. wassen, OS. & OHG. wahsan, G. wachsen, Icel. vaxa, Sw. växa, Dan. voxe, Goth. wahsjan, Gr. to increase, Skr. waksh, uksh, to grow. . Cf. Waist.]
1. To increase in size; to grow bigger; to become larger or fuller; — opposed to wane.
"The waxing and the waning of the moon." Hakewill.
"Truth’s treasures … never shall wax ne wane." P. Plowman.
2. To pass from one state to another; to become; to grow; as to wax strong; to wax warmer or colder; to wax feeble; to wax old; to wax worse and worse.
"Your clothes are not waxen old upon you." Deut. xxix. 5.
"Where young Adonis oft reposes, Waxing well of his deep wound." Milton. Waxing kernels (Med.), small tumors formed by the enlargement of the lymphatic glands, especially in the groins of children; — popularly so called, because supposed to be caused by growth of the body. Dunglison.
Wax, n. [AS. weax; akin to OFries. wax, D. was, G. wachs, OHG. wahs, Icel. & Sw. vax, Dan. vox, Lith. vaszkas, Russ. vosk’.]
1. A fatty, solid substance, produced by bees, and employed by them in the construction of their comb; — usually called beeswax. It is first excreted, from a row of pouches along their sides, in the form of scales, which, being masticated and mixed with saliva, become whitened and tenacious. Its natural color is pale or dull yellow. Beeswax consists essentially of cerotic acid (constituting the more soluble part) and of myricyl palmitate (constituting the less soluble part).
2. Hence, any substance resembling beeswax in consistency or appearance. Specifically: — (a) (Physiol.) Cerumen, or earwax. See Cerumen. (b) A waxlike composition used for uniting surfaces, for excluding air, and for other purposes; as sealing wax, grafting wax, etching wax, etc. (c) A waxlike composition used by shoemakers for rubbing their thread. (d) (Zoöl.) A substance similar to beeswax, secreted by several species of scale insects, as the Chinese wax. See Wax insect, below. (e) (Bot.) A waxlike product secreted by certain plants. See Vegetable wax, under Vegetable. (f) (Min.) A substance, somewhat resembling wax, found in connection with certain deposits of rock salt and coal; — called also mineral wax, and ozocerite. (g) Thick sirup made by boiling down the sap of the sugar maple, and then cooling. [Local U. S.] Japanese wax, a waxlike substance made in Japan from the berries of certain species of Rhus, esp. R. succedanea. — Mineral wax. (Min.) See Wax, 2 (f), above. — Wax cloth. See Waxed cloth, under Waxed. — Wax end. See Waxed end, under Waxed. — Wax flower, a flower made of, or resembling, wax. — Wax insect (Zoöl.), any one of several species of scale insects belonging to the family Coccidae, which secrete from their bodies a waxlike substance, especially the Chinese wax insect ( Coccus Sinensis) from which a large amount of the commercial Chinese wax is obtained. Called also pela. — Wax light, a candle or taper of wax. — Wax moth (Zoöl.), a pyralid moth ( Galleria cereana) whose larvae feed upon honeycomb, and construct silken galleries among the fragments. The moth has dusky gray wings streaked with brown near the outer edge. The larva is yellowish white with brownish dots. Called also bee moth. — Wax myrtle. (Bot.) See Bayberry. — Wax painting, a kind of painting practiced by the ancients, under the name of encaustic. The pigments were ground with wax, and diluted. After being applied, the wax was melted with hot irons and the color thus fixed. — Wax palm. (Bot.) (a) A species of palm ( Ceroxylon Andicola) native of the Andes, the stem of which is covered with a secretion, consisting of two thirds resin and one third wax, which, when melted with a third of fat, makes excellent candles. (b) A Brazilian tree ( Copernicia cerifera) the young leaves of which are covered with a useful waxy secretion. — Wax paper, paper prepared with a coating of white wax and other ingredients. — Wax plant (Bot.), a name given to several plants, as: (a) The Indian pipe (see under Indian). (b) The Hoya carnosa, a climbing plant with polished, fleshy leaves. (c) Certain species of Begonia with similar foliage. — Wax tree (Bot.) (a) A tree or shrub ( Ligustrum lucidum) of China, on which certain insects make a thick deposit of a substance resembling white wax. (b) A kind of sumac ( Rhus succedanea) of Japan, the berries of which yield a sort of wax. (c) A rubiaceous tree ( Elaeagia utilis) of New Grenada, called by the inhabitants "arbol del cera." — Wax yellow, a dull yellow, resembling the natural color of beeswax.
Wax, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Waxed p. pr. & vb. n. Waxing.] To smear or rub with wax; to treat with wax; as to wax a thread or a table. Waxed cloth, cloth covered with a coating of wax, used as a cover, of tables and for other purposes; — called also wax cloth. — Waxed end, a thread pointed with a bristle and covered with shoemaker’s wax, used in sewing leather, as for boots, shoes, and the like; — called also wax end. Brockett.
Waxberry
Wax´ber•ry, n. (Bot.) The wax-covered fruit of the wax myrtle, or bayberry. See Bayberry, and Candleberry tree.
Waxwing
Wax´wing, n. (Zoöl.) Any one of several species of small birds of the genus Ampelis, in which some of the secondary quills are usually tipped with small horny ornaments resembling red sealing wax. The Bohemian waxwing (see under Bohemian) and the cedar bird are examples. Called also waxbird.
Waxworks
Wax´works, n. pl. An exhibition of wax figures, or the place of exhibition.
Waxy
Wax´y, a. Resembling wax in appearance or consistency; viscid; adhesive; soft; hence, yielding; pliable; impressible. "Waxy to persuasion." Bp. Hall.Waxy degeneration (Med.), amyloid degeneration. See under Amyloid. — Waxy kidney, Waxy liver, etc. (Med.), a kidney or liver affected by waxy degeneration.
Way, adv. [Aphetic form of away.] Away. [Obs. or Archaic] Chaucer. To do way, to take away; to remove. [Obs.] "Do way your hands." Chaucer. — To make way with, to make away with. See under Away. [Archaic]
Way, n. [OE. wey, way, AS. weg; akin to OS., D., OHG., & G. weg, Icel. vegr, Sw. väg, Dan. vei, Goth. wigs, L. via, and AS. wegan to move, L. vehere to carry, Skr. vah. rad.136. Cf. Convex, Inveigh, Vehicle, Vex, Via, Voyage, Wag, Wagon, Wee, Weigh.]
1. That by, upon, or along, which one passes or processes; opportunity or room to pass; place of passing; passage; road, street, track, or path of any kind; as they built a way to the mine. "To find the way to heaven." Shak.
"I shall him seek by way and eke by street." Chaucer.
"The way seems difficult, and steep to scale." Milton.
"The season and ways were very improper for his majesty’s forces to march so great a distance." Evelyn.
2. Length of space; distance; interval; as a great way; a long way.
"And whenever the way seemed long,
Or his heart began to fail." Longfellow.
3. A moving; passage; procession; journey.
"I prythee, now, lead the way." Shak.
4. Course or direction of motion or process; tendency of action; advance.
"If that way be your walk, you have not far." Milton.
"And let eternal justice take the way." Dryden.
5. The means by which anything is reached, or anything is accomplished; scheme; device; plan.
"My best way is to creep under his gaberdine." Shak.
"By noble ways we conquest will prepare." Dryden.
"What impious ways my wishes took!" Prior.
6. Manner; method; mode; fashion; style; as the way of expressing one’s ideas.
7. Regular course; habitual method of life or action; plan of conduct; mode of dealing. "Having lost the way of nobleness." Sir. P. Sidney.
"Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." Prov. iii. 17.
"When men lived in a grander way." Longfellow.
8. Sphere or scope of observation. Jer. Taylor.
"The public ministers that fell in my way." Sir W. Temple.
9. Determined course; resolved mode of action or conduct; as to have one’s way.
10. (Naut.) (a) Progress; as a ship has way. (b) pl. The timbers on which a ship is launched.
11. pl. (Mach.) The longitudinal guides, or guiding surfaces, on the bed of a planer, lathe, or the like, along which a table or carriage moves.
12. (Law) Right of way. See below. By the way, in passing; apropos; aside; apart from, though connected with, the main object or subject of discourse. — By way of, for the purpose of; as being; in character of. — Covert way. (Fort.) See Covered way, under Covered. — In the family way. See under Family. — In the way, so as to meet, fall in with, obstruct, hinder, etc. — In the way with, traveling or going with; meeting or being with; in the presence of. — Milky way. (Astron.) See Galaxy, 1. — No way, No ways. See Noway, Noways, in the Vocabulary. — On the way, traveling or going; hence, in process; advancing toward completion; as on the way to this country; on the way to success. — Out of the way. See under Out. — Right of way (Law), a right of private passage over another’s ground. It may arise either by grant or prescription. It may be attached to a house, entry, gate, well, or city lot, as well as to a country farm. Kent. — To be under way, or To have way (Naut.), to be in motion, as when a ship begins to move. — To give way. See under Give. — To go one’s way, or To come one’s way, to go or come; to depart or come along. Shak. — To go the way of all the earth, to die. — To make one’s way, to advance in life by one’s personal efforts. — To make way. See under Make, v. t. — Ways and means. (a) Methods; resources; facilities. (b) (Legislation) Means for raising money; resources for revenue. — Way leave, permission to cross, or a right of way across, land; also rent paid for such right. [Eng] — Way of the cross (Eccl.), the course taken in visiting in rotation the stations of the cross. See Station, n. , 7 (c). — Way of the rounds (Fort.), a space left for the passage of the rounds between a rampart and the wall of a fortified town. — Way pane, a pane for cartage in irrigated land. See Pane, n. , 4. [Prov. Eng.] — Way passenger, a passenger taken up, or set down, at some intermediate place between the principal stations on a line of travel. — Ways of God, his providential government, or his works. — Way station, an intermediate station between principal stations on a line of travel, especially on a railroad. — Way train, a train which stops at the intermediate, or way, stations; an accommodation train. — Way warden, the surveyor of a road.
Syn. — Street; highway; road. — Way, Street, Highway, Road. Way is generic, denoting any line for passage or conveyance; a highway is literally one raised for the sake of dryness and convenience in traveling; a road is, strictly, a way for horses and carriages; a street is, etymologically, a paved way, as early made in towns and cities; and, hence, the word is distinctively applied to roads or highways in compact settlements.
"All keep the broad highway, and take delight
With many rather for to go astray." Spenser.
"There is but one road by which to climb up." Addison.
"When night
Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons
Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine." Milton.
Way, v. t. To go or travel to; to go in, as a way or path. [Obs.] "In land not wayed." Wyclif.
Way, v. i. To move; to progress; to go. [R.]
"On a time as they together wayed." Spenser.
Waybread
Way´bread, n. [AS. wegbrde. See Way, and Broad.] (Bot.) The common dooryard plantain ( Plantago major).
Wayfare
Way´fare, n. The act of journeying; travel; passage. [Obs.] Holland.
Wayfarer
Way´far•er, n. One who travels; a traveler; a passenger.
Way-goose
Way´-goose, n. See Wayz- goose, n. , 2. [Eng.]
Waylay
Way´lay ( 277), v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Waylaid p. pr. & vb. n. Waylaying.] [ Way + lay.] To lie in wait for; to meet or encounter in the way; especially, to watch for the passing of, with a view to seize, rob, or slay; to beset in ambush.
"Falstaff, Bardolph, Peto, and Gadshill shall rob those men that we have already waylaid." Shak.
"She often contrived to waylay him in his walks." Sir W. Scott.
Waymaker
Way´mak•er, n. One who makes a way; a precursor. [R.] Bacon.
Wayment
Way´ment, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Waymented; p. pr. & vb. n. Waymenting.] [OE. waymenten, OF. waimenter, gaimenter, guaimenter, from wai, guai, woe! (of Teutonic origin; see Woe) and L. lamentari to lament. See Lament.] To lament; to grieve; to wail. [Written also waiment.] [Obs.]
"Thilke science … maketh a man to waymenten." Chaucer.
"For what boots it to weep and wayment,
When ill is chanced?" Spenser.
Wayment
Way´ment, n. Grief; lamentation; mourning. [Written also waiment.] [Obs.] Spenser.
Wayside
Way´side, n. The side of the way; the edge or border of a road or path.
Wayward
Way´ward, a. [OE. weiward, for aweiward, i. e., turned away. See Away, and -ward.] Taking one’s own way; disobedient; froward; perverse; willful.
"My wife is in a wayward mood." Shak.
"Wayward beauty doth not fancy move." Fairfax.
"Wilt thou forgive the wayward thought?" Keble. — Way´ward•ly, adv. — Way´ward•ness, n.
Waywode
Way´wode, n. [Russ. voevoda, or Pol. woiewoda; properly, a leader of an army, a leader in war. Cf. Vaivode.] Originally, the title of a military commander in various Slavonic countries; afterwards applied to governors of towns or provinces. It was assumed for a time by the rulers of Moldavia and Wallachia, who were afterwards called hospodars, and has also been given to some inferior Turkish officers. [Written also vaivode, voivode, waiwode, and woiwode.]
Waywodeship
Way´wode•ship, n. The office, province, or jurisdiction of a waywode.