To walk one's chalks, to make off; take French leave.
Wal*la"chi*an (?), a. [Also Walachian, Wallach, Wallack, Vlach, etc.] Of or pertaining to Wallachia, a former principality, now part of the kingdom, of Roumania. -- n. An inhabitant of Wallachia; also, the language of the Wallachians; Roumanian.
Wal"lack (?), a. & n. See Wallachian.
Wall"flow`er, n. (Bot.) In Australia, the desert poison bush (Gastrolobium grandiflorum); -- called also native wallflower.
Wal"low (?), n. 1. Act of wallowing.
2. A place to which an animal comes to wallow; also, the depression in the ground made by its wallowing; as, a buffalo wallow.
Wall Street. A street towards the southern end of the borough of Manhattan, New York City, extending from Broadway to the East River; -- so called from the old wall which extended along it when the city belonged to the Dutch. It is the chief financial center of the United States, hence the name is often used for the money market and the financial interests of the country.
Wane, n. (Forestry) The natural curvature of a log or of the edge of a board sawed from a log.
Warp, v. t. (Aëronautics) To twist the end surfaces of (an aërocurve in an aëroplane) in order to restore or maintain equilibrium.
Warp knitting. A kind of knitting in which a number of threads are interchained each with one or more contiguous threads on either side.
Wart"y-back`, n. An American fresh- water mussel (Quadrula pustulosa). Its shell is used in making buttons.
Wash, v. t. 1. To cause dephosphorisation of (molten pig iron) by adding substances containing iron oxide, and sometimes manganese oxide.
2. To pass (a gas or gaseous mixture) through or over a liquid for the purpose of purifying it, esp. by removing soluble constituents.
Wash, v. i. 1. To use washes, as for the face or hair.
2. To move with a lapping or swashing sound, or the like; to lap; splash; as, to hear the water washing.
Wash, n. 1. [Western U. S.] (Geol.) (a) Gravel and other rock débris transported and deposited by running water; coarse alluvium. (b) An alluvial cone formed by a stream at the base of a mountain.
2. The dry bed of an intermittent stream, sometimes at the bottom of a cañon; as, the Amargosa wash, Diamond wash; -- called also dry wash. [Western U. S.]
3. (Arch.) The upper surface of a member or material when given a slope to shed water. Hence, a structure or receptacle shaped so as to receive and carry off water, as a carriage wash in a stable.
Wash drawing. (Art) In water-color painting, work in, or a work done chiefly in, washes, as distinguished from that done in stipple, in body color, etc.
Washed sale. Same as Wash sale.
Wash"ing, n. 1. (Mining) Gold dust procured by washing; also, a place where this is done; a washery.