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.
Wash`ing*to"ni*an (?), a. 1. Pertaining to, or characteristic of,
George Washington; as, a Washingtonian policy. Lowell.
2. Designating, or pertaining to, a temperance society and movement
started in Baltimore in 1840 on the principle of total abstinence. — n.
A member of the Washingtonian Society.
Wash"-off` (?), a. (Calico Printing) Capable of being washed off; not
permanent or durable; — said of colors not fixed by steaming or
otherwise.
Wash"out` (?), n. The washing out or away of earth, etc., especially of
a portion of the bed of a road or railroad by a fall of rain or a
freshet; also, a place, especially in the bed of a road or railroad,
where the earth has been washed away.
Wash"pot` (?), n. 1. A pot or vessel in which anything is washed.
2. (Tin-Plate Manuf.) A pot containing melted tin into which the plates
are dipped to be coated.
Wash"stand` (?), n. A piece of furniture holding the ewer or pitcher,
basin, and other requisites for washing the person.
Wash"tub` (?), n. A tub in which clothes are washed.
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.]
Wa"site (?), n. [See Wasium.] (Min.) A variety of allanite from Sweden
supposed to contain wasium.
Wa"si*um (?), n. [NL. So called from Wasa, or Vasa, the name of a
former royal family of Sweden.] (Chem.) A rare element supposed by Bahr
to have been extracted from wasite, but now identified with thorium.
Wasp (?), n. [OE. waspe, AS. wæps, wæfs; 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 larvæ are reared in the cells of the combs, and eat
insects and insect larvæ 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.
<! p. 1630 !>
Wasp"ish (?), a. 1. Resembling a wasp in form; having a slender waist,
like a wasp.
2. Quick to resent a trifling affront; characterized by snappishness;
irritable; irascible; petulant; snappish.
He was naturally a waspish and hot man.
Bp. Hall.
Much do I suffer, much, to keep in peace This jealous, waspish,
wrong-head, rhyming race.
Pope.
Syn. — Snappish; petulant; irritable; irascible; testy; peevish;
captious.
— Wasp"ish*ly, adv. — Wasp"ish*ness, n.
Was"sail (?), n. [AS. wes hl (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 wæs 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.