Whang*hee" (?), n. (Bot.) See Wanghee.
{ Whap (?), Whop }, v. i. [Cf. OE. quappen to palpitate, E. quob,
quaver, wabble, awhape, wap.] To throw one's self quickly, or by an
abrupt motion; to turn suddenly; as, she whapped down on the floor; the
fish whapped over. Bartlett.
This word is used adverbially in the north of England, as in the United
States, when anything vanishes, or is gone suddenly; as, whap went the
cigar out of my mouth.
{ Whap, Whop }, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Whapped (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Whapping.] To beat or strike.
{ Whap, Whop }, n. A blow, or quick, smart stroke.
{ Whap"per (?), Whop"per }, n. [See Whap.] Something uncommonly large
of the kind; something astonishing; — applied especially to a bold lie.
[Colloq.]
{ Whap"ping (?), Whop"ping }, a. Very large; monstrous; astonishing;
as, a whapping story. [Colloq.]
Wharf (?), n.; pl. Wharfs (#) or Wharves (#). [AS. hwerf, hwearf, a
returning, a change, from hweorfan to turn, turn about, go about; akin
to D. werf a wharf, G. werft, Sw. varf a shipbuilder's yard, Dan. verft
wharf, dockyard, G. werben to enlist, to engage, woo, OHG. werban to
turn about, go about, be active or occupied, Icel. hverfa to turn,
Goth. hwaírban, hwarbn, to walk. Cf. Whirl.]
1. A structure or platform of timber, masonry, iron, earth, or other
material, built on the shore of a harbor, river, canal, or the like,
and usually extending from the shore to deep water, so that vessels may
lie close alongside to receive and discharge cargo, passengers, etc.; a
quay; a pier.
Commerce pushes its wharves into the sea.
Bancroft.
Out upon the wharfs they came, Knight and burgher, lord and dame.
Tennyson.
The plural of this word is generally written wharves in the United
States, and wharfs in England; but many recent English writers use
wharves.
2. [AS. hwearf.] The bank of a river, or the shore of the sea. [Obs.]
"The fat weed that roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf." Shak.
Wharf boat, a kind of boat moored at the bank of a river, and used for
a wharf, in places where the height of the water is so variable that a
fixed wharf would be useless. [U. S.] Bartlett. — Wharf rat. (Zoöl.)
(a) The common brown rat. (b) A neglected boy who lives around the
wharfs. [Slang]
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