2. (Bot.) Expanding into a flat, circular border at top, with scarcely
any tube; as, a wheel-shaped corolla.
Wheel"swarf` (?), n. See Swarf.
Wheel"work` (?), n. (Mach.) A combination of wheels, and their
connection, in a machine or mechanism.
Wheel"-worn` (?), a. Worn by the action of wheels; as, a wheel-worn
road.
Wheel"wright` (?), n. A man whose occupation is to make or repair
wheels and wheeled vehicles, as carts, wagons, and the like.
Wheel"y (?), a. Circular; suitable to rotation.
Wheen (?), n. [Cf. AS. hw&?;ne, hw&?;ne, a little, somewhat, hw&?;n
little, few.] A quantity; a goodly number. [Scot.] "A wheen other
dogs." Sir W. Scott.
Wheeze (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Wheezed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Wheezing.]
[OE. whesen, AS. hw&?;san (cf. Icel. hvæsa to hiss, Sw. hväsa, Dan.
hvæse); akin to AS. hw&?;sta a cough, D. hoest, G. husten, OHG. huosto,
Icel. h&?;sti, Lith. kosti to cough, Skr. k&?;s. √43. Cf. Husky
hoarse.] To breathe hard, and with an audible piping or whistling
sound, as persons affected with asthma. "Wheezing lungs." Shak.
Wheeze, n. 1. A piping or whistling sound caused by difficult
respiration.
2. (Phon.) An ordinary whisper exaggerated so as to produce the hoarse
sound known as the "stage whisper." It is a forcible whisper with some
admixture of tone.
Wheez"y (?), a. Breathing with difficulty and with a wheeze; wheezing.
Used also figuratively.
Wheft (?), n. (Naut.) See Waft, n., 4.
Whelk (?), n. [OE. welk, wilk, AS. weoloc, weloc, wiloc. Cf. Whilk, and
Wilk.] (Zoöl.) Any one numerous species of large marine gastropods
belonging to Buccinum and allied genera; especially, Buccinum undatum,
common on the coasts both of Europe and North America, and much used as
food in Europe.
Whelk tingle, a dog whelk. See under Dog.