Whif"fle*tree` (?), n. Same as Whippletree.
Whig (?), n. [See Whey.] Acidulated whey, sometimes mixed with
buttermilk and sweet herbs, used as a cooling beverage. [Obs. or Prov.
Eng.]
Whig, n. [Said to be from whiggam, a term used in Scotland in driving
horses, whiggamore one who drives horses (a term applied to some
western Scotchmen), contracted to whig. In 1648, a party of these
people marched to Edinburgh to oppose the king and the duke of Hamilton
(the Whiggamore raid), and hence the name of Whig was given to the
party opposed to the court. Cf. Scot. whig to go quickly.]
1. (Eng. Politics) One of a political party which grew up in England in
the seventeenth century, in the reigns of Charles I. and II., when
great contests existed respecting the royal prerogatives and the rights
of the people. Those who supported the king in his high claims were
called Tories, and the advocates of popular rights, of parliamentary
power over the crown, and of toleration to Dissenters, were, after
1679, called Whigs. The terms Liberal and Radical have now generally
superseded Whig in English politics. See the note under Tory.
2. (Amer. Hist.) (a) A friend and supporter of the American Revolution;
— opposed to Tory, and Royalist. (b) One of the political party in the
United States from about 1829 to 1856, opposed in politics to the
Democratic party.
Whig, a. Of or pertaining to the Whigs.
Whig"ga*more (?), n. [See Whig.] A Whig; — a cant term applied in
contempt to Scotch Presbyterians. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.
Whig"gar*chy (?), n. [Whig + - archy.] Government by Whigs. [Cont]
Swift.
Whig"ger*y (?), n. The principles or practices of the Whigs; Whiggism.
Whig"gish (?), a. Of or pertaining to Whigs; partaking of, or
characterized by, the principles of Whigs.
Whig"gish*ly, adv. In a Whiggish manner.
Whig"gism (?), n. The principles of the Whigs.
Whig"ling (?), n. A petty or inferior Whig; — used in contempt.
Spectator.
While (?), n. [AS. hwl; akin to OS. hwl, hwla, OFries. hwle, D. wigl,
G. weile, OHG. wla, hwla, hwl, Icel. hvla a bed, hvld rest, Sw. hvila,
Dan. hvile, Goth. hweila a time, and probably to L. quietus quiet, and
perhaps to Gr. &?; the proper time of season. √20. Cf. Quiet, Whilom.]
1. Space of time, or continued duration, esp. when short; a time; as,
one while we thought him innocent. "All this while." Shak.
This mighty queen may no while endure.
Chaucer.
[Some guest that] hath outside his welcome while, And tells the jest
without the smile.
Coleridge.