WAFT, waft, _v.t._ to bear through a fluid medium, as air or water:
(_Shak._) to wave the hand, beckon, to turn.--_v.i._ to float.--_n._ a
floating body: a signal made by moving something in the air, esp. an
ensign, stopped together at the head and middle portions, slightly rolled
up lengthwise, and hoisted at different positions at the after-part of a
ship: a breath, puff, slight odour.--_ns._ WAF'T[=A]GE, act of wafting,
transportation in air or water; WAF'TER, one who or that which wafts;
WAF'T[=U]RE (_Shak._), act of wafting or of waving, waving motion,
beckoning. [_Wave_.]
WAG, wag, _v.t._ and _v.i._ to move from side to side: to shake to and fro:
(_coll._) to depart: (_Shak._) to move on, make progress:--_pr.p._
wag'ging; _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ wagged.--_n._ a shaking, moving to and fro.
[Referred by Skeat to Old Sw. _wagga_, to wag (Ice. _vagga_, a cradle);
allied to A.S. _wagian_, to wag, Old High Ger. _wag[=o]n_, to shake, A.S.
_wegan_, to carry, move.]
WAG, wag, _n._ a droll, mischievous fellow: a man full of sport and humour:
a wit: a fellow generally.--_n._ WAG'GERY, mischievous merriment.--_adjs._
WAG'GISH--(_rare_) WAG'SOME.--_adv._ WAG'GISHLY.--_ns._ WAG'GISHNESS;
WAG'-WIT, a would-be wit. [Prob. _waghalter_, one who deserves hanging.]
WAGE, w[=a]j, _v.t._ to pledge: to engage in as if by pledge: to carry on,
esp. of war: to venture: (_prov._) to hire for pay: (_Shak._) to pay wages
to: (_Spens._) to let out for pay.--_v.i._ (_Shak._) to be equal in value,
to contend, battle (_with_).--_n._ a gage or stake: that for which one
labours: wages.--_ns._ WAGE'-EARN'ER, one receiving pay for work done;
WAGE'-FUND, W[=A]'GES-FUND THEORY, the theory that there is at any given
time in a country a determinate amount of capital available for the payment
of labour, therefore the average wage depends on the proportion of this
fund to the number of persons who have to share in it; W[=A]'GER, that
which is waged or pledged: something staked on the issue of anything: a
bet: that on which bets are laid: (_law_) an offer to make oath.--_v.t._ to
hazard on the issue of anything.--_v.i._ to lay a wager.--_n._
W[=A]'GERER.--_n.pl._ W[=A]'GES (used as _sing._), wage: that which is paid
for services.--_n._ WAGE'-WORK, work done for wages.--WAGER OF BATTLE,
trial by combat, an ancient usage which permitted the accused and accuser,
in defect of sufficient direct evidence, to challenge each other to mortal
combat, for issue of the dispute.--LIVING WAGE (see LIVING). [O. Fr.
_wager_ (Fr. _gager_), to pledge.]
WAGGLE, wag'l, _v.i._ and _v.t._ to wag or move from side to side. [Freq.
of _wag_ (1).]
WAGMOIRE, wag'moir, _n._ (_Spens._) a quagmire.
WAGNERIAN, vag-n[=e]'ri-an, _adj._ pertaining to or characterised by the
ideas or style of Richard _Wagner_ (1813-83), a famous German composer of
music-dramas: pertaining to Rudolf _Wagner_ (1805-64), a famous
physiologist.--_ns._ WAG'NERISM, WAGNE'RIANISM, the art theory of Richard
Wagner, its main object being the freeing of opera from traditional and
conventional forms, and its one canon, dramatic fitness; WAG'NERIST, an
adherent of Wagner's musical methods.
WAGON, WAGGON, wag'un, _n._ a four-wheeled vehicle for carrying heavy
goods: (_Shak._) a chariot.--_v.t._ to transport by wagon.--_ns._
WAG'ONAGE, money, paid for conveyance by wagon; WAG'ON-BOX, -BED, the
carrying part of a wagon; WAG'ONER, WAG'GONER, one who conducts a wagon:
(_Shak._) a charioteer: (_Spens._) the constellation Auriga; WAGONETTE', a
kind of open carriage built to carry six or eight persons, with one or two
seats crosswise in front, and two back seats arranged lengthwise and facing
inwards; WAG'ONFUL, as much as a wagon will hold; WAG'ON-LOAD, the load
carried by a wagon: a great amount; WAG'ON-LOCK, a kind of iron shoe which
is placed on the rear-wheel of a wagon to retard motion in going downhill;
WAG'ON-TRAIN, the machines used by an army for the conveyance of
ammunition, provisions, sick, &c.; WAG'ON-WRIGHT, a maker of wagons. [Dut.
_wagen_; A.S. _wægn_, Eng., _wain_.] WAGTAIL, wag't[=a]l, _n._ any bird of
the family _Motacillidæ_, so named from their constant wagging of the
tail--the pipits or titlarks, &c.: (_Shak._) a pert person.
WAHABEE, WAHABAI, wä-hä'b[=e], _n._ one of a sect of Puritan Moslems
founded in Central Arabia about 1760 by Abd-el-_Wahhab_ (1691-1787), whose
aim was to restore primitive Mohammedanism--also WAHÄ'BITE.--_n._
WAHÄ'BIISM, the doctrine and practices of the Wahabis.
WAHOO, wa-h[=oo]', _n._ the burning bush, a richly ornamental shrub: the
bear-berry, which yields cascara sagrada: the winged elm, with valuable
hard-grained wood.
WAID, WAIDE. Old spellings of _weighed_.
WAIF, w[=a]f, _n._ a stray article: anything found astray without an owner:
a worthless wanderer.--_adj._ vagabond, worthless. [O. Fr. _waif_,
_wef_--Ice. _veif_, any flapping or waving thing.]
WAIFT, w[=a]ft, _n._ (_Spens._) a waif.
WAIL, w[=a]l, _v.i._ to lament or sorrow audibly.--_v.t._ to bemoan: to
grieve over.--_n._ a cry of woe: loud weeping.--_n._ WAIL'ER.--_adj._
WAIL'FUL, sorrowful, mournful.--_n._ WAIL'ING.--_adv._ WAIL'INGLY. [M. E.
_weilen_--Ice. _vaela_, _vála_, to wail--_væ_, _vei_, woe.]
WAIN, w[=a]n, _n._ a wagon.--_v.t._ (_rare_) to carry.--_ns._ WAIN'AGE, the
team and implements necessary for the cultivation of land; WAIN'-ROPE, a
rope for binding a load on a wain or wagon; WAIN'WRIGHT, a
wagon-maker.--THE LESSER WAIN, the constellation Ursa Minor. [A.S. _wægen_,
_wæn_--_wegen_, to carry; cf. Ger. _wagen_, L. _veh[)e]re_.]
WAINSCOT, w[=a]n'skot, _n._ the panelled boards on the walls of apartments:
a collector's name for certain noctuoid moths.--_v.t._ to line with, or as
if with, boards or panels.--_ns._ WAIN'SCOTING, WAIN'SCOTTING, the act of
lining with boards or panels: materials for making a wainscot. [Orig. perh.
wood used for a partition in a wagon--Dut. _wagenschot_, oakwood,
beechwood--_wagen_, wagon, _schot_, partition. Skeat explains as a corr. of
Old Dut. _waegheschot_, wall-hoarding, from Old Dut. _waeg_, a wall,
_schot_, a partition.]
WAIST, w[=a]st, _n._ the smallest part of the human trunk, between the ribs
and the hips: the bodice of a woman's dress: the middle part, as of a ship,
of a musical instrument--(_Shak._) of a period of time; (_Shak._) something
that surrounds.--_ns._ WAIST'-ANCHOR, an anchor stowed in the waist of a
ship; WAIST'BAND, the band or part of a garment which encircles the waist;
WAIST'BELT, a belt for the waist; WAIST'BOAT, a boat carried in the waist
of a vessel; WAIST'CLOTH, a piece of cloth worn around the waist, and
hanging below it, in India; WAIST'COAT, a short coat worn immediately under
the coat, and fitting the waist tightly; WAISTCOATEER' (_obs._), a
strumpet; WAIST'COATING, material for men's waistcoats, usually of a fancy
pattern and containing silk.--_adjs._ WAIST'-DEEP, -HIGH, as deep, high, as
to reach up to the waist.--_n._ WAIST'ER, a green-hand on a whaler: an old
man-of-war's-man who has not risen. [A.S. _wæxt_, growth (Ice. _vöxtr_);
conn, with _wæstme_, growth, _weaxen_, to grow.]
WAIT, w[=a]t, _v.i._ to stay in expectation (with _for_): to remain: to
attend (with _on_): to follow: to lie in ambush.--_v.t._ to stay for: to
await: (_coll._) to defer: (_obs._) to accompany.--_n._ ambush, now used
only in such phrases as 'to lie in wait,' 'to lay wait:' the: act of
waiting or expecting: delay: (_pl._) itinerant musicians, originally
watchmen, who welcome-in Christmas.--_ns._ WAIT'ER, one who waits: an
attending servant: a salver or tray: a custom-house officer: (_obs._) a
watchman; WAIT'ERAGE, service; WAIT'ERING, the employment of a waiter;
WAIT'ING, act of waiting: attendance.--_adv._ WAIT'INGLY.--_ns._
WAIT'ING-MAID, -WOM'AN, a female attendant; WAIT'ING-ROOM, a room for the
convenience of persons waiting; WAIT'ING-VASS'AL (_Shak._), an attendant;
WAIT'RESS, a female waiter.--WAIT ATTENDANCE (_Shak._), to remain in
attendance; WAIT UPON, ON, to call upon, visit: to accompany, to be in the
service of: (_B._) to look toward, to attend to, do the bidding of.--LIE IN
WAIT, to be in hiding ready for attack or surprise.--LORDS, or GROOMS, IN
WAITING, certain officers in the Lord Chamberlain's department of the royal
household; MINORITY WAITER, a waiter out of employment, as a political
minority is out of office. [O. Fr. _waiter_ (Fr. _guetter_), to watch,
attend--_waite_, a sentinel--Old High Ger. _wahta_ (Ger. _wacht_), a
watchman; cog. with A.S. _wacan_, to watch.]
WAIVE, w[=a]v, _v.t._ to relinquish for the present: to give up claim to:
not to insist on a right or claim.--_n._ WAI'VER, the act of waiving:
renouncement of a claim: process by which a woman was outlawed. [O. Fr.
_guever_, to refuse, resign--perh. Ice. _veifa_, to move to and fro; cf. L.
_vibr[=a]re_.]
WAIVODE, WAIWODE, WAIWODESHIP. Same as VOIVODE, &c.
WAKE, w[=a]k, _v.i._ to cease from sleep: to lie awake: (_B._) to watch: to
be roused up, active, or vigilant: to return to life: (_Shak._) to hold a
late revel: to keep vigil.--_v.t._ to rouse from sleep: to keep vigil over:
to excite, disturb: to reanimate:--_pa.t._ and _pa.p._ waked or woke.--_n._
act of waking: feast of the dedication of a church, formerly kept by
watching all night: sitting up of persons with a corpse.--_adj._ WAKE'FUL,
being awake: indisposed to sleep: vigilant.--_adv._ WAKE'FULLY.--_n._
WAKE'FULNESS.--_v.t._ and _v.i._ W[=A]'KEN, to wake or awake: to be
awake.--_ns._ WAKE'NER, one who or that which wakens; WAKE'NING, act of one
who wakens; (Scots law) revival of an action; W[=A]'KER, one who
wakes.--_adj._ WAKE'RIFE (_Scot._), wakeful.--_ns._ WAKE'-TIME, time during
which one is awake; W[=A]'KING.--_adj._ being awake: rousing from sleep:
passed in the waking state. [A.S. _wacan_, to be born, also _wacian_, to
waken (cf. _weccan_, Ger. _wecken_). Cf. _Wait_, _Watch_.]
WAKE, w[=a]k, _n._ the streak of smooth water left in the track of a ship:
hence (_fig._) 'in the wake of,' in the train of, immediately after. [Ice.
_vök_, a hole in the ice, _vökr_, moist. The root is seen in L.
_hum[=e]re_, to be moist, Gr. _hugros_, moist.]
WAKE-ROBIN, w[=a]k'-rob'in, _n._ the cuckoo-pint, _Arum maculatum_: in
America, any species of trillium.
WALDENSES, wol-den's[=e]z, _n.pl._ a famous Christian community of austere
morality and devotion to the simplicity of the Gospel, which originally
grew out of an anti-sacerdotal movement originated by Peter _Waldo_ of
Lyons in the second half of the 12th century--long cruelly persecuted, but
still flourishing in the valleys of the Cottian Alps.--_adj._ and _n._
WALDEN'SIAN.
WALDGRAVE, wold'gr[=a]v, _n._ an old German title of nobility, originally a
head forest-ranger. [Ger. _waldgraf_.]
WALDHORN, wold'horn, _n._ a hunting-horn, a French horn without valves.
[Ger.]
WALE, w[=a]l, _n._ a raised streak left by a stripe: a ridge on the surface
of cloth: a plank all along the outer timbers on a ship's side.--_v.t._ to
mark with wales.--_n._ W[=A]'LER, one who chastises severely. [A.S. _walu_,
the mark of a stripe or blow; Ice. _völr_, a rod.]
WALE, w[=a]l, _n._ (_Scot._) the choice or pick of anything.--_v.t._ to
choose. [Ice. _val_, choice; Ger. _wahl_, choice; from the root of _will_.]
WALER, w[=a]'l[.e]r, _n._ in India, a horse imported from New South
_Wales_, or from Australia generally.
WALHALLA, wal-hal'la, _n._ Same as VALHALLA.
WALK, wawk, _v.i._ to move along leisurely on foot with alternate steps: to
pace: to travel on foot: to conduct one's self: to act or behave: to live:
to be guided by: (_coll._) to move off, depart: to be stirring, move about,
go restlessly about (as of a ghost).--_v.t._ to pass through or upon: to
cause to walk.--_n._ act or manner of walking: gait: that in or through
which one walks: distance walked over: place for walking, promenade: place
for animals to exercise: path: high pasture-ground: conduct: course of
life, sphere of action, a hawker's district or round: (_obs._) a
hunting-ground: (_pl._) grounds, park (_obs._).--_adj._ WALK'ABLE, fit for
walking.--_ns._ WALK'-AROUND', a dancing performance by negroes in which a
large circle is described, also the music for such; WALK'ER, one who walks:
(_law_) a forester: one who trains and walks young hounds: a gressorial
bird; WALK'ING, the verbal noun of walk: pedestrianism; WALK'ING-BEAM, in a
vertical engine, a horizontal beam, usually trussed, that transmits power
to the crankshaft through the connecting-rod; WALK'ING DRESS, a dress for
the street or for walking; WALK'ING-FAN, a large fan used out of doors to
protect the face from the sun; WALK'ING-LEAF, a leaf-insect;
WALK'ING-STICK, -CANE, -STAFF, a stick, cane, or staff used in walking;
WALK'ING-STICK, also a sort of long, slender-bodied bug; WALK'ING-TOAD, a
natterjack; WALK'-[=O]'VER, a race where one competitor appears, who has to
cover the course to be entitled to the prize: an easy victory.--WALK ABOUT,
a former order of an officer to a sentry, waiving the customary salute;
WALK AWAY FROM, to distance easily; WALK'ER! a slang interjection of
incredulity (also HOOKEY WALKER!); WALKING GENTLEMAN, LADY, a gentleman,
lady, who plays ornamental but unimportant parts on the stage; WALK INTO
(_coll._), to beat: to storm at: to eat heartily of; WALK ONE'S CHALKS, to
quit, go away without ceremony; WALK TALL, to behave haughtily; WALK THE
CHALK, CHALK-MARK, to keep a correct course in manners or morals; WALK THE
HOSPITALS, to be a student under clinical instruction at a general hospital
or infirmary; WALK WITH, to attend as a sweetheart.--HEEL-AND-TOE WALK, a
mode of walking in which the heel of one foot is put on the ground before
the toe of the other leaves it. [A.S. _wealcan_, to roll, turn; cog. with
Ger. _walken_, to full cloth.]
WALKING, wawk'ing, _n._ the act or process of fulling cloth.--_n._
WALK'MILL, a fulling-mill.
WALKYR, wol'kir. Same as VALKYR.
WALL, wawl, _n._ an erection of brick, stone, &c. for a fence or security:
the side of a building: (_fig._) defence, means of security: in mining, one
of the surfaces of rock enclosing the lode: (_anat._) a paries or
containing structure or part of the body: (_pl._) fortifications.--_v.t._
to enclose with, or as with, a wall: to defend with walls: to hinder as by
a wall.--_n._ WALL'-CLOCK, a clock hung on a walk.--_adj._ WALLED,
fortified.--_ns._ WALL'ER, one who builds walls; WALL'-FLOWER, a plant with
fragrant yellow flowers, found on old walls: a woman at a ball who keeps
her seat, presumably for want of a partner--applied sometimes to men;
WALL'-FRUIT, fruit growing on a wall; WALL'ING, walls collectively:
materials for walls; WALL'-KNOT, a nautical method of tying the end of a
rope.--_adj._ WALL'-LESS.--_ns._ WALL'-LIZ'ARD, -NEWT, a gecko; WALL'-MOSS,
the yellow wall-lichen: the stone-crop; WALL'-PAINT'ING, the decoration of
walls with ornamental painted designs; WALL'-P[=A]'PER, paper usually
coloured and decorated, for pasting on the walls of a room; WALL'-PIECE, a
gun mounted on a wall; WALL'-PLATE, a horizontal piece of timber on a wall,
under the ends of joists, &c.; WALL'-SPACE (_archit._), a plain expanse of
wall; WALL'-SPRING, a spring of water running between stratified rocks;
WALL'-TOW'ER, a tower built into and forming part of a line of
fortification or a fortified city-wall; WALL'-TREE, a tree trained against
a wall; WALL'-WORT, the European dwarf elder; HANG'ING-WALL, that wall of
the vein which is over the miner's head while working, the opposite wall
being called the FOOT'-WALL.--WALL A ROPE, to make a wall-knot on the end
of a rope.--DRIVE TO THE WALL, to push to extremities; GO TO THE WALL, to
be hard pressed: to be pushed to extremes; HANG BY THE WALL, to hang up
neglected: to remain unused; PUSH, or THRUST, TO THE WALL, to force to give
place; THE WALL, the right of taking the side of the road near the wall
when encountering another person, as in the phrase to GIVE, or TAKE, THE
WALL. [A.S. _weall_, _wall_; Ger. _wall_, both from L. _vallum_, a
rampart--_vallus_, a stake.]
WALLA, WALLAH, wol'a, _n._ a worker, agent: fellow.--COMPETITION WALLAH, a
term applied in Anglo-Indian colloquial speech to a member of the Civil
Service who obtained appointment by the competitive system instituted in
1856. [Yule explains _w[=a]l[=a]_ as a Hindi adjectival affix,
corresponding in a general way to the Latin _-arius_. Its usual employment
as affix to a substantive makes it frequently denote agent, doer, keeper,
owner, &c.]
WALLABA, wol'a-ba, _n._ a Guiana tree with winged leaves and streaked
reddish wood.
WALLABY, wol'ab-i, _n._ a small kangaroo.--ON THE WALLABY, ON THE WALLABY
TRACK, out of employment, a slang Australian phrase derived from the shy
habits of the kangaroo.
WALLACHIAN, wäl-[=a]'ki-an, _adj._ of or pertaining to _Wallachia_, a
Danubian principality, since 1878 forming with Moldavia the kingdom of
Roumania.--_ns._ WALL'ACH, WALL'ACK, a native or inhabitant of WALLACHIA.
[From a Slavonic term represented by Pol. _Wloch_, an Italian, _Woloch_, a
Wallach; all from Old High Ger. _walh_ (A.S. _wealh_), a foreigner.]
WALLET, wol'et, _n._ a bag for carrying necessaries on a journey: a
knapsack: a pocket-book: a bag for tools: (_Shak._) anything protuberant.
[M. E. _walet_, possibly from _watel_, a bag.]
WALL-EYE, wawl'-[=i], _n._ an eye in which the white part is very large:
the popular name for the disease of the eye called glaucoma.--_adj._
WALL'-EYED, very light gray in the eyes, esp. of horses: (_Shak._) glaring,
fierce. [The adj. is the earlier, prob. from Ice. _vald-eygthr_--_vagl_, a
disease of the eye, and _eygthr_, eyed--_auga_, an eye.]
WALLOON, wal'[=oo]n, _adj._ of or pertaining to a population of mixed
Celtic and Romanic stock akin to the French, occupying the tract along the
frontiers of the Teutonic-speaking territory in the South Netherlands, from
Dunkirk to Malmedy.--_n._ a native or inhabitant of that part of Flanders:
the language of the Walloons, a patois or popular dialect of northern
French, with a considerable infusion both of Old Celtic and Low German
elements. [O. Fr. _Wallon_--Late L. _Wallus_--L. _Gallus_, a Gaul; cog.
with _Gael_, _Welsh_, _Wallachian_, A.S. _wealh_, a foreigner.]
WALLOP, wol'op, _v.i._ (_dial._) to boil and bubble: to move clumsily, to
waddle about, to kick about as one does for a little when hung up by the
neck--also _n._ [O. Fr. _galoper_, to boil, gallop--Old Flem. _walop_, a
gallop; perh. traceable to Old. Flem. _wallen_ (A.S. _weallan_), to boil.]
WALLOP, wol'op, _v.t._ (_slang_) to beat, flog.--_n._ a blow.--_ns._
WALL'OPER, one that wallops; WALL'OPING, a thrashing.--_adj._ (_slang_)
great, bouncing. [Orig. dubious; most prob. a particular use of preceding
word.]
WALLOW, wol'[=o], _v.i._ to roll about, as in mire: to live in filth or
gross vice.--_n._ the place an animal wallows in.--_n._ WALL'OWER. [A.S.
_wealwian_--L. _volv[)e]re_.]
WALLOW, wol'[=o], _v.i._ (_prov._) to fade away.
WALLSEND, wawlz'end, _n._ a kind of coal originally dug at _Wallsend_ on
the Tyne.
WALNUT, wawl'nut, _n._ a genus (_Juglans_) comprising seven or eight
species of beautiful trees of natural order _Juglandaceæ_--the wood of the
common walnut is much used for furniture and gunstocks; its ripe fruit is
one of the best of nuts, and yields an oil used by artists, &c.--BLACK
WALNUT, a North American walnut, the timber of which is more valuable than
that of common walnut, though the fruit is inferior. [A.S. _wealh_,
foreign, _hnut_, a nut; Ger. _wallnuss_.]
WALPURGIS NIGHT, val-p[=oo]r'gis n[=i]t, the night before the first of May,
during which German witches rode on broomsticks and he-goats to hold revel
with their master the devil at the ancient places of sacrifice, esp. the
Brocken in the Harz Mountains. [So called with reference to the day of St
_Walpurga_, abbess of Heidenheim, who died about 778.]
WALRUS, wol'rus, _n._ a genus of aquatic, web-footed (pinniped) Carnivores,
representative of a family (_Trichechidæ_) intermediate between the
sea-lions and the seals--the upper canine teeth developed into enormous
tusks--also called the _Morse_ or the Seahorse. [Dut.,--Sw. _vallross_
(Ice. _hross-hvalr_)--_vall_, a whale, Ice. _hross_, a horse.]
WALTY, wol'ti, _adj._ (_naut._) inclined to lean or roll over.
WALTZ, wawlts, _n._ a German national dance performed by two persons with a
rapid whirling motion, introduced into England in 1813: the music for
such.--_v.i._ to dance a waltz: (_slang_) to move trippingly.--_ns._
WALTZ'ER; WALTZ'ING. [Ger. _walzer_--_walzen_, to roll.]
WALY, WALIE, wä'li, _adj._ (_Scot._) beautiful: strong, large. [Conn. with
_wale_, choice, and perh. influenced by A. S. _welig_, rich--_wel_, well.]