WAMBLE, wom'bl, _v.i._ (_prov._) to rumble, of the stomach.--_n._ a
rumbling, a feeling of nausea.--_adj._ WAM'BLE-CROPPED, sick at stomach.
WAME, w[=a]m, _n._ a provincial form of womb.--_n._ WAME'-TOW, a
belly-band, girth.
WAMMUS, wam'us, _n._ (_U.S._) a warm knitted jacket.
WAMPISH, wom'pish, _v.t._ (_Scot._) to brandish, flourish.
WAMPUM, wom'pum, _n._ the North American Indian name for shells or beads
used as money.--WAMPUM PEAG (wom'pum p[=e]g), lit. 'white strung beads,'
strings of wampum.
WAN, won, _adj._ faint: wanting colour: pale and sickly: languid: gloomy,
dark.--_v.i._ to become wan.--_adv._ WAN'LY.--_n._ WAN'NESS.--_adj._
WAN'NISH, somewhat wan. [A.S. _wann_, dark, lurid; but perh. conn, with
A.S. _wan_, deficient.]
WAN, wan, old _pa.t._ of _win_.
WANCHANCY, won-chan'si, _adj._ (_Scot._) unlucky, wicked. [Old pfx. _wan-_,
still Seen in _wanton_ (q.v.).]
WAND, wond, _n._ a long slender rod: a rod of authority, or of
conjurers.--_adj._ WAND'Y, long and flexible. [Ice. _vöndr_, a shoot of a
tree; Dan. _vaand_.]
WANDER, won'd[.e]r, _v.i._ to ramble with no definite object: (_lit._ or
_fig._) to go astray: to leave home; to depart from the subject: to be
delirious: (_coll._) to lose one's way.--_v.t._ to traverse: (_coll._) to
lead astray.--_n._ WAN'DERER.--_adj._ WAN'DERING.--_adv._ WAN'DERINGLY, in
a wandering, uncertain, or unsteady manner.--WANDERING JEW, a legendary Jew
in the folklore of north-western Europe who cannot die but must wander till
the Day of Judgment, for an insult offered to Christ on the way to the
Crucifixion--various names given him are _Cartaphilus_, _Isaac Laquedom_,
and _Buttadeus_. [A.S. _wandrian_; Ger. _wandern_; allied to _wend_, and to
_wind_, to turn round.]
WANDEROO, won-de-r[=oo]', _n._ a catarrhine monkey, a native of the Malabar
coast of India. [Cingalese.]
WANDLE, won'dl, _adj._ (_prov._) supple, pliant, nimble.
WANDOO, won'd[=oo], _n._ the white-gum of Western Australia.
WANE, w[=a]n, _v.i._ to decrease, esp. of the moon--opp. to _Wax_: to
decline, to fail.--_n._ decline: decrease. [A.S. _wanian_ (Ice. _vana_), to
decrease--_wan_, deficient, lacking.]
WANG, wang, _n._ (_obs._) the jaw.--_n._ WANG'-TOOTH, a grinder. [A.S.
_wange_, cheek.]
WANHOPE, won'h[=o]p, _n._ (_obs._) despair.
WANION, wan'yon, _n._ (_obs._ or _Scot._) found only in phrases--e.g. WITH
A WANION, bad luck to you: with a vengeance, vehemently. [Prob. conn. with
_wane_, to decline.]
WANKLE, wang'kl, _adj._ (_prov._) unstable, not to be depended on.
WANNISH, won'ish, _adj._ See WAN.
WANRESTFUL, won-rest'fool, _adj._ (_Scot._) restless. [_Wan-_, negative
pfx., and _restful_.]
WANT, wont, _n._ state of being without anything: absence of what is
needful or desired: poverty: scarcity: need.--_v.t._ to be destitute of: to
need: to dispense with: to feel need of: to fall short: to wish
for.--_v.i._ to be deficient: to fall short: to be in need.--_n._ WAN'TAGE,
deficiency.--_adj._ WAN'TED, sought after, being searched for.--_n._
WAN'TER, one who wants.--_adj._ WAN'TING, absent: deficient: (_obs._)
poor.--_prep._ except.--_n._ WANT'-WIT (_Shak._), a fool. [Scand., Ice.
_vant_, neut. of _vanr_, lacking; cog. with _wane_.]
WANTHRIVEN, won-thriv'n, _adj._ (_Scot._) decayed.
WANTON, won'tun, _adj._ moving or playing loosely: roving in sport: frisky:
wandering from rectitude: licentious: running to excess: unrestrained:
irregular.--_n._ a wanton or lewd person, esp. a female: a trifler.--_v.i._
to ramble without restraint: to frolic: to play lasciviously.--_adv._
WAN'TONLY.--_n._ WAN'TONNESS. [M. E. _wantowen_, from pfx. _wan-_, sig.
want, A.S. _togen_, educated, pa.p. of _teón_, to draw, lead; cf. Ger.
_ungezogen_, rude.]
WANTY, won'ti, _n._ (_prov._) a leather strap, wagon-rope.
WAP, wop, _v.t._ (_coll._) to strike, drub: to flap.--_n._ a smart blow.
[_Whop_.]
WAP, wop, _v.t._ (_obs._) to wrap, bind.--_n._ a bundle.
WAPACUT, wop'a-kut, _n._ a large white American owl.
WAPENSHAW, wap'n-shaw, _n._=_Wapinschaw_.
WAPENTAKE, wap'n-t[=a]k, _n._ a name given in Yorkshire to the territorial
divisions of the county, similar to the _hundreds_ of southern counties and
the _wards_ of more northern counties, so called from the inhabitants being
formerly taught the use of arms. [A.S. _wæpen-getæc_, lit.
'weapon-taking.']
WAPINSCHAW, wap'n-shaw, _n._ in ancient Scottish usage, a periodical
gathering of the people within various areas for the purpose of seeing that
each man was armed in accordance with his rank, and ready to take the field
when required. The name is sometimes revived for volunteer meetings and
shooting competitions.--_v.i._ to hold a wapinschaw.--_ns._ WAP'INSCHAWING,
WAP'ENSHAWING. [Lit., 'weapon-show.']
WAPITI, wop'i-ti, _n._ a species of deer of large size, native to North
America--often called _elk_ and _gray moose_, though very different from
the true elk or moose-deer.
WAPPENED, wop'nd, _adj._ (_Shak._) a word of doubtful meaning--perh. a
misprint for _weeping_.
WAPPER, wap'[.e]r, _n._ a gudgeon.
WAPPER, wap'[.e]r, _v.i._ to move tremulously.--_adj._ WAPP'ER-EYED,
blinking.
WAPPER-JAW, wap'[.e]r-jaw, _n._ a projecting under-jaw.--_adj._
WAPP'ER-JAWED.
WAPPET, wap'et, _n._ a yelping cur.
WAR, wawr, _n._ a state of opposition or contest: a contest between states
carried on by arms: open hostility: the profession of arms: (_rare_) army,
warlike preparations, warlike outfit.--_v.i._ to make war: to contend: to
fight:--_pr.p._ war'ring; _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ warred.--_ns._ WAR'-CRY, a
cry or signal used in war; WAR'-DANCE, a dance engaged in by some savage
tribes before going to war; WAR'F[=A]RE, armed contest, military life;
WAR'F[=A]RER; WAR'F[=A]RING; WAR'-HORSE, a charger, a horse used in
battle.--_adj._ WAR'LIKE, fond of war, pertaining to or threatening war:
martial, military.--_ns._ WAR'LIKENESS; WAR'MAN (_rare_), a
warrior.--_adj._ WAR'-MARKED (_Shak._), experienced in war.--_ns._
WAR'-MONG'ER (_Spens._), a mercenary soldier; WAR'-OFF'ICE, the English
military bureau or department; WAR'-PAINT, paint applied to the face and
person by savages, indicating that they are going to war: (_slang_)
full-dress, equipment; WAR'-PATH, among the Red Indians, the path followed
on a military expedition, the expedition itself; WAR'-PROOF (_rare_),
fitness to be a soldier; WAR'RIOR, a soldier, a veteran:--_fem._
WAR'RIORESS (_rare_); WAR'-SHIP, a vessel for war; WAR'-SONG, a song sung
by men about to fight: a song celebrating brave deeds in war; WAR'-TAX, a
tax levied for purposes of war; WAR'-THOUGHT (_Shak._), martial
deliberation.--_adjs._ WAR'-WAST'ED, laid waste or ravaged by war;
WAR'-WEA'RIED, -WORN, wearied, worn, with military service--of a
veteran.--_ns._ WAR'-WHOOP, a cry uttered by savages on going into battle;
WAR'-WOLF, a medieval military engine used in defending fortresses;
MAN'-OF-WAR (see MAN).--WAR DEPARTMENT, in Great Britain, a department of
the state under a Cabinet Minister, the Secretary of State for War,
assisted by a permanent and a parliamentary under-secretary, having control
of everything connected with the army; WAR OF LIBERATION, the war of
independence carried on by Prussia, with the help of Russia and Great
Britain, against Napoleon in 1813.--DECLARATION OF WAR, that public
announcement of war by a duly organised state or kingdom which is necessary
to constitute an enemy; DECLARE WAR, to announce war publicly; HOLY WAR
(see HOLY); MAKE WAR, to carry on hostilities; NAPOLEONIC WARS, a general
name for the wars of France dating from the campaigns of Napoleon in Italy
(1796) to his overthrow in 1815; PRIVATE WAR, warfare waged between persons
in their individual capacity, as by duelling, family feuds, &c.; SACRED
WARS, in ancient Greek history, wars against states judged guilty of
sacrilege by the Amphictyonic Council; SEVEN WEEKS' WAR, or SEVEN DAYS'
WAR, the Austro-Prussian war of 1866. [A.S. _werre_, influenced by O. Fr.
_werre_ (Fr. _guerre_), which is from Old High Ger. _werra_, quarrel.]
WAR, wawr, _adj._ (_Spens._) worse.--_v.t._ (_Scot._) to defeat.
WARBLE, wawr'bl, _v.i._ to sing in a quavering way, or with variations: to
chirp as birds do.--_v.t._ to sing in a vibratory manner: to utter
musically: to carol.--_n._ a quavering modulation of the voice: a
song.--_n._ WAR'BLER, one that warbles: a songster: a singing-bird: any
bird of the family _Sylviidæ_, the _Fauvettes_--nightingale, redbreast,
stonechat, wheatear, whitethroat, &c., also the reed-warbler, &c.: in
bagpipe music an ornamental group of grace-notes, introduced to glide from
one passage to the other; WAR'BLING.--_adv._ WAR'BLINGLY. [O. Fr.
_werbler_, to warble, make turns with the voice--Old High Ger. _werban_;
cf. A.S. _hweorfan_, to turn (Ger. _wirbeln_), to make a turn.]
WARBLE, wawr'bl, _n._ a small hard swelling on a horse's back, caused by
the galling of the saddle: a tumour caused by the gadfly, &c.--_n._
WAR'BLE-FLY, a fly causing warbles. [Other forms are _wormil_, _wornal_;
ety. dub.]
WARD, wawrd, _v.t._ to guard or take care of: to keep in safety: to keep
away, fend off (with _off_).--_v.i._ to act on the defensive.--_n._ act of
warding, watch: those whose business is to ward or defend: state of being
guarded: means of guarding: one who is under a guardian: a division of a
city, hospital, county, (_B._) army, &c.: that which guards a lock or
hinders any but the right key from opening it: (_B._) guard, prison: a
defensive movement in fencing.--_ns._ WARD'EN, one who wards or guards: a
keeper, especially a public officer appointed for the naval or military
protection of some particular district of country: the head of a school,
college, &c.; WARD'ENRY (_rare_), the district in charge of a warden;
WARD'ENSHIP, the office of a warden; WARD'ER, one who wards or keeps: a
staff of authority; WARD'-MOTE, a meeting of a ward, or of a court of a
ward, which has power to inquire into and present defaults in matters
relating to watch, police, &c.; WARD'ROBE, a room or portable closet for
robes or clothes: wearing apparel; WARD'-ROOM, a room used as a messroom by
the officers of a war-ship; WARD'SHIP, the office of a ward or guardian:
state of being under a guardian: in English feudal law, the guardianship
which the feudal lord had of the land of his vassal while the latter was an
infant or minor.--WARD IN CHANCERY, a minor under the protection of the
Court of Chancery.--WARDEN OF THE CINQUE PORTS, the governor of the Cinque
Ports, having the authority of an admiral and the power to hold a court of
admiralty; WARDEN OF THE MARCHES, officers formerly appointed to keep the
districts of England adjoining Scotland and Wales in a state of defence;
WARDEN OF THE MINT, formerly the official of the English Mint next in rank
to the Master.--PORT WARDEN, the chief officer in a port. [A.S. _weardian_;
Ger. _warten_, to watch in order to protect.]
WARDEN, wawr'dn, _n._ a kind of pear.--WARDEN PIE, a pie made of warden
pears. [Prob. 'a pear which may be _kept long_,' from the preceding word.]
WARDIAN, wawr'di-an, _adj._ denoting a kind of close-fitting glass case for
transporting delicate ferns and other such plants, or for keeping them
indoors--so named from Nathaniel Bagshaw _Ward_ (1791-1868), the inventor.
WARE, w[=a]r, _n._ (used generally in _pl._) merchandise: commodities:
goods.--_v.t._ (_obs._) to expend, lay out.--_n._ WARE'HOUSE, a house or
store for wares or goods.--_v.t._ to deposit in a warehouse.--_ns._
WARE'HOUSEMAN, a man who keeps, or is employed in, a warehouse or wholesale
store; WARE'HOUSING, the act of depositing goods in a warehouse; WARE'ROOM,
a room where goods are exposed for sale.--WAREHOUSING SYSTEM, the plan of
allowing importers of dutiable goods to store them in a government
warehouse without payment of duties until ready to bring the goods into
market.--BENARES WARE, a fine ornamental metal-work made at _Benares_ and
other places in India; DELFT WARE (see DELF); SMALL WARE, WARES, textile
articles of a small kind--e.g. tape, bindings and braids of cotton, silk,
&c.; buttons, hooks, &c.: trifles; TUNBRIDGE WARE, inlaid or mosaic
wood-work manufactured at _Tunbridge_; WEDGWOOD WARE, a superior kind of
pottery invented by Josiah _Wedgwood_ (1730-1795), ornamented by white
cameo reliefs on a blue ground and the like; WELSH WARE, a yellowish-brown
earthenware with a transparent glaze. [A.S. _waru_, wares; Ger. _waare_.]