WICK, wik, _v.t._ in curling, to strike a stone in an oblique direction.
[Prob. A.S. _wícan_, to bend.]
WICK, wik, _n._ the twisted threads of cotton or other substance in a
candle or lamp which draw up the inflammable liquid to a flame. [A.S.
_weoca_; allied to _weak_--A.S. _wác_.]
WICK, wik, _adj._ (_prov._) quick, alive.--_n._ a lively person.
WICK, wik, _n._ a village or town, as in Ber_wick_, Green_wich_. [A.S.
_wíc_--L. _vicus_, a village.]
WICKED, wik'ed, _adj._ evil in principle or practice: deviating from
morality: sinful: ungodly: mischievous: (_prov._) active, brisk.--_n._
(_B._) a wicked person, (_pl._) wicked persons collectively.--_adv._
WICK'EDLY.--_n._ WICK'EDNESS.--WICKED BIBLE, an edition printed in 1632 in
which the word 'not' was omitted in Exodus xx. 14.--THE WICKED ONE, the
devil. [Orig. a pa.p. with the sense 'rendered evil' from _wikken_, to make
evil, _wikke_, bad; A.S. _wicca_, wizard.]
WICKEN, wik'n, _n._ the mountain-ash or rowan-tree.--Also WICK'Y.
WICKER, wik'[.e]r, _n._ a small pliant twig or osier: wickerwork.--_adj._
made of twigs or osiers.--_adj._ WICK'ERED, made of wicker: covered with
wickerwork.--_n._ WICK'ERWORK, basketwork of any kind. [M. E. _wiker_--A.S.
_wicen_, pa.p. of _wícan_, to bend.]
WICKET, wik'et, _n._ a small gate: one of three upright rods bowled at in
cricket: a batsman's stay at the wicket: the ground where the wickets are
placed.--_ns._ WICK'ET-DOOR, -GATE, a wicket; WICK'ET-KEEP'ER, in cricket,
the fieldsman who stands immediately behind the wicket. [O. Fr. _wiket_
(Fr. _guichet_), a dim. form, prob. from Ice. _vik-inn_, pa.p. of _víkja_,
to move; cf. A.S. _wícan_, to bend.]
WIDDERSHINS, WIDERSHINS, &c. See WITHERSHINS.
WIDDY, wid'i, provincial form of _widow_ and of _withy_ (see WITHE).
WIDE, w[=i]d, _adj._ extended far: having a considerable distance between:
broad: distant: bulging, expanded: deviating, errant, wild.--_n._ wideness:
in cricket, a ball that goes wide of the wicket, counting one to the
batting side.--_advs._ W[=I]DE, W[=I]DE'LY.--_adj._ W[=I]DE'-AWAKE', fully
awake: on the alert: ready.--_n._ a kind of soft felt hat.--_n._
W[=I]DE'AWAKENESS.--_adj._ W[=I]DE'-CHAPPED, wide-mouthed.--_v.t._ and v.i,
W[=I]'DEN, to make or grow wide or wider: (_Shak._) to throw open.--_ns._
W[=I]DE'NER, one who, or that which, widens: a kind of tool; W[=I]DE'NESS,
width.--_adjs._ W[=I]DE'-SPREAD, diffused; W[=I]DE'-STRETCHED (_Shak._),
large; W[=I]DE'-WA'TERED, bordered or covered by wide waters.--_n._ WIDTH,
wideness, breadth. [A.S. _wíd_; Ice. _víthr_, Ger. _weit_.]
WIDGEON, WIGEON, wij'on, _n._ a genus of Ducks having the bill shorter than
the head, the legs short, the feet rather small, the wings long and
pointed, and the tail wedge-shaped: a fool. [O. Fr. _vigeon_--L. _vipio_,
_vipionis_, a small crane.]
WIDOW, wid'[=o], _n._ a woman who has lost her husband by death.--_v.t._ to
bereave of a husband: to strip of anything valued: (_Shak._) to endow with
a widow's right: to be widow to.--_ns._ WID'OW-BENCH, a widow's share of
her husband's estate besides her jointure; WID'OW-BEWITCHED', a
grass-widow; WID'OW-BIRD, a corruption of WHYDAH-BIRD; WID'OWER, a man
whose wife is dead; WID'OWERHOOD; WID'OWHOOD, state of being a widow, or
(rarely) of being a widower: (_Shak._) a widow's right; WID'OW-HUN'TER, one
who seeks to marry a widow for her money; WID'OW-M[=A]'KER, one who
bereaves women of their husbands; WID'OW'S-CHAM'BER, the apparel and
bedroom furniture of the widow of a London freeman, to which she was
entitled; WID'OW-WAIL, a dwarf shrub with pink, sweet-scented flowers,
native to Spain and southern France.--WIDOW'S LAWN, a fine thin muslin;
WIDOW'S MAN, a fictitious person; WIDOW'S SILK, a silk fabric with dull
surface, for mournings; WIDOW'S WEEDS, the mourning dress of a widow. [A.S.
_widwe_, _wuduwe_; Ger. _wittwe_, L. _vidua_, bereft of a husband, Sans.
_vidhav[=a]_.]
WIELD, w[=e]ld, _v.t._ to use with full command: to manage: to use.--_adj._
WIEL'DABLE, capable of being wielded.--_ns._ WIEL'DER;
WIEL'DINESS.--_adjs._ WIELD'LESS (_Spens._), not capable of being wielded,
unmanageable; WIEL'DY, capable of being wielded: manageable: dexterous,
active.--WIELD THE SCEPTRE, to have supreme command or control. [A.S.
_geweldan_--_wealdan_; Goth. _waldan_, Ger. _walten_.]