WIFE, w[=i]f, _n._ a woman: a married woman: the mistress of a house, a
hostess--often in this sense 'goodwife.'--_n._ WIFE'HOOD, the state of
being a wife.--_adjs._ WIFE'LESS, without a wife; WIFE'-LIKE, WIFE'LY.
[A.S. _wíf_; Ice. _víf_, Ger. _weib_; not conn. with weave.]
WIG, wig, _n._ an artificial covering of hair for the head, worn to conceal
baldness, formerly for fashion's sake, as in the full-dress _full-bottomed_
form of Queen Anne's time, still worn by the Speaker and by judges, and the
smaller _tie-wig_, still represented by the judge's undress wig and the
barrister's or advocate's frizzed wig: a judge. (For BAG-WIG, see
BAG.)--_n._ WIG'-BLOCK, a block or shaped piece of wood for fitting a wig
on.--_adj._ WIGGED, wearing a wig.--_n._ WIG'GERY, false hair: excess of
formality.--_adj._ WIG'LESS, without a wig.--_n._ WIG'-M[=A]'KER, a maker
of wigs. [Short for _periwig_.]
WIG, wig, _v.t._ (_coll._) to scold.--_n._ WIG'GING, a scolding. [Prob.
derived from 'to snatch at one's wig,' to handle roughly.]
WIGAN, wig'an, _n._ a stiff canvas-like fabric for stiffening shirts,
borders, &c. [_Wigan_, the town.]
WIGEON. See WIDGEON.
WIGGLE, wig'l, _v.i._ (_prov._) to waggle, wriggle.--_n._ a wiggling
motion.--_n._ WIGG'LER, one who wriggles.
WIGHT, w[=i]t, _n._ a creature or a person--used chiefly in sport or irony.
[A.S. _wiht_, a creature, prob. from _wegan_, to move, carry; Ger. _wicht_.
Cf. _Whit_.]
WIGHT, w[=i]t, _adj._ swift, nimble: courageous, strong.--_adv._ WIGHT'LY,
swiftly, nimbly. [Ice. _vígr_, warlike--_víg_, war (A.S. _wíg_).]
WIGWAG, wig'wag, _v.i._ to twist about, to signal by means of
flags.--_adj._ twisting.--_adv._ to and fro.