Library

Dictionary

An American Dictionary of the English Language

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries
95,912
Pages
1,538
Illustrations
2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

  1. Wäp'i-ti, n.p. 1491The American elk; Cervus Canadensis.
  2. Wāpp, n.p. 1491(Naut.) The rope with which the shrouds are set taut in wall-knots.
  3. Wap'pa-to, n.p. 1491See WAPATOO.
  4. Wăp'pe, n.p. 1491A cur;— said to be so called from his yelping notes.
  5. Wap'pened, a.p. 1491Having been subjected to sexual intercourse; also, wearied; fatigued. [Obs. and very rare.] “The wappened widow.” Shak.
  6. Wāp'per, n.p. 1491(Ichth.) A certain fish;—a name given by some to the smaller species of the river gudgeon.
  7. Wāp'ping, n.p. 1491The yelping of a dog. [Rare.] Fuller.
  8. Wār, n.p. 1491State of opposition or contest; act of opposition; inimical act or action; enmity; hostility. “Raised impious war in heaven.” Milton. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in…
  9. War, v. i.p. 1491To contend; to strive violently; to fight. “Lusts which war against the soul.” 1 Pet. ii. 11. 2. To make war; to invade or attack a nation or state with force of arms; to carry on hostilities; or to…
  10. War, v. t.p. 1491To make war upon; to fight. “To war the Scot, and borders to defend.” Daniel. 2. To carry on, as a contest. That thou mightest war a good warfare. 1 Tim. i. 18.
  11. War'-bēat or War'-bēat'en, a.p. 1491Worn down in war.
  12. Wăr'ble, v. t.p. 1491To sing in a trilling, quavering, or vibratory manner; to modulate with turns or variations; to trill; as, certain birds are remarkable for warbling their songs. 2. To utter musically; to modulate…
  13. War'ble, v. i.p. 1491To be quavered or modulated; to be uttered melodiously. Such strains ne'er warble in the linnet's throat. Gay. 2. To sing in a trilling manner, or with many turns and variations. “Birds on the…
  14. War'-ble, n.p. 1491A quavering modulation of the voice; a song.
  15. War'-ble, n.p. 1491(Far.) (a.) A small, hard tumor on the backs of horses, occasioned by the heat of the saddle in traveling, or by the uneasiness of its situation. (b.) A small tumor produced by the larvæ of the…
  16. War'-bler, n.p. 1491One who, or that which, warbles; a singer; a songster; — applied chiefly to birds. In lulling strains the feathered warblers woo. Tickell. 2. (Ornith.) One of the Silviidæ, a family of small singing…
  17. War'-bling-ly, adv.p. 1491In a warbling manner.
  18. War'-cry, n.p. 1491A cry or signal used in war; as, the Indian war-cry.
  19. War'-dance, n.p. 1491A dance among savages preliminary to going to war. Among the North American Indians, it is begun by some distinguished chief, and whoever joins in it thereby enlists as one of the party engaged in a…
  20. Wardp. 1491An affix used in the composition of a large class of words, and denoting direction or tendency to, motion toward, and the like; as, in upward.
  21. Ward, v. t.p. 1491To keep in safety; to watch; to guard. Whose gates be found fast shut, no living wight To ward the same. Spenser. 2. To defend; to protect. Tell him it was a hand that warded him From thousand…
  22. Ward, v. i.p. 1491To be vigilant; to keep guard. [Obs.] 2. To act on the defensive with a weapon. She drove the stranger to no other shift than to ward and go back. Sidney.
  23. Ward, n.p. 1491The act of guarding; watch; guard; guardianship. Still, when she slept, he kept both watch and ward. Spenser. This word was formerly used in distinction from watch, to denote a guarding or watching…
  24. Ward'-côrn, n.p. 1491(O. Eng. Law.) The duty of keeping watch and ward, with a horn to blow upon any occasion of surprise. Burrill.
  25. Ward'en, n.p. 1491A keeper; a guardian. He called to the wardens on the outside battlements. W. Scott. 2. An officer who keeps or guards; a keeper; as, the warden of the Fleet or Fleet prison. 3. A large, hard pear…
  26. Ward'en-ry or Ward'en-ship, n.p. 1491The office or jurisdiction of a warden.
  27. Ward'er, n.p. 1491One who wards or keeps; a keeper; a guard. “The warders of the gate.” Dryden. 2. A truncheon or staff of command carried by a king or any commander-in-chief, the throwing down of which seems to have…
  28. Ward'i-an, a.p. 1491Pertaining to, or characterized as, a glass inclosure for keeping ferns, or for transporting growing plants from a distance;—so named from the inventor. [Eng.] Simmonds.
  29. Ward'-mōte, n.p. 1491A meeting of the ward; also, a court of the ward, whose province it is to present defaults in matters relating to the watch, police, and the like. [London, Eng.] P. Cyc. Brande.
  30. Ward'-pĕn'ny, n.p. 1491(O. Eng. Law.) Money paid to the sheriff or castellans for the duty of watching and warding a castle. Burrill.
  31. Ward'rōbe, n.p. 1491A room or apartment where clothes are kept, or wearing apparel is stored; a portable closet for hanging up clothes. 2. Wearing apparel in general; articles of dress or decoration. Or frost to flowers…
  32. Ward'room, n.p. 1492(Naut.) A room occupied as a mess-room by the commissioned officers of a war-vessel. Totten.
  33. Ward'ship, n.p. 1492The office of a ward or keeper; care and protection of a ward; guardianship; right of guardianship. Wardship is incident to tenure in socage. Blackstone. 2. The state of being under a guardian…
  34. Wards'man, n.p. 1492A man who keeps watch or ward; a guard. [Rare.] Sydney Smith.
  35. Ward'-staff, n.p. 1492A constable's or watchman's staff. [Obs.] Cowell.
  36. Wâre, imp.p. 1492of wear. Wore. [Obs.] See WEAR.
  37. Ware, a.p. 1492Aware; taking notice; hence, wary; cautious; on one's guard. [Obs.] See BEWARE. The only good that grows of passed fear Is to be wise, and ware of like again. Spenser. He is ware enough; he is willy…
  38. Wâre, v. t.p. 1492To take heed of; to beware of; to guard against. [Obs.] Then ware a rising tempest on the main. Dryden.
  39. Wâre, n.p. 1492The state of being ware or aware; heed. [Obs.] Wycliffe.
  40. Wâre, v. t.p. 1492(Naut.) To wear; to veer. See WEAR.
  41. Wâre, n.p. 1492Article of merchandise; the sum of articles of a particular kind or class; fabric; style or class of manufactures; especially, in the plural, goods; commodities; merchandise. “Retails his wares at…
  42. Sea-warep. 1492a marine plant, a species of Fucus.
  43. Wâre'ful, a.p. 1492Wary; watchful; cautious. [Obs.] “The wareful and penurious disposition.” Graham.
  44. Wâre'ful-ness, n.p. 1492Wariness; cautiousness. [Obs.] “Full of warefulness.” Sidney.
  45. Wâre′house, n.p. 1492A storehouse for goods. Addison.
  46. Wâre'house, v. t.p. 1492To deposit or secure in a warehouse. 2. To place in the warehouse of the government or custom-house stores, to be kept until duties are paid.
  47. Wâre/house-man, n.p. 1492One who keeps a warehouse; the owner or keeper of a dock-warehouse or wharf-store. 2. One who keeps a wholesale shop or store for Manchester or woolen goods. [Eng.] Simmonds.
  48. Wâre'-hous-ing, n.p. 1492The act of placing goods in a warehouse, or in a custom-house store. Warehousing system, an arrangement for lodging imported articles in the custom-house stores, without payment of duties, until they…
  49. Wāre'less, a.p. 1492Unwary; incautious; unheeding; careless; unaware. [Obs.] And wareless of the evil That by themselves unto themselves is wrought. Spenser.
  50. Wâre'ly, adv.p. 1492Cautiously; warily. [Obs.] They bound him hand and foot with iron chain, And with continual watch did warely keep. Spenser.
  51. War'fare, n.p. 1492Military service; military life; war; hostilities; contest carried on by enemies. The Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. 1 Sam. xxviii. 1. This day from…
  52. War′fāre, v. i.p. 1492To lead a military life; to carry on continual wars. [Rare.] “In that credulous, war-faring age.” Camden.
  53. War'far-er, n.p. 1492One engaged in warfare; a military man; a soldier.
  54. War'-field, n.p. 1492Field of war or battle.
  55. War'-ha-ble, a.p. 1492Fit for war. [Obs.] “Warhable youth.” Spenser.
  56. War'-hôrse, n.p. 1492A horse used in war; the horse of a cavalry soldier; especially, a strong, powerful, spirited horse for military service; a charger.
  57. Wā'ri-ly, adv.p. 1492In a wary manner; with prudence or wise foresight; cautiously.
  58. Wā'ri-ment, n.p. 1492Wariness; heed; care. [Obs.] Spenser.
  59. War'ine, n.p. 1492(Zool.) A species of monkey of the group of sapajous.
  60. Wā'ri-ness, n.p. 1492The state or quality of being wary; prudent care to foresee and guard against evil; cautiousness. To determine what are little things in religion, great wariness is to be used. Sprat. Syn.—Caution…