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.
Weath'er-driv'en, a. p. 1501Driven by winds or storms; forced by stress of weather. Carew.Weath'ered, a. p. 1501(Arch.) Made sloping, so as to throw off water; —said of horizontal parts of stone-work, as window-sills, cornices, and the like, when so formed. 2. (Geol.) Having the surface altered in color…Weath'er-fēnd, v. t. p. 1501To defend from the weather; to shelter. [Obs.]Wĕath'er-gāge, n. p. 1501The position of a ship to the windward of another; hence, a position of advantage or superiority. To veer, and tack, and steer a cause Against the weather-gage of laws. Hudibras.Weath’er-gall, n. p. 1501A watery appearance accompanying the rainbow; a secondary or broken rainbow; a water-gall. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.Wĕath'er-glass, n. p. 1501An instrument to indicate the state of the atmosphere, especially changes of atmospheric pressure, and hence changes of weather; a barometer, baroscope, or the like.Weath'er-hĕlm, n. p. 1501(Naut.) A tendency in steering to come up into the wind, rendering it necessary to put the helm up. Dana.Weath'er-house, n. p. 1501A mechanical contrivance, in the form of a house, to show the state of the weather. Peace to the artist whose ingenious thought Devised the weather-house, that useful toy. Cooper.Weath'er-ing, n. p. 1501(Geol.) The action of the elements on a rock in altering its color, texture, or composition, or in rounding off its edges. Dana.Weath'er-ly, a. p. 1501(Naut.) Working well to the windward; as, a weatherly ship. J. F. Cooper.Weath'er-mōst, a. p. 1501Being furthest to the windward.Weath'er-mōld'ing or Weath'er-mōuld'ing, n. p. 1501(Arch.) A canopy or cornice over doors or windows, to throw off the rain.Wēath'er-proof, a. p. 1501Proof against rough weather.Weath'er-roll, n. p. 1501(Naut.) The roll of a ship to the windward;—opposed to lee-lurch.Wĕath'er-shōre, n. p. 1501(Naut.) The shore to the windward of a ship. Totten.Weath'er-sīde, n. p. 1501(Naut.) The windward side of a vessel.Weath'er-spy, n. p. 1501A star-gazer; one who foretells the weather. [Rare.] Donne.Weath'er-strĭp, n. p. 1501(Arch.) A strip of wood or other material placed on the outside of an outer door so as to cover the joint made by it with the casings or the threshold, in order to exclude rain in a storm.Wēath'er-tīde, n. p. 1501(Naut.) The tide which sets against the lee-side of a ship, impelling her to the windward. Mar. Dict.Wĕath'er-wīse, a. p. 1501Skillful in foreseeing the changes or state of the weather.Weath'er-wis'er, n. p. 1501Something that foreshows the weather. [Obs.] Derham.Wēave, v. t. p. 1501To unite, as threads of any kind, in such a manner as to form a texture; to entwine or interlace into a fabric; as, to weave wool, silk, and the like; hence, to unite by close connection or…Wēave, v. i. p. 1501To practice weaving; to work with a loom. 2. To become woven or interwoven.Wēav'er, n. p. 1501One who weaves; one whose occupation is to weave. 2. (Ornith.) One of a sub-family of passerine birds, natives of Africa and the East Indies;—so called because they construct curious and often…Weav'er-fish, n. p. 1501(Ichth.) A fish of the perch family. See WEEVER.Weav'ing, n. p. 1501The act or art of forming cloth in a loom, by the union or intertexture of threads. 2. The task or work to be done in making cloth. 3. (Far.) A peculiar and incessant motion of a horse's head, neck…Wea'zand, n. p. 1501The same as WEASAND. Shak.Wea'zen, a. p. 1501Thin; sharp; as, a weazen face. We had never seen such dissatisfied children. It was not merely that they were weazen and shrivelled,—though they were certainly that too,—but they looked absolutely…Web, n. p. 1501A weaver. [Obs.] 2. That which is woven; texture; textile fabric; hence, locally, a piece of linen cloth. Penelope, for her Ulysses’ sake, Devised a web her wooers to deceive. Spenser. Not a web…Wĕb, v. t. p. 1501To unite or surround with a web, or as if with a web; to envelop; to entangle.Wĕbbed, a. p. 1501Having the toes united by a membrane, or web; as, the webbed feet of aquatic fowls.Web'ber, n. p. 1501One who forms webs; a weaver; a webster. [Obs.]Wĕb'bing, n. p. 1501A strong fabric of hemp, two or three inches wide, made for supporting the seats of stuffed chairs, sofas, and the like.Wĕb'by, a. p. 1501Pertaining to, or like, a web; consisting of, filled with, or covered with, webs. Bats on their webby wings in darkness move. Crabbe.Wĕb'-eye, n. p. 1501(Med.) The same as WEB, 4.Wĕb'-fŏŏt, n. p. 1501A foot the toes of which are connected by a membrane.Wĕb'-foot'ed, a. p. 1501Having webbed feet; palmiped; as, a goose or duck is a web-footed fowl.Web'ster, n. p. 1501A weaver;—originally, a female weaver. See STER. [Obs.] Braithwaite.Wĕb'ster-ite, n. p. 1501(Min.) A dull, earthy, opaque mineral, of a white color, consisting chiefly of sulphuric acid, alumina, and water. Dana.Wĕd, v. t. p. 1501To take for husband or for wife; to marry. Since the day I saw thee first, and wedded thee. — Milton. 2. To join in marriage; to give in wedlock, or as husband and wife. And Adam, wedded to another…Wĕd, v. i. p. 1502To contract matrimony; to marry. “When shall I wed?” Shak.Wēd, n. p. 1502A pledge. [Obs.] Gower.Wĕd'ded, a. p. 1502Of, or pertaining to, wedlock or marriage. “Wedded love.” Milton.Wĕd'der, n. p. 1502A castrated ram; a wether. W. Scott.Wĕd'ding, n. p. 1502Nuptial ceremony; nuptial festivities; marriage; nuptials. Let her beauty be her wedding dower. Shak. Wedding is often joined to other words, forming compounds denoting that which pertains to, or is…Wĕdge, n. p. 1502A piece of metal, or other hard material, thick at one end and sloping to a thin edge at the other, used in splitting wood, rocks, &c., in raising heavy bodies, and the like;—one of the five…Wēdge, v. t. p. 1502To cleave with a wedge; to separate with wedges; to rive. 2. To force or drive as a wedge is driven; to crowd or compress closely. Among the crowd in the abbey where a finger Could not be wedged in…Wĕdge'-shāped, a. p. 1502Having the shape of a wedge; cuneiform. 2. (Bot.) Broad and truncate at the summit, and tapering down to the base; as, a wedge-shaped leaf.Wĕdge'-wīse, adv. p. 1502In the manner of a wedge.Wēdġ'woōd-wāre, n. p. 1502A kind of semi-vitrified pottery, without much superficial glaze, naturally of a cream-color, from being made of white clay, but capable of receiving any other colors by means of metallic oxides and…Wĕd'lōck, n. p. 1502Marriage; matrimony. “In holy wedlock bands.” Shak. 2. A wife; a married woman. [Obs.] Benn. & Fl.Wĕd'lŏck, v. t. p. 1502To marry; to unite in marriage; to wed. [Rare.] Milton.Wĕdnes'day, n. p. 1502The fourth day of the week; the next day after Tuesday.Wee, a. p. 1502Very small; little; sometimes shrunken. [Scot. and Prov. Eng. Colloq. U. S.] “A little wee face with a little yellow beard.” Shak.Weech'-ĕlm, n. p. 1502A species of elm; witch-elm. Bacon.Weed, n. p. 1502Underbrush; low shrubs. [Obs.] “One rushing forth out of the thickest weed.” Spenser. 2. Any plant that is useless or troublesome. Too much manuring filled that field with weeds. Denham. 3. Whatever…Weed, n. p. 1502A garment; clothing; especially an upper or outer garment: “Lowly shepherd’s weeds.” Spenser. “Woman’s weeds.” Shak. “Palmer’s weeds.” Milton. He on his bed sat, the soft weeds he wore / Put off.…Weed, v. t. p. 1502To free from noxious plants; as, to weed corn or onions; to weed a garden. 2. To take away, as noxious plants; to remove, as that which is hurtful. “To weed up thyme.” Shak. “Weeding from their…Weed'er, n. p. 1502One who, or that which, weeds or frees from any thing noxious.Weed'er-y, n. p. 1502Weeds collectively; also, a place full of weeds or for the growth of weeds. [Rare.]