Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
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.]Weed'-hōōk, n. p. 1502A hook used for cutting away or extirpating weeds. Tusser.Weed'ing-chis'el, n. p. 1502A tool with a divided chisel point, for cutting the roots of large weeds within the ground.Weed'ing-fôr'ceps, n. p. 1502An instrument for taking up some sorts of plants in weeding.Weed'ing-fôrk, n. p. 1502A strong, three-pronged fork, used in clearing ground of weeds;—called also weeding-iron.Weed'ing-hōok, n. p. 1502A weed-hook.Weed'ing-rhīm, n. p. 1502An implement somewhat like the frame of a wheel-barrow, used for tearing up weeds on summer fallows, and the like. [Prov. Eng.]Weed'ing-tōngs, n. pl. p. 1502The same as WEEDING-FORCEPS, q. v.Weed'less, a. p. 1502Free from weeds or noxious matter.Weed'y, a. p. 1502Relating to, or consisting of, weeds. “Weedy trophies.” Shak. 2. Abounding with weeds; as, weedy grounds; a weedy garden; weedy corn.Weed'y, a. p. 1502Dressed in weeds or mourning garments. [Rare or colloq.] She was as weedy as in the early days of her mourning. Dickens.Week, n. p. 1502A period of seven days, usually that reckoned from one Sabbath or Sunday to the next. I fast twice in the week. Luke xviii. 12. Prophetic week, a week of years, or seven years. Dan. ix. 24.Week'-dāy, n. p. 1502Any day of the week except the Sabbath or Sunday.Week'ly, a. p. 1502Pertaining to a week, or to week-days. 2. Coming, happening, or done once a week; hebdomadary; as, a weekly payment of bills; a weekly gazette; a weekly allowance. Weekly tenant, a tenant paying rent…Week'ly, n. p. 1502A publication issued once in seven days, or appearing once in a week.Week'ly, adv. p. 1502Once a week; by hebdomadal periods; as, each performs service weekly.Week'wām, n. p. 1502See WIGWAM.Weel, n. p. 1502A whirlpool. [Obs.]Weel or Weel'y, n. p. 1502A kind of twiggen trap or snare for fish. [Obs.] Carew.Ween, v. i. p. 1502To think; to imagine; to fancy. [Obs. or poet.] Spenser. Milton. For well I ween, Never before in the bowers of light Had the form of an earthly fay been seen. J. R. Drake. Though never a dream the…Weep, v. i. p. 1502To express sorrow, grief, or anguish, by outcry, or by other manifest signs; in modern use, to show grief or other passions by shedding tears; to shed tears; to cry. And they all wept sore, and fell…Weep, v. t. p. 1502To lament; to bewail; to bemoan. We, wandering, go Through dreary wastes, and weep each other's woe. Pope. 2. To shed or pour forth, as tears; to shed drop by drop, as if tears; as, to weep tears of…Weep'er, n. p. 1502One who weeps; one who sheds tears. 2. A white border on the sleeve of a mourning coat or dress. The solicitude he showed about his weepers was very touching. Many a time I have sewed them on while…Weep'ful, a. p. 1502Full of weeping or lamentation; grieving. [Obs.] Wycliffe.Weep'ing, n. p. 1502Lamentation with tears.Weep'ing-ly, adv. p. 1502In a weeping manner.Weep'ing-rīpe, a. p. 1502Ripe or ready for weeping. [Obs.] Shak.Weep'ing-rŏck, n. p. 1502A porous rock, from which water gradually issues.Weep'ing-spring, n. p. 1502A spring that slowly discharges water.