Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Whīle, n. p. 1508Space of time, or continued duration; time; as, one while we thought him innocent. Like some poor, nigh-related guest, That may not rudely be dismissed, Yet hath outstaid his welcome while, And tells…Whīle, adv. p. 1508During the time that; as long as; at the same time that; as, while I write, you sleep. Use your memory, and you will sensibly experience a gradual improvement, while you take care not to overload it.…Whīle, v. t. p. 1508To cause to pass away without irksomeness or disgust; to spend or pass;—usually followed by away. Let us while away this life. Pope.Whīle, v. i. p. 1508To loiter. [Obs. or rare.] Spectator.Whīl'êre, adv. p. 1508A little while ago; recently; just now; erewhile. [Obs.] He who, with all heaven's heraldry, whilere Entered the world. Milton.Whīles, adv. p. 1508While. Fuller. 2. Meanwhile; meantime. [Rare.] “The good knight whiles humming to himself the lay of some enamored troubadour.” W. Scott.Whĭlk, n. p. 1508A kind of shell, or shell-fish; a whelk. See WHELK.Whī'lom, adv. p. 1508Formerly; once; of old. [Obs.] Spenser.Whilst, adv. p. 1509The same as WHILE, q. v.Whĭm, n. p. 1509A sudden turn or start of the mind; a freak; a fancy; a capricious notion; a humor; as, every man has his whims. All the superfluous whims relate. Swift. 2. (Mining.) A large capstan or windlass…Whĭm, v. i. p. 1509To be subject to whims; to indulge in whims; to be whimsical, giddy, or freakish. [Rare.] Congreve.Whĭm'brel, n. p. 1509(Ornith.) A bird closely allied to the curlew, and resembling it in its appearance and habits; Numenius phæopus.Whĭm'-ġĭn, n. p. 1509(Mining.) A whim. See WHIM, 2.Whĭm'ling, n. p. 1509One given to whims; hence, a weak, childish person; a child. Go, whimling, and fetch two or three grating-loaves. Beau. & Fl.Whim'my, a. p. 1509Full of whims; whimsical; humorsome. The study of Rabbinical literature either finds a man whimmy or makes him so. Coleridge.Whim'per, v. i. p. 1509To cry with a low, whining, broken voice; as, a child whimpers. Was there ever yet preacher but there were gainsayers that spurned, that winced, that whimpered against him? Latimer.Whĭm'per, v. t. p. 1509To utter in a low, whining tone.Whĭm'per-er, n. p. 1509One who whimpers, or whines.Whĭm'ple, v. t. p. 1509To draw down, as a vail; to lay in folds or plaits, as a vail; to wimple. “Under a vail that, whimpled, was full low.” Spenser.Whĭm'pled, a. p. 1509Distorted with crying.Whim’sey, n. p. 1509A whim; a freak; a capricious notion; as, the whimseys of poets. “Men’s follies, whimseys, and inconstancy.” Swift. “Mistaking the whimseys of a feverish brain for the calm revelation of truth.”…Whim'seyed, a. p. 1509Filled with whimseys or whims; made fantastic; crazed. [Rare.] “To have a man's brain whimseyed with his wealth.” Beau. & Fl.Whīm'-shaft, n. p. 1509(Mining.) The part of a principal shaft in a mine, used for raising ores to the surface. Tomlinson.Whim'si-cal, a. p. 1509Full of whims; freakish; having odd fancies; capricious. My neighbors call me whimsical. Addison. 2. Hence, singular; curious; odd; fantastic. “A whimsical chair.” Evelyn. Syn.—Quaint; freakish…Whim'si-căl'i-ty, n. p. 1509The state or quality of being whimsical; whimsicalness.Whim'si-cal-ly, adv. p. 1509In a whimsical manner; freakishly.Whĭm'sĭ-cal-ness, n. p. 1509The state or quality of being whimsical; freakishness; whimsical disposition; odd temper.Whĭm'whăm, n. p. 1509A whimsical thing; a trifle; a trinket; a gimcrack. [Rare.] They'll pull you all to pieces for your whimwhams. Beau. & Fl. 2. A whim or whimsey; a freak.Whĭn, n. p. 1509(Bot.) Gorse; furze; — applied also to a leguminous plant, of the genus Genista, having yellow flowers. Lee.Whĭn, n. p. 1509The same as WHIN-STONE, q. v.Whĭn'ăx or Whĭn'ăxe, n. p. 1509An instrument used for extirpating whin from land. P. Cyc.Whĭn'-bruis'er, n. p. 1509A machine for cutting and bruising whin or furze to feed cattle on. Simmonds.Whĭn'chăt, n. p. 1509(Ornith.) A small singing-bird; a species of warbler, the Saxicola rubetra (Motacilla rubetra of Linnæus), common in Europe.Whīne, v. i. p. 1509To utter a plaintive cry; to moan with a childish noise; to complain in a shrill, long-drawn tone; hence, to complain in a mean, unmanly way; to moan basely. “The whining plover.” Spenser. They…Whīne, v. t. p. 1509To utter or express plaintively; to make complaint of, especially in a shrill, drawling tone, and unmanly way; as, to whine out grievances. [Rare.]Whīne, n. p. 1509A plaintive tone; the nasal-childish tone of mean complaint; mean or affected complaint.Whīn'er, n. p. 1509One who whines.Whĭng'er, n. p. 1509A cutlass or hanger; a whinyard. See WHINYARD. The chief acknowledged that he had corrected her with his whinger. W. Scott.Whīn'ing-ly, adv. p. 1509In a whining manner.Whĭn'ner or Whĭn'nōw, v. i. p. 1509To whinny. [Prov. Eng.]Whĭn'nōw, n. p. 1509A whinny. [Prov. Eng.]Whĭn'ny, v. i. p. 1509To utter the sound of a horse; to neigh.Whĭn'ny, n. p. 1509The cry or note of a horse; a gentle neigh. The stately horse . . . stooped With a low whinny. Tennyson.Whĭn'ny, a. p. 1509Abounding in whins, gorse, or furze-bushes. “A fine, large, whinny, unimproved common.” Sterne.Whĭn'ock, n. p. 1509The small pig of a litter. [Local U. S.]Whĭn'-stōne, n. p. 1509(Geol.) Trap or green-stone; — a provincial name given to basaltic rocks, and applied by miners to any kind of dark-colored and hard, unstratified rock, which resists the point of the pick. Veins of…Whĭn'yard, n. p. 1509A sword, or hanger; — so called in contempt. [Obs.]Whĭp, v. t. p. 1509To strike with a lash, a cord, a rod, or any thing lithe, which pains without bruising; to lash; to beat; as, to whip a horse. 2. To drive with lashes; to cause to rotate by lashing with a cord; as…Whip, v. i. p. 1509To move nimbly; to start suddenly and do any thing; as, the boy whipped away in an instant; he whipped round the corner; he whipped into the house, and was out of sight in a moment. Two friends…Whip, n. p. 1509An instrument for driving horses or other animals, or for correction, consisting of a lash tied to a handle or rod. In his right hand he holds a whip, with which he is supposed to drive the horses of…Whĭp'-côrd, n. p. 1509A kind of hard-twisted or braided cord, sometimes used for making lashes.Whip'graft, v. t. p. 1509To graft by cutting the cion and stock in a sloping direction, so as to fit each other, and by inserting a tongue on the cion into a slit in the stock. [See Illust. of Graft.]Whip'-hănd, n. p. 1509Advantage over; as, he has the whip-hand of her. [Rare.] Dryden.Whip'-lash, n. p. 1509The lash of a whip; — usually made of thongs of leather, braided, or of twisted cord, hide, or bark.Whip'per, n. p. 1509One who whips; especially, an officer who inflicts the penalty of legal whipping. 2. One who raises coal with a tackle from a ship's hold. Simmonds. 3. (Spinning.) A kind of simple willow, or willy.Whip'per-in, n. p. 1509A huntsman who keeps the hounds from wandering, and whips them in, if necessary, to the line of chase. 2. Hence, one who enforces the discipline of a party, and urges the attendance of the members on…Whip′per-snäp′per, n. p. 1509A diminutive, insignificant person. [Colloq.] Brockett.Whīp'ping-pōst, n. p. 1509A post to which offenders are tied to be whipped.Whĭp'ple-tree, n. p. 1509The bar to which the traces or tugs of a harness are fastened, and by which a carriage, a plow, a harrow, or other implement, is drawn; a swing-bar; a whiffletree. Forby.Whip'po-wïll, n. p. 1509See WHIP-POOR-WILL.