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.
Wild'-fire, n. p. 1514A composition of inflammable materials, which when inflamed is very hard to quench; Greek fire. Brimstone, pitch, wild-fire, burn easily, and are hard to quench. Beacon. 2. A disease of sheep…Wild'grāve, n. p. 1514A waldgrave, or head forest keeper. See WALDGRAVE. The wildgrave winds his bugle-horn. W. Scott.Wild'ing, n. p. 1514A wild crab-apple. Spencer. 2. A young tree that is wild, or growing without cultivation. The fruit of the tree . . . is small, of little juice, and bad quality. . . . I presume it to be a wilding.…Wild'ing, a. p. 1514Not tame, domesticated, or cultivated; wild. [Rare.] “Wilding flowers.” Tennyson. The ground-squirrel gayly chirps by his den, And the wilding bee hums merrily by. Bryant.Wild'ish, a. p. 1514Somewhat wild. [Rare.] “A wildish destiny.” Wordsworth.Wild'ly, adv. p. 1514In a wild condition or manner; without cultivation; without tameness. 2. With disorder; with perturbation or distraction; with a fierce or roving manner or look; as, to start wildly from one's seat…Wild'ness, n. p. 1514The state or quality of being wild; rudeness; uncultivated state; as, the wildness of a forest or heath. 2. Inordinate disposition to rove; irregularity of manners; as, the wildness of youth. 3.…Wilds, n. p. 1515(Agric.) The part of a plow by which it is drawn. [Prov. Eng.]Wile, n. p. 1515A trick or stratagem practiced for insnaring or deception; a sly, insidious artifice. “That ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Eph. vi. 11. Not more almighty to resist our…Wile, v. t. p. 1515To practice artifice upon; to deceive; to beguile. [Rare.] Spenser.Wile'ful, a. p. 1515Full of wiles; trickish; mischievous. At Merlin's feet the wileful Vivian lay. Tennyson.Will'ful or Will'ful-ly or Will'ful-ness, a., adv., n. p. 1515See WILLFUL, WILLFULLY, and WILLFULNESS.Wīl'-ly, adv. p. 1515In a wily manner; by stratagem; with insidious art. Josh. ix. 4.Wi'li-ness, n. p. 1515The state or quality of being wily; cunning; guile.Wilk, n. p. 1515A species of mollusk. See WHELK.Will, n. p. 1515The power of choosing; the faculty or endowment of the soul by which it is capable of choosing; the faculty of preferring or selecting one of two or more objects. It is necessary to form a distinct…Will, v. t. p. 1515This verb has both an irregular and regular form. 1. Irregular. [I will, thou wilt, he will; imp. would; p. p. wanting.] (a.) To wish; to desire; to incline to have. “Caleb said to her, What wilt…Will, v. i. p. 1515To exercise an act of volition. “He that shall turn his thoughts inward upon what passes in his own mind when he wills.” Locke. 2. To be inclined or disposed; to be pleased; to desire; to choose. I…Wil'lem-ite, n. p. 1515(Min.) A mineral of resinous luster and yellowish color, consisting chiefly of silicate of zinc.Will'er, n. p. 1515One who wills.Will'ful, a. p. 1515Governed by the will without yielding to reason; obstinate; perverse; inflexible; stubborn; refractory; as, a willful man; a willful horse. 2. Of set purpose; voluntary; showing design; done or…Will'ful-ly, adv. p. 1515In a willful manner; obstinately; stubbornly. 2. By design; with set purpose. [Obs.] If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for…Will'ful-ness, n. p. 1515The quality of being willful; obstinacy; stubbornness; perverseness; voluntariness. Sins of presumption are such as proceed from pride, arrogance, willfulness, and haughtiness of men's hearts.…Wil'li-er, n. p. 1515One who works at a willying-machine.Will'ing, a. p. 1515Free to do or grant; having the mind inclined; not opposed in mind; not choosing to refuse; disposed; not averse; desirous; consenting; ready; fain. Felix, willing to show the Jews a pleasure, left…Will'ing-ly, adv. p. 1515In a willing manner; with free will; without reluctance; cheerfully; by one's own choice. The condition of that people is not so much to be envied as some would willingly represent it. Addison.Will'ing-ness, n. p. 1515The quality of being willing; free choice or consent of the will; freedom from reluctance; readiness of the mind to do or forbear. Sweet is the love that comes with willingness. Dryden.Wil'li-waw, n. p. 1515(Naut.) A hurricane squall. [Eng.]Will'ock, n. p. 1515(Ornith.) A certain sea-fowl.Will'low, n. p. 1515(Bot.) A tree of the genus Salix, including many species, most of which are characterized by slender, pliant branches. 2. (Cotton Manuf.) A machine in which cotton is opened and cleansed by the…Will'ōw, v. t. p. 1515To open and cleanse, as cotton, by means of a willow.Wil'lōwed, a. p. 1515Abounding with willows; containing willows; covered or overgrown with willows. “Willowed meads.” Collins.Wil'lōw-er, n. p. 1515A willow or willy. See WILLOW.Wil'lōw-gall, n. p. 1515A protuberance on the leaves of willows.Wi'lōw-hĕrb, n. p. 1515(Bot.) A dicotyledonous plant of the genus Epilobium, including several species, some of which are cultivated for their ornamental qualities. E. angustifolium is the French willow-herb; E. hirsutum…Will'lōw-ish, a. p. 1515Having the color of the willow; resembling the willow. Walton.Wĭl'lōw-lārk, n. p. 1515(Ornith.) The sedge-warbler, or sedge-bird. See SEDGE-WARBLER.Wil'low-weed, n. p. 1515(Bot.) (a.) A weed growing on wet, light lands, with a seed like buckwheat; the Polygonum lapathifolium. (b.) A species of Lysimachia, or loose-strife.Wĭl'lōw-wort, n. p. 1515A certain plant. Miller.Wĭl'lōw-y, a. p. 1515Abounding with willows. Gray. 2. Resembling a willow; pliant; flexible; pendent; drooping; graceful.Will'sōme, a. p. 1515Willful; obstinate. [Obs.] 2. Fat; indolent. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell. 3. Doubtful; uncertain. Halliwell.Will'sōme-ness, n. p. 1515The state or quality of being willsome; obstinacy. [Obs.] Wycliffe.Wĭl'ly, n. p. 1515A large wicker basket. [Prov. Eng.] 2. A machine for opening and cleansing wool, similar to the willow used in cotton manufactures; — called also twilly, twilly-devil, and devil. ‡‡ In this sense…Wĭl'ly-ing, n. p. 1516The process of cleansing wool with a willy.Wĭl'ly-ing-ma-çhïne', n. p. 1516The same as WILLY.Wĭlt, v. p. 1516The second person singular of will. See WILL.Wĭlt, v. i. p. 1516To begin to wither; to lose freshness and become flaccid, as a plant when exposed to great heat in a dry day, or when separated from its root; to droop. [Am. and Prov. Eng.]Wĭlt, v. t. p. 1516To cause to begin to wither; to make flaccid, as a green plant. 2. Hence, to cause to languish; to depress or destroy the vigor and energy of. Despots have wilted the human race into sloth and…Wil'ton Cär'pet p. 1516A kind of carpet woven with loops like the Brussels, and only differing from it in having the loops cut open into an elastic velvet pile; — so called because made originally at Wilton, England.…Wil'y, a. p. 1516Full of wiles, tricks, or stratagems; using craft or stratagem to accomplish a purpose; mischievously artful; subtle; as, a wily adversary. Syn.—Cunning; artful; sly; crafty; subtle. See CUNNING.Wim'ble, n. p. 1516An instrument for boring holes, turned by a handle; a gimlet. It is but like the little wimble, to let in the greatest auger. Selden.Wim’ble, v. t. p. 1516To bore or pierce, as with a wimble. “Wimbled a hole through said coffin.” Wood.Wīm'ble, a. p. 1516Active; nimble. [Obs.] Spenser.Wĭm'brel, n. p. 1516A bird of the curlew kind. See WHIMBREL.Wĭm'ple, n. p. 1516A covering of silk, linen, or other material, laid in folds, for the neck, chin, and sides of the face, formerly worn by women as an out-door covering, and still retained in the dress of nuns in…Wĭm'ple, v. t. p. 1516To draw down, as a vail; to lay in folds or plaits, as a vail; to cover as with a vail; hence, to hoodwink. With a vail, that wimpled every where, Her head and face was hid. Spenser. A domineering…Wĭm'ple, v. i. p. 1516To appear as if laid in folds or plaits; to ripple; to undulate. “The wimpling waves of their margin.” Longfellow. With me through . . . meadows stray, Where wimpling waters make their way. Ramsay.Win, v. t. p. 1516To gain by success in competition or contest; to obtain by victory over competitors or rivals; as, to win the prize in a game; to win money; to win a battle, or to win a country. “Who thus shall…Win, v. i. p. 1516To gain the victory; to be successful. Nor is it aught but just That he, who in debate of truth hath won, Should win in arms. Milton. To win of, to be conqueror over. [Obs.] Shak. — To win on or…Wince, v. i. p. 1516To shrink, as from a blow, or from pain; to flinch; to start back. I will not stir, nor wince. Shak. 2. To kick or flounce when unsteady, or impatient of a rider; as, a horse winces. Let the galled…