Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Wish'ful-ly, adv. p. 1519In a wishful manner; with desire, or ardent desire; with the show of desiring.Wish'ful-ness, n. p. 1519State or quality of being wishful.Wish'ing-căp, n. p. 1519A cap fabled to give its wearer whatever he desired.Wish'ly, adv. p. 1519According to desire; longingly; with wishes. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Chapman.Wish'-wash, n. p. 1519Any weak, thin drink.Wish'y-wash'y, a. p. 1519Thin and pale; without force or solidity; also, very weak, when said of liquor.Wish'y-wash'y, n. p. 1519A weak or thin drink or liquor; wish-wash.Wisk'et, n. p. 1519A basket. Ainsworth.Wisp, n. p. 1519A small bundle of straw or other like substance; as, a wisp of straw; a wisp of hay. 2. A whisk, or small broom. Simmonds.Wisp, v. t. p. 1519To brush or dress, as with a wisp. 2. To rumple. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.Wisp'en, a. p. 1519Formed of a wisp, or of wisps. [Obs.]Wist, imp. and p. p. p. 1519of wis. See Wis. [Obs.]Wist'ful, a. p. 1520Full of thoughts; meditative; musing; pensive. [Rare.] That he who there at such an hour hath been, Will wistful linger on that hallowed spot. Byron. 2. Eagerly attentive; engrossed; hence…Wist'ful-ly, adv. p. 1520In a wistful manner; thoughtfully; pensively; attentively; earnestly; wishfully; inquisitively.Wist'ful-ness,, n. p. 1520The state or quality of being wistful; thoughtfulness; pensiveness; attentiveness; wishfulness.Wis'tit, n. p. 1520(Zool.) A small, South American monkey; the marmoset.Wĭst'ly, adv. p. 1520Wistfully. [Obs.]Wĭs'ton-wĭsh, n. p. 1520(Zoöl.) A rodent quadruped of America; the prairie-dog. See PRAIRIE-DOG.Wit, v. i. p. 1520To know;— now used only in the infinitive, to wit, which is employed, especially in legal language, to call attention to a particular thing, or to a more particular specification of what has…Wit, n. p. 1520Mind; intellect; understanding; sense. A prince most prudent, of an excellent And unmatched wit and judgment. Shak. Will puts in practice what the wit deviseth. Davies. He wants not wit the danger to…Witch, n. p. 1520A person, especially a woman, who is given to the black art; one regarded as possessing supernatural or magical power by compact with evil spirits; a sorcerer or sorceress; — now applied only to…Witch, n. p. 1520A winding, sinuous bank. [Obs.] Spenser. 2. A piece of conical paper which is placed in a vessel of lard or other fat, and, being lighted, answers the purpose of a taper. [Prov. Eng.]Witch, v. t. p. 1520To bewitch; to fascinate; to enchant. I'll witch sweet ladies with my words and looks. Shak.Witch'craft, n. p. 1520The practices of witches; sorcery; enchantments; intercourse with evil spirits. 2. Power more than natural. He hath a witchcraft Over the king in 's tongue. Shak.Witch'-ĕlm, n. p. 1520(Bot.) A kind of elm; Ulmus montana; wych-elm or weech-elm. London.Witch'er-y, n. p. 1520Sorcery; enchantment; witchcraft. “A woman famed for sortilege and witcheries.” W. Scott. Great Comus. Deep skilled in all his mother's witcheries. Milton. 2. Fascination; entrancing influence. The…Witch'-hā'zel, n. p. 1520(Bot.) (a.) The Hamamelis Virginica, a shrub which flowers in autumn, when its leaves are falling. Lee. Bigelow. (b.) The witch-elm or wych-elm; Ulmus montana.Witch'ing, a. p. 1520Suited to enchantment or witchcraft. “The witching time of night.” Shak.Witch'-tree, n. p. 1520The witch-hazel.Wit'-crăck'er, n. p. 1520One who breaks jests; a joker. [Obs.] Shak.Wit'crāft, n. p. 1520Contrivance; invention. [Obs.] 2. The art of reasoning; logic. [Obs. and rare.]Wite, v. t. p. 1520To reproach; to blame. [Obs.] Spenser.Wite, n. p. 1520Blame; reproach. [Obs.]Wite'less, a. p. 1520Blameless. [Obs.] Spenser.Wĭt'e-na-gē-mōte, n. p. 1520(Eng. Antiq.) A meeting of wise men; the national council or legislature of England in the days of the Anglo-Saxons, before the Conquest. [Obs.]With, prep. p. 1520With denotes or expresses,— 1. Nearness; proximity; association; connection; partnership; intercourse; as, to be distressed with pain, or excited with joy. I will buy with you, sell with you, talk…With, n. p. 1520A twig, or band made of twigs. See WITHE. 2. (Arch.) A partition between different flues in a chimney. Gwilt.With-al', adv. p. 1520With the rest; likewise; at the same time. If you choose that, then I am yours withal. Shak. How modest in exception, and withal How terrible in constant resolution! Shak.With-al', prep. p. 1520With;—so used when combined with a verb, and following the object of the verb. [Nearly obs.] St. Basil commended that woman who took part of her husband's goods to do good withal. Bp. Taylor.With'am-ite, n. p. 1520(Min.) A variety of epidote, of a red or yellow color, found in Scotland. Dana.With-draw', v. t. p. 1520To take away, as what has been enjoyed; to draw back; to reverse; to cause to go away or retire; as, to withdraw aid, favor, capital, or the like. It is impossible that God should withdraw his…With-draw', v. i. p. 1520To retire; to retreat; to quit a company or place; to go away; as, we withdrew from the company at ten o'clock. She from her husband soft withdrew. Milton. Syn.—To retire; retreat; recede…With-draw'al, n. p. 1520The act of withdrawing; with-drawment.With-draw'er, n. p. 1520One who withdraws.With-draw'ing-room, n. p. 1520A room behind another room for retirement; a drawing-room. “A door in the middle leading to a parlor and withdrawing-room.” W. Scott.With-draw'ment, n. p. 1520The act of withdrawing, or the state of being withdrawn; a taking back; a recalling; a withdrawal. Their withdrawment from the British and Foreign Bible Society would tend to paralyze their…Withe, n. p. 1520A flexible, slender twig or branch used as a band; a willow twig; a withy. 2. A band consisting of a twig or twigs twisted. 3. (Naut.) An iron instrument fitted on one end of a mast or boom, with a…Withe, v. t. p. 1520To bind or fasten with withes or twigs. You shall see him withed, and haltered, and staked, and baited to death. Bp. Hall.With'er, v. i. p. 1520To fade; to lose freshness; to become sapless; to dry. Shall he not pull up the roots thereof . . . that it wither? Ezek. xvii. 9. 2. To lose or want animal moisture; to waste; to pine away, as…With'er, v. t. p. 1520To cause to fade and become dry; as, the sun withers the grass. 2. To cause to shrink, wrinkle, and decay, for want of animal moisture. Age can not wither her. Shak. Shot forth pernicious fire Among…With'er-bănd, n. p. 1520(Far.) A piece of iron in a saddle near a horse’s withers, to strengthen the bow.With'ered-ness, n. p. 1520The state of being withered.With'er-ing-ly, adv. p. 1520In a manner tending to wither, or cause to shrink.With'er-ite, n. p. 1520(Min.) A native carbonate of baryta, of a white, gray, or yellow color;—so called from its discoverer, Dr. Withering.With'er-ling, n. p. 1520A withered person; one who is decrepit. [Obs. and rare.] Chapman.With'er-nam, n. p. 1520(Law.) A second or reciprocal writ or distress in lieu of a first distress which has been eloigned; a taking by way of reprisal;—the name of a writ used in connection with the action of replevin…Withe'-rōd, n. p. 1521(Bot.) A North American shrub of the genus Viburnum (V. nudum). Gray.With'ers, n. pl. p. 1521The ridge between the shoulder-bones of a horse, at the bottom of the neck. [See Illust. of Horse.] Let the galled jade wince; Our withers are unwrung. Shak.With'er-wrŭng, a. p. 1521Injured or hurt in the withers, as a horse.With-hōld', v. t. p. 1521To hold back; to restrain; to keep from action. Withhold, O sovereign prince, your hasty hand From knitting league with him. Spenser. 2. To retain; to keep back; not to grant; as, to withhold assent…