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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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
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 W. Scott.With-draw'ment, n. p. 1520The act of withdrawing, or the state of being withdrawn; a taking back; a recalling; a withdrawal.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…With-hōld'en, p. p. p. 1521of withhold. See WITHHOLD.With-hōld'er, n. p. 1521One who withholds.With-hōld'ment, n. p. 1521The act of withholding.With-in', prep. p. 1521In the inner or interior part of; inside of; not without. O, unhappy youth. Come not within these doors: within this roof The enemy of all your graces lives. Shak. Till this be cured by religion, it…With-in', adv. p. 1521In the inner part; inwardly; internally. “The wound festers within.” Carew. Ills from within thy reason must prevent. Dryden. 2. In the house; in doors; as, the master is within.With-īn'-fōrth, adv. p. 1521Within doors; inside; in. [Obs. and rare.] Wycliffe.With-in'side, adv. p. 1521In the inner parts. [Obs.]With-out',, prep. p. 1521On or at the outside of; out of; not within; as, without doors. Without the gate Some drive the cars, and some the coursers rein. Dryden. 2. Out of the limits of; out of reach of; beyond. Eternity…With-out', adv. p. 1521Not on the inside; not within; on the outside; out of doors; externally. Without were fightings, within were fears. 2 Cor. vii. 5. These were from without the growing miseries. Milton.With-out'-dōor, a. p. 1521Being out of doors; out-door; exterior. [Obs.] Shak.With-out'en, prep. p. 1521Without. [Obs.]With-out'-fōrth, adv. p. 1521Out of doors; without; outside. [Obs. and rare.] Wycliffe.With-sāy', v. t. p. 1521To contradict; gainsay; deny; refuse. [Obs.] Gower.With-sĕt′, v. t. p. 1521To set against; to resist. [Obs.]With-stănd', v. t. p. 1521To oppose; to resist, either with physical or moral force; as, to withstand the attack of troops; to withstand eloquence or arguments. When Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face.…With-ständ'er, n. p. 1521One who withstands or opposes; an opponent; a resisting power.With-stood', p. p. p. 1521of withstand. See WITHSTAND.With'-vīne, n. p. 1521The couch-grass.With'-wind, n. p. 1521The wild convolvulus.With'-wine, n. p. 1521The same as WITH-VINE, q. v.With'y, n. p. 1521A large species of willow. [Prov. Eng.] 2. A withe. See WITHE.With'y, a. p. 1521Made of withes; like a withe; flexible and tough.Wit'less, a. p. 1521Destitute of wit or understanding; inconsiderate; wanting thought. “A witty mother, witless else her son.” Shak. 2. Hence, indiscreet; not under the guidance of judgment. “Witless bravery.” Shak.…Wit'less-ly, adv. p. 1521In a witless manner; without the exercise of judgment.Wit'less-ness, n. p. 1521The state or quality of being witless; want of judgment.Wĭt'ling, n. p. 1521A person who has little wit or understanding; a pretender to wit or smartness. A beau and witling perished in the throng. Pope.Wit'ness, n. p. 1521Attestation of a fact or event; testimony. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. John v. 31. May we with . . . the witness of a good conscience pursue him with any further revenge?…Wit'ness, v. t. p. 1521To see or know by personal presence; to have direct cognizance of. This is but a faint sketch of the incalculable calamities and horrors we must expect, should we ever witness the triumphs of modern…Wit'ness, v. i. p. 1521To bear testimony; to give evidence; to testify. The men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth. I Kings xxi. 13. The witnessing of the truth was then so generally attended with this…