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.
Wow'-wow, n. p. 1527(Zoöl.) A species of long-armed ape of the genus Hylobates (H. agilis);—so called from its cry. Baird.Wōx or Wōx'en, imp. & p. p. p. 1527of wax. [Obs.] See WAX.Wrăck, n. p. 1527A marine plant (Zostera marina), out of which kelp is made, and which is also of great utility as a manure;—sometimes called sea-wrack or sea-wreck, sea-oak, and sea-tangle. It is found on rocks left…Wrăck, n. p. 1528Wreck. [Obs.] “A world devote to universal wrack.” Shak. 2. A thin, flying cloud; a rack. See RACK.Wräck, v. t. p. 1528To wreck. [Obs.] Milton. 2. To rack. [Rare.] Cowley.Wrăck'ful, a. p. 1528‘Ruinous; destructive.’Wräck'-gräss, n. p. 1528(Bot.) Sea-wrack; wrack.Wrāin'-bōlt, n. p. 1528The same as WRING-BOLT, q. v.Wraith, n. p. 1528An apparition of a person in his exact likeness, seen before death, or a little after; hence, an apparition; a specter; a vision; an unreal image. [Scot.] “O, hollow wraith of dying fame!” Tennyson.…Wräng'gle, v. i. p. 1528To engage in discussion; to argue; to debate; to dispute. [Obs.] 2. To dispute angrily; to quarrel peevishly and noisily; to brawl; to altercate. “In spite of occasional wranglings.” Macaulay. For a…Wrăn'gle, v. t. p. 1528To involve in contention. [Rare.] Sanderson.Wrăn'gle, n. p. 1528An angry dispute; a noisy quarrel; a squabble. Syn.—Altercation; bickering; brawl; jar; jangle; contest; controversy. See ALTERCATION.Wrāng'ler, n. p. 1528An angry disputant; one who disputes with heat or peevishness. “Noisy, contentious wranglers.” Watts. Senior wrangler (Cambridge University, Eng.), the student who passes the best examination in…Wrăng'ler-ship, n. p. 1528The honor or position of being a wrangler at Cambridge, England.Wrăng'gle-sōme, a. p. 1528Contentious; quarrelsome. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Moore.Wrăp (răp), v. t. p. 1528To wind or fold together. Then cometh Simon Peter, . . . and seeth . . . the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. John xx. 6…Wrāp, v. t. p. 1528To snatch up; to transport.Wräp, n. p. 1528A wrapper; — often used in the plural, for blankets, furs, shawls, &c., used in riding or traveling. Melville.Wrăp'page, n. p. 1528The act of wrapping. 2. That which wraps; envelope; covering.Wrăp'per, n. p. 1528One who, or that which, wraps. 2. That in which any thing is wrapped or inclosed; envelope; covering. 3. Specifically, a loose outer garment; an article of dress intended to be wrapped round the…Wrāp'rās-cal, n. p. 1528A coarse upper coat. [Cant.] Smart.Wrässe, n. p. 1528(Ichth.) A fish of several species of the genus Labrus, inhabiting the Mediterranean and Atlantic. It is a prickly-spined, hard-boned fish, with an oblong, scaly body, and a single dorsal fin. About…Wrāth, n. p. 1528Violent anger; vehement exasperation; indignation; rage; fury; ire. “When the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased.” Esth. ii. 1. Wrath is a fire, and jealousy a weed. Spencer. Now smoking and…Wrāth'ful, a. p. 1528Full of wrath; very angry; greatly incensed; ireful; as, a wrathful man. 2. Springing from, or expressing, wrath; as, a wrathful countenance. “Vehement and wrathful passions.” Spratt. Syn.—Furious…Wrāth'ful-ly, adv. p. 1528In a wrathful manner; with anger; angrily. Let us kill him boldly, but not wrathfully. Shak.Wrāth′ful-ness, n. p. 1528The state or quality of being wrathful; vehement anger.Wrāth'i-ly, adv. p. 1528In a wrathy manner; very angrily.Wrāth'less, a. p. 1528Free from anger. Waller.Wrāth'y, a. p. 1528Very angry. [Colloq.].Wraw, a. p. 1528Rueful; sad. [Obs.] Chaucer.Wrawl, v. i. p. 1528To cry, as a cat; to waul. [Obs.] Spenser.Wraw'ness, n. p. 1528The state or quality of being wraw; ruefulness; regret. [Obs.] Chaucer.Wreak, v. t. p. 1528To revenge; to avenge. [Obs. or obsolescent.] “Another's wrongs to wreak upon thyself.” Spenser. Come wreak his loss, whom bootless ye complain. Fairfax. 2. To execute in vengeance or passion; to…Wrēak, v. i. p. 1528To reck. [Obs.] Shak. What wreaked I of wintery ages past. Spencer.Wrēak, n. p. 1528Revenge; vengeance; furious passion; infliction; distress. [Obs.] Shak. Spenser.Wrēak'ful, a. p. 1528Revengeful; angry. [Obs.]Wrēak′ful-ly, adv. p. 1528In a wreakful manner; revengefully; angrily; furiously. [Obs.]Wrēak'less, a. p. 1528Unrevengeful; unrevenged; weak. So flies the wreakless shepherd from the wolf. Shak.Wrēath, n. p. 1528Something twisted or curled; as, a wreath of smoke; a wreath of flowers. He of his tortuous train Curled many a wanton wreath. Milton. 2. A garland; a chaplet, especially one given to a victor.…Wrēathe, v. t. p. 1528To cause to revolve or writhe; to twist about; to turn. [Obs. and rare.] And from so heavy sight his head did wreathe. Chapman. 2. To twist; to convolve; to wind one about another; to entwine. “Each…Wrēathe, v. i. p. 1528To be interwoven or entwined; as, a bower of wreathing trees. Dryden.Wreath'less, a. p. 1528Destitute of a wreath.Wrēath'-shĕll, n. p. 1528(Zoöl.) The spiral shell of a mollusk of the genus Turbo; screw-shell.Wreath'y p. 1528— Twisted; curled; spiral. “Wreathy spires.” Browne.Wrĕck, n. p. 1528Destruction; ruin; desolation. “The wreck of matter and the crush of worlds.” Addison. 2. Specifically, the destruction or injury of a vessel by being cast on shore, or on rocks, or by being disabled…Wrĕck, n. p. 1528Wreak. [Obs.] Spenser.Wrĕck, v. t. p. 1528To destroy, disable, or seriously damage, as a vessel, by driving against the shore or on rocks, by causing to become unseaworthy, to founder, or the like; to cause to suffer shipwreck. “Supposing…Wrĕck, v. i. p. 1528To suffer wreck or ruin; to be wrecked. [Rare.] Milton.Wrĕck, v. t. p. 1528To wreak. [Obs.]Wrĕck'age, n. p. 1528The act of wrecking. 2. That which has been wrecked.Wrĕck'er, n. p. 1528One who causes a wreck, as by false lights, and the like. 2. One who searches for the wrecks of vessels; as, (a.) One who visits a wreck for the purpose of plunder. (b.) One who is employed in saving…Wrĕck'ful, a. p. 1528Causing wreck; involving ruin. [Obs.]Wrĕck'-más'ter, n. p. 1528A person appointed by law to take charge of goods, &c., thrown on shore after a shipwreck.Wrēn, n. p. 1528(Ornith.) A small insessorial bird of the genus Troglodytes. Wrens feed on insects, &c., and are often very familiar with man.Wrĕnch, v. t. p. 1528To pull with a twist; to wrest, twist, or force by violence. Wrench his sword from him. Shak. Forthwith this frame of mine was wrenched With a woeful agony. Coleridge. 2. To strain; to sprain; to…Wrĕnch, n. p. 1528A violent twist, or a pull with twisting. The injurious effect upon biographic literature of all such wrenches to the truth, is diffused every where. De Quincey. 2. A sprain; an injury by twisting…Wrĕnch'-hăm'mer, n. p. 1528A wrench with the end shaped so as to admit of being used as a hammer.Wrĕst, v. t. p. 1529To turn; to twist; especially, to twist or extort by violence; to pull or force away by violent wringing or twisting. “The secret wrested from me.” Milton. Our country's cause. That drew our swords…Wrĕst, n. p. 1529Violent pulling and twisting; distortion; perversion. Hooker. 2. Active or moving power. [Obs.] Spenser. 3. A key to tune a stringed instrument of music, as a harp. The minstrel . . . wore round his…Wrĕst'er, n. p. 1529One who wrests or perverts.