wi -abbr
- when issued
WI -abbr
- Wisconsin
WIA -abbr
- wounded in action
Wic·ca ['wi-kə] -n, adj or n
- a religion influenced by pre-Christian beliefs and practices of western Europe that affirms the existence of supernatural power (as magic) and of both male and female deities who inhere in nature and that emphasizes ritual observance of seasonal and life cycles
wick ['wik] -n
- a bundle of fibers or a loosely twisted, braided, or woven cord, tape, or tube usu. of soft spun cotton threads that by capillary attraction draws up to be burned a steady supply of the oil in lamps or the melted tallow or wax in candles
- to absorb or drain (as a fluid or moisture) like a wick
- a fabric that wick s away perspiration
wick·ed ['wi-kəd] -adj, adv
- morally very bad : evil
- fierce, vicious
- disposed to or marked by mischief : roguish
- does wicked impersonations
- disgustingly unpleasant : vile
- causing or likely to cause harm, distress, or trouble
- going beyond reasonable or predictable limits : of exceptional quality or degree
wicked -adv
- very, extremely
wick·ed·ness -n
- the quality or state of being wicked
- something wicked
wick·er ['wi-kər] -n, adj
- a small pliant twig or branch (as of osier) : withe
- wickerwork
- something made of wicker
wick·er·work [-,wərk] -n
- work consisting of interlaced pliant twigs or branches
wick·et ['wi-kət] -n
- a small gate or door
- one forming part of or placed near a larger gate or door
- an opening like a window
- a grilled or grated window through which business is transacted
- either of the two sets of three stumps topped by two crosspieces and set 66 feet apart at which the ball is bowled in cricket
- an area 10 feet wide bounded by these wickets
- one innings of a batsman
- one that is not completed or never begun
- an arch or hoop in croquet
wick·et·keep·er ['wi-kət-,kē-pər] -n
- a fielder in cricket who stands behind the wicket at which the ball is being bowled
wick·ing ['wi-kiŋ] -n
- material for wicks
wick·i·up ['wi-kē-,əp] -n
- a hut used by the nomadic Indians of the arid regions of the western and southwestern U.S. with a usu. oval base and a rough frame covered with reed mats, grass, or brushwood
- a rude temporary shelter or hut
wid·der·shins ['wi-dər-shənz] -adv
- in a left-handed, wrong, or contrary direction : counterclockwise
wid·dy ['wi-dē] -n
- a rope of osiers
- a hangman's noose
wide ['wīd] -adj, n
- having great extent : vast
- extending over a vast area : extensive
- extending throughout a specified area or scope usu. used in combination
- comprehensive, inclusive
- having a specified extension from side to side
- having much extent between the sides : broad
- fully opened
- lax
- extending or fluctuating considerably between limits
- straying or deviating from something specified used with of
- the accusation was wide of the truth
- relatively rich in carbohydrate as compared with protein
- over a great distance or extent : widely
- over a specified distance, area, or extent usu. used in combination
- expanded the business country- wide
- so as to leave much space or distance between
- so as to pass at or clear by a considerable distance
- to the fullest extent : completely, fully
widean·gle ['wīd-'aŋ-gəl] -adj
- having or covering an angle of view wider than the ordinary used esp. of lenses of shorter than normal focal length
- having, involving the use of, or relating to a wide-angle lens
wide area network -n
- a network of computers (as the Internet) in a large area (as a country or the globe) for sharing resources or exchanging data
wide·awake [,wīd-ə-'wāk] -n
- a soft felt hat with a low crown and a wide brim
- sooty tern
wideawake -adj
- fully awake
- alertly watchful esp. for advantages or opportunities
wide·band ['wīd-,band] -adj
- broadband
widebody ['wīd-,bä-dē] -n
- a large jet aircraft characterized by a wide cabin
wideeyed ['wīd-'īd] -adj
- having or marked by unsophisticated or uncritical acceptance or admiration : naive
- having the eyes wide open esp. with wonder or astonishment
wide·ly -adv
- over or through a wide area
- to a great extent
- departed widely from the previous edition
- by or among a large well-dispersed group of people
- a widely known political figure
- over a broad range
- persons with widely fluctuating incomes -- Current Biog.
wide·mouthed ['wīd-'mau̇thd, -'mau̇tht] -adj
- having one's mouth opened wide (as in awe)
- having a wide mouth
wid·en ['wī-dᵊn] -vb, n
- to increase the width, scope, or extent of
- to become wide or wider
wideopen ['wīd-'ō-pən, -,ō-] -adj
- having virtually no limits or restrictions
wide·out ['wīd-,au̇t] -n
- wide receiver
widerang·ing ['wīd-,rān-jiŋ] -adj
- extensive in scope : comprehensive
wide receiver -n
- a football receiver who normally lines up several yards to the side of the offensive formation
widescreen -adj
- of or relating to a projected picture whose aspect ratio is substantially greater than 1.33:1
wide·spread ['wīd-'spred] -adj
- widely diffused or prevalent
- widespread public interest
- widely extended or spread out
- low, widespread hood and fenders -- Time
- a widespread erosion surface -- C. B. Hitchcock
widespread·ing [-,spre-diŋ] -adj
- stretching or extending over a wide space or area
- widespreading thatch roofs -- Nat'l Geographic
widgeon ['wi-jən] -n
(variant of wigeon)
- : any of several freshwater ducks (genus Anas): as
- an Old World duck ( Anas penelope) having a large white patch on each wing with the male having a reddish-brown head and buff crown
- american wigeon
wid·get ['wi-jət] -n
- gadget
- an unnamed article considered for purposes of hypothetical example
wid·ish ['wī-dish] -adj
- somewhat wide
wid·ow ['wi-(,)dō] -n
- a woman who has lost her husband by death and usu. has not remarried
- grass widow
- a woman whose husband leaves her alone frequently or for long periods to engage in a usu. specified activity
- an extra hand or part of a hand of cards dealt face down and usu. placed at the disposal of the highest bidder
- a single usu. short last line (as of a paragraph) separated from its related text and appearing at the top of a printed page or column
widow -vt
- to cause to become a widow or widower
- to survive as the widow of
- to deprive of something greatly valued or needed
wid·ow·bird ['wi-dō-,bərd] -n
- any of several whydahs (genus Euplectes)
wid·ow·er ['wi-də-wər] -n
- a man who has lost his wife by death and usu. has not remarried
wid·ow·er·hood [-,hu̇d] -n
- the fact or state of being a widower
- the period during which a man remains a widower
wid·ow·hood ['wi-dō-,hu̇d, -də-] -n
- the fact or state of being a widow
- the period during which a woman remains a widow
- widowerhood
widow's cruse -n
- an inexhaustible supply
widow's peak -n
- a point formed by the hairline in front
widow's walk -n
- a railed observation platform atop a usu. coastal house
width ['width, 'witth] -n
- the horizontal measurement taken at right angles to the length : breadth
- largeness of extent or scope
- a measured and cut piece of material
wield ['wēld] -vt, n
- to deal successfully with : manage
- to handle (as a tool) esp. effectively
- to exert one's authority by means of
- have at one's command or disposal
- did not wield appropriate credentials -- G. W. Bonham
wieldy ['wēl-dē] -adj
- capable of being wielded easily
wie·ner ['wē-nər, 'wē-nē also 'wi-nē] -n
- frankfurter
Wie·ner schnit·zel ['vē-nər-,shnit-səl, 'wē-nər-,snit-] -n
- a thin breaded veal cutlet
wie·ner·wurst ['wē-nə(r)-,wərst also -,wu̇rst sometimes -,wu̇sht or -,wu̇st; also with v for w] -n
- vienna sausage
- frankfurter
wie·nie ['wē-nē also 'wi-nē] -n
- frankfurter
wife ['wīf] -n, adj
- woman
- a woman acting in a specified capacity used in combination
- a female partner in a marriage
wife·beat·er ['wīf-,bē-tər] -n
- a man's white tank top
wif·ey ['wī-fē] -n
- wife
wife·like ['wīf-,līk] -adv
- in a wifely manner
wifelike -adj
- wifely
wife·ly ['wī-flē] -adj, n
- of, relating to, or befitting a wife
Wif·fle ['wi-fᵊl] -trademark
- used for a hollow plastic ball with cutouts in one hemisphere
WiFi ['wī-'fī] -certification mark
- used to certify the interoperability of wireless computer networking devices
wif·ty ['wif-tē] -adj
- ditzy
wig ['wig] -n
- a manufactured covering of natural or synthetic hair for the head
- toupee
- an act of wigging : rebuke
- to scold severely
- to lose one's composure or reason : freak usu. used with out
wig·an ['wi-gən] -n
- a stiff plain-weave cotton fabric used for interlining
wi·geon ['wi-jən] -n
- : any of several freshwater ducks (genus Anas): as
- an Old World duck ( Anas penelope) having a large white patch on each wing with the male having a reddish-brown head and buff crown
- american wigeon
wigged -adj
- wearing a wig esp. of a specified kind
wiggedout ['wigd-'au̇t] -adj
- mentally or emotionally discomposed : upset, crazy
wig·gle ['wi-gəl] -vb
- to move to and fro with quick jerky or shaking motions : jiggle
- to proceed with or as if with twisting and turning movements : wriggle
- to cause to wiggle
wiggle ['wi-g(ə-)lē] -n, adj
- the act of wiggling
- shellfish or fish in cream sauce with peas
wig·gler ['wi-g(ə-)lər] -n
- a larva or pupa of the mosquito called also wriggler
- one that wiggles
wiggle room -n
- leeway, latitude
- a contract with wiggle room for further negotiations
wight ['wīt] -n
- a living being : creature
- a human being
- valiant, stalwart
wig·let ['wi-glət] -n
- a small wig used esp. to enhance a hairstyle
wig·wag ['wig-,wag] -vb
- to signal by wigwagging
- to cause to wigwag
- to send a signal by or as if by a flag or light waved according to a code
- to make a signal (as by waving the hand or arm)
wigwag -n
- the art or practice of wigwagging
wig·wam ['wig-,wäm] -n
- a hut of the American Indians of the Great Lakes region and eastward having typically an arched framework of poles overlaid with bark, mats, or hides
- a rough hut
wi·ki ['wi-kē, 'wē-] -n
- a Web site that allows visitors to make changes, contributions, or corrections
wil·co ['wil-(,)kō] -interj
- used esp. in radio and signaling to indicate that a message received will be complied with
wild ['wī(-ə)ld] -adj, n
- living in a state of nature and not ordinarily tame or domesticated
- growing or produced without human aid or care
- related to or resembling a corresponding cultivated or domesticated organism
- of or relating to wild organisms
- not inhabited or cultivated
- not amenable to human habitation or cultivation
- desolate
- not subject to restraint or regulation : uncontrolled
- unruly
- emotionally overcome
- passionately eager or enthusiastic
- was wild to own a toy train -- J. C. Furnas
- marked by turbulent agitation : stormy
- going beyond normal or conventional bounds : fantastic
- sensational
- indicative of strong passion, desire, or emotion
- a wild gleam of delight in his eyes -- Irish Digest
- uncivilized, barbaric
- characteristic of, appropriate to, or expressive of wilderness, wildlife, or a simple or uncivilized society
- deviating from the intended or expected course
- wild spelling -- C. W. Cunnington
- tending to throw inaccurately
- having no basis in known or surmised fact
- able to represent any card designated by the holder
- a sparsely inhabited or uncultivated region or tract : wilderness
- a wild, free, or natural state or existence
- : in a wild manner: as
- without regulation or control
- off an intended or expected course
wild bergamot -n
- a perennial aromatic No. American monarda ( Monarda fistulosa) having a terminal cluster of pink or purple flowers
wild boar -n
- an Old World wild hog ( Sus scrofa) from which most domestic swine have been derived
wild card -n
- an unknown or unpredictable factor
- one picked to fill a leftover playoff or tournament berth after regularly qualifying competitors have all been determined
- a symbol (as ? or ) used in a keyword database search to represent the presence of zero, one, or more than one unspecified characters
wild carrot -n
- queen anne's lace
wild·cat ['wī(-ə)l(d)-,kat] -n
- an Old World cat ( Felis silvestris) that resembles but is heavier in build than the domestic tabby cat and is usu. held to be among the ancestors of the domestic cat
- any of various small or medium-sized cats (as the lynx or ocelot)
- a feral domestic cat
- a savage quick-tempered person
- wildcat money
- a wildcat oil or gas well
- a wildcat strike
wildcat -adj
- issued by a financially irresponsible banking establishment
- financially irresponsible or unreliable
- operating, produced, or carried on outside the bounds of standard or legitimate business practices
- wildcat insurance schemes -- H. H. Reichard
- of, relating to, or being an oil or gas well drilled in territory not known to be productive
- initiated by a group of workers without formal union approval or in violation of a contract
- having a bullet of standard caliber but using an expanded case or a case designed for a bullet of greater caliber necked down for the smaller bullet
- using wildcat cartridges
- to prospect and drill an experimental oil or gas well or sink a mine shaft in territory not known to be productive
wild·cat·ter [-,ka-tər] -n
- one that drills wells in the hope of finding oil in territory not known to be an oil field
- one that promotes unsafe and unreliable enterprises
- one that sells stocks in such enterprises
- one that designs, builds, or fires wildcat cartridges and firearms
- a worker who goes out on a wildcat strike
wild celery -n
- tape grass
wild dog -n
- any of various undomesticated canids (as an African wild dog or a dingo) that resemble the domestic dog
wil·de·beest ['wil-də-,bēst] -n
- either of two large African antelopes ( Connochaetes gnouand C. taurinus) with a head like that of an ox, short mane, long tail, and horns in both sexes that curve downward and outward called also gnu
wil·der ['wil-dər] -vb, n
- to lead astray
- bewilder, perplex
- to move at random : wander
wil·der·ness ['wil-dər-nəs] -n
- a tract or region uncultivated and uninhabited by human beings
- an area essentially undisturbed by human activity together with its naturally developed life community
- an empty or pathless area or region
- in remote wilderness es of space groups of nebulae are found -- G. W. Gray 1960
- a part of a garden devoted to wild growth
- wild or uncultivated state
- a confusing multitude or mass : an indefinitely great number or quantity
- I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys -- Shak.
- a bewildering situation
- those moral wilderness es of civilized life -- Norman Mailer
wilderness area -n
- an often large tract of public land maintained essentially in its natural state and protected against introduction of intrusive artifacts (as roads and buildings)
wildeyed ['wī(-ə)ld-'īd] -adj
- having a wild expression in the eyes
- consisting of or favoring extreme or visionary ideas
wild·fire [-,fī(-ə)r] -n
- a sweeping and destructive conflagration esp. in a wilderness or a rural area
- greek fire
- a phosphorescent glow (as ignis fatuus or fox fire)
- a destructive leaf-spot disease of tobacco caused by several strains of a bacterium ( Pseudomonas syringae)
wild·flow·er [-,flau̇(-ə)r] -n
- the flower of a wild or uncultivated plant or the plant bearing it
wild·fowl [-,fau̇(-ə)l] -n
- a game bird
- a game waterfowl (as a wild duck or goose)
wild geranium -n
- a common geranium ( Geranium maculatum) of eastern No. America with deeply parted leaves and flowers of rosy purple
- any of several related geraniums
wild ginger -n
- any of a genus ( Asarum) of perennial low-growing herbs of the birthwort family with an aromatic rhizome and usu. cordate leaves
wildgoose chase -n
- a complicated or lengthy and usu. fruitless pursuit or search
wild hyacinth -n
- : any of several plants with flowers suggestive of hyacinths: as
- a camas ( Camassia scilloides) of eastern No. America with white or bluish racemose flowers
- bluebell
- any of several western No. American herbs (genus Brodiaea) of the lily family with grasslike basal leaves and variously colored flowers
wild indigo -n
- baptisia
- one ( Baptisia tinctoria) of eastern No. America with bright yellow flowers and small trifoliolate leaves
wild·ing ['wīl-diŋ] -n
- a plant growing uncultivated in the wild either as a native or an escape
- a wild apple or crab apple
- the fruit of a wilding
- a wild animal
wilding -adj
- not domesticated or cultivated : wild
wild·land ['wī(-ə)l(d)-,land] -n
- land that is uncultivated or unfit for cultivation
wild·life [-,līf] -n
- living things and esp. mammals, birds, and fishes that are neither human nor domesticated
wild·ling [-liŋ] -n
- wilding
wild·ly ['wī(-ə)l(d)-lē] -adv
- in a wild manner
- extremely
wild marjoram -n
- oregano
wild mustard -n
- charlock
wild oat -n
- any of several Old World wild grasses (genus Avena)
- a Eurasian annual weed ( A. fatua) common in meadows and pastures
- offenses and indiscretions ascribed to youthful exuberance usu. used in the phrase sow one's wild oats
wild pansy -n
- johnny-jump-up
wild pink -n
- catchfly ( Silene caroliniana) with pink or whitish flowers
wild pitch -n
- a baseball pitch not hit by the batter that cannot be caught or controlled by the catcher with ordinary effort and that enables a base runner to advance
wild rice -n
- a tall aquatic No. American perennial grass ( Zizania aquatica) that yields an edible grain
- the grain
wild rye -n
- any of several tall grasses (genus Elymus)
wild sarsaparilla -n
- a common No. American perennial herb ( Aralia nudicaulis) of the ginseng family with long-stalked basal compound leaves, umbels of greenish flowers, and an aromatic root used as a substitute of true sarsaparilla
wild type -n, adj
- a phenotype, genotype, or gene that predominates in a natural population of organisms or strain of organisms in contrast to that of natural or laboratory mutant forms
- an organism or strain displaying the wild type
Wild West -n, adj
- the western U.S. in its frontier period characterized by roughness and lawlessness
wild·wood ['wī(-ə)l(d)-,wu̇d] -n
- a wood unaltered or unfrequented by humans
wile ['wī(-ə)l] -n
- a trick or stratagem intended to ensnare or deceive
- a beguiling or playful trick
- skill in outwitting : trickery, guile
- to lure by or as if by a magic spell : entice
- while
will [wəl, (ə)l, ᵊl, 'wil] -vb
- desire, wish
- used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent, or in negative constructions refusal
- no one would take the job
- if we will all do our best
- will you please stop that racket
- used to express frequent, customary, or habitual action or natural tendency or disposition
- will get angry over nothing
- will work one day and loaf the next
- used to express futurity
- tomorrow morning I will wake up in this first-class hotel suite -- Tennessee Williams
- used to express capability or sufficiency
- the back seat will hold three passengers
- used to express probability and often equivalent to the simple verb
- that will be the babysitter
- used to express determination, insistence, persistence, or willfulness
- I have made up my mind to go and go I will
- used to express inevitability
- used to express a command, exhortation, or injunction
- you will do as I say, at once
- to have a wish or desire
- : desire, wish: as
- disposition, inclination
- where there's a will there's a way
- appetite, passion
- choice, determination
- something desired
- a choice or determination of one having authority or power
- request, command
- the part of a summons expressing a royal command
- the act, process, or experience of willing : volition
- mental powers manifested as wishing, choosing, desiring, or intending
- a disposition to act according to principles or ends
- the collective desire of a group
- the power of control over one's own actions or emotions
- a legal declaration of a person's wishes regarding the disposal of his or her property or estate after death
- a written instrument legally executed by which a person makes disposition of his or her estate to take effect after death
- to order or direct by a will
- will ed that her property be divided among her children
- to dispose of by or as if by a will : bequeath
- will ed his entire estate to this wife
- to determine by an act of choice
- decree, ordain
- intend, purpose
- to cause or change by an act of will
- believed he could will himself to succeed
- to try to do so
- to exercise the will
- choose
willed ['wild] -adj
- having a will esp. of a specified kind usu. used in combination
- deliberate
wil·lem·ite ['wi-lə-,mīt] -n
- a mineral of varying color consisting of a silicate of zinc and occurring esp. in massive or granular forms
wil·let ['wi-lət] -n
- a large American shorebird ( Catoptrophorus semipalmatus) of the sandpiper family that resembles the greater yellowlegs but has a thicker bill and gray legs and that displays a black-and-white wing pattern when in flight
will·ful ['wil-fəl] -adj, adv, n
- obstinately and often perversely self-willed
- a stubborn and willful child
- done deliberately : intentional
Wil·liams syndrome ['wil-yəmz-] -n
- a rare genetic disorder marked esp. by hypercalcemia of infants, heart defects, characteristic facial abnormalities, and mild to moderate mental retardation but a high verbal aptitude
Wil·liam Tell [,wil-yəm-'tel] -n
- a heroic archer in Swiss legend who complies with an order to shoot an apple off his son's head
wil·lies ['wi-lēz] -n pl
- a fit of nervousness : jitters used with the
will·ing ['wi-liŋ] -adj, adv, n
- inclined or favorably disposed in mind : ready
- willing and eager to help
- prompt to act or respond
- done, borne, or accepted by choice or without reluctance
- of or relating to the will or power of choosing : volitional
wil·li·waw ['wi-li-,wȯ] -n
- a sudden violent gust of cold land air common along mountainous coasts of high latitudes
- a sudden violent wind
- a violent commotion
willless ['wil-ləs] -adj
- involving no exercise of the will : involuntary
- not exercising the will
- life-benumbed, willless characters -- Norma Rosen
willo'thewisp [,wil-ə-thə-'wisp] -n, adj
- ignis fatuus
- a delusive or elusive goal
wil·low ['wi-(,)lō] -n, adj
- any of a genus ( Salixof the family Salicaceae, the willow family) of trees and shrubs bearing catkins of apetalous flowers and including forms of value for wood, osiers, or tanbark and a few ornamentals
- an object made of willow wood
- a cricket bat
willow herb -n
- any of a genus ( Epilobium) of herbs of the evening-primrose family
- fireweed
wil·low·ware ['wi-lə-,wer, 'wi-lō-] -n
- dinnerware that is usu. blue and white and that is decorated with a story-telling design featuring a large willow tree by a little bridge
wil·lowy ['wi-lə-wē] -adj
- abounding with willows
- : resembling a willow:
- pliant
- gracefully tall and slender
will·pow·er ['wil-,pau̇(-ə)r] -n
- energetic determination
will to power
- the drive of the superman in the philosophy of Nietzsche to perfect and transcend the self through the possession and exercise of creative power
- a conscious or unconscious desire to exercise authority over others
wil·ly ['wi-lē] -n
- penis
wil·lynil·ly [,wi-lē-'ni-lē] -adv or adj
- by compulsion : without choice
- in a haphazard or spontaneous manner
Wilms' tumor ['vilm-zəz-, 'vilmz-] -n
- a malignant tumor of the kidney that primarily affects children and is made up of embryonic elements
Wil·son's disease ['wil-sənz-] -n
- a hereditary disease that is characterized by excessive accumulation of copper in the body (as in the liver or brain) due to abnormal copper metabolism, is determined by an autosomal recessive gene, and is marked esp. by liver dysfunction and neurologic disease
wilt [wəl, (ə)l, ᵊl, 'wil] -vb
(variant of will)
- desire, wish
- used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent, or in negative constructions refusal
- no one would take the job
- if we will all do our best
- will you please stop that racket
- used to express frequent, customary, or habitual action or natural tendency or disposition
- will get angry over nothing
- will work one day and loaf the next
- used to express futurity
- tomorrow morning I will wake up in this first-class hotel suite -- Tennessee Williams
- used to express capability or sufficiency
- the back seat will hold three passengers
- used to express probability and often equivalent to the simple verb
- that will be the babysitter
- used to express determination, insistence, persistence, or willfulness
- I have made up my mind to go and go I will
- used to express inevitability
- used to express a command, exhortation, or injunction
- you will do as I say, at once
- to have a wish or desire
- : desire, wish: as
- disposition, inclination
- where there's a will there's a way
- appetite, passion
- choice, determination
- something desired
- a choice or determination of one having authority or power
- request, command
- the part of a summons expressing a royal command
- the act, process, or experience of willing : volition
- mental powers manifested as wishing, choosing, desiring, or intending
- a disposition to act according to principles or ends
- the collective desire of a group
- the power of control over one's own actions or emotions
- a legal declaration of a person's wishes regarding the disposal of his or her property or estate after death
- a written instrument legally executed by which a person makes disposition of his or her estate to take effect after death
- to order or direct by a will
- will ed that her property be divided among her children
- to dispose of by or as if by a will : bequeath
- will ed his entire estate to this wife
- to determine by an act of choice
- decree, ordain
- intend, purpose
- to cause or change by an act of will
- believed he could will himself to succeed
- to try to do so
- to exercise the will
- choose
Wil·ton ['wil-tᵊn] -n
- a carpet woven with loops like the Brussels carpet but having a velvet cut pile and being generally of better materials
wily ['wī-lē] -adj, adv, n
- full of wiles : crafty
wim·ble ['wim-bəl] -n
- any of various instruments for boring holes
wimble [-b(ə-)liŋ] -vt
- to bore with or as if with a wimble
wimp ['wimp] -n, adj
- a weak, cowardly, or ineffectual person
wim·ple ['wim-pəl] -n
- a cloth covering worn over the head and around the neck and chin esp. by women in the late medieval period and by some nuns
- a crafty turn : twist
- curve, bend
wimple [-p(ə-)liŋ] -vb
- to cover with or as if with a wimple : veil
- to cause to ripple
- to fall or lie in folds
- to follow a winding course : meander
- ripple
wimp out -vi
- to behave like a wimp : chicken out
- to choose the easiest course of action
win ['win] -vb, adj
- to get possession of by effort or fortune
- to obtain by work : earn
- striving to win a living from the sterile soil
- to gain in or as if in battle or contest
- to be the victor in
- to make friendly or favorable to oneself or to one's cause often used with over
- won him over with persuasive arguments
- to induce to accept oneself in marriage
- was unable to win the woman he loved
- to obtain (as ore, coal, or clay) by mining
- to prepare (as a vein or bed) for regular mining
- to recover (as metal) from ore
- to reach by expenditure of effort
- to gain the victory in a contest : succeed
- to succeed in arriving at a place or a state
- victory
- first place at the finish (as of a horse race)
wince ['win(t)s] -vi, n
- to shrink back involuntarily (as from pain) : flinch
winch ['winch] -n
- any of various machines or instruments for hauling or pulling
- a powerful machine with one or more drums on which to coil a rope, cable, or chain for hauling or hoisting : windlass
- a crank with a handle for giving motion to a machine (as a grindstone)
- to hoist or haul with or as if with a winch
Win·ches·ter ['win-,ches-tər] -adj
- relating to or being computer disk technology that permits high-density storage by sealing the rigid metal disks within the disk drive mechanism as protection against dust
wind ['wind, archaic or poetic 'wīnd] -n, adj, adv
- a natural movement of air of any velocity
- the earth's air or the gas surrounding a planet in natural motion horizontally
- an artificially produced movement of air
- solar wind, stellar wind
- a destructive force or influence
- a force or agency that carries along or influences : tendency, trend
- withstood the wind s of popular opinion -- Felix Frankfurter
- breath
- breath
- the pit of the stomach : solar plexus
- gas generated in the stomach or the intestines
- compressed air or gas
- air
- : something that is insubstantial: as
- mere talk : idle words
- nothing, nothingness
- vain self-satisfaction
- air carrying a scent (as of a hunter or game)
- slight information esp. about something secret : intimation
- musical wind instruments esp. as distinguished from strings and percussion
- players of wind instruments
- a direction from which the wind may blow : a point of the compass
- one of the cardinal points
- the direction from which the wind is blowing
- to detect or follow by scent
- to expose to the air or wind : dry by exposing to air
- to make short of breath
- to regulate the wind supply of (an organ pipe)
- to rest (as a horse) in order to allow the breath to be recovered
- to scent game
- to pause for breath
- to cause (as a horn) to sound by blowing : blow
- to sound (as a call or note) on a horn
- wound a rousing call -- R. L. Stevenson
- to produce a sound on a horn
- weave
- entangle, involve
- to introduce sinuously or stealthily : insinuate
- to encircle or cover with something pliable : bind with loops or layers
- to turn completely or repeatedly about an object : coil, twine
- to hoist or haul by means of a rope or chain and a windlass
- to move (a ship) by hauling on a capstan
- to tighten the spring of
- to make tighter : tighten, tune
- crank
- to raise to a high level (as of excitement or tension) usu. used with up
- to cause to move in a curving line or path
- to turn the course of
- to lead (a person) as one wishes
- to cause (as a ship) to change direction : turn
- to turn (a ship) end for end
- to traverse on a curving course
- the river wind s the valley
- to effect by or as if by curving
- bend, warp
- to have a curving course or shape : extend in curves
- to proceed as if by winding
- to move so as to encircle something
- to turn when lying at anchor
- a mechanism (as a winch) for winding
- an act of winding : the state of being wound
- coil, turn
- a particular method of winding
wind·age ['win-dij] -n
- the space between the projectile of a smoothbore gun and the surface of the bore
- the difference between the diameter of the bore of a muzzle-loading rifled cannon and that of the projectile cylinder
- the amount of sight deflection necessary to compensate for wind displacement in aiming a gun
- the influence of the wind in deflecting the course of a projectile
- the amount of deflection due to the wind
- the surface exposed (as by a ship) to the wind
wind·bag ['win(d)-,bag] -n
- an exhaustively talkative person
windbell [-,bel] -n
- wind chime usu. used in pl.
- a bell that is light enough to be moved and sounded by the wind
wind·blast [-,blast] -n
- a gust of wind
- the destructive effect of air friction on a pilot ejected from a high-speed airplane
wind·blown [-,blōn] -adj
- blown by the wind
- having a permanent set or character of growth determined by the prevailing winds
windborne [-,bȯrn] -adj
- carried by the wind
wind·break [-,brāk] -n
- a growth of trees or shrubs serving to break the force of wind
- a shelter (as a fence) from the wind
Wind·break·er [-,brā-kər] -trademark
- used for a jacket made of wind-resistant material
windbro·ken [-,brō-kən] -adj
- affected with pulmonary emphysema or heaves
wind·burn [-,bərn] -n, adj
- irritation of the skin caused by wind
wind·chill ['win(d)-,chil] -n
- a still-air temperature that would have the same cooling effect on exposed human skin as a given combination of temperature and wind speed called also chill factor windchill factor windchill index
wind chime -n
- a cluster of small often sculptured pieces (as of metal or glass) suspended so as to chime when blown by the wind usu. used in pl.
wind down -vi
- to draw gradually toward an end
- the party was winding down
- relax, unwind
- wind down with a good book
- to cause a gradual lessening of usu. with the intention of bringing to an end
wind·er ['wīn-dər] -n
- : one that winds: as
- a worker or machine that winds thread and yarn
- a key for winding a mechanism (as a clock)
- a step that is wider at one end than at the other (as in a spiral staircase)
wind·fall ['win(d)-,fȯl] -n
- something (as a tree or fruit) blown down by the wind
- an unexpected, unearned, or sudden gain or advantage
wind farm -n
- an area of land with a cluster of wind turbines for driving electrical generators
wind·flow·er [-,flau̇(-ə)r] -n
- anemone
wind·gall [-,gȯl] -n
- a soft tumor or synovial swelling on a horse's leg in the region of the fetlock joint
wind gap -n
- a notch in the crest of a mountain ridge : a pass not occupied by a stream
wind harp -n
- aeolian harp
wind·hov·er ['wind-,hə-vər, -,hä-] -n
- kestrel
wind·ing ['wīn-diŋ] -n
- material (as wire) wound or coiled about an object (as an armature)
- a single turn of the wound material
- the act of one that winds
- the manner of winding something
- a curved or sinuous course, line, or progress
winding -adj
- : marked by winding: as
- having a curved or spiral course or form
- having a course that winds
wind·ingsheet ['wīn-diŋ-,shēt] -n
- a sheet in which a corpse is wrapped
wind·ingup [,wīn-diŋ-'əp] -n
- the process of liquidating the assets of a partnership or corporation in order to pay creditors and make distributions to partners or shareholders upon dissolution
wind instrument -n
- a musical instrument (as a trumpet, clarinet, or organ) sounded by wind
- one sounded by the player's breath
wind·jam·mer ['win(d)-,ja-mər] -n
- a sailing ship
- one of its crew
wind·lass ['win(d)-ləs] -n
- : any of various machines for hoisting or hauling: as
- a horizontal barrel supported on vertical posts and turned by a crank so that the hoisting rope is wound around the barrel
- a steam or electric winch with horizontal or vertical shaft and two drums used to raise a ship's anchor
windlass -vt
- to hoist or haul with a windlass
win·dle·straw ['win-dᵊl-,strȯ, 'wi-nᵊl-] -n
- a dry thin stalk of grass
wind·mill ['win(d)-,mil] -n
- a mill or machine operated by the wind usu. acting on oblique vanes or sails that radiate from a horizontal shaft
- a wind-driven water pump or electric generator
- the wind-driven wheel of a windmill
- something that resembles or suggests a windmill
- a calisthenic exercise that involves alternately lowering each outstretched hand to touch the toes of the opposite foot
- an imaginary wrong, evil, or opponent usu. used in the phrase to tilt at windmills
windmill -vt
- to cause to move like a windmill
- to move like a windmill
- to spin from the force of wind
win·dow ['win-(,)dō] -n, adj
- an opening esp. in the wall of a building for admission of light and air that is usu. closed by casements or sashes containing transparent material (as glass) and capable of being opened and shut
- windowpane
- a space behind a window of a retail store containing displayed merchandise
- an opening in a partition or wall through which business is conducted
- a means of entrance or access
- a means of obtaining information
- an opening (as a shutter, slot, or valve) that resembles or suggests a window
- the transparent panel or opening of a window envelope
- the framework (as a shutter or sash with its fittings) that closes a window opening
- chaff
- a range of wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum to which a planet's atmosphere is transparent
- an interval of time within which a rocket or spacecraft must be launched to accomplish a particular mission
- an interval of time during which certain conditions or an opportunity exists
- a window of vulnerability
- an area at the limits of the earth's sensible atmosphere through which a spacecraft must pass for successful reentry
- any of various rectangular boxes appearing on a computer screen that display files or program output, that can usu. be moved and resized, and that facilitate multitasking
window box -n
- a box designed to hold soil for growing plants at a windowsill
window dressing ['win-dō-,dres] -n, vt
- the display of merchandise in a retail store window
- the act or an instance of making something appear deceptively attractive or favorable
- something used to create a deceptively favorable or attractive impression
win·dowed ['win-(,)dōd, -dəd] -adj
- having windows esp. of a specified kind often used in combination
window envelope -n
- an envelope having an opening through which the address on the enclosure is visible
win·dow·pane ['win-dō-,pān, -də-] -n
- a pane in a window
- tattersall
window seat -n
- a seat built into a window recess
- a seat next to a window (as in a bus or airplane)
window shade -n
- a shade or curtain for a window
win·dowshop ['win-dō-,shäp, -də-] -vi, n
- to look at the displays in retail store windows without going inside the stores to make purchases
win·dow·sill [-,sil] -n
- the horizontal member at the bottom of a window opening
wind·pipe ['win(d)-,pīp] -n
- trachea
windpol·li·nat·ed [-'pä-lə-,nā-təd] -adj
- pollinated by wind-borne pollen
wind·proof [-'prüf] -adj
- impervious to wind
wind rose ['wind-,rōz] -n
- a diagram showing for a given place the relative frequency or frequency and strength of winds from different directions
wind·row ['win(d)-,rō] -n
- a row of hay raked up to dry before being baled or stored
- a similar row of cut vegetation (as grain) for drying
- a row heaped up by or as if by the wind
- a long low ridge of road-making material scraped to the side of a road
- bank, ridge, heap
windrow -vt
- to form (as hay) into a windrow
wind·screen ['win(d)-,skrēn] -n
- a screen that protects against the wind
- windshield
wind shake -n
- a shake in timber attributed to high winds
wind shear -n
- a radical shift in wind speed and direction that occurs over a very short distance
wind·shield ['win(d)-,shēld] -n
- a transparent screen (as of glass) in front of the occupants of a vehicle
wind sock -n
- a truncated cloth cone open at both ends and mounted in an elevated position to indicate the direction of the wind
Wind·sor chair ['win-zər-] -n
- a wooden chair with spindle back, raking legs, and usu. a saddle seat called also Windsor
Windsor knot -n
- a symmetrical necktie knot that is wider than the usual four-in-hand knot
Windsor tie -n
- a broad necktie usu. tied in a loose bow
wind sprint -n
- a sprint performed as a training exercise to develop breathing capacity esp. during exertion
wind·storm ['win(d)-,stȯrm] -n
- a storm marked by high wind with little or no precipitation
Wind·surf·er [-,sər-fər] -trademark
- used for a sailboard
wind·surf·ing [-,sər-fiŋ] -n, vi
- the sport or activity of riding a sailboard
wind·swept ['win(d)-,swept] -adj
- swept by or as if by wind
wind tee -n
- a large weather vane shaped like a horizontal letter T on or near a landing field
wind·throw ['win(d)-,thrō] -n
- the uprooting and overthrowing of trees by the wind
wind tunnel -n
- a tunnellike passage through which air is blown at a known velocity to investigate air flow around an object (as an airplane part or model) placed in the passage
wind turbine -n
- a wind-driven turbine for generating electricity
wind·up ['wīnd-,əp] -n
- the act of bringing to an end
- a concluding act or part : finish
- a series of regular and distinctive motions (as swinging the arms) made by a pitcher preparatory to releasing a pitch
- an exaggerated backswing (as in tennis)
windup -adj
- operated by a spring mechanism wound by hand
wind up -vt
- to bring to a conclusion : end
- to put in order for the purpose of bringing to an end
- to effectuate the winding up of
- to come to a conclusion
- to arrive in a place, situation, or condition at the end or as a result of a course of action
- to make a pitching windup
wind·ward ['win(d)-wərd] -n
- the side or direction from which the wind is blowing
windward -adj
- being in or facing the direction from which the wind is blowing
wind·way ['win(d)-,wā] -n
- a passage for air (as in an organ pipe)
windy ['win-dē] -adj, adv, n
- windswept
- marked by strong wind or by more wind than usual
- violent, stormy
- flatulent
- verbose, bombastic
- lacking substance : empty
- winding
wine ['wīn] -n
- the alcoholic fermented juice of fresh grapes used as a beverage
- wine or a substitute used in Christian communion services
- the alcoholic usu. fermented juice of a plant product (as a fruit) used as a beverage
- something that invigorates or intoxicates
- a dark red
- to drink wine
- to give wine to
- wined and dined his friends
wine cellar -n
- a room for storing wines
- a stock of wines
wine cooler -n
- a vessel or container in which wine is cooled
- a usu. carbonated beverage that contains a mixture of wine and fruit juice
wine·glass ['wīn-,glas] -n
- a stemware drinking glass for wine
wine·grow·er [-,grō-ər] -n
- a person who cultivates a vineyard and makes wine
wine·mak·er ['wīn-,mā-kər] -n
- a person who makes wine
- one who supervises the wine-making process at a winery
wine·press ['wīn-,pres] -n
- a vat in which juice is expressed from grapes by treading or by means of a plunger
win·ery ['wī-nə-rē, 'wīn-rē] -n
- a wine-making establishment
wine·sap ['wīn-,sap] -n
- an apple with deep red skin and juicy somewhat tart flesh
wine·shop ['wīn-,shäp] -n
- a tavern that specializes in serving wine
wine·skin [-,skin] -n
- a bag that is made from the skin of an animal (as a goat) and that is used for holding wine
wine taster -n
- a person who tastes and evaluates wine esp. professionally
- a small shallow vessel used to sample wine
win·ey ['wī-ne] -adj
- having the taste or qualities of wine
- crisply fresh : exhilarating
wing ['wiŋ] -n, adj
- one of the movable feathered or membranous paired appendages by means of which a bird, bat, or insect is able to fly
- such an appendage even though rudimentary if possessed by an animal belonging to a group characterized by the power of flight
- any of various anatomical structures (as of a flying fish or flying lemur) providing means of limited flight
- : an appendage or part resembling a wing in appearance, position, or function: as
- a device worn under the arms to aid a person in swimming or staying afloat
- ala
- a turned-back or extended edge on an article of clothing
- a sidepiece at the top of an armchair
- a foliaceous, membranous, or woody expansion of a plant esp. along a stem or on a samara or capsule
- either of the two lateral petals of a papilionaceous flower
- a vane of a windmill or arrow
- sail
- an airfoil that develops a major part of the lift which supports a heavier-than-air aircraft
- fender
- a means of flight or rapid progress
- the act or manner of flying : flight
- a side or outlying region or district
- a part or feature of a building usu. projecting from and subordinate to the main or central part
- one of the pieces of scenery at the side of a stage
- the area at the side of the stage out of sight
- a left or right section of an army or fleet : flank
- one of the offensive positions or players on either side of a center position in certain team sports
- flanker
- either of two opposing groups within an organization or society : faction
- a section of an organized body (as a legislative chamber) representing a group or faction holding distinct opinions or policies
- a unit of the U.S. Air Force higher than a group and lower than a division
- two or more squadrons of naval airplanes
- a dance step marked by a quick outward and inward rolling glide of one foot
- insignia consisting of an outspread pair of stylized bird's wings which are awarded on completion of prescribed training to a qualified pilot, aircrew member, or military balloon pilot
- to fit with wings
- to enable to fly or move swiftly
- to traverse with or as if with wings
- to effect or achieve by flying
- to let fly : dispatch
- would start to wing punches -- A. J. Liebling
- to wound in the wing : disable the wing of
- to wound (as with a bullet) without killing
- to do or perform without preparation or guidelines : improvise
- to go with or as if with wings : fly often used with it
wing and wing -adv
- with sails extended on both sides
wing·back ['wiŋ-,bak] -n
- an offensive back in football who lines up outside the tight end
- the position of such a player
wing bar -n
- a line of contrasting color across the middle of a bird's wing made by markings on the wing coverts
wing case -n
- elytron
wing chair -n
- an upholstered armchair with high solid back and angled sides called also wingback chair
wing commander -n
- a commissioned officer in the British air force who ranks with a lieutenant colonel in the army
wing covert -n
- one of the feathers covering the bases of the wing quills
wing·ding ['wiŋ-,diŋ] -n
- a wild, lively, or lavish party
winged ['wiŋd also except for 1a(2) 'wiŋ-əd] -adj
- having wings
- having wings of a specified kind used in combination
- using wings in flight
- soaring with or as if with wings : elevated
- swift, rapid
winged bean ['wiŋd-] -n
- an Asian twining legume ( Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) cultivated in warm regions for its edible high-protein 4-winged pods
- its pod
winged elm -n
- an elm ( Ulmus alata) of the U.S. having twigs with prominent corky projections called also wahoo
wing·er ['wiŋ-ər] -n
- a player (as in soccer or ice hockey) in a wing position
wingfoot·ed ['wiŋ-'fu̇-təd] -adj
- having winged feet
- swift
wing·less ['wiŋ-ləs] -adj, n
- having no wings or very rudimentary wings
wing·let ['wiŋ-lət] -n
- a small wing
- a nearly vertical airfoil at an airplane's wingtip that reduces drag by inhibiting turbulence
wing·like [-,līk] -adj
- resembling a wing in form or lateral position
wing·man [-mən] -n
- a pilot who flies behind and outside the leader of a flying formation
wing nut -n
- a nut with wings that provide a grip for the thumb and finger
- a mentally deranged person
- one who advocates extreme measures or changes : radical
wing·over ['wiŋ-,ō-vər] -n
- a flight maneuver in which a plane is put into a climbing turn until nearly stalled after which the nose is allowed to fall while the turn is continued until normal flight is attained in a direction opposite to that in which the maneuver was entered
wing shooting -n
- the act or practice of shooting at game birds in flight or at flying targets
wing·span ['wiŋ-,span] -n
- the distance from the tip of one of a pair of wings to that of the other
- span
wing·spread [-,spred] -n
- the spread of the wings : wingspan
- the extreme measurement between the tips or outer margins of the wings (as of a bird or insect)
wing tip -n
- the edge or outer margin of a bird's wing
- the outer end of an airplane wing
- a toe cap having a point that extends back toward the throat of the shoe and curving sides that extend toward the shank
- a shoe having a wing tip
wink ['wiŋk] -vb
- to shut one eye briefly as a signal or in teasing
- to close and open the eyelids quickly
- to avoid seeing or noting something usu. used with at
- to gleam or flash intermittently : twinkle
- her glasses wink ing in the sunlight -- Harper Lee
- to come to an end usu. used with out
- to stop shining usu. used with out
- to signal a message with a light
- to cause to open and shut
- to affect or influence by or as if by blinking the eyes
- a brief period of sleep : nap
- a hint or sign given by winking
- an act of winking
- the time of a wink : instant
- a flicker of the eyelids : blink
wink·er ['wiŋ-kər] -n
- one that winks
- a horse's blinder
win·kle ['wiŋ-kəl] -n
- periwinkle
winkle [-k(ə-)liŋ] -vi
- twinkle
- to displace, remove, or evict from a position usu. used with out
- to obtain or draw out by effort usu. used with out
- no attempt to winkle out why they do it -- Joan Bakewell
win·ner ['wi-nər] -n
- : one that wins: as
- one that is successful esp. through praiseworthy ability and hard work
- a victor esp. in games and sports
- one that wins admiration
- a shot in a court game that is not returned and that scores for the player making it
winner's circle -n
- an enclosure near a racetrack where the winning horse and jockey are brought for photographs and awards
Win·nie ['wi-nē] -n
- an award presented annually by a professional organization for notable achievement in fashion design
winning -n
- the act of one that wins : victory
- : something won: as
- a captured territory : conquest
- money won by success in a game or competition usu. used in pl.
- of or relating to winning : that wins
- successful esp. in competition
- tending to please or delight
win·ning·est -adj
- having achieved the most wins
- the winningest coach in football
win·nock ['wi-nək] -n
- window
win·now ['wi-(,)nō] -vb, n
- to remove (as chaff) by a current of air
- to get rid of (something undesirable or unwanted) : remove often used with out
- winnow out certain inaccuracies -- Stanley Walker
- separate, sift
- an old hand at winnow ing what is true and significant -- Oscar Lewis
- select
- to treat (as grain) by exposure to a current of air so that waste matter is eliminated
- to free of unwanted or inferior elements : pare
- narrow, reduce
- winnow ed the field to four contenders
- to blow on : fan
- the wind winnow ing his thin white hair -- Time
- to separate chaff from grain by fanning
- to separate desirable and undesirable elements
winnow -n
- a device for winnowing
- the action of winnowing
- a motion resembling that of winnowing
wino ['wī-(,)nō] -n
- a usu. indigent alcoholic who is addicted esp. to wine
win·some ['win(t)-səm] -adj, adv, n
- generally pleasing and engaging often because of a childlike charm and innocence
- cheerful, lighthearted
win·ter ['win-tər] -n
- the season between autumn and spring comprising in the northern hemisphere usu. the months of December, January, and February or as reckoned astronomically extending from the December solstice to the March equinox
- the colder half of the year
- year
- happened many winter s ago
- a period of inactivity or decay
winter ['win-t(ə-)riŋ] -vb
- to pass the winter
- winter s in the Caribbean
- to feed or find food during the winter used with on
- to keep, feed, or manage during the winter
- of, relating to, or suitable for winter
- sown in the autumn and harvested in the following spring or summer
winter aconite -n
- any of several low Eurasian perennial herbs (genus Eranthis,esp. E. hyemalis) of the buttercup family with solitary yellow or white flowers which often bloom through the snow
win·ter·ber·ry ['win-tər-,ber-ē] -n
- an eastern No. American shrub ( Ilex verticillata) of the holly family with axillary flowers, usu. bright red berries, and deciduous leaves that turn black in the fall called also black alder
- any of several congeneric shrubs or small trees (as Ilex laevigataof the eastern U.S.)
winter crookneck -n
- any of several crooknecks that are winter squashes ( Cucurbita moschata) noted for their keeping qualities
win·ter·er ['win-tər-ər] -n
- one that winters
- a winter resident or visitor
winter flounder -n
- a rusty-brown flounder ( Pseudopleuronectes americanusof the family Pleuronectidae) of the northwestern Atlantic important as a market fish esp. in winter
win·ter·green ['win-tər-,grēn] -n
- any of a genus ( Pyrolaof the family Pyrolaceae, the wintergreen family) of evergreen perennial herbs (as the shinleafs) that have basal leaves and racemose flowers
- any of a genus ( Gaultheria) of evergreen plants of the heath family
- a low creeping evergreen shrub ( G. procumbens) of No. America with white flowers and spicy red berries
- an essential oil from this plant
- the flavor of this oil
win·ter·ize ['win-tə-,rīz] -vt, n
- to make ready for winter or winter use and esp. resistant or proof against winter weather
win·terkill ['win-tər-,kil] -vt, n
- to kill (as a plant) by exposure to winter conditions
- to die as a result of exposure to winter conditions
win·ter·ly ['win-tər-lē] -adj
- of, relating to, or occurring in winter : wintry
winter melon -n
- any of several muskmelons (as a casaba or honeydew melon) that are fruits of a cultivated vine ( Cucumis melo indorus)
- a large white-fleshed melon that is the fruit of an Asian vine ( Benincasa hispida) and is used esp. in Chinese cooking
winter quarters -n pl but sing or pl in constr
- a winter residence or station (as of a military unit or a circus)
winter savory -n
- a perennial European mint ( Satureja montana) with leaves used for seasoning
winter squash -n
- any of various hard-shelled squashes that belong to cultivars derived from several species (esp. Cucurbita maxima, C. moschata,and C. pepo) and that can be stored for several months
win·ter·tide ['win-tər-,tīd] -n
- wintertime
win·ter·time [-,tīm] -n
- the season of winter
win through -vi
- to survive difficulties and reach a desired or satisfactory end
- win through to a better life beyond -- B. F. Reilly
win·tle ['wi-nᵊl, 'win-tᵊl] -vi
- stagger, reel
- wriggle
win·try ['win-trē] -adj, n
- of, relating to, or characteristic of winter
- weathered by or as if by winter : aged, hoary
- cheerless, chilling
winwin ['win-'win, -,win] -adj
- advantageous or satisfactory to all parties involved
winy ['wī-ne] -adj
(variant of winey)
- having the taste or qualities of wine
- crisply fresh : exhilarating
winze ['winz] -n
- a steeply inclined passageway in a mine
- curse
wipe ['wīp] -vb
- to rub with or as if with something soft for cleaning
- to clean or dry by rubbing
- to draw, pass, or move for or as if for rubbing or cleaning
- wiped his hand across his brow
- to remove by or as if by rubbing
- wipe the spots off the glass
- to expunge completely
- wipe from memory the gruesome scenes -- Amer. Guide Series: Del.
- to spread by or as if by wiping
- to make a motion of or as if of wiping something
- blow, strike
- jeer, gibe
- an act or instance of wiping
- a transition from one scene or picture to another (as in movies or television) made by a line moving across the screen
- something (as a towel) used for wiping
wiped out -adj
- intoxicated, high
- extremely tired : exhausted
wipe·out ['wīp-,au̇t] -n
- the act or an instance of wiping out : complete or utter destruction
- a fall or crash caused usu. by losing control
- a total or decisive defeat : drubbing
wipe out -vt
- to destroy completely : annihilate
- to fall or crash usu. as a result of losing control
wip·er ['wī-pər] -n
- a person who wipes
- something (as a towel or sponge) used for wiping
- a moving contact for making connections with the terminals of an electrical device (as a rheostat)
- a usu. motor-driven arm with a flexible blade for wiping a window (as the windshield of an automobile or airplane)
wire ['wī(-ə)r] -n, adj
- metal in the form of a usu. very flexible thread or slender rod
- a thread or rod of such material
- wirework
- the meshwork of parallel or woven wire on which the wet web of paper forms
- something (as a thin plant stem) that is wirelike
- a system of wires used to operate the puppets in a puppet show
- hidden influences controlling the action of a person or organization
- a line of wire for conducting electric current
- a telephone or telegraph wire or system
- wire service
- telegram, cablegram
- fencing or a fence of usu. barbed wire
- the finish line of a race
- the final decisive moment (as of a contest)
- the negotiations came down to the wire
- wirehair
- to provide with wire : use wire on for a specific purpose
- to send or send word to by telegraph
- to connect by or as if by a wire
- to predispose, determine, or establish genetically or innately
- controversy over the extent to which human violence is wired biologically
- to send a telegraphic message
wire cloth -n
- a fabric of woven metallic wire (as for strainers)
wired -adj
- reinforced by wire (as for strength)
- furnished with wires (as for electric connections)
- connected to a telecommunications network and esp. to the Internet
- characterized by a connection to the Internet
- bound with wire
- having a wirework netting or fence
- feverishly excited
wire·draw ['wī(-ə)r-,drȯ] -vt, n
- to draw or stretch forcibly : elongate
- to draw or spin out to great length, tenuity, or overrefinement : attenuate
wire·drawn [-,drȯn] -adj
- excessively minute and subtle
- curious speculations, wiredrawn comparisons, obsolete erudition -- Virginia Woolf
wire fox terrier -n
- any of a breed of fox terriers having a dense wiry chiefly white coat
wire fraud -n
- fraud committed using a means of electronic communication (as a telephone or computer)
wire gauge -n
- a gauge esp. for measuring the diameter of wire or the thickness of sheet metal
- any of various systems consisting of a series of standard sizes used in describing the diameter of wire or the thickness of sheet metal
wire gauze -n
- a gauzelike wire cloth
wire grass -n
- : any of various grasses or rushes having wiry culms or leaves: as
- a Eurasian slender-stemmed meadow grass ( Poa compressa) widely naturalized in the U.S. and Canada
- any of several coarse grasses (genus Aristida) with a 3-awned lemma that grow extensively in open dry, sandy, or sterile areas esp. of the southeastern and south-central U.S.
wire·hair ['wī(-ə)r-,her] -n
- a wirehaired dog or cat
wire·haired [-'herd] -adj
- having a stiff wiry outer coat of hair
wirehaired pointing griffon -n
- any of a breed of dogs of Dutch origin that both hunt and retrieve and have a long head and a harsh wiry often chestnut or white and chestnut colored coat
wirehaired terrier -n
- wire fox terrier
wire·less ['wī(-ə)r-ləs] -adj, adv
- having no wire or wires
- operating by means of transmitted electromagnetic waves
- of or relating to radiotelephony, radiotelegraphy, or radio
- of or relating to data communications using radio waves
wireless -n
- telecommunication (as radiotelegraphy or radiotelephony) involving signals transmitted by radio waves rather than over wires
- the technology used in radio telecommunication
- radio
wireless telegraphy -n
- telegraphy carried on by radio waves and without connecting wires called also wireless telegraph
wireless telephone -n
- radiotelephone
wire·man ['wī(-ə)r-mən] -n
- a maker of or worker with wire
- lineman
- wiretapper
wire netting -n
- a wire cloth coarser than wire gauze
wire·pho·to ['wī(-ə)r-'fō-(,)tō] -n
- a photograph transmitted by electrical signals over telephone wires
wirepull·er [-,pu̇-lər] -n
- one who uses secret or underhanded means to influence the acts of a person or organization
wire recorder -n
- a magnetic recorder using a thin wire as the recording medium
wire rope -n
- a rope formed wholly or chiefly of wires
wire service -n
- a news agency that sends out syndicated news copy to subscribers by wire or by satellite transmission
wire·tap ['wī(-ə)r-,tap] -vi
- to tap a telephone or telegraph wire in order to get information
- to tap the telephone of
wiretap -n
- the act or an instance of wiretapping
- an electrical connection for wiretapping
wire·tap·per [-,ta-pər] -n
- one that taps telephone or telegraph wires
wire·work [-,wərk] -n
- a work of wires
- meshwork, netting, or grillwork of wire
- plan the wirework for new circuitry
- walking on wires esp. by acrobats
wire·worm [-,wərm] -n
- any of the slender hard-coated larvae of various click beetles that include some destructive esp. to plant roots
wiring -n
- the act of providing or using wire
- a system of wires
- an arrangement of wires used for electric distribution
wir·ra ['wir-ə] -interj
- usu. used to express lament, grief, or concern
wiry ['wī(-ə)r-ē] -adj, adv, n
- made of wire
- resembling wire esp. in form and flexibility
- the wiry coat of the Irish terrier
- produced by or suggestive of the vibration of wire
- the violinist...often let his tone go nasal and wiry -- D. J. Henahan
- being lean, supple, and vigorous : sinewy
- the wiry figure of a long-distance runner -- Phoenix Flame
wis ['wis] -vb
- know
Wis -abbr
- Wisconsin
Wisd -abbr
- Wisdom
wis·dom ['wiz-dəm] -n
- accumulated philosophic or scientific learning : knowledge
- ability to discern inner qualities and relationships : insight
- good sense : judgment
- generally accepted belief
- challenges what has become accepted wisdom among many historians -- Robert Darnton
- a wise attitude, belief, or course of action
- the teachings of the ancient wise men
Wisdom -n
- a didactic book included in the Roman Catholic canon of the Old Testament and corresponding to the Wisdom of Solomon in the Protestant Apocrypha
Wisdom of Sol·o·mon [-'sä-lə-mən]
- a didactic book included in the Protestant Apocrypha
wisdom tooth -n
- the third molar that is the last tooth to erupt on each side of the upper and lower jaws in humans
wise ['wīz] -n
- manner, way
- characterized by wisdom : marked by deep understanding, keen discernment, and a capacity for sound judgment
- exercising or showing sound judgment : prudent
- evidencing or hinting at the possession of inside information : knowing
- possessing inside information
- the police got wise to his whereabouts
- crafty, shrewd
- aware of or informed about a particular matter usu. used in the comparative in negative constructions with the
- was none the wiser about their plans
- skilled in magic or divination
- insolent, smart-alecky, fresh
- a tough kid with a wise mouth
- to give instruction or information to : teach usu. used with up
- wise him up about procedures
- to become informed or knowledgeable : learn used with up
- direct, guide
- advise, persuade
- to divert or impel in a given direction : send
wise·acre ['wīz-,ā-kər] -n
- one who pretends to knowledge or cleverness
- smart aleck
wise·ass ['wīz-,as] -n, adj
- smart aleck
wise·crack ['wīz-,krak] -n
- a clever or sarcastic remark
wisecrack -vi, n
- to make a wisecrack
wisedup ['wīzd-'əp] -adj
- knowing
wise guy ['wīz-,gī] -n
- smart aleck
- mobster
wise man -n
- a man of unusual learning, judgment, or insight : sage
- a man versed in esoteric lore (as of magic or astrology)
- magus
wi·sen·hei·mer ['wī-zᵊn-,hī-mər] -n
- smart aleck
wi·sent ['vē-,zent] -n
- a European bison ( Bison bonasus) sometimes considered conspecific with the No. American buffalo ( B. bison) called also aurochs
wise·wom·an ['wīz-,wu̇-mən] -n
- a woman versed in charms, conjuring, or fortune-telling
wish ['wish] -vb, n
- to have a desire for (as something unattainable)
- wish ed he could live his life over
- to give expression to as a wish : bid
- to give form to (a wish)
- to express a wish for
- to request in the form of a wish : order
- to desire (a person or thing) to be as specified
- cannot wish our problems away
- to confer (something unwanted) on someone : foist
- to have a desire : want
- to make a wish
- an act or instance of wishing or desire : want
- an object of desire : goal
- an expressed will or desire : mandate
- a request or command couched as a wish
- an invocation of good or evil fortune on someone
wisha ['wi-shə] -interj
- used as an intensive or to express surprise
wish·bone ['wish-,bōn] -n
- a forked bone in front of the breastbone in a bird consisting chiefly of the two clavicles fused at their median or lower end
- a variation of the T formation in which the halfbacks line up farther from the line of scrimmage than the fullback does
wish·ful ['wish-fəl] -adj, adv, n
- expressive of a wish : hopeful
- looked at the toys with wishful eyes
- having a wish : desirous
- according with wishes rather than reality
wish fulfillment -n
- the gratification of a desire esp. symbolically (as in dreams, daydreams, or neurotic symptoms)
wishful thinking -n
- the attribution of reality to what one wishes to be true or the tenuous justification of what one wants to believe
wish·ing ['wi-shiŋ] -adj
- wishful
- regarded as having the power to grant wishes
- threw a coin in the wishing well
wish list -n
- a list of desired but often realistically unobtainable items
- a wish list of useful changes
wishwash ['wish-,wȯsh, -,wäsh] -n
- a weak drink
- insipid talk or writing
wishywashy ['wi-shē-,wȯ-shē, -,wä-] -adj, n
- lacking in character or determination : ineffectual
- lacking in strength or flavor : weak
wisp ['wisp] -n, adv, adj
- a small handful (as of hay or straw)
- a thin strip or fragment
- a thready streak
- something frail, slight, or fleeting
- will-o'-the-wisp
- to roll into a wisp
- to make wisps of
- a cigarette wisp ing smoke at the corner of his mouth -- Raymond Chandler
- to emerge or drift in wisps
- her hair began to wisp into her eyes -- Mary Manning
wisp·ish ['wis-pish] -adj
- resembling a wisp : insubstantial
wist ['wist] -vt
- know
wis·te·ria [wis-'tir-ē-ə] -n
- any of a genus ( Wisteria) of mostly woody leguminous vines of China, Japan, and the southeastern U.S. that have pinnately compound leaves and long racemes of showy blue, white, purple, or rose papilionaceous flowers and that include several (as W. sinensisand W. floribunda) grown as ornamentals
wist·ful ['wist-fəl] -adj, adv, n
- full of yearning or desire tinged with melancholy
- inspiring such yearning
- musingly sad : pensive
wit ['wit] -vb
- know
- to come to know : learn
- mind, memory
- reasoning power : intelligence
- sense usu. used in pl.
- alone and warming his five wit s, the white owl in the belfry sits -- Alfred Tennyson
- mental soundness : sanity usu. used in pl.
- mental capability and resourcefulness : ingenuity
- astuteness of perception or judgment : acumen
- the ability to relate seemingly disparate things so as to illuminate or amuse
- a talent for banter or persiflage
- a witty utterance or exchange
- clever or apt humor
- a person of superior intellect : thinker
- an imaginatively perceptive and articulate individual esp. skilled in banter or persiflage
wi·tan ['wi-,tän] -n pl
- members of the witenagemot
witch ['wich] -n, adj
- one that is credited with usu. malignant supernatural powers
- a woman practicing usu. black witchcraft often with the aid of a devil or familiar : sorceress
- an ugly old woman : hag
- a charming or alluring girl or woman
- a practitioner of Wicca
- witch of agnesi
- to affect injuriously with witchcraft
- to influence or beguile with allure or charm
- dowse
witch·craft ['wich-,kraft] -n
- the use of sorcery or magic
- communication with the devil or with a familiar
- an irresistible influence or fascination
- wicca
witch doctor -n
- a professional worker of magic usu. in a primitive society who often works to cure sickness
witch·ery ['wi-chə-rē, 'wich-rē] -n
- the practice of witchcraft : sorcery
- an act of witchcraft
- an irresistible fascination
witches' brew -n
- a potent or fearsome mixture
- a witches' brew of untamed sex and brutality -- Harrison Smith
witch·es'broom ['wi-chəz-,brüm, -,bru̇m] -n
- an abnormal tufted growth of small branches on a tree or shrub caused esp. by parasitic organisms (as fungi, viruses, or aphids)
witches' Sabbath -n
- a midnight assembly of witches, devils, and sorcerers for the celebration of rites and orgies
witch·grass ['wich-,gras] -n
- quack grass
- a No. American grass ( Panicum capillare) with slender brushy panicles that is often a weed on cultivated land
witch ha·zel ['wich-,hā-zəl] -n
- any of a genus ( Hamamelisof the family Hamamelidaceae, the witch-hazel family) of shrubs or small trees with slender-petaled usu. yellow flowers borne in late fall or early spring
- one ( H. virginiana) of eastern No. America that blooms in the fall
- an alcoholic solution of a distillate of the bark of a witch hazel ( H. virginiana) used as a soothing and mildly astringent lotion
witch hunt -n, n or adj
- a searching out for persecution of persons accused of witchcraft
- the searching out and deliberate harassment of those (as political opponents) with unpopular views
witch·ing ['wi-chiŋ] -n
- the practice of witchcraft : sorcery
witching -adj
- of, relating to, or suitable for sorcery or supernatural occurrences
- the very witching time of night -- Shak.
witch of Agne·si [-än-'yā-zē] -n
- a plane cubic curve that is symmetric about the y-axis and approaches the x-axis as an asymptote and that has the equation x 2 y 4 a 2(2 a y)
witch·weed ['wich-,wēd] -n
- any of a genus ( Striga) of yellow-flowered Old World plants of the snapdragon family that are damaging root parasites of grasses (as sorghum and maize) and that include one ( S. asiatica) which is an introduced pest in parts of the southeastern U.S.
wite ['wīt] -vt
- blame
- blame, responsibility
wi·te·na·ge·mot ['wi-tə-nə-gə-,mōt, -yə-,mōt] -n
- an Anglo-Saxon council made up of a varying number of nobles, prelates, and influential officials and convened from time to time to advise the king on administrative and judicial matters
with ['with, 'with, wəth, wəth] -prep
- in opposition to : against
- had a fight with his brother
- so as to be separated or detached from
- used as a function word to indicate a participant in an action, transaction, or arrangement
- got into an accident with the car
- used as a function word to indicate the object of attention, behavior, or feeling
- in respect to : so far as concerns
- on friendly terms with all nations
- used to indicate the object of an adverbial expression of imperative force
- over, on
- no longer has any influence with them
- in the performance, operation, or use of
- the trouble with this machine
- used as a function word to indicate the object of a statement of comparison or equality
- a dress identical with her hostess's
- used as a function word to express agreement or sympathy
- must conclude, with you, that the painting is a forgery
- on the side of : for
- if he's for lower taxes, I'm with him
- as well as
- can pitch with the best of them
- used as a function word to indicate combination, accompaniment, presence, or addition
- his money, with his wife's, comes to a million
- inclusive of
- in the judgment or estimation of
- stood well with her classmates
- in or according to the experience or practice of
- with many of us, our ideas seem to fall by the wayside -- W. J. Reilly
- used as a function word to indicate the means, cause, agent, or instrumentality
- threatened with tuberculosis
- he amused the crowd with his antics
- by the direct act of
- used as a function word to indicate manner of action
- acknowledge your contribution with thanks
- used as a function word to indicate an attendant fact or circumstance
- stood there with his hat on
- used as a function word to indicate a result attendant on a specified action
- got off with a light sentence
- in possession of : having
- in the possession or care of
- left the money with her mother
- characterized or distinguished by
- a person with a sharp nose
- used as a function word to indicate a close association in time
- with the outbreak of war they went home
- in proportion to
- the pressure varies with the depth
- in spite of : notwithstanding
- a really tip-top man, with all his wrongheadedness -- H. J. Laski
- except for
- finds that, with one group of omissions and one important addition, they reflect that curriculum -- Gilbert Highet
- in the direction of
with·al [wi-'thȯl, -'thȯl] -adv
- together with this : besides
- a supporter of all constructive work and withal an excellent businessman -- A. W. Long
- therewith
- on the other hand : nevertheless
withal -prep
- with used postpositively with a relative or interrogative pronoun as object
with·draw [with-'drȯ, with-] -vb, adj
- to take back or away : remove
- pressure upon educational administrators to withdraw academic credit -- J. W. Scott
- to remove from use or cultivation
- to remove (money) from a place of deposit
- to turn away (as the eyes) from an object of attention
- to draw (as a curtain) back or aside
- to remove from consideration or set outside a group
- withdrew his name from the list of nominees
- withdrew their child from the school
- take back, retract
- to recall or remove (a motion) under parliamentary procedure
- to move back or away : retire
- to draw back from a battlefield : retreat
- to remove oneself from participation
- to become socially or emotionally detached
- had withdrawn farther and farther into herself -- Ethel Wilson
- to recall a motion under parliamentary procedure
with·draw·al [-'drȯ(-ə)l] -n
- the act of taking back or away something that has been granted or possessed
- removal from a place of deposit or investment
- the discontinuance of administration or use of a drug
- the syndrome of often painful physical and psychological symptoms that follows discontinuance of an addicting drug
- a heroin addict going through withdrawal
- retreat or retirement esp. into a more secluded or less exposed place or position
- an operation by which a military force disengages from the enemy
- social or emotional detachment
- a pathological retreat from objective reality (as in some schizophrenic states)
- retraction, revocation
- threatened us with withdrawal of consent
- the act of drawing someone or something back from or out of a place or position
- coitus interruptus
withdrawing room -n
- a room to retire to (as from a dining room)
- drawing room
with·drawn [with-'drȯn, with-] -adj, n
- removed from immediate contact or easy approach : isolated
- socially detached and unresponsive : exhibiting withdrawal : introverted
- a shy and withdrawn child
withe ['with, 'with, 'wīth] -n
- a slender flexible branch or twig
- one used as a band or line
with·er ['wi-thər] -vb
- to become dry and sapless
- to shrivel from or as if from loss of bodily moisture
- to lose vitality, force, or freshness
- public support for the bill is wither ing
- to cause to wither
- to make speechless or incapable of action : stun
- wither ed him with a look -- Dorothy Sayers
wither -n
- withers
withering ['with-riŋ-lē, 'wi-thə-] -adj, adv
- acting or serving to cut down or destroy : devastating
- a withering fire from the enemy
with·er·ite ['wi-thə-,rīt] -n
- a translucent white or gray orthorhombic mineral consisting of a carbonate of barium
withe rod -n
- a viburnum ( Viburnum cassinoides) of eastern No. America with tough slender shoots
with·ers ['wi-thərz] -n pl
- the ridge between the shoulder bones of a horse
- a part corresponding to the withers in a quadruped (as a dog) other than a horse
withershins ['wi-dər-shənz] -adv
(variant of widdershins)
- in a left-handed, wrong, or contrary direction : counterclockwise
with·hold [with-'hōld, with-] -vb, n
- to hold back from action : check
- to keep in custody
- to refrain from granting, giving, or allowing
- to deduct (withholding tax) from income
- forbear, refrain
withholding tax -n
- a deduction (as from wages, fees, or dividends) levied at a source of income as advance payment on income tax
with·in [wi-'thin, -'thin] -adv
- in or into the interior : inside
- in one's inner thought, disposition, or character : inwardly
- search within for a creative impulse -- Kingman Brewster 1988
within -prep
- used as a function word to indicate enclosure or containment
- used as a function word to indicate situation or circumstance in the limits or compass of: as
- before the end of
- not beyond the quantity, degree, or limitations of
- in or into the scope or sphere of
- within the jurisdiction of the state
- in or into the range of
- used as a function word to indicate a specified difference or margin
- came within two points of a perfect mark
- within a mile of the town
- to the inside of : into
- sunk the sea within the earth -- Shak.
- an inner place or area
- being inside : enclosed
with·in·doors [wi-,thin-'dōrz, -,thin-, -'dȯrz] -adv
- indoors
withit ['wi-thət, -thət] -adj
- socially or culturally up-to-date
- the intelligent, disaffected, withit young -- Eliot Fremont-Smith
with·out [wi-'thau̇t, -'thau̇t] -prep
- outside
- used as a function word to indicate the absence or lack of something or someone
without -adv
- on the outside : externally
- with something lacking or absent
- has learned to do without
- unless
- you don't know about me without you have read a book -- Mark Twain
- an outer place or area
with·out·doors [wi-,thau̇t-'dȯrz, -,thau̇t-] -adv
- outdoors
with·stand [with-'stand, with-] -vt
- to stand up against : oppose with firm determination
- to resist successfully
- to be proof against : resist the effect of
- withstand the impact of a landing -- Current Biog.
- to stop or obstruct the course of
withy ['wi-thē] -n
- willow
- osier
- a flexible slender twig or branch (as of osier) : withe
- flexibly tough
wit·less ['wit-ləs] -adj, adv, n
- destitute of wit or understanding : foolish
- mentally deranged : crazy
- drive one witless with anxiety -- William Styron
wit·ling [-liŋ] -n
- a would-be wit
- a person of little wit
wit·loof ['wit-,lōf, -,lüf] -n
- chicory
- belgian endive
wit·ness ['wit-nəs] -n
- attestation of a fact or event : testimony
- one that gives evidence
- one who testifies in a cause or before a judicial tribunal
- one asked to be present at a transaction so as to be able to testify to its having taken place
- one who has personal knowledge of something
- something serving as evidence or proof : sign
- public affirmation by word or example of usu. religious faith or conviction
- the heroic witness to divine life -- Pilot
- a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses
witness -vt
- to testify to : attest
- to act as legal witness of
- to furnish proof of : betoken
- to have personal or direct cognizance of : see for oneself
- witness ed the historic event
- to take note of
- our grammar- witness our verb system-is a marvel of flexibility, variety, and exactitude -- Charlton Laird
- to constitute the scene or time of
- structures...which this striking Dorset hilltop once witness ed -- Times Lit. Supp.
- to bear witness : testify
- to bear witness to one's religious convictions
- opportunity to witness for Christ -- Billy Graham
wit·nessbox [-,bäks] -n
- an enclosure in which a witness sits or stands while testifying in court
witness stand -n
- a stand or an enclosure from which a witness gives evidence in a court
wit·ted ['wi-təd] -adj
- having wit or understanding usu. used in combination
wit·ti·cism ['wi-tə-,si-zəm] -n
- a cleverly witty and often biting or ironic remark
wit·ting ['wi-tᵊn, -tiŋ] -n
- knowledge or awareness of something : cognizance
- information obtained or communicated : news
- cognizant or aware of something : conscious
- done deliberately : intentional
wit·tol ['wi-tᵊl] -n
- a man who knows of his wife's infidelity and puts up with it
- a witless person
wit·ty ['wi-tē] -adj, adv, n
- having good intellectual capacity : intelligent
- amusingly or ingeniously clever in conception or execution
- the costumes are sumptuous and witty -- Virgil Thomson
- the musical background is...often witty -- Wolcott Gibbs
- marked by or full of wit : smartly facetious or jocular
- quick or ready to see or express illuminating or amusing relationships or insights
wive ['wīv] -vb
- to marry a woman
- to marry to a woman
- to take for a wife
wives ['wīf] -n, adj
(variant of wife)
- woman
- a woman acting in a specified capacity used in combination
- a female partner in a marriage
wiz ['wiz] -n
- wizard
wiz·ard ['wi-zərd] -n
- a wise man : sage
- one skilled in magic : sorcerer
- a very clever or skillful person
wizard -adj
- having magical influence or power
- of or relating to wizardry : enchanted
- worthy of the highest praise : excellent
wiz·ard·ly ['wi-zərd-lē] -adj
- having characteristics of a wizard
- marvelous in construction or operation
- uses wizardly circuitry to distort images -- Time
wiz·ard·ry ['wi-zə(r)-drē] -n
- the art or practices of a wizard : sorcery
- a seemingly magical transforming power or influence
- great skill or cleverness in an activity
- showed real wizardry in legal maneuvering
wiz·en ['wi-zᵊn also 'wē-] -vb
- to become dry, shrunken, and wrinkled often as a result of aging or of failing vitality
- to cause to wizen
wizen -adj
- that is wizened