wh -abbr

  1. white

WH -abbr

  1. watt-hour
  2. withholding

whack ['hwak, 'wak] -vb, n

  1. to strike with a smart or resounding blow
    • whack the ball
  2. to cut with or as if with a whack : chop
  3. to get the better of : defeat
  4. murder, kill
  5. to strike a smart or resounding blow
  6. a smart or resounding blow
  7. the sound of or as if of such a blow
  8. a critical attack
  9. portion, share
  10. condition, state
  11. an opportunity or attempt to do something
    • take a whack at it
  12. a single action or occasion
    • borrowed 50 all at one whack

whackedout ['(h)wakt-,au̇t, ,(h)wakt-'] -adj

  1. worn-out, exhausted
  2. wacky
    • a whackedout parody
  3. stoned
    • whackedout on drugs

whack·ing ['hwa-kiŋ, 'wa-] -adj

  1. very large : whopping

whacking -adv

  1. very
    • a whacking good story

whacko ['wa-(,)kō] -adj

(variant of wacko)

  1. wacky
  2. a person who is wacky
  3. psycho

whack off -vb

  1. masturbate

whack up -vt

  1. to divide into shares

whacky ['wa-kē] -adj, adv, n

(variant of wacky)

  1. absurdly or amusingly eccentric or irrational : crazy
    • wacky ideas
    • a wacky comedian

whale ['hwāl, 'wāl] -n, adj

  1. cetacean
  2. one (as a sperm whale or killer whale) of larger size
  3. one that is impressive esp. in size
    • a whale of a difference
    • a whale of a good time
  4. to engage in whale fishing
  5. lash, thrash
  6. to strike or hit vigorously
  7. to defeat soundly

whale·back ['hwāl-,bak, 'wāl-] -n

  1. something shaped like the back of a whale

whale·boat [-,bōt] -n

  1. a long narrow rowboat made with both ends sharp and raking, often steered with an oar, and formerly used by whalers for hunting whales
  2. a long narrow rowboat or motorboat resembling the original whaleboats and often carried by warships and merchant ships

whale·bone [-,bōn] -n

  1. baleen
  2. an article made of whalebone

whalebone whale -n

  1. baleen whale

whal·er ['hwā-lər, 'wā-] -n

  1. a person or ship engaged in whale fishing
  2. whaleboat

whale shark -n

  1. a shark ( Rhincodon typus) of warm waters that has small teeth, feeds chiefly on plankton strained by its gill rakers, may sometimes attain a length of up to 60 feet (18.3 meters), and is the largest known fish

whaling -n

  1. the occupation of catching and extracting commercial products from whales

wham ['hwam, 'wam] -n

  1. a solid blow
  2. the loud sound of a hard impact
  3. with violent abruptness
    • everything was going well; then wham the deal fell through
  4. to propel, strike, or beat so as to produce a loud impact
  5. to hit or explode with a loud impact

wham·my ['hwa-mē, 'wa-] -n

  1. a supernatural power bringing bad luck
  2. a magic curse or spell : jinx, hex
  3. a potent force or attack
  4. a paralyzing or lethal blow

whang ['hwaŋ, 'waŋ] -n

  1. thong
  2. rawhide
  3. a large piece : chunk
  4. penis
  5. beat, thrash
  6. to propel or strike with force
  7. to beat or work with force or violence
  8. a loud sharp vibrant or resonant sound
  9. to make a whang
  10. to strike with a whang

whan·gee [hwaŋ-'ē, waŋ-, -'gē] -n

  1. the wood of any of several Asian bamboos (genus Phyllostachys)
  2. a walking stick or riding crop of whangee

whap ['hwäp, 'wäp] -vt

(variant of whop)

  1. to pull or whip out
  2. beat, strike
  3. to defeat totally
  4. a heavy blow : thump

wharf ['hwȯrf, 'wȯrf] -n

  1. a structure built along or at an angle from the shore of navigable waters so that ships may lie alongside to receive and discharge cargo and passengers
  2. the bank of a river or the shore of the sea

wharf·age ['hwȯr-fij, 'wȯr-] -n

  1. the provision or the use of a wharf
  2. the handling or stowing of goods on a wharf
  3. the charge for the use of a wharf
  4. the wharf accommodations of a place : wharves

wharf·in·ger [-fən-jər] -n

  1. the operator or manager of a commercial wharf

wharf·mas·ter ['hwȯrf-,mas-tər, 'wȯrf-] -n

  1. wharfinger

what ['hwät, 'hwət, 'wät, 'wət] -pron

  1. used as an interrogative expressing inquiry about the identity, nature, or value of an object or matter
    • what is this
    • what is wealth without friends
    • what does he earn
    • what hath God wrought
  2. often used to ask for repetition of an utterance or part of an utterance not properly heard or understood
    • you said what
  3. who used as an interrogative expressing inquiry about the identity of a person
  4. used as an interrogative expressing inquiry about the character, nature, occupation, position, or role of a person
    • what do you think I am, a fool
    • what is she, that all our swains commend her -- Shak.
  5. used as an exclamation expressing surprise or excitement and frequently introducing a question
    • what, no breakfast
  6. used in expressions directing attention to a statement that the speaker is about to make
    • you know what
  7. used at the end of a question to express inquiry about additional possibilities
    • is it raining, or snowing, or what
  8. used with or at the end of a question usu. in expectation of agreement
    • is this exciting, or what
  9. used at the end of an utterance as a form of tag question
    • a clever play, what
  10. that , which , who
  11. that which : the one or ones that
    • no income but what he gets from his writings
    sometimes used in reference to a clause or phrase that is yet to come or is not yet complete
    • gave also, what is more valuable, understanding
  12. the thing or things that
    • what you need is a vacation
    • what angered us was the tone of the article
  13. whatever
    • say what you will
  14. whoever
  15. why
  16. in what respect : how
    • what does he care
  17. used to introduce prepositional phrases in parallel construction or a prepositional phrase that expresses cause and usu. has more than one object used principally before phrases beginning with with
    • what with unemployment increasing
    • what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am custom-shrunk -- Shak.
  18. used as an interrogative expressing inquiry about the identity, nature, or value of a person, object, or matter
    • what minerals do we export
  19. how remarkable or striking for good or bad qualities used esp. in exclamatory utterances and dependent clauses
    • what mountains
    • remember what fun we had
    • what a suggestion
    • what a charming girl
  20. whatever
  21. any
    • ornament of what description soever
  22. the...that : as much or as many...as
    • rescued what survivors they found

what all ['hwä-,dȯl, 'wä-, '(h)wə-] -pron

  1. whatnot

what·cha·ma·call·it ['hwä-chə-mə-,kȯ-lət, 'wä-, '(h)wə-] -n

  1. thingamajig

what·ev·er [hwät-'e-vər, wät-, (h)wət-] -pron

  1. anything or everything that
    • take whatever you want
  2. no matter what
    • whatever he says, they won't believe him
  3. whatnot
    • enjoys skiing, hiking, or whatever
  4. what used to express astonishment or perplexity
    • whatever do you mean by that

whatever -adj

  1. any...that : all...that
    • buy peace...on whatever terms could be obtained -- C. S. Forester
  2. no matter what
    • money, in whatever hands, will confer power -- Samuel Johnson
  3. of any kind at all used after the substantive it modifies with any or with an expressed or implied negative
    • in any order whatever -- W. G. Moulton
    • no food whatever
  4. in any case : whatever the case may be sometimes used interjectionally to suggest the unimportance of an issue or decision between alternatives
    • go see a movie, watch TV,- whatever

whatif [,hwät-'if, ,wät-, ,(h)wət-] -n, adj

  1. a suppositional question

what·ness ['hwät-nəs, 'wät-, '(h)wət-] -n

  1. quiddity

what·not ['hwät-,nät, 'wät-, '(h)wət-] -pron

  1. any of various other things that might also be mentioned
    • paper clips, pins, and whatnot

whatnot -n

  1. a nondescript person or thing
  2. a light open set of shelves for bric-a-brac

what·sit ['hwät-sət, 'wät-, '(h)wət-] -n

  1. thingamajig

what·so·ev·er [,hwät-sə-'we-vər, ,wät-, ,(h)wət-] -pron or adj

  1. whatever

whaup ['hwȯp, 'wȯp] -n

  1. a European curlew ( Numenius arquata)

wheal ['hwēl, 'wēl] -n

  1. : a suddenly formed elevation of the skin surface : welt
  2. a flat burning or itching eminence on the skin

wheat ['hwēt, 'wēt] -n

  1. a cereal grain that yields a fine white flour used chiefly in breads, baked goods (as cakes and crackers), and pastas (as macaroni or spaghetti), and is important in animal feeds
  2. any of various Old World annual grasses (genus Triticum,esp. T. aestivumand T. turgidum) of wide climatic adaptability that are cultivated in most temperate areas for the wheat they yield
  3. a light yellow

wheat berry -n

  1. an unprocessed whole kernel of wheat

wheat bread -n

  1. a bread made of a combination of white and whole wheat flours as distinguished from bread made entirely of white or whole wheat flour

wheat cake -n

  1. a pancake made of wheat flour

wheat·ear ['hwēt-,ir, 'wēt-] -n

  1. any of various small thrushes (genus Oenanthe)
  2. a white-rumped one ( O. oenanthe) of northern No. America and the Old World

wheat·en ['hwē-tᵊn, 'wē-] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or made of wheat

wheaten -n

  1. a pale yellowish to ruddy-fawn color characteristic of the coat of some dogs

wheat germ -n

  1. the embryo of the wheat kernel separated in milling and used esp. as a source of vitamins and protein

wheat·grass ['hwēt-,gras, 'wēt-] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Agropyron) of perennial grasses including some which are important pasture, hay, or turf grasses

wheat·land ['hwēt-,land, 'wēt-] -n

  1. land used or suitable for growing wheat

wheat rust -n

  1. a destructive disease of wheat caused by rust fungi
  2. a fungus (as Puccinia graminis) causing a wheat rust

Wheat·stone bridge ['hwēt-,stōn-, 'wēt-, chiefly Brit -stən-] -n

  1. an electrical bridge consisting of two branches of a parallel circuit joined by a galvanometer and used for determining the value of an unknown resistance in one of the branches

whee ['hwē, 'wē] -interj

  1. used to express delight or exuberance

whee·dle ['hwē-dᵊl, 'wē-] -vb

  1. to influence or entice by soft words or flattery
  2. to gain or get by wheedling
    • wheedle one's way into favor
  3. to use soft words or flattery

wheel ['hwēl, 'wēl] -n, adj

  1. a circular frame of hard material that may be solid, partly solid, or spoked and that is capable of turning on an axle
  2. : a contrivance or apparatus having as its principal part a wheel: as
  3. a chiefly medieval instrument of torture designed for mutilating a victim (as by stretching or disjointing)
  4. bicycle
  5. any of many revolving disks or drums used as gambling paraphernalia
  6. potter's wheel
  7. steering wheel
  8. an imaginary turning wheel symbolizing the inconstancy of fortune
  9. a recurring course, development, or action : cycle
  10. : something (as a round flat cheese) resembling a wheel in shape
  11. a curving or circular movement
  12. a rotation or turn usu. about an axis or center
  13. a turning movement of troops or ships in line in which the units preserve alignment and relative positions as they change direction
  14. a moving or essential part of something compared to a machine
    • the wheel s of government
  15. a directing or controlling force
  16. a person of importance esp. in an organization
    • a big wheel
  17. the refrain or burden of a song
  18. a circuit of theaters or places of entertainment
  19. a sports league
  20. a wheeled vehicle
  21. automobile
  22. legs
  23. to turn on or as if on an axis : revolve
  24. to change direction as if revolving on a pivot
    • the battalion would have wheel ed to the flank -- Walter Bernstein
    • her mind will wheel around to the other extreme -- Liam O'Flaherty
    • wheel ed to face her opponent
  25. to move or extend in a circle or curve
    • birds in wheel ing flight
    • valleys where young cotton wheel ed slowly in fanlike rows -- William Faulkner
  26. to travel on or as if on wheels or in a wheeled vehicle
  27. to cause to turn on or as if on an axis : rotate
  28. to convey or move on or as if on wheels or in a wheeled vehicle
    • wheel ed the patient back to his room
    • wheel ed the car into the driveway
    • wheel in the experts
  29. to cause to change direction as if revolving on a pivot
  30. to make or perform in a circle or curve

wheel and axle -n

  1. a mechanical device consisting of a grooved wheel turned by a cord or chain with a rigidly attached axle (as for winding up a weight) together with the supporting standards

wheel animal -n

  1. rotifer

wheel·bar·row ['hwēl-,ba-(,)rō, 'wēl-] -n

  1. a small usu. single-wheeled vehicle that is used for carrying small loads and is fitted with handles at the rear by which it can be pushed and guided

wheelbarrow -vt

  1. to convey in a wheelbarrow

wheel·base ['hwēl-,bās, 'wēl-] -n

  1. the distance in inches between the front and rear axles of an automotive vehicle

wheel bug -n

  1. a large No. American assassin bug ( Arilus cristatus) that has a high serrated crest on its prothorax and preys on insects

wheel·chair ['hwēl-,cher, 'wēl-] -n

  1. a chair mounted on wheels esp. for the use of disabled persons

wheeled ['hwēld, 'wēld] -adj

  1. equipped with wheels
    • wheeled vehicles
  2. moving or functioning by means of wheels
    • wheeled traffic

wheel·er ['hwē-lər, 'wē-] -n

  1. one that wheels
  2. a draft animal (as a horse) pulling in the position nearest the front wheels of a wagon
  3. something (as a vehicle or ship) that has wheels used esp. in combination
    • a side- wheeler
    • 18- wheelers

wheeler and dealer -n

  1. wheeler-dealer

wheel·erdeal·er [,hwē-lər-'dē-lər, ,wē-] -n

  1. a shrewd operator esp. in business or politics

wheel·horse ['hwēl-,hȯrs, 'wēl-] -n

  1. a horse (as in a tandem) in a position nearest the wheels
  2. a steady and effective worker esp. in a political body

wheel·house [-,hau̇s] -n

  1. pilothouse

wheel·ie ['hwē-lē, 'wē-] -n

  1. a maneuver in which a wheeled vehicle (as a bicycle) is momentarily balanced on its rear wheel or wheels

wheel·ing ['hwē-liŋ, 'wē-] -n

  1. the act or process of one that wheels
  2. the condition of a road relative to passage on wheels

wheel lock -n

  1. a gun's lock for a muzzle-loading firearm in which sparks are struck from a flint or a piece of pyrite by a revolving wheel

wheel·man ['hwēl-mən, 'wēl-] -n

  1. helmsman
  2. the driver of an automobile
  3. cyclist

wheels·man ['hwēlz-mən, 'wēlz-] -n

  1. one who steers with a wheel
  2. helmsman

wheelthrown ['hwēl-,thrōn, 'wēl-] -adj

  1. made on a potter's wheel
    • wheelthrown pottery

wheel·work ['hwēl-,wərk, 'wēl-] -n

  1. wheels in gear and their connections in a machine or mechanism

wheel·wright [-,rīt] -n

  1. a maker and repairer of wheels and wheeled vehicles

wheen ['hwēn, 'wēn] -adj

  1. few
  2. a considerable number or amount

wheeze ['hwēz, 'wēz] -vi

  1. to breathe with difficulty usu. with a whistling sound
  2. to make a sound resembling that of wheezing
    • the bellows wheezed
  3. a sound of wheezing
  4. an often repeated and widely known joke used esp. by entertainers
  5. a trite saying or proverb

wheezy ['hwē-zē, 'wē-] -adj, adv, n

  1. inclined to wheeze
  2. having a wheezing sound
    • a wheezy cough
    • the wheezy call of a phoebe

whelk ['hwelk, 'welk, 'wilk] -n

  1. any of numerous large marine snails (as of the genus Buccinum)
  2. one ( B. undatum) used as food in Europe
  3. papule, pustule

whelm ['hwelm, 'welm] -vb

  1. to turn (as a dish or vessel) upside down usu. to cover something : cover or engulf completely with usu. disastrous effect
  2. to overcome in thought or feeling : overwhelm
    • whelm ed with a rush of joy -- G. A. Wagner
  3. to pass or go over something so as to bury or submerge it

whelp ['hwelp, 'welp] -n

  1. any of the young of various carnivorous mammals and esp. of the dog
  2. a young boy or girl
  3. to give birth to used of various carnivores and esp. the dog
  4. to bring forth young

when ['hwen, 'wen, (h)wən] -adv

  1. at what time
    • when will you return
  2. at or during which time
  3. and then
  4. at a former and usu. less prosperous time
    • brag fondly of having known him when -- Vance Packard
  5. at or during the time that : while
    • went fishing when he was a boy
  6. just at the moment that
    • stop writing when the bell rings
  7. at any or every time that
    • when he listens to music, he falls asleep
  8. in the event that : if
    • a contestant is disqualified when he disobeys the rules
  9. considering that
    • why use water at all when you can drown in it -- Stuart Chase
  10. in spite of the fact that : although
    • quit politics when I might have had a great career in it
  11. the time or occasion at or in which
    • tomorrow is when we must decide
    • humor is when you laugh -- Earl Rovit
  12. what or which time
    • life-long homes for those...who have lived here since when -- Kim Waller
  13. the time in which something is done or comes about
    • troubled his head very little about the hows and when s of life -- Laurence Sterne

when·as [hwe-'naz, we-, (h)wə-] -conj

  1. when

whence ['hwen(t)s, 'wen(t)s] -adv

  1. from what place, source, or cause
    • then whence comes this paradox -- Changing Times
  2. from what place, source, or cause
    • inquired whence the water came -- Maria Edgeworth
  3. from or out of which place, source, or cause
    • the lawless society whence the ballads sprang -- DeLancey Ferguson
  4. by reason of which fact : wherefore
    • nothing broke- whence I infer that my bones are not yet chalky -- O. W. Holmes 1935

whence·so·ev·er ['hwen(t)(s)-sə-,we-vər, 'wen(t)(s)-] -conj

  1. from whatever place or source

when·ev·er [hwe-'ne-vər, we-, (h)wə-] -conj

  1. at any or every time that

whenever -adv

  1. at whatever time

when·so·ev·er ['hwen(t)-sə-,we-vər, 'wen(t)-] -conj

  1. whenever

whensoever -adv

  1. at any time whatever

where ['hwer, 'wer, (,)(h)wər] -adv

  1. at, in, or to what place
    • where is the house
    • where are we going
  2. at, in, or to what situation, position, direction, circumstances, or respect
    • where does this plan lead
    • where am I wrong
  3. here, there
    • lo, where it comes again -- Shak.
  4. at, in, or to what place
    • knows where the house is
  5. at, in, or to what situation, position, direction, circumstances, or respect
    • shows where the plan leads
  6. the place or point at, in, or to which
    • couldn't see from where he was sitting
    • kept that horse and gentled him to where I finally rode him -- William Faulkner
  7. wherever
    • goes where she likes
  8. at, in, or to which place
    • the town where she lives
  9. at or in which
    • has reached the size where traffic is a problem
    • two fireplaces where you can bake bread in the ovens -- Randall Jarrell
  10. at, in, or to the place at, in, or to which
    • stay where you are
    • send him away where he'll forget
  11. in a case, situation, or respect in which
    • outstanding where endurance is called for
  12. that
    • I've read where they do it that way in some Middle Eastern countries -- Andy Rooney
  13. place, location
    • the where and the how of the accident
  14. what place, source, or cause
    • I know where that comes from

where·abouts [-ə-,bau̇ts] -adv

  1. about where : near what place
    • whereabouts is the house

whereabouts -conj

  1. on what business or errand
  2. near what place : where
    • know whereabouts he lives
  3. the place or general locality where a person or thing is
    • their present whereabouts are a secret

where·as [hwer-'az, wer-, (,)(h)wər-] -conj

  1. while on the contrary
  2. although
  3. in view of the fact that : since used esp. to introduce a preamble

whereas -n

  1. an introductory statement of a formal document : preamble
  2. a conditional or qualifying statement

where·at [-'at] -conj

  1. at or toward which
  2. in consequence of which : whereupon

where·by [-'bī] -conj

  1. by, through, or in accordance with which

whereby -adv

  1. by what : how

where·fore ['hwer-,fȯr, 'wer-] -adv

  1. for what reason or purpose : why
  2. therefore

wherefore -n

  1. an answer or statement giving an explanation : reason
    • wants to know the whys and wherefore s

where·from [-,frəm, -,främ] -conj

  1. from which

where·in [hwer-'in, wer-, (,)(h)wər-] -adv

  1. in what : in what particular or respect
    • wherein was I wrong

wherein -conj

  1. in which : where
    • the city wherein he lives
  2. during which
  3. in what way : how
    • showed me wherein I was wrong

where·in·to [-'in-(,)tü] -conj

  1. into which

where·of [-'əv, -'äv] -conj

  1. with or by which
  2. of what
    • knows whereof she speaks
  3. of which
    • books whereof the best are lost
  4. of whom

whereof -adv

  1. of what
    • whereof are you made -- Shak.

where·on [-'ȯn, -'än] -conj

  1. on what
    • tell me whereon the likelihood depends -- Shak.
  2. on which
    • the base whereon it rests

whereon -adv

  1. on what
    • whereon do you look -- Shak.

where·so·ev·er ['hwer-sə-,we-vər, 'wer-] -conj

  1. wherever

where·through ['hwer-,thrü, 'wer-] -conj

  1. through which

where·to [-,tü] -adv

  1. to what place, purpose, or end
    • whereto tends all this -- Shak.

whereto -conj

  1. to which

where·un·to [hwer-'ən-(,)tü, wer-, (,)(h)wər-] -adv or conj

  1. whereto

where·up·on ['hwer-ə-,pȯn, 'wer-, -,pän] -conj

  1. on which
  2. closely following and in consequence of which

wher·ev·er [hwer-'e-vər, wer-, (,)(h)wər-] -adv

  1. where in the world
    • wherever did you get that tie
  2. anywhere at all
    • explore northward or wherever -- Bernard De Voto

wherever -conj

  1. at, in, or to any or all places that
    • thrives wherever he goes
  2. in any circumstance in which
    • wherever it is possible, we try to help

where·with ['hwer-,with, 'wer-, -,with] -pron

  1. that with or by which used with an infinitive
    • so shall I have wherewith to answer him -- Ps 119:42 (AV)

wherewith -adv

  1. with what
    • wherewith shall it be salted -- Mt 5:13 (AV)
  2. with or by means of which
    • metal tools wherewith to break ground -- Russell Lord

where·with·al ['hwer-wi-,thȯl, 'wer-, -,thȯl] -conj

  1. wherewith

wherewithal -pron

  1. wherewith
  2. means, resources
  3. money
    • didn't have the wherewithal for an expensive dinner

wher·ry ['hwer-ē, 'wer-] -n

  1. : any of various light boats: as
  2. a long light rowboat made sharp at both ends and used to transport passengers on rivers and about harbors
  3. a racing scull for one person
  4. a large light barge, lighter, or fishing boat varying in type in different parts of Great Britain

whet ['hwet, 'wet] -vt, n

  1. to sharpen by rubbing on or with something (as a stone)
    • whet a knife
  2. to make keen or more acute : excite, stimulate
    • whet the appetite
    • whetted her curiosity
  3. a spell of work done with a scythe between the time it is sharpened and the time it needs to be sharpened again
  4. time, while
  5. : something that sharpens or makes keen:
  6. goad, incitement
  7. appetizer
  8. a drink of liquor

wheth·er ['hwe-thər, 'we-, (,)(h)wə-] -pron

  1. which one of the two
  2. whichever one of the two

whether -conj

  1. used as a function word usu. with correlative or or with or whether to indicate (1) until the early 19th century a direct question involving alternatives; (2) an indirect question involving stated or implied alternatives
    • decide whether he should agree or raise objections
    • wondered whether to stay
    ; (3) alternative conditions or possibilities
    • see me no more, whether he be dead or no -- Shak.
    • seated him next to her whether by accident or design

whet·stone ['hwet-,stōn, 'wet-] -n

  1. a stone for whetting edge tools

whew [often read as 'hwü, 'wü, 'hyü; the interj is a whistle concluded with a voiceless ü] -n

  1. a whistling sound or a sound like a half-formed whistle uttered as an exclamation
    • gave a long whew when he realized the size of the job
    used interjectionally chiefly to express amazement, discomfort, or relief

whey ['hwā, 'wā] -n, adj

  1. the watery part of milk that is separated from the coagulable part or curd esp. in the process of making cheese and that is rich in lactose, minerals, and vitamins and contains lactalbumin and traces of fat

wheyface ['hwā-,fās, 'wā-] -n, adj

  1. a person having a pale face (as from fear)

which ['hwich, 'wich] -adj

  1. being what one or ones out of a group used as an interrogative
    • which tie should I wear
    • kept a record of which employees took their vacations in July
  2. whichever
    • it will not fit, turn it which way you like
  3. used as a function word to introduce a nonrestrictive relative clause and to modify a noun in that clause and to refer together with that noun to a word or word group in a preceding clause or to an entire preceding clause or sentence or longer unit of discourse
    • in German, which language might...have been the medium of transmission -- Thomas Pyles
    • that this city is a rebellious city...: for which cause was this city destroyed -- Ezra 4:15 (AV)
  4. what one or ones out of a group used as an interrogative
    • which of those houses do you live in
    • which of you want tea and which want lemonade
    • he is swimming or canoeing, I don't know which
  5. whichever
    • take which you like
  6. used as a function word to introduce a relative clause used in any grammatical relation except that of a possessive used esp. in reference to animals, inanimate objects, groups, or ideas
    • the bonds which represent the debt -- G. B. Robinson
    • the Samnite tribes, which settled south and southeast of Rome -- Ernst Pulgram
    used freely in reference to persons as recently as the 17th century
    • our Father which art in heaven -- Mt 6:9(AV)
    , and still occas. so used but usu. with some implication of emphasis on the function or role of the person rather than on the person as such
    • chiefly they wanted husbands, which they got easily -- Lynn White
    used by speakers on all educational levels and by many reputable writers, though disapproved by some grammarians, in reference to an idea expressed by a word or group of words that is not necessarily a noun or noun phrase
    • he resigned that post, after which he engaged in ranching -- Current Biog.

which·ev·er [hwich-'e-vər, wich-] -adj

  1. being whatever one or ones out of a group : no matter which
    • its soothing...effect will be the same whichever way you take it -- Punch

whichever -pron

  1. whatever one or ones out of a group
    • take two of the four elective subjects, whichever you prefer

which·so·ev·er [,hwich-sə-'we-vər, ,wich-] -pron or adj

  1. whichever

whick·er ['hwi-kər, 'wi-] -vi, n

  1. neigh, whinny

whid ['hwid, 'wid] -vi

  1. to move nimbly and silently

whiff ['hwif, 'wif] -n

  1. a quick puff or slight gust esp. of air, odor, gas, smoke, or spray
  2. an inhalation of odor, gas, or smoke
  3. a slight puffing or whistling sound
  4. a slight trace or indication
    • a whiff of scandal
  5. strikeout
  6. to move with or as if with a puff of air
  7. to emit whiffs : puff
  8. to inhale an odor
  9. strike out
  10. to carry or convey by or as if by a whiff : blow
  11. to expel or puff out in a whiff : exhale
  12. smoke
  13. fan
    • whiff ed three batters

whif·fet ['hwi-fət, 'wi-] -n

  1. a small, young, or unimportant person

whif·fle ['hwi-fəl, 'wi-] -vb

  1. to blow unsteadily or in gusts
  2. vacillate
  3. to emit or produce a light whistling or puffing sound
  4. to blow, disperse, emit, or expel with or as if with a whiff

whif·fler ['hwi-flər, 'wi-] -n

  1. one that clears the way for a procession
  2. a person who frequently changes opinions or course
  3. a person who uses shifts and evasions in argument

whif·fle·tree ['hwi-fəl-(,)trē, 'wi-] -n

  1. the pivoted swinging bar to which the traces of a harness are fastened and by which a vehicle or implement is drawn

Whig ['hwig, 'wig] -n, adj

  1. a member or supporter of a major British political group of the late 17th through early 19th centuries seeking to limit the royal authority and increase parliamentary power
  2. an American favoring independence from Great Britain during the American Revolution
  3. a member or supporter of an American political party formed about 1834 in opposition to the Jacksonian Democrats, associated chiefly with manufacturing, commercial, and financial interests, and succeeded about 1854 by the Republican party

Whig·gery ['hwi-gə-rē, 'wi-] -n

  1. the principles or practices of Whigs

Whig·gish ['hwi-gish, 'wi-] -adj

  1. characteristic of Whigs or Whiggery
  2. of, relating to, or characterized by a view which holds that history follows a path of inevitable progression and improvement and which judges the past in light of the present

whig·ma·lee·rie [,hwig-mə-'lir-ē, ,wig-] -n

  1. whim
  2. an odd or fanciful contrivance : gimcrack

while ['hwī(-ə)l, 'wī(-ə)l] -n

  1. a period of time esp. when short and marked by the occurrence of an action or a condition : time
    • stay here for a while
  2. the time and effort used (as in the performance of an action) : trouble
    • worth your while
  3. during the time that
    • take a nap while I'm out
  4. as long as
    • while there's life there's hope
  5. when on the other hand : whereas
    • easy for an expert, while it is dangerous for a novice
  6. in spite of the fact that : although
    • while respected, he is not liked
  7. similarly and at the same time that
    • while the book will be welcomed by scholars, it will make an immediate appeal to the general reader -- Brit. Book News
  8. until
  9. to cause to pass esp. without boredom or in a pleasant manner usu. used with away
    • while away the time

whiles ['hwī(-ə)lz, 'wī(-ə)lz] -conj

  1. while
  2. sometimes

whi·lom ['hwī-ləm, 'wī-] -adv

  1. formerly

whilom -adj

  1. former

whilst ['hwī(-ə)lst, 'wī(-ə)lst] -conj

  1. while

whim ['hwim, 'wim] -n

  1. a capricious or eccentric and often sudden idea or turn of the mind : fancy
    • quit his job on a whim
  2. a large capstan that is made with one or more radiating arms to which a horse may be yoked and that is used in mines for raising ore or water

whim·brel ['hwim-brəl, 'wim-] -n

  1. a curlew ( Numenius phaeopus) chiefly of the northern coastal regions of No. America and Eurasia

whim·per ['hwim-pər, 'wim-] -vi

  1. to make a low whining plaintive or broken sound
  2. to complain or protest with or as if with a whimper

whimper -n

  1. a whimpering cry or sound
  2. a petulant complaint or protest
    • the bill passed without a whimper

whim·si·cal ['hwim-zi-kəl, 'wim-] -adj, n, adv

  1. full of, actuated by, or exhibiting whims
  2. resulting from or characterized by whim or caprice
  3. lightly fanciful
    • whimsical decorations
  4. subject to erratic behavior or unpredictable change

whim·sy ['hwim-zē, 'wim-] -n

  1. whim, caprice
  2. the quality or state of being whimsical or fanciful
    • the designer's new line showed a touch of whimsy
  3. a fanciful or fantastic device, object, or creation esp. in writing or art

whimwham ['hwim-,hwam, 'wim-,wam] -n

  1. a whimsical object or device esp. of ornament or dress
  2. fancy, whim
  3. jitters

whin ['hwin, 'win] -n

  1. gorse

whin·chat ['hwin-,chat, 'win-] -n

  1. a small brown and buff European singing bird ( Saxicola rubetra) of grassy meadows

whine ['hwīn, 'wīn] -vb, n, adv

  1. to utter a high-pitched plaintive or distressed cry
  2. to make a sound similar to such a cry
    • the wind whined in the chimney
  3. to complain with or as if with a whine
    • always whining about the weather
  4. to move or proceed with the sound of a whine
    • the bullet whined ...across the ice -- Berton Roueche
  5. to utter or express with or as if with a whine
  6. a prolonged high-pitched cry usu. expressive of distress or pain
  7. a sound resembling such a cry
  8. a complaint uttered with or as if with a whine

whingding ['wiŋ-,diŋ, 'hwiŋ-] -n

  1. wingding

whinge ['hwinj, 'winj] -vi, n

  1. to complain fretfully : whine

whin·ny ['hwi-nē, 'wi-] -vb

  1. to neigh esp. in a low or gentle way
  2. to utter with or as if with a whinny

whinny -n

  1. the neigh of a horse esp. when low or gentle
  2. a sound resembling a neigh

whin·stone ['hwin-,stōn, 'win-] -n

  1. basaltic rock : trap
  2. any of various other dark resistant rocks (as chert)

whip ['hwip, 'wip] -vb, n

  1. to take, pull, snatch, jerk, or otherwise move very quickly and forcefully
    • whipped out his gun -- Green Peyton
  2. to strike with a slender lithe implement (as a lash or rod) esp. as a punishment
  3. spank
  4. to drive or urge on by or as if by using a whip
  5. to strike as a lash does
    • rain whipped the pavement
  6. to bind or wrap (as a rope or fishing rod) with cord for protection and strength
  7. to wind or wrap around something
  8. to belabor with stinging words : abuse
  9. to seam or hem with shallow overcasting stitches
  10. to overcome decisively : defeat
  11. to stir up : incite usu. used with up
    • trying to whip up a new emotion -- Ellen Glasgow
  12. to produce in a hurry usu. used with up
    • a sketch...an artist might whip up -- N.Y. Times
  13. to fish (water) with rod, line, and artificial lure
  14. to beat (as eggs or cream) into a froth with a utensil (as a whisk or fork)
  15. to gather together or hold together for united action in the manner of a party whip
  16. to proceed nimbly or quickly
    • whipping through the supper dishes -- C. B. Davis
  17. to thrash about flexibly in the manner of a whiplash
    • a flag... whipping out from its staff -- H. A. Calahan
  18. an instrument consisting usu. of a handle and lash forming a flexible rod that is used for whipping
  19. a stroke or cut with or as if with a whip
  20. a dessert made by whipping a portion of the ingredients
    • prune whip
  21. a kitchen utensil made of braided or coiled wire or perforated metal with a handle and used in whipping
  22. : one that handles a whip: as
  23. a driver of horses : coachman
  24. whipper-in
  25. a member of a legislative body appointed by a political party to enforce party discipline and to secure the attendance of party members at important sessions
  26. a notice of forthcoming business sent weekly to each member of a political party in the British House of Commons
  27. a whipping or thrashing motion
  28. the quality of resembling a whip esp. in being flexible
  29. whip antenna

whip antenna -n

  1. a flexible vertical rod radio antenna

whip·cord ['hwip-,kȯrd, 'wip-] -n

  1. a thin tough cord made of braided or twisted hemp or catgut
  2. a cloth that is made of hard-twisted yarns and has fine diagonal cords or ribs

whip hand -n

  1. positive control : advantage
  2. the hand holding the whip in driving

whip in -vt

  1. to collect or keep together (members of a political party) for legislative action
  2. to keep (hounds in a pack) from scattering by use of a whip

whip·lash ['hwip-,lash, 'wip-] -n

  1. the lash of a whip
  2. something resembling a blow from a whip
    • the whiplash of fear -- R. S. Banay
  3. injury resulting from a sudden sharp whipping movement of the neck and head (as of a person in a vehicle that is struck from the rear by another vehicle)

whip·perin [,hwi-pər-'in, ,wi-] -n

  1. a huntsman's assistant who whips in the hounds
  2. whip

whip·per·snap·per ['hwi-pər-,sna-pər, 'wi-] -n

  1. a diminutive, insignificant, or presumptuous person

whip·pet ['hwi-pət, 'wi-] -n

  1. any of a breed of small swift slender dogs used for coursing small game and racing

whipping -n

  1. : the act of one that whips: as
  2. a severe beating or chastisement
  3. a stitching with small overcasting stitches
  4. material used to whip or bind

whipping boy -n

  1. a boy formerly educated with a prince and punished in his stead
  2. scapegoat

whipping cream -n

  1. a cream suitable for whipping that by law contains not less than 30 percent butterfat

whipping post -n

  1. a post to which offenders are tied to be legally whipped

whip·ple·tree ['hwi-pəl-(,)trē, 'wi-] -n

  1. whiffletree

whippoorwill ['hwi-pər-,wil, ,hwi-pər-', 'wi-, ,wi-] -n

  1. a nocturnal nightjar ( Caprimulgus vociferus) of chiefly eastern No. America with a loud repeated call suggestive of its name

whip·py ['hwi-pē, 'wi-] -adj

  1. unusually resilient : springy
    • a whippy fishing rod
  2. of, relating to, or resembling a whip

whipround ['hwip-,rau̇nd, 'wip-] -n

  1. a collection of money made usu. for a benevolent purpose
    • had a whipround to help the couple pay for a Paris honeymoon -- The People

whip·saw ['hwip-,sȯ, 'wip-] -n

  1. a narrow pit saw averaging 5 to 7 feet (1.5 to 2.3 meters) in length

whipsaw -vt

  1. to saw with a whipsaw
  2. to beset or victimize in two opposite ways at once, by a two-phase operation, or by the collusive action of two opponents
    • wage earners were whipsaw ed by inflation and high taxes

whip·sawed [-,sȯd] -adj

  1. subjected to a double market loss through trying inopportunely to recoup a loss by a subsequent short sale of the same security

whip scorpion -n

  1. any of an order (Uropygi) of chiefly tropical arachnids somewhat resembling true scorpions but having a long slender caudal process and no sting

whip stall -n

  1. a stall during a vertical climb in which the nose of the airplane whips violently forward and then downward

whip·stitch ['hwip-,stich, 'wip-] -vt

  1. whip

whipstitch -n

  1. a shallow overcasting stitch

whip·stock [-,stäk] -n

  1. the handle of a whip

whip·tail [-,tāl] -n

  1. any of various long slender American lizards (genus Cnemidophorus) having a whiplike tail and including some forms that are parthenogenetic

whip·worm [-,wərm] -n

  1. a parasitic nematode worm (genus Trichuris) with a body that is thickened posteriorly and that is very long and slender anteriorly
  2. one ( T. trichiura) of the human intestine

whir ['hwər, 'wər] -vb

  1. to fly, revolve, or move rapidly with a whir
    • hummingbirds whirring past
  2. to move or carry rapidly with a whir
  3. a continuous fluttering or vibratory sound made by something in rapid motion
    • the whir of machinery

whirl ['hwər(-ə)l, 'wər(-ə)l] -vb, n

  1. to move in a circle or similar curve esp. with force or speed
  2. to turn on or around an axis like a wheel : rotate
  3. to turn abruptly around or aside : wheel
    • whirl ed around in surprise
  4. to pass, move, or go quickly
    • whirl ed down the hallway
  5. to become giddy or dizzy : reel
    • my head is whirl ing
  6. to drive, impel, or convey with or as if with a rotary motion
  7. to cause to turn usu. rapidly on or around an axis : rotate
  8. to cause to turn abruptly around or aside
  9. to throw or hurl violently with a revolving motion
  10. a rapid rotating or circling movement
  11. something undergoing such a movement
  12. a busy or fast-paced succession of events : bustle
    • a whirl of activity
    • the social whirl
  13. a confused or disturbed mental state : turmoil
    • a whirl of febrile excitement -- Emily Skeel
  14. an experimental or brief attempt : try
    • gave it a whirl

whirl·i·gig ['hwər-li-,gig, 'wər-] -n

  1. a child's toy having a whirling motion
  2. merry-go-round
  3. one that continuously whirls, moves, or changes
  4. a whirling or circling course (as of events)

whirligig beetle -n

  1. any of a family (Gyrinidae) of beetles with two pairs of eyes and clubbed antennae that live mostly on the surface of water where they swim swiftly about in circles

whirl·ing disease ['hwər-liŋ-, 'wər-] -n

  1. an infectious often fatal disease esp. of young salmonid fishes (as trout and salmon) that is caused by a protozoan ( Myxobolus cerebralissyn. Myxosoma cerebralis) and is marked by skeletal deformities and a tendency to swim in circles

whirl·pool ['hwər(-ə)l-,pül, 'wər(-ə)l-] -n

  1. a confused tumult and bustle : whirl
  2. a magnetic or impelling force by which something may be engulfed
    • refusing to be drawn into this whirlpool of intrigue -- A. D. White
  3. water moving rapidly in a circle so as to produce a depression in the center into which floating objects may be drawn : eddy, vortex
  4. whirlpool bath

whirlpool bath -n

  1. a therapeutic bath in which all or part of the body is exposed to forceful whirling currents of hot water

whirl·wind [-,wind] -n

  1. a small rotating windstorm of limited extent
  2. a confused rush : whirl
    • a whirlwind of meetings
  3. a violent or destructive force or agency

whirlwind -adj

  1. resembling a whirlwind esp. in speed or force
    • a whirlwind campaign
    • a whirlwind romance

whirly ['hwər-lē, 'wər-] -adj

  1. marked by or exhibiting a whirling motion
  2. a small whirlwind

whirly·bird [-,bərd] -n

  1. helicopter

whir·ry ['hwər-ē, 'wər-, '(h)wə-rē] -vb

  1. to convey quickly
  2. hurry

whish ['hwish, 'wish] -vb

  1. to urge on or cause to move with a whish
  2. to make a sibilant sound
  3. to move with a whish esp. at high speed
    • an elevator...whish es down to the lower level -- Natalie Cooper
  4. a rushing sound : swish

whisht ['hwisht, 'wisht] -vi

  1. hush often used interjectionally to enjoin silence

whisk ['hwisk, 'wisk] -n

  1. a quick light brushing or whipping motion
  2. a usu. wire kitchen utensil used for beating food by hand
  3. a flexible bunch (as of twigs, feathers, or straw) attached to a handle for use as a brush
  4. to move nimbly and quickly
  5. to move or convey briskly
    • whisk ed the children off to bed
  6. to mix or fluff up by or as if by beating with a whisk
    • whisk egg whites
  7. to brush or wipe off lightly

whisk broom -n

  1. a small broom with a short handle used esp. as a clothes brush

whis·ker ['hwis-kər, 'wis-] -n, adj

  1. a hair of the beard
  2. mustache
  3. the part of the beard growing on the sides of the face or on the chin
  4. hairbreadth
    • lost the race by a whisker
  5. one of the long projecting hairs or bristles growing near the mouth of an animal (as a cat or bird)
  6. an outrigger extending on each side of the bowsprit to spread the jib and flying jib guys usu. used in pl.
  7. a shred or filament resembling a whisker
  8. a thin hairlike crystal (as of sapphire or copper) of exceptional mechanical strength used esp. to reinforce composite structural material

whis·key ['hwis-kē, 'wis-] -n

  1. a liquor distilled from fermented wort (as that obtained from rye, corn, or barley mash)
  2. a drink of whiskey

Whiskey

  1. a communications code word for the letter w

whiskey sour -n

  1. a cocktail usu. consisting of whiskey, sugar, and lemon juice shaken with ice

whis·per ['hwis-pər, 'wis-] -vb

  1. to speak softly with little or no vibration of the vocal cords esp. to avoid being overheard
  2. to make a sibilant sound that resembles whispering
  3. to address in a whisper
  4. to utter or communicate in or as if in a whisper

whisper -n

  1. something communicated by or as if by whispering
  2. rumor
    • whisper s of scandal
  3. an act or instance of whispering
  4. speech without vibration of the vocal cords
  5. a sibilant sound that resembles whispered speech
  6. hint, trace

whis·per·er [-pər-ər] -n

  1. one that whispers
  2. rumormonger

whispering -n

  1. whispered speech
  2. gossip, rumor
  3. a sibilant sound : whisper
  4. making a sibilant sound
  5. spreading confidential and esp. derogatory reports
    • whispering tongues can poison truth -- S. T. Coleridge

whispering campaign -n

  1. the systematic dissemination by word of mouth of derogatory rumors or charges esp. against a candidate for public office

whis·pery ['hwis-p(ə-)rē, 'wis-] -adj

  1. resembling a whisper
  2. full of whispers

whist ['hwist, 'wist] -vi

  1. to be silent : hush often used interjectionally to enjoin silence
  2. quiet, silent
  3. a card game for four players in two partnerships that is played with a pack of 52 cards and that scores one point for each trick in excess of six

whis·tle ['hwi-səl, 'wi-] -n

  1. a small wind instrument in which sound is produced by the forcible passage of breath through a slit in a short tube
    • a police whistle
  2. a device through which air or steam is forced into a cavity or against a thin edge to produce a loud sound
    • a factory whistle
  3. a shrill clear sound produced by forcing breath out or air in through the puckered lips
  4. the sound produced by a whistle
  5. a signal given by or as if by whistling
  6. a sound that resembles a whistle
  7. a shrill clear note of or as if of a bird

whistle [-s(ə-)liŋ] -vb, adj

  1. to utter a shrill clear sound by blowing or drawing air through the puckered lips
  2. to utter a shrill note or call resembling a whistle
  3. to make a shrill clear sound esp. by rapid movement
    • the wind whistled
  4. to blow or sound a whistle
  5. to give a signal or issue an order or summons by or as if by whistling
  6. to make a demand without result
    • he did a sloppy job, so he can whistle for his money
  7. to send, bring, signal, or call by or as if by whistling
  8. to charge (as a basketball or hockey player) with an infraction
  9. to produce, utter, or express by whistling
    • whistle a tune

whis·tleblow·er [-,blō-ər] -n

  1. one who reveals something covert or who informs against another
    • pledges to protect whistleblower s who fear reprisals -- Wall Street Jour.

whis·tler ['hwi-s(ə-)lər, 'wi-] -n

  1. : one that whistles: as
  2. any of various birds
  3. any of numerous oscine birds (esp. genus Pachycephala) found chiefly in Australia and South Pacific islands and having a whistling call
  4. a large marmot ( Marmota caligata) of northwestern No. America having a shrill alarm call
  5. a broken-winded horse
  6. a very-low-frequency radio signal that is generated by lightning discharge, travels along the earth's magnetic-field lines, and produces a sound resembling a whistle of descending pitch in radio receivers

whis·tlestop ['hwi-səl-,stäp, 'wi-] -n

  1. a small station at which trains stop only on signal : flag stop
  2. a small community
  3. a brief personal appearance esp. by a political candidate usu. on the rear platform of a train during the course of a tour

whistlestop -vi

  1. to make a tour esp. in a political campaign with many brief personal appearances in small communities

whistling -n

  1. the act or sound of one that whistles : whistle

whistling swan -n

  1. tundra swan

whit ['hwit, 'wit] -n

  1. the smallest part or particle imaginable : bit
    • what some people will do for a whit of publicity -- Patrick Quinn

white ['hwīt, 'wīt] -adj

  1. free from color
  2. of the color of new snow or milk
  3. of the color white
  4. light or pallid in color
    • white hair
    • lips white with fear
  5. lustrous pale gray : silvery
  6. made of silver
  7. being a member of a group or race characterized by light pigmentation of the skin
  8. of, relating to, characteristic of, or consisting of white people or their culture
  9. marked by upright fairness
    • that's mighty white of you
  10. : free from spot or blemish: as
  11. free from moral impurity : innocent
  12. marked by the wearing of white by the woman as a symbol of purity
    • a white wedding
  13. unmarked by writing or printing
  14. not intended to cause harm
    • a white lie
    • white magic
  15. favorable, fortunate
    • one of the white days of his life -- Sir Walter Scott
  16. wearing or habited in white
  17. marked by the presence of snow : snowy
    • a white Christmas
  18. heated to the point of whiteness
  19. notably ardent : passionate
    • white fury
  20. conservative or reactionary in political outlook and action
  21. instigated or carried out by reactionary forces as a counterrevolutionary measure
    • a white terror
  22. of, relating to, or constituting a musical tone quality characterized by a controlled pure sound, a lack of warmth and color, and a lack of resonance
  23. consisting of a wide range of frequencies used of light, sound, and electromagnetic radiation
  24. the achromatic object color of greatest lightness characteristically perceived to belong to objects that reflect diffusely nearly all incident energy throughout the visible spectrum
  25. : a white or light-colored part of something: as
  26. a mass of albuminous material surrounding the yolk of an egg
  27. the white part of the eyeball
  28. the light-colored pieces in a 2-player board game
  29. the player by whom these are played
  30. the area of a page unmarked by writing, printing, or illustration
  31. a white target
  32. the fifth or outermost circle of an archery target
  33. a shot that hits it
  34. : one that is or approaches white in color: as
  35. white clothing often used in pl.
  36. white wine
  37. a white mammal (as a horse or a hog)
  38. a white-colored product (as flour, pins, or sugar) usu. used in pl.
  39. any of numerous butterflies (subfamily Pierinae of the family Pieridae) that usu. have the ground color of the wings white and are related to the sulphur butterflies
  40. teeth used in the phrase pearly whites
  41. leukorrhea
  42. a person belonging to a light-skinned race
  43. a member of a conservative or reactionary political group
  44. whiten

white amur [-ä-'mu̇r] -n

  1. grass carp

white ant -n

  1. termite

white ash -n

  1. a No. American ash ( Fraxinus americana) having compound leaves with a pale green or silvery-white underside
  2. its hard brownish wood

white·bait ['hwīt-,bāt, 'wīt-] -n

  1. the young of any of several European herrings and esp. of the common herring ( Clupea harengus) or of the sprat ( Sprattus sprattus)
  2. any of various small fishes likened to the European whitebait and used as food

white bass -n

  1. a No. American freshwater bony fish ( Morone chrysopsof the family Percichthyidae) that is used for food

white bean -n

  1. a white kidney bean (as a cannellini bean)

white·beard ['hwīt-,bird, 'wīt-] -n

  1. an old man : graybeard

white birch -n

  1. paper birch
  2. gray birch
  3. either of two Eurasian birches ( Betula pubescensand B. pendula) with white or ash-colored bark that are often planted as ornamentals in the U.S.

white blood cell -n

  1. any of the blood cells that are colorless, lack hemoglobin, contain a nucleus, and include the lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils called also leukocyte white blood corpuscle white cell

white·board ['hwīt-,bȯrd, 'wīt-] -n

  1. a hard smooth white surface used for writing or drawing on with markers

white book -n

  1. an official report of government affairs bound in white

whitebread ['hwīt-'bred, 'wīt-] -adj

  1. being, typical of, or having qualities (as blandness) associated with the white middle class

white·cap ['hwīt-,kap, 'wīt-] -n

  1. a wave crest breaking into white foam usu. used in pl.

white cedar -n

  1. an aromatic evergreen swamp tree ( Chamaecyparis thyoides) of the cypress family that occurs along the eastern coast of the U.S. and has branchlets in fan-shaped sprays and small round cones
  2. its wood
  3. northern white cedar

white cell -n

  1. white blood cell

white chip -n

  1. a white-colored poker chip usu. of minimum value
  2. a thing or quantity of little worth

white chocolate -n

  1. a confection of cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids, lecithin, and flavorings

white clover -n

  1. a Eurasian clover ( Trifolium repens) with round heads of white flowers that is widely used in lawn and pasture grass-seed mixtures and is an important source of nectar for bees called also white Dutch clover

whitecoat hypertension -n

  1. a temporary elevation in a patient's blood pressure that occurs when measured in a medical setting (as a physician's office) and that is usu. due to anxiety on the part of the patient

whitecol·lar ['hwīt-'kä-lər, 'wīt-] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or constituting the class of salaried employees whose duties do not call for the wearing of work clothes or protective clothing

white crappie -n

  1. a silvery No. American sunfish ( Pomoxis annularis) with five or six protruding spines on the dorsal fins that is used as a panfish and often for stocking small ponds

whitecrowned sparrow ['hwīt-'krau̇nd-, 'wīt-] -n

  1. a migratory sparrow ( Zonotrichia leucophrys) that breeds in northern and western No. America and has a grayish breast, pink bill, and head striped with black and white

whited -adj

  1. covered with white or whiting and esp. with whitewash
  2. made white : whitened

whited sepulcher -n

  1. a person inwardly corrupt or wicked but outwardly or professedly virtuous or holy : hypocrite

white dwarf -n

  1. a small hot whitish star of low intrinsic brightness usu. with a mass approximately equal to that of the sun but with a density many times larger

white elephant -n

  1. an Indian elephant of a pale color that is sometimes venerated in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Myanmar
  2. a property requiring much care and expense and yielding little profit
  3. an object no longer of value to its owner but of value to others
  4. something of little or no value

white·face ['hwīt-,fās, 'wīt-] -n

  1. a white-faced animal
  2. hereford
  3. dead-white facial makeup
    • a clown in whiteface

whitefaced [-'fāst] -adj

  1. having the face white in whole or in part used esp. of an animal otherwise dark in color
  2. having a wan pale face

white feather -n

  1. a mark or symbol of cowardice used chiefly in the phrase show the white feather

white fir -n

  1. a large fir ( Abies concolor) of western No. America with pale usu. bluish-green foliage, a narrow erect crown, and soft wood that is used for lumber

white·fish ['hwīt-,fish, 'wīt-] -n

  1. any of various freshwater salmonid food fishes (esp. of genera Coregonusand Prosopium) found usu. in cold northern waters
  2. any of various fishes resembling the true whitefishes
  3. any of various market fishes with white flesh that is not oily
  4. the flesh of a whitefish esp. as an article of food

white flag -n

  1. a flag of plain white used as a flag of truce or as a token of surrender
  2. a token of weakness or yielding

white flight -n

  1. the departure of whites from places (as urban neighborhoods or schools) increasingly or predominantly populated by minorities

white·fly ['hwīt-,flī, 'wīt-] -n

  1. any of numerous small homopterous insects (family Aleyrodidae) that are injurious plant pests

whitefoot·ed mouse ['hwīt-,fu̇-təd-, 'wīt-] -n

  1. any of various largely nocturnal mice (genus Peromyscus) of No. and Central America typically having whitish feet and underparts
  2. a common woodland mouse ( P. leucopus) of No. America

white friar -n

  1. carmelite

white gas -n

  1. unleaded gasoline used esp. to fuel portable stoves called also white gasoline

whiteglove ['hwīt-'gləv, 'wīt-] -adj

  1. marked by special care or attention : meticulous
    • whiteglove service

white gold -n

  1. a pale alloy of gold esp. with nickel or palladium that resembles platinum in appearance

white goods -n pl

  1. white fabrics esp. of cotton or linen
  2. articles (as sheets, towels, or curtains) orig. or typically made of white cloth
  3. major household appliances (as stoves and refrigerators) that are typically finished in white enamel

white grub -n

  1. a grub that is a destructive pest of grass roots and is the larva of various beetles and esp. june bugs

White·hall ['hwīt-,hȯl, 'wīt-] -n

  1. the British government

white hat -n

  1. one who is admirable and honorable
  2. a mark or symbol of goodness
    • could use a few more guys in white hats -- Robert Christgau

white·head [-,hed] -n

  1. a small whitish lump in the skin due to retention of keratin in an oil gland duct called also milium

whitehead·ed [-'he-dəd] -adj

  1. having the hair, fur, or plumage of the head white or very light
  2. specially favored : fortunate used esp. in the phrase white-headed boy

white heat -n

  1. a temperature (as for copper and iron from 1500 to 1600 C) which is higher than red heat and at which a body becomes brightly incandescent
  2. a state of intense mental or physical strain, emotion, or activity

white hole -n

  1. a hypothetical extremely dense celestial object that radiates enormous amounts of energy and matter

white hope -n

  1. a white contender for a boxing championship held by a black
  2. one who is felt to represent whites
  3. one from whom much is expected
  4. a person undertaking a difficult task

whitehot ['hwīt-'hät, 'wīt-] -adj

  1. being at or radiating white heat
  2. extremely hot
  3. exhibiting or marked by extreme fervor or zeal
    • whitehot enthusiasm

White House [-,hau̇s] -n

  1. a residence of the president of the U.S.
  2. the executive department of the U.S. government

white hunter -n

  1. a white man serving as guide and professional hunter to an African safari

white knight -n

  1. one that comes to the rescue of another
  2. a corporation invited to buy out a second corporation in order to prevent an undesired takeover by a third
  3. one that champions a cause

whiteknuck·le ['hwīt-'nə-kəl, 'wīt-] -adj

  1. marked by, causing, or experiencing tense nervousness
    • a whiteknuckle ride on a roller coaster
    • a whiteknuckle passenger

white lead -n

  1. any of several white lead-containing pigments
  2. a heavy poisonous basic carbonate of lead marketed as a powder or as a paste in linseed oil and used esp. formerly in paints

white lightning -n

  1. moonshine

white line -n

  1. a band or edge of something white
  2. a stripe painted on a road and used to guide traffic

white list [-,list] -n, adj

  1. a list of approved or favored items

whiteliv·ered [-'li-vərd] -adj

  1. pusillanimous, lily-livered

white·ly ['hwīt-lē, 'wīt-] -adv

  1. with an effect of whiteness : so as to show or appear white

white man's burden -n

  1. the alleged duty of the white peoples to manage the affairs of the less developed nonwhite peoples

white marlin -n

  1. a marlin ( Tetrapturas albidus) of the Atlantic Ocean that is blue above and silvery-white below

white matter -n

  1. neural tissue esp. of the brain and spinal cord that consists largely of myelinated nerve fibers bundled into tracts, has a whitish color, and typically underlies the cortical gray matter

white metal -n

  1. any of several light-colored alloys used esp. as a base for plated silverware and ornaments and novelties
  2. any of several lead-base or tin-base alloys (as babbitt) used esp. for bearings, fusible plugs, and type metal

white mustard -n

  1. a Eurasian mustard ( Brassica hirta) grown for its pale yellow seeds which yield mustard and mustard oil

whit·en ['hwī-tᵊn, 'wī-] -vb

  1. to make white or whiter
    • snow whiten ed the hills
  2. to become white or whiter

whit·en·er ['hwīt-nər, 'wīt-; 'hwī-tᵊn-ər, 'wī-] -n

  1. one that whitens
  2. an agent (as a bleach) used to impart whiteness to something

white·ness ['hwīt-nəs, 'wīt-] -n

  1. : the quality or state of being white: as
  2. white color
  3. pallor, paleness
  4. freedom from stain : cleanness
  5. white substance

whitening -n

  1. the act or process of making or becoming white
  2. something that is used to make white : whiting

white noise -n

  1. a heterogeneous mixture of sound waves extending over a wide frequency range
  2. a constant background noise
  3. one that drowns out other sounds
  4. meaningless or distracting commotion, hubbub, or chatter
    • the white noise of policy and politics in America -- Joseph Nocera

white oak -n

  1. any of various oaks (esp. Quercus albaof eastern No. America) with acorns that mature in one year and leaf veins that never extend beyond the margin of the leaf
  2. its hard strong durable wood

white oil -n

  1. any of various colorless odorless tasteless mineral oils used esp. in medicine and in pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations

white·out ['hwīt-,au̇t, 'wīt-] -n

  1. a surface weather condition in a snow-covered area (as a polar region) in which no object casts a shadow, the horizon cannot be seen, and only dark objects are discernible
  2. a blizzard that severely reduces visibility

white pages -n pl

  1. the section of a telephone directory that lists individuals and businesses alphabetically

white paper -n

  1. a government report on any subject
  2. a British publication that is usu. less extensive than a blue book
  3. a detailed or authoritative report

white pepper -n

  1. a pungent condiment that consists of the fruit of a pepper plant ( Piper nigrum) ground after the black husk has been removed

white perch -n

  1. a silvery anadromous bass ( Morone americana) chiefly of the coast and coastal streams of the eastern U.S.
  2. freshwater drum
  3. white crappie

white pine -n

  1. a tall-growing pine ( Pinus strobus) of eastern No. America with long needles in clusters of five called also eastern white pine
  2. any of several pines that resemble the white pine esp. in having needles in bundles of five
  3. the wood of a white pine and esp. of the eastern white pine

whitepine blister rust -n

  1. a destructive disease of white pine caused by a rust fungus ( Cronartium ribicola) that passes part of its complex life cycle on currant or gooseberry bushes
  2. this fungus

white potato -n

  1. potato

white rhinoceros -n

  1. a rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum) of southern and central Africa that is distinguished from the black rhinoceros esp. by larger size and by a squared upper lip lacking a protrusion called also white rhino

white rice -n

  1. rice from which the hull and bran have been removed by milling

white room -n

  1. clean room

White Russian -n

  1. belarusian
  2. a cocktail made of vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream or milk

white rust -n

  1. any of various diseases of chiefly cruciferous plants caused by a fungus (genus Albugo) and marked by white spore-filled lesions
  2. a fungus causing white rust

white sale -n

  1. a sale of white goods

white sauce -n

  1. a sauce consisting essentially of a roux with milk, cream, or stock and seasoning

white sea bass -n

  1. a large croaker ( Atractoscion nobilis) of the Pacific coast of No. America that is an important sport and food fish

white shark -n

  1. great white shark

whiteshoe ['hwīt-'shü, 'wīt-] -adj

  1. of, associated with, or characteristic of the privileged moneyed upper class : upper-crust
    • a whiteshoe law firm

white slave -n

  1. a woman or girl held unwillingly for purposes of commercial prostitution

white slav·er [-'slā-vər] -n

  1. one engaged in white-slave traffic

white slavery -n

  1. enforced prostitution

white·smith ['hwīt-,smith, 'wīt-] -n

  1. tinsmith
  2. a worker in iron who finishes or polishes the work

white space -n

  1. the areas of a page without print or pictures

white spruce -n

  1. any of several spruces
  2. a widely distributed spruce ( Picea glauca) of coniferous forests of Canada and the northern U.S. that has short stiff blue-green needles and slender cones
  3. the wood of a white spruce
  4. the light pale tough straight-grained wood of the common white spruce ( Picea glauca) used esp. for construction and as a source of paper pulp

white sucker -n

  1. a common and widespread edible sucker ( Catostomus commersoni) of the U.S. and Canada

white supremacist -n

  1. an advocate of or believer in white supremacy

white supremacy -n

  1. a doctrine based on a belief in the inherent superiority of the white race over other races and the correlative necessity for the subordination of nonwhites to whites in all relationships

white·tail ['hwīt-,tāl, 'wīt-] -n

  1. white-tailed deer

whitetailed deer [-,tāld-] -n

  1. a No. American deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) with a rather long tail white on the undersurface and the males of which have forward-arching antlers called also whitetail deer

white·throat ['hwīt-,thrōt, 'wīt-] -n

  1. : any of several birds with white on the throat: as
  2. an Old World warbler ( Sylvia communis) with rusty upper parts and largely pale buff underparts
  3. white-throated sparrow

whitethroat·ed sparrow [-,thrō-təd-] -n

  1. a common brown sparrow ( Zonotrichia albicollis) chiefly of eastern No. America with a black-and-white striped crown and a white patch on the throat

whitetie -adj

  1. characterized by or requiring the wearing of formal evening clothes consisting of white tie and tailcoat for men and a formal gown for women
    • a whitetie dinner

white trash -n sing but pl in constr

  1. a member of an inferior or underprivileged white social group

white·wall ['hwīt-,wȯl, 'wīt-] -n

  1. an automobile tire having a white band on the sidewall

white walnut -n

  1. butternut
  2. the light-colored wood of a butternut

white·wash ['hwīt-,wȯsh, 'wīt-, -,wäsh] -vt, n

  1. to whiten with whitewash
  2. to gloss over or cover up (as vices or crimes)
    • refused to whitewash the scandal
  3. to exonerate by means of a perfunctory investigation or through biased presentation of data
  4. to hold (an opponent) scoreless in a game or contest

whitewash -n

  1. : a liquid composition for whitening a surface: as
  2. a preparation for whitening the skin
  3. a composition (as of lime and water or whiting, size, and water) for whitening structural surfaces
  4. an act or instance of glossing over or of exonerating
  5. a defeat in a contest in which the loser fails to score

white·wash·ing [-,wȯ-shiŋ, -,wä] -n

  1. an act or instance of applying whitewash
  2. whitewash

white water -n, adj

  1. frothy water (as in breakers, rapids, or falls)

white way -n

  1. a brilliantly lighted street or avenue esp. in a city's business or theater district

white whale -n

  1. beluga

white wine -n

  1. a wine ranging in color from faintly yellow to amber that is produced from the juice alone of dark- or light-colored grapes

white·wing ['hwīt-,wiŋ, 'wīt-] -n

  1. a person and esp. a street sweeper wearing a white uniform

white·wood [-,wu̇d] -n

  1. : any of various trees with pale or white wood: as
  2. tulip tree
  3. an Australian tree ( Atalaya hemiglauca) of the soapberry family
  4. the wood of a whitewood
  5. tulipwood

whit·ey ['hwī-tē, 'wī-] -n

  1. the white man : white society

white zinfandel -n

  1. a blush wine made from zinfandel grapes

whith·er ['hwi-thər, 'wi-] -adv

  1. to what place
    • whither will they go
  2. to what situation, position, degree, or end
    • whither will this abuse drive him

whither -conj

  1. to what place
    • knew whither to go -- Daniel Defoe
  2. to what situation, position, degree, or end
  3. to the place at, in, or to which
  4. to which place
  5. to whatever place

whith·er·so·ev·er [,hwi-thər-sə-'we-vər, ,wi-] -conj

  1. to whatever place
    • will go whithersoever you lead

whith·er·ward ['hwi-thər-wərd, 'wi-] -adv

  1. toward what or which place

whit·ing ['hwī-tiŋ, 'wī-] -n

  1. : any of various marine food fishes: as
  2. a common European fish ( Merlangus merlangus) of the cod family
  3. silver hake

whiting -n

  1. calcium carbonate ground into fine powder, washed, and used esp. as a pigment and extender, in putty, and in rubber compounding and paper coating

whit·low ['hwit-(,)lō, 'wit-] -n

  1. a deep usu. suppurative inflammation of the finger or toe esp. near the end or around the nail called also felon

Whit·mon·day ['hwit-,mən-dē, 'wit-, -'mən-] -n

  1. the day after Whitsunday observed as a legal holiday in England, Wales, and Ireland

Whit·sun ['hwit-sən, 'wit-] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or observed on Whitsunday or at Whitsuntide

Whit·sun·day [-'sən-dē, -sən-,dā] -n

  1. pentecost

Whit·sun·tide [-sən-,tīd] -n

  1. the week beginning with Whitsunday and esp. the first three days of this week

whit·tle ['hwi-tᵊl, 'wi-] -n

  1. a large knife

whittle ['hwit-liŋ, 'wit-; 'hwi-tᵊl-iŋ, 'wi-] -vb, n

  1. to pare or cut off chips from the surface of (wood) with a knife
  2. to shape or form by so paring or cutting
  3. to reduce, remove, or destroy gradually as if by cutting off bits with a knife : pare
    • whittle down expenses
  4. to cut or shape something (as wood) by or as if by paring it with a knife
  5. to wear oneself or another out with fretting

whit·tling -n

  1. the act or art of whittling
  2. a piece cut away in whittling

whit·tret ['hwi-trət, 'wi-] -n

  1. weasel

whity ['hwī-tē, 'wī-] -adj

  1. somewhat white : whitish usu. used in combination

whiz ['hwiz, 'wiz] -vb

  1. to hum, whir, or hiss like a speeding object (as an arrow or ball) passing through air
  2. to fly or move swiftly esp. with a whiz
    • cars whizzing by
  3. to cause to whiz
  4. to rotate very rapidly
  5. a hissing, buzzing, or whirring sound
  6. a movement or passage of something accompanied by a whizzing sound
  7. an act of urinating used esp. in the phrase take a whiz
  8. wizard
    • a math whiz

whiz·bang ['hwiz-,baŋ, 'wiz-, -'baŋ] -n, adj

  1. one that is conspicuous for noise, speed, excellence, or startling effect

whiz kid -n

  1. a person who is unusually intelligent, clever, or successful esp. at an early age

whiz·zer ['hwi-zər, 'wi-] -n

  1. one that whizzes
  2. a centrifugal machine for drying something (as grain, sugar, or nitrated cotton)

whiz·zy ['hwi-zē, 'wi-] -adj

  1. wizardly
    • whizzy technology

who ['hü, ü] -pron

  1. what or which person or persons used as an interrogative
    • who was elected?
    • find out who they are
    used by speakers on all educational levels and by many reputable writers, though disapproved by some grammarians, as the object of a verb or a following preposition
    • who did I see but a Spanish lady -- Padraic Colum
    • do not know who the message is from -- G. K. Chesterton
  2. the person or persons that : whoever
  3. used as a function word to introduce a relative clause used esp. in reference to persons
    • my father, who was a lawyer
    but also in reference to groups
    • a generation who had known nothing but war -- R. B. West
    or to animals
    • dogs who...fawn all over tramps -- Nigel Balchin
    or to inanimate objects esp. with the implication that the reference is really to a person
    • earlier sources who maintain a Davidic ancestry -- F. M. Cross
    used by speakers on all educational levels and by many reputable writers, though disapproved by some grammarians, as the object of a verb or a following preposition
    • a character who we are meant to pity -- Times Lit. Supp.

WHO -abbr

  1. World Health Organization

whoa ['wō, 'hō, 'hwō] -vb imper

  1. a command (as to a draft animal) to stand still
  2. cease or slow a course of action or a line of thought : pause to consider or reconsider often used to express a strong reaction (as alarm or astonishment)

who'd ['hüd]

  1. who had : who would

who·dun·it [hü-'də-nət] -n

  1. a detective story or mystery story

who·ev·er [hü-'e-vər] -pron

  1. whatever person : no matter who used in any grammatical relation except that of a possessive
    • sells to whoever has the money to buy

whole ['hōl] -adj, n

  1. free of wound or injury : unhurt
  2. recovered from a wound or injury : restored
  3. being healed
    • whole of an ancient evil, I sleep sound -- A. E. Housman
  4. free of defect or impairment : intact
  5. physically sound and healthy : free of disease or deformity
  6. mentally or emotionally sound
  7. having all its proper parts or components : complete, unmodified
    • whole milk
    • a whole egg
  8. constituting the total sum or undiminished entirety : entire
    • owns the whole island
  9. each or all of the
    • took part in the whole series of athletic events
  10. constituting an undivided unit : unbroken, uncut
    • a whole roast suckling pig
  11. directed to one end : concentrated
    • your whole attention
  12. seemingly complete or total
    • the whole idea is to help, not hinder
  13. very great in quantity, extent, or scope
    • feels a whole lot better now
  14. constituting the entirety of a person's nature or development
    • educate the whole student
  15. having the same father and mother
    • whole brother
  16. a complete amount or sum : a number, aggregate, or totality lacking no part, member, or element
  17. something constituting a complex unity : a coherent system or organization of parts fitting or working together as one
  18. wholly, entirely
    • a whole new age group -- Henry Chauncey
  19. as a complete entity

whole cloth -n

  1. pure fabrication usu. used in the phrase out of whole cloth
    • the theory was created out of whole cloth

whole food -n

  1. a natural food and esp. an unprocessed one (as a vegetable or fruit)

whole gale -n

  1. wind having a speed of 55 to 63 miles (88 to 102 kilometers) per hour

whole·heart·ed ['hōl-'här-təd] -adj, adv

  1. completely and sincerely devoted, determined, or enthusiastic
    • a wholehearted student of social problems
  2. marked by complete earnest commitment : free from all reserve or hesitation
    • gave the proposal wholehearted approval

wholehog -adj

  1. committed without reservation : thoroughgoing
    • a wholehog patriot

whole hog -n

  1. the whole way or farthest limit usu. used adverbially in the phrase go the whole hog
  2. to the fullest extent : without reservation : completely
    • accepting whole hog the standards...of the majority -- R. B. Kaplan

whole language -n

  1. a method of teaching reading and writing that emphasizes learning whole words and phrases by encountering them in meaningful contexts rather than by phonics exercises

wholelife ['hōl-'līf] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or being life insurance with a fixed premium for the life of the policyholder and a cash value that can be redeemed on sale of the policy or can be the basis of low-interest loans

whole·meal ['hōl-,mēl] -adj

  1. whole wheat

whole note -n

  1. a musical note equal in time value to four quarter notes or two half notes

whole number -n

  1. any of the set of nonnegative integers
  2. integer

whole rest -n

  1. a musical rest corresponding in time value to a whole note

whole·sale ['hōl-,sāl] -n

  1. the sale of commodities in quantity usu. for resale (as by a retail merchant)

wholesale -adj

  1. performed or existing on a large scale esp. without discrimination
    • wholesale slaughter
  2. of, relating to, or engaged in the sale of commodities in quantity for resale
    • a wholesale grocer
  3. in a wholesale manner
  4. to sell (something) in quantity usu. for resale
  5. to sell in quantity usu. for resale

whole·sal·er ['hōl-,sā-lər] -n

  1. a merchant middleman who sells chiefly to retailers, other merchants, or industrial, institutional, and commercial users mainly for resale or business use

whole·some ['hōl-səm] -adj, adv, n

  1. promoting health or well-being of mind or spirit
  2. promoting health of body
  3. sound in body, mind, or morals
  4. having the simple health or vigor of normal domesticity
  5. based on well-grounded fear : prudent
    • a wholesome respect for the law
  6. safe
    • it wouldn't be wholesome for you to go down there -- Mark Twain

wholesouled ['hōl-'sōld] -adj

  1. moved by ardent enthusiasm or single-minded devotion : wholehearted

whole step -n

  1. a musical interval (as CD or CB ) comprising two half steps called also whole tone

whole wheat -adj

  1. made of ground entire wheat kernels

whol·ly ['hō(l)-lē] -adv

  1. to the full or entire extent : completely
    • a wholly owned subsidiary
  2. to the exclusion of other things : solely
    • a book dealing wholly with herbs

whom ['hüm, üm] -pron

  1. used as an interrogative or relative used as object of a verb or a preceding preposition
    • to know for whom the bell tolls -- John Donne
    or less frequently as the object of a following preposition
    • the man whom you wrote to
    though now often considered stilted esp. as an interrogative and esp. in oral use occas. used as predicate nominative with a copulative verb or as subject of a verb esp. in the vicinity of a preposition or a verb of which it might mistakenly be considered the object
    • whom say ye that I am -- Mt 16:15 (AV)
    • people...whom you never thought would sympathize -- Shea Murphy

whom·ev·er [hü-'e-vər] -pron

(variant of whoever)

  1. whatever person : no matter who used in any grammatical relation except that of a possessive
    • sells to whoever has the money to buy

whomp ['hwämp, 'hwȯmp, 'wämp, 'wȯmp] -n

  1. a loud slap, crash, or crunch
  2. to strike with a sharp noise or thump
  3. to hit or slap sharply
  4. to defeat decisively : trounce
  5. to create or put together esp. hastily usu. used with up

whomp up -vt

  1. to stir up : arouse

whom·so ['hü-(,)sō] -pron

(variant of whoso)

  1. whoever

whom·so·ev·er [,hü-sə-'we-vər] -pron

(variant of whosoever)

  1. whoever

whoop ['hüp, 'hu̇p, 'hwüp, 'hwu̇p, 'wüp, 'wu̇p] -vb

  1. to utter a whoop in expression of eagerness, enthusiasm, or enjoyment : shout
  2. to utter the cry of an owl : hoot
  3. to make the characteristic whoop of whooping cough
  4. to go or pass with a loud noise
  5. to be rushed through by acclamation or with noisy support
    • the bill whoop ed through both houses
  6. to utter or express with a whoop
  7. to urge, drive, or cheer on with a whoop
  8. to agitate in behalf of
  9. raise, boost
    • whoop up the price
  10. a loud yell expressive of eagerness, exuberance, or jubilation often used interjectionally
  11. a shout of hunters or of men in battle or pursuit
  12. the cry of an owl : hoot
  13. the crowing intake of breath following a paroxysm in whooping cough
  14. a minimum amount or degree : the least bit
    • not worth a whoop

whoopdedo [,h(w)üp-dē-'dü, ,h(w)u̇p-, -tē-] -n

  1. noisy and exuberant or attention-getting activity (as at a social affair or in a political campaign)
  2. a lively social affair
  3. agitated public discussion or debate

whoop·ee ['(h)wu̇-(,)pē, '(h)wü-; (h)wu̇-'pē, (h)wü-] -interj

  1. used to express exuberance
  2. boisterous convivial fun : merrymaking usu. used with make
  3. sexual play usu. used with make

whoopee cushion -n

  1. a cushion that makes a sound like the breaking of wind when sat upon

whoop·er ['h(w)ü-pər, 'h(w)u̇-] -n

  1. one that whoops
  2. whooping crane

whooper swan -n

  1. a chiefly Eurasian swan ( Cygnus cygnus) with a yellow and black bill

whooping cough -n

  1. an infectious respiratory disease esp. of children caused by a bacterium ( Bordetella pertussis) and marked by a convulsive spasmodic cough sometimes followed by a crowing intake of breath called also pertussis

whooping crane -n

  1. a large white nearly extinct No. American crane ( Grus americana) noted for its loud trumpeting call

whoop·la ['h(w)üp-,lä, 'h(w)u̇p-] -n

  1. hoopla
  2. boisterous merrymaking

whoops ['(w)u̇(ə)ps] -interj

(variant of oops)

  1. used typically to express mild apology, surprise, or dismay

whoosh ['hwüsh, 'wüsh, '(h)wu̇sh] -n

  1. a swift or explosive rush
  2. the sound created by such a rush often used interjectionally
  3. to rush past or move explosively
    • cars whoosh ing along the expressway
  4. to move (a person or thing) with or as if with a whoosh

whop ['hwäp, 'wäp] -vt

  1. to pull or whip out
  2. beat, strike
  3. to defeat totally
  4. a heavy blow : thump

whop·per ['hwä-pər, 'wä-] -n

  1. something unusually large or otherwise extreme of its kind
  2. an extravagant or monstrous lie

whop·ping ['hwä-piŋ, 'wä-] -adj

  1. extremely large
  2. extraordinary, incredible

whore ['hȯr, 'hu̇r] -n

  1. a woman who engages in sexual acts for money : prostitute
  2. a promiscuous or immoral woman
  3. a male who engages in sexual acts for money
  4. a venal or unscrupulous person
  5. to have unlawful sexual intercourse as or with a whore
  6. to pursue a faithless, unworthy, or idolatrous desire
  7. to corrupt by lewd intercourse : debauch

whore·dom ['hȯr-dəm, 'hu̇r-] -n

  1. the practice of whoring : prostitution
  2. faithless, unworthy, or idolatrous practices or pursuits

whore·house ['hȯr-,hau̇s, 'hu̇r-] -n

  1. a building in which prostitutes are available : bordello

whore·mas·ter [-,mas-tər] -n

  1. a man consorting with whores or given to lechery

whore·mon·ger [-,məŋ-gər, -,mäŋ-] -n

  1. whoremaster

whore·son ['hȯr-sᵊn, 'hu̇r-] -n

  1. bastard
  2. a coarse fellow used as a generalized term of abuse

Whorf·ian hypothesis ['wȯr-fē-ən-, 'hwȯr-] -n

  1. a theory in linguistics: one's language determines one's conception of the world

whor·ish ['hȯr-ish, 'hu̇r-] -adj

  1. of or befitting a whore

whorl ['hwȯr(-ə)l, 'wȯr(-ə)l, '(h)wər(-ə)l] -n

  1. a drum-shaped section on the lower part of a spindle in spinning or weaving machinery serving as a pulley for the tape drive that rotates the spindle
  2. an arrangement of similar anatomical parts (as leaves) in a circle around a point on an axis
  3. something that whirls, coils, or spirals or whose form suggests such movement : swirl
    • whorl s of snow
  4. one of the turns of a univalve shell
  5. a fingerprint in which the central papillary ridges turn through at least one complete circle

whorled ['hwȯr(-ə)ld, 'wȯr(-ə)ld, '(h)wər(-ə)ld] -adj

  1. having or arranged in whorls
    • leaves whorled at the nodes of the stem

whor·tle·ber·ry ['hwər-tᵊl-,ber-ē, 'wər-] -n

  1. bilberry
  2. blueberry

whose ['hüz, üz] -adj

  1. of or relating to whom or which esp. as possessor or possessors
    • whose gorgeous vesture heaps the ground -- Robert Browning
    , agent or agents
    • the law courts, whose decisions were important -- F. L. Mott
    , or object or objects of an action
    • the first poem whose publication he ever sanctioned -- J. W. Krutch
  2. that which belongs to whom used without a following noun as a pronoun equivalent in meaning to the adjective whose
    • tell me whose it was -- Shak.

whose·so·ev·er [,hüz-sə-'we-vər] -adj

  1. of or relating to whomsoever
    • whosesoever sins ye remit -- Jn 20:23(AV)

who·so ['hü-(,)sō] -pron

  1. whoever

who·so·ev·er [,hü-sə-'we-vər] -pron

  1. whoever

who's who [,hüz-'hü] -n

  1. a compilation of brief biographical sketches of prominent persons in a particular field
    • a who's who of sports figures
  2. the leaders of a group : elite
  3. a listing or grouping of notable persons or things

whump ['hwəmp, 'wəmp] -vi, n

  1. bang, thump

whup ['hwu̇p, 'wu̇p] -vt

  1. to administer a beating to esp. as punishment
  2. to defeat decisively

why ['hwī, 'wī] -adv

  1. for what cause, reason, or purpose
    • why did you do it?
  2. the cause, reason, or purpose for which
    • know why you did it
    • that is why you did it
  3. for which : on account of which
    • know the reason why you did it
  4. reason, cause
    • wants to know the why s and wherefores
  5. a baffling problem : enigma
  6. used to express mild surprise, hesitation, approval, disapproval, or impatience
    • why, here's what I was looking for

whyd·ah ['hwi-də, 'wi-] -n

  1. any of various mostly brownish African passerine birds (genera Euplectesand Vidua) often kept as cage birds and distinguished in the male by black-and-white plumage and by long tail feathers during the breeding season