Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter W - Page 22
What (interrog. adv.) Why? For what purpose? On what account? [Obs.]
What should I tell the answer of the knight. -- Chaucer.
But what do I stand reckoning upon advantages and gains lost by the misrule and turbulency of the prelates?
What do I pick up so thriftily their scatterings and diminishings of the meaner subject? -- Milton.
WHAT, () Web Hypertext Applications Technology [working group] (WWW, org.)
Whate'er (pron.) A contraction of what-ever; -- used in poetry.
Whatever (pron.) Anything soever which; the thing or things of any kind; being this or that; of one nature or another; one thing or another; anything that may be; all that; the whole that; all particulars that; -- used both substantively and adjectively.
Whatnot (n.) A kind of stand, or piece of furniture, having shelves for books, ornaments, etc.; an etagere.
Whatso (indef. pron.) Whatsoever; whosoever; whatever; anything that.
Whatsoe'er (pron.) A contraction of whatsoever; -- used in poetry.
Whatsoever (pron. & a.) Whatever.
Whaul (n.) Same as Whall.
Whaup (n.) See Whaap.
Wheal (n.) A pustule; a whelk.
Wheal (n.) A more or less elongated mark raised by a stroke; also, a similar mark made by any cause; a weal; a wale.
Wheal (n.) Specifically (Med.), a flat, burning or itching eminence on the skin, such as is produced by a mosquito bite, or in urticaria.
Wheal (n.) A mine.
Whealworm (n.) The harvest mite; -- so called from the wheals, caused by its bite.
Wheat (n.) A cereal grass (Triticum vulgare) and its grain, which furnishes a white flour for bread, and, next to rice, is the grain most largely used by the human race.
Wheatbird (n.) A bird that feeds on wheat, especially the chaffinch.
Wheatear (n.) (Zool.) A small European singing bird ({Saxicola [oe]nanthe). The male is white beneath, bluish gray above, with black wings and a black stripe through each eye. The tail is black at the tip and in the middle, but white at the base and on each side. Called also checkbird, chickell, dykehopper, fallow chat, fallow finch, stonechat, and whitetail.
Wheatear (n.) Small songbird of northern America and Eurasia having a distinctive white rump.
Wheaten (a.) Made of wheat; as, wheaten bread.
Wheatsel bird () The male of the chaffinch.
Wheatstone's bridge () See under Bridge.
Wheatworm (n.) A small nematode worm (Anguillula tritici) which attacks the grains of wheat in the ear. It is found in wheat affected with smut, each of the diseased grains containing a large number of the minute young of the worm.
Wheder (pron. & conj.) Whether.
Wheedled (imp. & p. p.) of Wheedle
Wheedling (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Wheedle
Wheedle (v. t.) To entice by soft words; to cajole; to flatter; to coax.
Wheedle (v. t.) To grain, or get away, by flattery.
Wheedle (v. i.) To flatter; to coax; to cajole.
Wheel (n.) A circular frame turning about an axis; a rotating disk, whether solid, or a frame composed of an outer rim, spokes or radii, and a central hub or nave, in which is inserted the axle, -- used for supporting and conveying vehicles, in machinery, and for various purposes; as, the wheel of a wagon, of a locomotive, of a mill, of a watch, etc.
The gasping charioteer beneath the wheel Of his own car. -- Dryden.
Wheel (n.) Any instrument having the form of, or chiefly consisting of, a wheel. Specifically:
Wheel (n.) A spinning wheel. See under Spinning.
Wheel (n.) An instrument of torture formerly used.
His examination is like that which is made by the rack and wheel. -- Addison.
Note: This mode of torture is said to have been first employed in Germany, in the fourteenth century. The criminal was laid on a cart wheel with his legs and arms extended, and his limbs in that posture were fractured with an iron bar. In France, where its use was restricted to the most atrocious crimes, the criminal was first laid on a frame of wood in the form of a St. Andrew's cross, with grooves cut transversely in it above and below the knees and elbows, and the executioner struck eight blows with an iron bar, so as to break the limbs in those places, sometimes finishing by two or three blows on the chest or stomach, which usually put an end to the life of the criminal, and were hence called coups-de-grace -- blows of mercy. The criminal was then unbound, and laid on a small wheel, with his face upward, and his arms and legs doubled under him, there to expire, if he had survived the previous treatment. -- Brande.
Wheel (n.) (Naut.) A circular frame having handles on the periphery, and an axle which is so connected with the tiller as to form a means of controlling the rudder for the purpose of steering.
Wheel (n.) (Pottery) A potter's wheel. See under Potter.
Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. -- Jer. xviii. 3.
Turn, turn, my wheel! This earthen jar A touch can make, a touch can mar. -- Longfellow.
Wheel (n.) (Pyrotechny) A firework which, while burning, is caused to revolve on an axis by the reaction of the escaping gases.
Wheel (n.) (Poetry) The burden or refrain of a song.
Note: "This meaning has a low degree of authority, but is supposed from the context in the few cases where the word is found." -- Nares.
You must sing a-down a-down, An you call him a-down-a. O, how the wheel becomes it! -- Shak.
Wheel (n.) A bicycle or a tricycle; a velocipede.
Wheel (n.) A rolling or revolving body; anything of a circular form; a disk; an orb. -- Milton.
Wheel (n.) A turn revolution; rotation; compass.
According to the common vicissitude and wheel of things, the proud and the insolent, after long trampling upon others, come at length to be trampled upon themselves. -- South.
[He] throws his steep flight in many an aery wheel. -- Milton.
A wheel within a wheel, or Wheels within wheels, A complication of circumstances, motives, etc.
Balance wheel. See in the Vocab.
Bevel wheel, Brake wheel, Cam wheel, Fifth wheel, Overshot wheel, Spinning wheel, etc. See under Bevel, Brake, etc.
Core wheel. (Mach.) A mortise gear.
Core wheel. (Mach.) A wheel having a rim perforated to receive wooden cogs; the skeleton of a mortise gear.
Measuring wheel, An odometer, or perambulator.
Wheel and axle (Mech.), One of the elementary machines or mechanical powers, consisting of a wheel fixed to an axle, and used for raising great weights, by applying the power to the circumference of the wheel, and attaching the weight, by a rope or chain, to that of the axle. Called also axis in peritrochio, and perpetual lever, -- the principle of equilibrium involved being the same as in the lever, while its action is continuous. See Mechanical powers, under Mechanical.
Wheel animal, or Wheel animalcule (Zool.), Any one of numerous species of rotifers having a ciliated disk at the anterior end.
Wheel barometer. (Physics) See under Barometer.
Wheel boat, A boat with wheels, to be used either on water or upon inclined planes or railways.
Wheel bug (Zool.), A large North American hemipterous insect ({Prionidus cristatus) which sucks the blood of other insects. So named from the curious shape of the prothorax.
Wheel carriage, A carriage moving on wheels.
Wheel chains, or Wheel ropes (Naut.), The chains or ropes connecting the wheel and rudder.
Wheel cutter, A machine for shaping the cogs of gear wheels; a gear cutter.
Wheel horse, One of the horses nearest to the wheels, as opposed to a leader, or forward horse; -- called also wheeler.
Wheel lathe, A lathe for turning railway-car wheels.
Wheel lock. A letter lock. See under Letter.
Wheel lock. A kind of gunlock in which sparks were struck from a flint, or piece of iron pyrites, by a revolving wheel.
Wheel lock. A kind of brake a carriage.
Wheel ore (Min.), A variety of bournonite so named from the shape of its twin crystals. See Bournonite.
Wheel pit (Steam Engine), A pit in the ground, in which the lower part of the fly wheel runs.
Wheel plow, or Wheel plough, A plow having one or two wheels attached, to render it more steady, and to regulate the depth of the furrow.
Wheel press, A press by which railway-car wheels are forced on, or off, their axles.
Wheel race, The place in which a water wheel is set.
Wheel rope (Naut.), A tiller rope. See under Tiller.
Wheel stitch (Needlework), A stitch resembling a spider's web, worked into the material, and not over an open space. -- Caulfeild & S. (Dict. of Needlework).
Wheel tree (Bot.), A tree ({Aspidosperma excelsum">Wheel tree (Bot.), a tree ({Aspidosperma excelsum) of Guiana, which has a trunk so curiously fluted that a transverse section resembles the hub and spokes of a coarsely made wheel. See Paddlewood.
Wheel urchin (Zool.), Any sea urchin of the genus Rotula having a round, flat shell.
Wheel window (Arch.), A circular window having radiating mullions arranged like the spokes of a wheel. Cf. Ros
Wheelchair (n.) 輪椅 A movable chair mounted on large wheels; for invalids or those who cannot walk; frequently propelled by the occupant.
Wheeled (imp. & p. p.) of Wheel.
Wheeling (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Wheel.
Wheel (v. t.) To convey on wheels, or in a wheeled vehicle; as, to wheel a load of hay or wood.
Wheel (v. t.) To put into a rotatory motion; to cause to turn or revolve; to cause to gyrate; to make or perform in a circle. "The beetle wheels her droning flight." -- Gray.
Now heaven, In all her glory, shone, and rolled Her motions, as the great first mover's hand First wheeled their course. -- Milton.
Wheel (v. i.) To turn on an axis, or as on an axis; to revolve; to more about; to rotate; to gyrate.
The moon carried about the earth always shows the same face to us, not once wheeling upon her own center. -- Bentley.
Wheel (v. i.) To change direction, as if revolving upon an axis or pivot; to turn; as, the troops wheeled to the right.
Being able to advance no further, they are in a fair way to wheel about to the other extreme. -- South.
Wheel (v. i.) To go round in a circuit; to fetch a compass.
Then wheeling down the steep of heaven he flies. -- Pope.
Wheel (v. i.) To roll forward.
Thunder mixed with hail, Hail mixed with fire, must rend the Egyptian sky, And wheel on the earth, devouring where it rolls. -- Milton.
Wheel (n.) A simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines).
Wheel (n.) A handwheel that is used for steering [syn: steering wheel, wheel].
Wheel (n.) Forces that provide energy and direction; "the wheels of government began to turn".
Wheel (n.) A circular helm to control the rudder of a vessel.
Wheel (n.) Game equipment consisting of a wheel with slots that is used for gambling; the wheel rotates horizontally and players bet on which slot the roulette ball will stop in [syn: roulette wheel, wheel].
Wheel (n.) An instrument of torture that stretches or disjoints or mutilates victims [syn: rack, wheel].
Wheel (n.) A wheeled vehicle that has two wheels and is moved by foot pedals [syn: bicycle, bike, wheel, cycle].
Wheel (v.) Change directions as if revolving on a pivot; "They wheeled their horses around and left" [syn: wheel, wheel around].
Wheel (v.) Wheel somebody or something [syn: wheel, wheel around].
Wheel (v.) Move along on or as if on wheels or a wheeled vehicle; "The President's convoy rolled past the crowds" [syn: wheel, roll].
Wheel (v.) Ride a bicycle [syn: bicycle, cycle, bike, pedal, wheel].
Wheel (n.) [From slang ?big wheel? for a powerful person] A person who has an active { wheel bit. ?We need to find a wheel to unwedge the hung tape drives.? (See wedged, sense 1.) The traditional name of security group zero in BSD (to which the major system-internal users like root belong) is ?wheel?. Some vendors have expanded on this usage, modifying Unix so that only members of group ?wheel? can go root.
Wheel, () [Slang "big wheel" for a powerful person] A person who has an active wheel bit. "We need to find a wheel to unwedge the hung tape drives." (See wedged). [{Jargon File]
Wheel, () (Heb. galgal; rendered "wheel" in Ps. 83:13, and "a rolling thing" in Isa. 17:13; R.V. in both, "whirling dust"). This word has been supposed to mean the wild artichoke, which assumes the form of a globe, and in autumn breaks away from its roots, and is rolled about by the wind in some places in great numbers.
Wheelband (n.) The tire of a wheel.
Wheelbarrow (n.) A light vehicle for conveying small loads. It has two handles and one wheel, and is rolled by a single person.
Wheelbarrow (n.) A cart for carrying small loads; has handles and one or more wheels [syn: barrow, garden cart, lawn cart, wheelbarrow].
Wheelbarrow (v.) Transport in a wheelbarrow.
Wheelbird (n.) The European goatsucker.
Wheeled (a.) Having wheels; -- used chiefly in composition; as, a four-wheeled carriage.
Wheeler (n.) One who wheels, or turns.
Wheeler (n.) A maker of wheels; a wheelwright.
Wheeler (n.) A wheel horse. See under Wheel.
Wheeler (n.) A steam vessel propelled by a paddle wheel or by paddle wheels; -- used chiefly in the terms side-wheeler and stern-wheeler.
Wheeler (n.) A worker on sewed muslin.
Wheeler (n.) The European goatsucker.
Wheelhouse (n.) A small house on or above a vessel's deck, containing the steering wheel.
Wheelhouse (n.) A paddle box. See under Paddle.
Wheeling (n.) The act of conveying anything, or traveling, on wheels, or in a wheeled vehicle.
Wheeling (n.) The act or practice of using a cycle; cycling.
Wheeling (n.) Condition of a road or roads, which admits of passing on wheels; as, it is good wheeling, or bad wheeling.
Wheeling (n.) A turning, or circular movement.
Wheelmen (n. pl. ) of Wheelman.
Wheelman (n.) One who rides a bicycle or tricycle; a cycler, or cyclist.
Wheel-shaped (a.) Shaped like a wheel.
Wheel-shaped (a.) Expanding into a flat, circular border at top, with scarcely any tube; as, a wheel-shaped corolla.
Wheelswarf (n.) See Swarf.
Wheelwork (n.) A combination of wheels, and their connection, in a machine or mechanism.
Wheel-worn (a.) Worn by the action of wheels; as, a wheel-worn road.
Wheelwright (n.) A man whose occupation is to make or repair wheels and wheeled vehicles, as carts, wagons, and the like.
Wheely (a.) Circular; suitable to rotation.
Wheen (n.) A quantity; a goodly number.
Wheezed (imp. & p. p.) of Wheeze.
Wheezing (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Wheeze.
Wheeze (v. i.) To breathe hard, and with an audible piping or whistling sound, as persons affected with asthma.
Wheeze (n.) A piping or whistling sound caused by difficult respiration.
Wheeze (n.) An ordinary whisper exaggerated so as to produce the hoarse sound known as the "stage whisper." It is a forcible whisper with some admixture of tone.
Wheezy (a.) Breathing with difficulty and with a wheeze; wheezing. Used also figuratively.
Wheft (n.) See Waft, n., 4.
Whelk (n.) Any one numerous species of large marine gastropods belonging to Buccinum and allied genera; especially, Buccinum undatum, common on the coasts both of Europe and North America, and much used as food in Europe.
Whelk (n.) A papule; a pustule; acne.
Whelk (n.) A stripe or mark; a ridge; a wale.
Whelked (a.) Having whelks; whelky; as, whelked horns.
Whelky (a.) Having whelks, ridges, or protuberances; hence, streaked; striated.
Whelky (a.) Shelly.
Whelmed (imp. & p. p.) of Whelm.
Whelming (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Whelm.
Whelm (v. t.) To cover with water or other fluid; to cover by immersion in something that envelops on all sides; to overwhelm; to ingulf.
Whelm (v. t.) Fig.: To cover completely, as if with water; to immerse; to overcome; as, to whelm one in sorrows.
Whelm (v. t.) To throw (something) over a thing so as to cover it.
Whelp (n.) One of the young of a dog or a beast of prey; a puppy; a cub; as, a lion's whelps.
Whelp (n.) A child; a youth; -- jocosely or in contempt.
Whelp (n.) One of the longitudinal ribs or ridges on the barrel of a capstan or a windless; -- usually in the plural; as, the whelps of a windlass.
Whelp (n.) One of the teeth of a sprocket wheel.
Whelped (imp. & p. p.) of Whelp.
Whelping (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Whelp.
Whelp (v. i.) To bring forth young; -- said of the female of the dog and some beasts of prey.
Whelp (v. t.) To bring forth, as cubs or young; to give birth to.
When (adv.) At what time; -- used interrogatively.
When (adv.) At what time; at, during, or after the time that; at or just after, the moment that; -- used relatively.