Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter W - Page 23
When (adv.) While; whereas; although; -- used in the manner of a conjunction to introduce a dependent adverbial sentence or clause, having a causal, conditional, or adversative relation to the principal proposition; as, he chose to turn highwayman when he might have continued an honest man; he removed the tree when it was the best in the grounds.
When (adv.) Which time; then; -- used elliptically as a noun.
I was adopted heir by his consent; Since when, his oath is broke. -- Shak.
Note: When was formerly used as an exclamation of surprise or impatience, like what!
Come hither; mend my ruff: Here, when! thou art such a tedious lady! -- J. Webster.
When as, When that, At the time that; when. [Obs.]
When as sacred light began to dawn. -- Milton.
When that mine eye is famished for a look. -- Shak.
When. () At which time, in wills, standing by itself unqualified and unexplained, this is a word of condition denoting the time at which the gift is to continence. 6 Ves. 243; 2 Meriv. 286.
When. () The context of a will may show that the word when is to be applied to the possession only, not to the vesting of a legacy; but to justify this construction, there must be circumstances, or other expressions in the will, showing such to have been the testator's intent. 7 Ves. 422; 9 Ves. 230 Coop. 145; 11 Ves. 489; 3; Bro. C. C. 471. For the effect of the word when in contracts and in wills in the French law, see 6 Toull. n. 520.
Whenas (conj.) Whereas; while [Obs.]
Whenas, if they would inquire into themselves, they would find no such matter. -- Barrow.
Whence (adv.) From what place; hence, from what or which source, origin, antecedent, premise, or the like; how; -- used interrogatively.
Whence hath this man this wisdom? -- Matt. xiii. 54.
Whence and what art thou? -- Milton.
Whence (adv.) From what or which place, source, material, cause, etc.; the place, source, etc., from which; -- used relatively.
Grateful to acknowledge whence his good Descends. -- Milton.
Note: All the words of this class, whence, where, whither, whereabouts, etc., are occasionally used as pronouns by a harsh construction.
O, how unlike the place from whence they fell? -- Milton.
Note: From whence, though a pleonasm, is fully authorized by the use of good writers.
From whence come wars and fightings among you? -- James iv. 1.
Of whence, also a pleonasm, has become obsolete.
Whence (adv.) From what place, source, or cause.
Whenceever (adv. & conj.) Whencesoever. [R.]
Whenceforth (adv.) From, or forth from, what or which place; whence. [Obs.] -- Spenser.
Whencesoever (adv. & conj.) From what place soever; from what cause or source soever.
Any idea, whencesoever we have it. -- Locke.
Whene'er (adv. & conj.) Whenever.
Whenever (adv. & conj.) At whatever time. "Whenever that shall be." -- Milton.
Whennes (adv.) Whence. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
Whensoever (adv. & conj.) At what time soever; at whatever time; whenever. -- Mark xiv. 7. Wher
Where (pron. & conj.) Whether. [Sometimes written whe'r.] [Obs.] -- Piers Plowman.
Men must enquire (this is mine assent), Wher she be wise or sober or dronkelewe. -- Chaucer.
Where (adv.) At or in what place; hence, in what situation, position, or circumstances; -- used interrogatively.
God called unto Adam, . . . Where art thou? -- Gen. iii. 9.
Note: See the Note under What, pron., 1.
Where (adv.) At or in which place; at the place in which; hence, in the case or instance in which; -- used relatively.
She visited that place where first she was so happy. -- Sir P. Sidney.
Where I thought the remnant of mine age Should have been cherished by her childlike duty. -- Shak.
Where one on his side fights, thousands will fly. -- Shak.
But where he rode one mile, the dwarf ran four. -- Sir W. Scott.
Where (adv.) To what or which place; hence, to what goal, result, or issue; whither; -- used interrogatively and relatively; as, where are you going?
But where does this tend? -- Goldsmith.
Lodged in sunny cleft, Where the gold breezes come not. -- Bryant.
Note: Where is often used pronominally with or without a preposition, in elliptical sentences for a place in which, the place in which, or what place.
The star . . . stood over where the young child was. -- Matt. ii. 9.
The Son of man hath not where to lay his head. -- Matt. viii. 20.
Within about twenty paces of where we were. -- Goldsmith.
Where did the minstrels come from? -- Dickens.
Note: Where is much used in composition with preposition, and then is equivalent to a pronoun. Cf. Whereat, Whereby, Wherefore, Wherein, etc.
Where away (Naut.), In what direction; as, where away is the land?
Syn: See Whither.
Where (conj.) Whereas.
And flight and die is death destroying death; Where fearing dying pays death servile breath. -- Shak.
Where (n.) Place; situation. [Obs. or Colloq.]
Finding the nymph asleep in secret where. -- Spenser. Whereabout
Whereabout (adv.) Alt. of Whereabouts
Whereabouts (adv.) About where; near what or which place; -- used interrogatively and relatively; as, whereabouts did you meet him?
Note: In this sense, whereabouts is the common form.
Whereabouts (adv.) Concerning which; about which. "The object whereabout they are conversant." -- Hooker. Whereabout
Whereabout (n.) Alt. of Whereabouts
Whereabouts (n.) The place where a person or thing is; as, they did not know his whereabouts. -- Shak.
A puzzling notice of thy whereabout. -- Wordsworth.
Whereas (adv.) At which place; where. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
At last they came whereas that lady bode. -- Spenser.
Whereas (conj.) Considering that; it being the case that; since; -- used to introduce a preamble which is the basis of declarations, affirmations, commands, requests, or like, that follow.
Whereas (conj.) When in fact; while on the contrary; the case being in truth that; although; -- implying opposition to something that precedes; or implying recognition of facts, sometimes followed by a different statement, and sometimes by inferences or something consequent.
Are not those found to be the greatest zealots who are most notoriously ignorant? whereas true zeal should always begin with true knowledge. -- Sprat.
Whereas. () This word implies a recital, and in general cannot be used in the direct and positive averment of a fact in a declaration or plea. Those facts which are directly denied by the terms of the general issue, or which may, by the established usage of pleading, be specially traversed, must be averred in positive and direct terms; but facts, however material, which are not directly denied by the terms of the general issue, though liable to be contested under it, and which, according to the usage of pleading, cannot be specially traversed, may be alleged in the declaration by way of recital, under a whereas. Gould, Pl. c. 43, Sec. 42; Bac. Ab. Pleas, &c., B. 5, 4; 2 Chit. Pl. 151, 178, 191; Gould, Pl. c. 3, Sec. 47.
Whereat (adv.) At which; upon which; whereupon; -- used relatively.
They vote; whereat his speech he thus renews. -- Milton.
Whereat he was no less angry and ashamed than desirous to obey Zelmane. -- Sir P. Sidney.
Whereat (adv.) At what; -- used interrogatively; as, whereat are you offended?
Whereby (adv.) By which; -- used relatively. "You take my life when you take the means whereby I life." -- Shak.
Whereby (adv.) By what; how; -- used interrogatively.
Whereby shall I know this? -- Luke i. 18.
Where'er (adv.) Wherever; -- a contracted and poetical form. -- Cowper.
Wherefore (adv. & conj.) For which reason; so; -- used relatively.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. -- Matt. vii. 20.
Wherefore (adv. & conj.) For what reason; why; -- used interrogatively.
But wherefore that I tell my tale. -- Chaucer.
Wherefore didst thou doubt? -- Matt. xiv. 31.
Wherefore (n.) the reason why. [Colloq.]
Wherefore (n.) The cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase `the whys and wherefores' [syn: why, wherefore].
Wherefrom (adv.) From which; from which or what place. -- Tennyson.
Wherein (adv.) In which; in which place, thing, time, respect, or the like; -- used relatively.
Her clothes wherein she was clad. -- Chaucer.
There are times wherein a man ought to be cautious as well as innocent. -- Swift.
Wherein (adv.) In what; -- used interrogatively.
Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him! -- Mal. ii. 17.
Whereinto (adv.) Into which; -- used relatively.
Where is that palace whereinto foul things Sometimes intrude not? -- Shak.
The brook, whereinto he loved to look. -- Emerson.
Whereinto (adv.) Into what; -- used interrogatively.
Whereness (n.) The quality or state of having a place; ubiety; situation; position. [R.]
A point hath no dimensions, but only a whereness, and is next to nothing. -- Grew.
Whereof (adv.) Of which; of whom; formerly, also, with which; -- used relatively.
I do not find the certain numbers whereof their armies did consist. -- Sir J. Davies.
Let it work like Borgias' wine, Whereof his sire, the pope, was poisoned. -- Marlowe.
Edward's seven sons, whereof thyself art one. --Shak.
Whereof (adv.) Of what; -- used interrogatively.
Whereof was the house built? -- Johnson.
Whereon (adv.) On which; -- used relatively; as, the earth whereon we live.
O fair foundation laid whereon to build. -- Milton.
Whereon (adv.) On what; -- used interrogatively; as, whereon do we stand?
Whereout (adv.) Out of which. [R.]
The cleft whereout the lightning breaketh. -- Holland.
Whereso (adv.) Wheresoever. [Obs.]
Wheresoe'er (adv.) Wheresoever. [Poetic] "Wheresoe'er they rove." -- Milton.
Wheresoever (adv.) In what place soever; in whatever place; wherever.
Wherethrough (adv.) Through which. [R.] "Wherethrough that I may know." -- Chaucer.
Windows . . . wherethrough the sun Delights to peep, to gaze therein on thee. -- Shak.
Whereto (adv.) To which; -- used relatively. "Whereto we have already attained." -- Phil. iii. 16.
Whereto all bonds do tie me day by day. -- Shak.
Whereto (adv.) To what; to what end; -- used interrogatively.
Whereunto (adv.) Same as Whereto.
Whereupon (adv.) Upon which; in consequence of which; after which.
The townsmen mutinied and sent to Essex; whereupon he came thither. -- Clarendon.
Wherever (adv.) At or in whatever place; wheresoever.
He can not but love virtue wherever it is. -- Atterbury.
Wherewith (adv.) With which; -- used relatively.
The love wherewith thou hast loved me. -- John xvii. 26.
Wherewith (adv.) With what; -- used interrogatively.
Wherewith shall I save Israel? -- Judg. vi. 15.
Wherewith (n.) The necessary means or instrument.
So shall I have wherewith to answer him. -- Ps. cxix. 42.
The wherewith to meet excessive loss by radiation. -- H. Spencer.
Wherewithal (adv. & n.) Wherewith. "Wherewithal shall we be clothed?" -- Matt. vi. 31.
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? -- Ps. cxix. 9.
[The builders of Babel], still with vain design, New Babels, had they wherewithal, would build. -- Milton.
Wherewithal (n.) The necessary means (especially financial means).
Wherewithal (n.) 必要的資金（或設備，手段等）[the S] [（+for）] [+to-V] ；必要的資源; 必要的財力 Means or resources for purchasing or doing something; specifically : financial resources: money.
Wherewithal (adv. & conj.) 用以；用什麼 Wherewith.
Wherewithal (n.) (The wherewithal) [Usually with infinitive] The money or other means needed for a particular purpose.
‘They lacked the wherewithal to pay.’
Wherret (v. t.) To hurry; to trouble; to tease. [Obs.] -- Bickerstaff.
Wherret (v. t.) To box (one) on the ear; to strike or box. (the ear); as, to wherret a child. [Obs.]
Wherret (n.) A box on the ear. [Obs.] -- Beau. & Fl. [Also spelled whirret.]
Wherries (n. pl. ) of Wherry
Wherry (n.) (Naut.) A passenger barge or lighter plying on rivers; also, a kind of light, half-decked vessel used in fishing. [Eng.]
Wherry (n.) (Naut.) A long, narrow, light boat, sharp at both ends, for fast rowing or sailing; esp., a racing boat rowed by one person with sculls.
Wherry (n.) A liquor made from the pulp of crab apples after the verjuice is expressed; -- sometimes called crab wherry. [Prov. Eng.] -- Halliwell.
Wherso (adv.) Wheresoever. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
Whetted (imp. & p. p.) of Whet
Whetting (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Whet
Whet (v. t.) To rub or on with some substance, as a piece of stone, for the purpose of sharpening; to sharpen by attrition; as, to whet a knife.
The mower whets his scythe. -- Milton.
Here roams the wolf, the eagle whets his beak. -- Byron.
Whet (v. t.) To make sharp, keen, or eager; to excite; to stimulate; as, to whet the appetite or the courage.
Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar, I have not slept.
To whet on, To whet forward, to urge on or forward; to instigate. -- Shak.
Whet (n.) The act of whetting.
Whet (n.) That which whets or sharpens; esp., an appetizer. "Sips, drams, and whets." -- Spectator.
Whet slate (Min.), A variety of slate used for sharpening cutting instruments; novaculite; -- called also whetstone slate, and oilstone.
Whether (pron.) Which (of two); which one (of two); -- used interrogatively and relatively. [Archaic]
Now choose yourself whether that you liketh. -- Chaucer.
One day in doubt I cast for to compare Whether in beauties' glory did exceed. -- Spenser.
Whether of them twain did the will of his father? -- Matt. xxi. 31.
Whether (conj.) In case; if; -- used to introduce the first or two or more alternative clauses, the other or others being connected by or, or by or whether. When the second of two alternatives is the simple negative of the first it is sometimes only indicated by the particle not or no after the correlative, and sometimes it is omitted entirely as being distinctly implied in the whether of the first.
And now who knows But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours? -- Shak.
You have said; but whether wisely or no, let the forest judge. -- Shak.
For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord; whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. -- Rom. xiv. 8.
But whether thus these things, or whether not; Whether the sun, predominant in heaven, Rise on the earth, or earth rise on the sun, . . . Solicit not thy thoughts with matters hid. -- Milton.
Whether or no, in either case; in any case; as, I will go whether or no.
Whether that, whether. -- Shak.
Whethering (n.) The retention of the afterbirth in cows. -- Gardner.
Whetile (n.) (Zool.) The green woodpecker, or yaffle. See Yaffle. [Prov. Eng.]
Whetstone (n.) A piece of stone, natural or artificial, used for whetting, or sharpening, edge tools.
The dullness of the fools is the whetstone of the wits. -- Shak.
Diligence is to the understanding as the whetstone to the razor. -- South.
Note: Some whetstones are used dry, others are moistened with water, or lubricated with oil.
To give the whetstone, to give a premium for extravagance in falsehood. [Obs.]
Whetter (n.) One who, or that which, whets, sharpens, or stimulates.
Whetter (n.) A tippler; one who drinks whets. [Obs.] -- Steele.
Whettlebones (n. pl.) The vertebrae of the back. [Prov. Eng.] -- Dunglison.
Whew (n. & interj.) A sound like a half-formed whistle, expressing astonishment, scorn, or dislike.
Whew duck, The European widgeon. [Prov. Eng.]
Whew (v. i.) To whistle with a shrill pipe, like a plover. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
Whewellite (n.) (Min.) Calcium oxalate, occurring in colorless or white monoclinic crystals.
Whewer (n.) (Zool.) The European widgeon. [Prov. Eng.]
Whey (n.) The serum, or watery part, of milk, separated from the more thick or coagulable part, esp. in the process of making cheese.
Note: In this process, the thick part is called curd, and the thin part whey.
Wheyey (a.) Of the nature of, or containing, whey; resembling whey; wheyish. -- Bacon.
Wheyface (n.) One who is pale, as from fear.
Whey-faced (a.) Having a pale or white face, as from fright. "Whey-faced cavaliers." -- Aytoun.
Wheyish (a.) Somewhat like whey; wheyey. -- J. Philips. -- Whey"ish*ness, n.
Which (a.) Of what sort or kind; what; what a; who. [Obs.]
And which they weren and of what degree. -- Chaucer.
Which (a.) A interrogative pronoun, used both substantively and adjectively, and in direct and indirect questions, to ask for, or refer to, an individual person or thing among several of a class; as, which man is it? which woman was it? which is the house? he asked which route he should take; which is best, to live or to die? See the Note under What, pron., 1.
Which of you convinceth me of sin? -- John viii. 46.
Which (pron.) A relative pronoun, used esp. in referring to an antecedent noun or clause, but sometimes with reference to what is specified or implied in a sentence, or to a following noun or clause (generally involving a reference, however, to something which has preceded). It is used in all numbers and genders, and was formerly used of persons.
And when thou fail'st -- as God forbid the hour!
Must Edward fall, which peril heaven forfend! -- Shak.
God . . . rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. -- Gen. ii. 2.
Our Father, which art in heaven. -- Matt. vi. 9.
The temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. -- 1 Cor. iii. 17.
Which (pron.) A compound relative or indefinite pronoun, standing for any one which, whichever, that which, those which, the . . . which, and the like; as, take which you will.
Note: The which was formerly often used for which. The expressions which that, which as, were also sometimes used by way of emphasis.
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? -- James ii. 7.
Note: Which, referring to a series of preceding sentences, or members of a sentence, may have all joined to it adjectively. "All which, as a method of a proclamation, is very convenient." -- Carlyle. Whichever
Whichever (pron. & a.) Alt. of Whichsoever
Whichsoever (pron. & a.) Whether one or another; whether one or the other; which; that one (of two or more) which; as, whichever road you take, it will lead you to town.
Whidah bird (n.) (Zool.) Any one of several species of finchlike birds belonging to the genus Vidua, native of Asia and Africa. In the breeding season the male has very long, drooping tail feathers. Called also vida finch, whidah finch, whydah bird, whydah finch, widow bird, and widow finch.
Note: Some of the species are often kept as cage birds, especially Vidua paradisea, which is dark brownish above, pale buff beneath, with a reddish collar around the neck.
Whidah bird (n.) (In British) 【動物；動物學】(非洲)長尾鶯 Any of various predominantly black African weaverbirds of the genus Vidua and related genera, the males of which grow very long tail feathers in the breeding season.
Another name for Whydah bird.
Whydah (Also Whyda) (n.) An African weaver bird, the male of which has a black back and a very long black tail used in display flight.
Genus Vidua, family Ploceidae: several species
Whydah (n.) Mostly black African weaverbird [syn: whydah, whidah, widow bird].
Whider (adv.) Whither. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
Whiff (n.) (Zool.) A sudden expulsion of air from the mouth; a quick puff or slight gust, as of air or smoke.
But with the whiff and wind of his fell sword The unnerved father falls. -- Shak.
The skipper, he blew a whiff from his pipe, And a scornful laugh laughed he. -- Longfellow.
Whiff (n.) A glimpse; a hasty view. [Prov. Eng.]
Whiff (n.) (Zool.) The marysole, or sail fluke.