Chapter 1876

Wedge-tailed eagle , an Australian eagle ( Aquila audax ) which feeds on various small species of kangaroos, and on lambs; -- called also mountain eagle , bold eagle , and eagle hawk . -- Wedge-tailed gull , an arctic gull ( Rhodostethia rosea ) in which the plumage is tinged with rose; -- called also Ross's gull .

Wedgewise <Xpage=1638>

Wedge"wise` (?) , adv. In the manner of a wedge.

Wedgwood ware <Xpage=1638>

Wedg"wood` ware` (?) . [From the name of the inventor, Josiah Wedgwood , of England.] A kind of fine pottery, the most remarkable being what is called jasper , either white, or colored throughout the body, and capable of being molded into the most delicate forms, so that fine and minute bas-reliefs like cameos were made of it, fit even for being set as jewels.

Wedgy <Xpage=1638>

Wedg"y (?) , a. Like a wedge; wedge-shaped.

Wedlock <Xpage=1638>

Wed"lock (?) , n. [AS. wedl\'bec a pledge, be trothal; wedd a pledge + l\'bec a gift, an offering. See Wed , n. , and cf. Lake , v. i. , Knowledge .]

1. The ceremony, or the state, of marriage; matrimony. "That blissful yoke . . . that men clepeth [call] spousal, or wedlock ."

Chaucer.

For what is wedlock forced but a hell, An age of discord or continual strife? Shak.

2. A wife; a married woman. [Obs.]

B. Jonson.

Syn. -- See Marriage .

Wedlock <Xpage=1638>

Wed"lock , v. t. To marry; to unite in marriage; to wed. [R.] "Man thus wedlocked ."

Milton.

Wednesday <Xpage=1638>

Wednes"day (?; 48) , n. [OE. wednesdai , wodnesdei , AS. W&omac;dnes d\'91g , i. e., Woden's day (a translation of L. dies Mercurii ); fr. W&omac;den the highest god of the Teutonic peoples, but identified with the Roman god Mercury; akin to OS. W&omac;dan , OHG. Wuotan , Icel. O&edh;inn , D. woensdag Wednesday, Icel. &omac;&edh;insdagr , Dan. & Sw. onsdag . See Day , and cf. Woden , Wood , a. ] The fourth day of the week; the next day after Tuesday.

Ash Wednesday . See in the Vocabulary.

Wee <Xpage=1638>

Wee (?) , n. [OE. we a bit, in a little we , probably originally meaning, a little way, the word we for wei being later taken as synonymous with little . See Way .] A little; a bit, as of space, time, or distance. [Obs. or Scot.]

Wee <Xpage=1638>

Wee , a. Very small; little. [Colloq. & Scot.]

A little wee face, with a little yellow beard. Shak.

Weech-elm <Xpage=1638>

Weech"-elm` (?) , n. (Bot.) The wych-elm. [Obs.]

Bacon.

Weed <Xpage=1638>

Weed (?) , n. [OE. wede , AS. w<?/de , w<?/d ; akin to OS. w\'bedi , giw\'bedi , OFries, w<?/de , w<?/d , OD. wade , OHG. w\'bet , Icel. v\'be<?/ , Zend vadh to clothe.]

1. A garment; clothing; especially, an upper or outer garment. "Low<?/ly shepherd's weeds ." Spenser . "Woman's weeds ." Shak . "This beggar woman's weed ." Tennyson .

He on his bed sat, the soft weeds he wore Put off. Chapman.

2. An article of dress worn in token of grief; a mourning garment or badge; as, he wore a weed on his hat; especially, in the plural, mourning garb, as of a woman; as, a widow's weeds .

In a mourning weed , with ashes upon her head, and tears abundantly flowing. Milton.

Weed <Xpage=1638>

Weed , n. A sudden illness or relapse, often attended with fever, which attacks women in childbed. [Scot.]

Weed <Xpage=1638>

Weed , n. [OE. weed , weod , AS. we\'a2d , wi\'a2d , akin to OS. wiod , LG. woden the stalks and leaves of vegetables D. wieden to weed, OS. wiod&omac;n .]

1. Underbrush; low shrubs. [Obs. or Archaic]

One rushing forth out of the thickest weed . Spenser.

A wild and wanton pard . . . Crouched fawning in the weed . Tennyson.

2. Any plant growing in cultivated ground to the injury of the crop or desired vegetation, or to the disfigurement of the place; an unsightly, useless, or injurious plant.

Too much manuring filled that field with weeds . Denham.

&hand; The word has no definite application to any particular plant, or species of plants. Whatever plants grow among corn or grass, in hedges, or elsewhere, and are useless to man, injurious to crops, or unsightly or out of place, are denominated weeds .

3. Fig.: Something unprofitable or troublesome; anything useless.

4. (Stock Breeding) An animal unfit to breed from.

5. Tobacco, or a cigar. [Slang]

Weed hook , a hook used for cutting away or extirpating weeds.

Tusser.

Weed <Xpage=1638>

Weed , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Weeded ; p. pr. & vb. n. Weeding .] [AS. we\'a2dian . See 3d Weed .]

1. To free from noxious plants; to clear of weeds; as, to weed corn or onions; to weed a garden.

2. To take away, as noxious plants; to remove, as something hurtful; to extirpate. " Weed up thyme."

Shak.

Wise fathers . . . weeding from their children ill things. Ascham.

Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more man's nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out. Bacon.

3. To free from anything hurtful or offensive.

He weeded the kingdom of such as were devoted to Elaiana. Howell.

4. (Stock Breeding) To reject as unfit for breeding purposes.

Weeder <Xpage=1638>

Weed"er (?) , n. One who, or that which, weeds, or frees from anything noxious.

Weedery <Xpage=1638>

Weed"er*y (?) , n. Weeds, collectively; also, a place full of weeds or for growing weeds. [R.]

Dr. H. More.

Weeding <Xpage=1638>

Weed"ing , a. & n. from Weed , v.

Weeding chisel , a tool with a divided chisel-like end, for cutting the roots of large weeds under ground. -- Weeding forceps , an instrument for taking up some sorts of plants in weeding. -- Weeding fork , a strong, three-pronged fork, used in clearing ground of weeds; -- called also weeding iron . -- Weeding hook . Same as Weed hook , under 3d Weed . -- Weeding iron . See Weeding fork , above. -- Weeding tongs . Same as Weeding forceps , above.

Weeding-rhim <Xpage=1638>

Weed"ing-rhim` (?) , n. [Cf. Prov. E. rim to remove.] A kind of implement used for tearing up weeds esp. on summer fallows. [Prov. Eng.]

Weedless <Xpage=1638>

Weed"less , a. Free from weeds or noxious matter.

Weedy <Xpage=1638>

Weed"y (?) , a. [ Compar. Weedier (?) ; superl. Weediest .]

1. Of or pertaining to weeds; consisting of weeds. " Weedy trophies."

Shak.

2. Abounding with weeds; as, weedy grounds; a weedy garden; weedy corn.

See from the weedy earth a rivulet break. Bryant.

3. Scraggy; ill-shaped; ungainly; -- said of colts or horses, and also of persons. [Colloq.]

Weedy <Xpage=1638>

Weed"y , a. Dressed in weeds, or mourning garments. [R. or Colloq.]

She was as weedy as in the early days of her mourning. Dickens.

<page="1639"> Page 1639

Week <Xpage=1639>

Week (?) , n. [OE. weke , wike , woke , wuke AS. weocu , wicu , wucu ; akin to OS. wika , OFries. wike , D. week , G. woche , OHG. wohha , wehha , Icel. vika , Sw. vecka , Dan. uge , Goth. wik<?/ , probably originally meaning, a succession or change, and akin to G. wechsel change, L. vicis turn, alternation, and E. weak . Cf. Weak .] A period of seven days, usually that reckoned from one Sabbath or Sunday to the next.

I fast twice in the week . Luke xviii. 12.

&hand; Although it [the week] did not enter into the calendar of the Greeks, and was not introduced at Rome till after the reign of Theodesius, it has been employed from time immemorial in almost all Eastern countries.

Encyc. Brit.

Feast of Weeks . See Pentecost , 1. -- Prophetic week , a week of years, or seven years. Dan. ix. 24 . -- Week day . See under Day .

Weekly <Xpage=1639>

Week"ly (?) , a. 1. Of or pertaining to a week, or week days; as, weekly labor .

2. Coming, happening, or done once a week; hebdomadary; as, a weekly payment; a weekly gazette.

Weekly <Xpage=1639>

Week"ly , n. ; pl. Weeklies (<?/) . A publication issued once in seven days, or appearing once a week.

Weekly <Xpage=1639>

Week"ly , adv. Once a week; by hebdomadal periods; as, each performs service weekly .

Weekwam <Xpage=1639>

Week"wam (?) , n. See Wigwam . [R.]

Weel <Xpage=1639>

Weel (?) , a. & adv. Well. [Obs. or Scot.]

Weel <Xpage=1639>

Weel , n. [AS. w\'d6l . \'fb147.] A whirlpool. [Obs.]

Weel, Weely <Xpage=1639>

Weel (?) , Weel"y (?) , [Prov. E. weel , weal , a wicker basket to catch eels; prob. akin to willow , and so called as made of willow twigs.] A kind of trap or snare for fish, made of twigs. [Obs.]

Carew.

Ween <Xpage=1639>

Ween (?) , v. i. [OE. wenen , AS. w<?/nan , fr. w<?/n hope, expectation, opinion; akin to D. waan , OFries. w<?/n , OS. & OHG. w\'ben , G. wahn delusion, Icel. v\'ben hope, expectation, Goth. w<?/ns , and D. wanen to fancy, G. w\'84hnen , Icel. v\'bena to hope, Goth. w<?/njan , and perhaps to E. winsome , wish .] To think; to imagine; to fancy. [Obs. or Poetic]

Spenser. Milton.

I have lost more than thou wenest . Chaucer.

For well I ween , Never before in the bowers of light Had the form of an earthly fay been seen. J. R. Drake.

Though never a dream the roses sent Of science or love's compliment, I ween they smelt as sweet. Mrs. Browning.

Weep <Xpage=1639>

Weep (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) The lapwing; the wipe; -- so called from its cry.

Weep <Xpage=1639>

Weep , obs. imp. of Weep , for wept .

Chaucer.

Weep <Xpage=1639>

Weep , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Wept (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Weeping .] [OE. wepen , AS. w<?/pan , from w<?/p lamentation; akin to OFries. w<?/pa to lament, OS. w<?/p lamentation, OHG. wuof , Icel. <?/p a shouting, crying, OS. w<?/pian to lament, OHG. wuoffan , wuoffen , Icel. <?/pa , Goth. w<?/pjan . <?/<?/<?/<?/.]

1. Formerly, to express sorrow, grief, or anguish, by outcry, or by other manifest signs; in modern use, to show grief or other passions by shedding tears; to shed tears; to cry.

And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck. Acts xx. 37.

Phocion was rarely seen to weep or to laugh. Mitford.

And eyes that wake to weep . Mrs. Hemans.

And they wept together in silence. Longfellow.

2. To lament; to complain. "They weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat."

Num. xi. 13.

3. To flow in drops; to run in drops.

The blood weeps from my heart. Shak.

4. To drop water, or the like; to drip; to be soaked.

5. To hang the branches, as if in sorrow; to be pendent; to droop; -- said of a plant or its branches.

Weep <Xpage=1639>

Weep , v. t. 1. To lament; to bewail; to bemoan. "I weep bitterly the dead."

A. S. Hardy.

We wandering go Through dreary wastes, and weep each other's woe. Pope.

2. To shed, or pour forth, as tears; to shed drop by drop, as if tears; as, to weep tears of joy .

Tears, such as angels weep , burst forth. Milton.

Groves whose rich trees wept odorous gums and balm. Milton.

Weeper <Xpage=1639>

Weep"er (?) , n. 1. One who weeps; esp., one who sheds tears.

2. A white band or border worn on the sleeve as a badge of mourning.

Goldsmith.

3. (Zo\'94l.) The capuchin. See Capuchin , 3 (a) .

Weepful <Xpage=1639>

Weep"ful (?) , a. Full of weeping or lamentation; grieving. [Obs.]

Wyclif.

Weeping <Xpage=1639>

Weep"ing , n. The act of one who weeps; lamentation with tears; shedding of tears.

Weeping <Xpage=1639>

Weep"ing , a. 1. Grieving; lamenting; shedding tears. " Weeping eyes."

I. Watts.

2. Discharging water, or other liquid, in drops or very slowly; surcharged with water. " Weeping grounds."

Mortimer.

3. Having slender, pendent branches; -- said of trees; as, weeping willow; a weeping ash .

4. Pertaining to lamentation, or those who weep.

Weeping cross , a cross erected on or by the highway, especially for the devotions of penitents; hence, to return by the weeping cross , to return from some undertaking in humiliation or penitence. -- Weeping rock , a porous rock from which water gradually issues. -- Weeping sinew , a ganglion. See Ganglion , n. , 2. [Colloq.] -- Weeping spring , a spring that discharges water slowly. -- Weeping willow (Bot.) , a species of willow ( Salix Babylonica ) whose branches grow very long and slender, and hang down almost perpendicularly.

<-- Illustr. of Weeping willow. -->

Weepingly <Xpage=1639>

Weep"ing*ly (?) , adv. In a weeping manner.

Weeping-ripe <Xpage=1639>

Weep"ing-ripe` (?) , a. Ripe for weeping; ready to weep. [Obs.]

Shak.

Weerish <Xpage=1639>

Weer"ish (?) , a. See Wearish . [Obs.]

Weesel <Xpage=1639>

Wee"sel (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) See Weasel .

Weet <Xpage=1639>

Weet (?) , a. & n. Wet. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Weet <Xpage=1639>

Weet , v. i. [ imp. Wot (?) .] [See Wit to know.] To know; to wit. [Obs.]

Tyndale. Spenser.

Weet-bird <Xpage=1639>

Weet"-bird` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) The wryneck; -- so called from its cry. [Prov. Eng.]

Weetingly <Xpage=1639>

Weet"ing*ly , adv. Knowingly. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Weetless <Xpage=1639>

Weet"less , a. Unknowing; also, unknown; unmeaning. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Weet-weet <Xpage=1639>

Weet"-weet` (?) , n. [So called from its piping cry when disturbed.] (Zo\'94l.) (a) The common European sandpiper. (b) The chaffinch. [Prov. Eng.]

Weever <Xpage=1639>

Wee"ver (?) , n. [Probably from F. vive , OF. vivre , a kind of fish, L. vipera viper. Cf. Viper .] (Zo\'94l.) Any one of several species of edible marine fishes belonging to the genus Trachinus , of the family Trachinid\'91 . They have a broad spinose head, with the eyes looking upward. The long dorsal fin is supported by numerous strong, sharp spines which cause painful wounds.

<-- Illustr. of Great weever (Trachinus draco) -->

&hand; The two British species are the great, or greater, weever ( Trachinus draco ), which becomes a foot long (called also gowdie , sea cat , stingbull , and weaverfish ), and the lesser weever ( T. vipera ), about half as large (called also otter pike , and stingfish ).

Weevil <Xpage=1639>

Wee"vil (?) , n. [OE. wivel , wevil , AS. wifel , wibil ; akin to OD. wevel , OHG. wibil , wibel , G. wiebel , wibel , and probably to Lith. vabalas beetle, and E. weave . See Weave .] (Zo\'94l.) Any one of numerous species of snout beetles, or Rhynchophora, in which the head is elongated and usually curved downward. Many of the species are very injurious to cultivated plants. The larv\'91 of some of the species live in nuts, fruit, and grain by eating out the interior, as the plum weevil, or curculio, the nut weevils, and the grain weevil (see under Plum , Nut , and Grain ). The larv\'91 of other species bore under the bark and into the pith of trees and various other plants, as the pine weevils (see under Pine ). See also Pea weevil , Rice weevil , Seed weevil , under Pea , Rice , and Seed .

Weeviled <Xpage=1639>

Wee"viled (?) , a. Infested by weevils; as, weeviled grain . [Written also weevilled .]

Weevily <Xpage=1639>

Wee"vil*y (?) , a. Having weevils; weeviled. [Written also weevilly .]

Weezel <Xpage=1639>

Wee"zel (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) See Weasel .

Weft <Xpage=1639>

Weft (?) , obs. imp. & p. p. of Wave .

Weft <Xpage=1639>

Weft , n. [Cf. Waif .] A thing waved, waived, or cast away; a waif. [Obs.] "A forlorn weft ."

Spenser.

Weft <Xpage=1639>

Weft , n. [AS. weft , wefta , fr. wefan , to weave. See Weave .]

1. The woof of cloth; the threads that cross the warp from selvage to selvage; the thread carried by the shuttle in weaving.

2. A web; a thing woven.

Weftage <Xpage=1639>

Weft"age (?) , n. Texture. [Obs.]

Grew.

Wegotism <Xpage=1639>

We"go*tism (?) , n. [From we , in imitation of egotism .] Excessive use of the pronoun we ; -- called also weism . [Colloq. or Cant]

Wehrgeld, Wehrgelt <Xpage=1639>

Wehr"geld` (?) , Wehr"gelt` (?) , n. (O. Eng. Law) See Weregild .

Wehrwolf <Xpage=1639>

Wehr"wolf` (?) , n. See Werewolf .

Weigela, Weigelia <Xpage=1639>

Wei"gel*a (?) , Wei*ge"li*a (?) , n. [NL. So named after C . E . Weigel , a German naturalist.] (Bot.) A hardy garden shrub ( Diervilla Japonica ) belonging to the Honeysuckle family, with withe or red flowers. It was introduced from China.

Weigh <Xpage=1639>