Chapter 1883

Windows . . . wherethrough the sun Delights to peep, to gaze therein on thee. Shak.

Whereto <Xpage=1645>

Where*to" (?) , adv.

1. To which; -- used relatively. " Whereto we have already attained."

Phil. iii. 16.

Whereto all bonds do tie me day by day. Shak.

2. To what; to what end; -- used interrogatively.

Whereunto <Xpage=1645>

Where`un*to" (?) , adv. Same as Whereto .

Whereupon <Xpage=1645>

Where`up*on" (?) , adv. Upon which; in consequence of which; after which.

The townsmen mutinied and sent to Essex; whereupon he came thither. Clarendon.

Wherever <Xpage=1645>

Wher*ev"er (?) , adv. At or in whatever place; wheresoever.

He can not but love virtue wherever it is. Atterbury.

Wherewith <Xpage=1645>

Where*with" (?) , adv.

1. With which; -- used relatively.

The love wherewith thou hast loved me. John xvii. 26.

2. With what; -- used interrogatively.

Wherewith shall I save Israel? Judg. vi. 15.

Wherewith <Xpage=1645>

Where*with" , 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 <Xpage=1645>

Where`with*al" (?) , 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.

Whereret <Xpage=1645>

Where"ret (?) , v. t. [From Whir .]

1. To hurry; to trouble; to tease. [Obs.]

Bickerstaff.

2. To box (one) on the ear; to strike or box. (the ear); as, to wherret a child . [Obs.]

Wherret <Xpage=1645>

Wher"ret , n. A box on the ear. [Obs.]

Beau. & Fl.

Wherry <Xpage=1645>

Wher"ry (?) , n. ; pl. Wherries (#) . [Cf. Icel. hverfr shifty, crank, hverfa to turn, E. whirl , wharf .] (Naut.) (a) A passenger barge or lighter plying on rivers; also, a kind of light, half-decked vessel used in fishing. [Eng.] (b) 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 <Xpage=1645>

Wher"ry , n. [Cf. W. chwerw bitter.] A liquor made from the pulp of crab apples after the verjuice is expressed; -- sometimes called crab wherry . [Prov. Eng.]

Halliwell.

Wherso <Xpage=1645>

Wher"so (?) , adv. Wheresoever. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Whet <Xpage=1645>

Whet (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Whetted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Whetting .] [AS. hwettan ; akin to D. wetten , G. wetzen , OHG. wezzen , Icel. hvetja , Sw. v\'84ttja , and AS. hw\'91t vigorous, brave, OS. hwat , OHG. waz , was , sharp, Icel. hvatr , bold, active, Sw. hvass sharp, Dan. hvas , Goth. hwassaba sharply, and probably to Skr. cud to impel, urge on.]

1. 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.

2. 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 C\'91sar, I have not slept. Shak.

To whet on , To whet forward , to urge on or forward; to instigate.

Shak.

Whet <Xpage=1645>

Whet , n.

1. The act of whetting.

2. 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 <Xpage=1645>

Wheth"er (?) , pron. [OE. whether , AS. hw\'91<?/er ; akin to OS. hwe<?/ar , OFries. hweder , OHG. hwedar , wedar , G. weder , conj., neither, Icel. hv\'berr whether, Goth. hwa<?/ar , Lith. katras , L. uter , Gr. <?/, <?/, Skr. katara , from the interrogatively pronoun, in AS. hw\'be who. <?/<?/<?/<?/. See Who , and cf. Either , Neither , Or , conj .] 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 <Xpage=1645>

Wheth"er , 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 <Xpage=1645>

Wheth"er*ing , n. The retention of the afterbirth in cows.

Gardner.

Whetile <Xpage=1645>

Whet"ile (?) , n. [Cf. Whitile .] (Zo\'94l.) The green woodpecker, or yaffle. See Yaffle . [Prov. Eng.]

Whetstone <Xpage=1645>

Whet"stone` (?) , n. [AS. hwetst\'ben .] 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.

&hand; 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 <Xpage=1645>

Whet"ter (?) , n.

1. One who, or that which, whets, sharpens, or stimulates.

2. A tippler; one who drinks whets. [Obs.]

Steele.

Whettlebones <Xpage=1645>

Whet"tle*bones (?) , n. pl. The vertebr\'91 of the back. [Prov. Eng.]

Dunglison.

Whew <Xpage=1645>

Whew (hw&umac;) , n. & interj. A sound like a half-formed whistle, expressing astonishment, scorn, or dislike.

Whew duck , the European widgeon. [Prov. Eng.]

Whew <Xpage=1645>

Whew , v. i. To whistle with a shrill pipe, like a plover. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

Whewellite <Xpage=1645>

Whew"ell*ite (?) , n. [So named after Prof. Whewell of Cambridge, England.] (Min.) Calcium oxalate, occurring in colorless or white monoclinic crystals.

Whewer <Xpage=1645>

Whew"er (?) , n. [Cf. W. chwiwell a widgeon, chwiws widgeons, waterfowls; or cf. E. whew , v. i.] (Zo\'94l.) The European widgeon. [Prov. Eng.]

Whey <Xpage=1645>

Whey (?) , n. [AS. hw\'91g ; cf. D. wei , hui , Fries. weye , LG. wey , waje . ] The serum, or watery part, of milk, separated from the more thick or coagulable part, esp. in the process of making cheese. In this process, the thick part is called curd , and the thin part whey .

Wheyey <Xpage=1645>

Whey"ey (?) , a. Of the nature of, or containing, whey; resembling whey; wheyish.

Bacon.

Wheyface <Xpage=1645>

Whey"face` (?) , n. One who is pale, as from fear.

Whey-faced <Xpage=1645>

Whey"-faced` (?) , a. Having a pale or white face, as from fright. " Whey-faced cavaliers."

Aytoun.

Wheyish <Xpage=1645>

Whey"ish (?) , a. Somewhat like whey; wheyey. J. Philips . -- Whey"ish*ness , n.

Which <Xpage=1645>

Which (?) , pron. [OE. which , whilk , AS. hwilc , hwylc , hwelc , from the root of hw\'be who + l\'c6c body; hence properly, of what sort or kind; akin to OS. hwilik which, OFries. hwelik , D. welk , G. welch , OHG. wel\'c6h , hwel\'c6h , Icel. hv\'c6l\'c6kr , Dan. & Sw. hvilken , Goth. hwileiks , hw <?/ leiks ; cf. L. qualis . <?/<?/<?/<?/. See Who , and Like , a. , and cf. Such .]

1. Of what sort or kind; what; what a; who. [Obs.]

And which they weren and of what degree. Chaucer.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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 .

&hand; 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.

&hand; 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, Whichsoever <Xpage=1645>

Which*ev"er (?) , Which`so*ev"er (?) , 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 <Xpage=1645>

Whid"ah bird` (?) , (Zo\'94l.) 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 .

&hand; 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.

Whider <Xpage=1645>

Whid"er (?) , adv. Whither. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Whiff <Xpage=1645>

Whiff (?) , n. [OE. weffe vapor, whiff, probably of imitative origin; cf. Dan. vift a puff, gust, W. chwiff a whiff, puff.]

1. 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.

2. A glimpse; a hasty view. [Prov. Eng.]

3. (Zo\'94l.) The marysole, or sail fluke.

Whiff <Xpage=1645>

Whiff , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Whiffed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Whiffing .]

1. To throw out in whiffs; to consume in whiffs; to puff.

2. To carry or convey by a whiff, or as by a whiff; to puff or blow away.

Old Empedocles, . . . who, when he leaped into Etna, having a dry, sear body, and light, the smoke took him, and whiffed him up into the moon. B. Jonson.

Whiff <Xpage=1645>

Whiff , v. i. To emit whiffs, as of smoke; to puff.

Whiffet <Xpage=1645>

Whif"fet (?) , n. A little whiff or puff.

Whiffing <Xpage=1645>

Whiff"ing (?) , n.

1. The act of one who, or that which, whiffs.

2. A mode of fishing with a hand line for pollack, mackerel, and the like.

Whiffle <Xpage=1645>

Whif"fle (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Whiffled (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Whiffling (?) .] [Freq. of whiff to puff, perhaps influenced by D. weifelen to waver.]

1. To waver, or shake, as if moved by gusts of wind; to shift, turn, or veer about.

D<?/mpier.

2. To change from one opinion or course to another; to use evasions; to prevaricate; to be fickle. <-- to waffle; vacillate, equivocate, flip-flop. -->

A person of whiffing and unsteady turn of mind can not keep close to a point of controversy. I. Watts.

Whiffle <Xpage=1645>

Whif"fle , v. t.

1. To disperse with, or as with, a whiff, or puff; to scatter. [Obs.]

Dr. H. More.

2. To wave or shake quickly; to cause to whiffle.

Whiffle <Xpage=1645>

Whif"fle , n. A fife or small flute. [Obs.]

Douce.

Whiffler <Xpage=1645>

Whif"fler (?) , n.

1. One who whiffles, or frequently changes his opinion or course; one who uses shifts and evasions in argument; hence, a trifler. <-- a waffler? -->

Every whiffler in a laced coat who frequents the chocolate house shall talk of the constitution. Swift.

2. One who plays on a whiffle; a fifer or piper. [Obs.]

3. An officer who went before procession to clear the way by blowing a horn, or otherwise; hence, any person who marched at the head of a procession; a harbinger.

Which like a mighty whiffler 'fore the king, Seems to prepare his way. Shak.

<page="1646"> Page 1646

&hand; " Whifflers , or fifers, generally went first in a procession, from which circumstance the name was transferred to other persons who succeeded to that office, and at length was given to those who went forward merely to clear the way for the procession. . . . In the city of London, young freemen, who march at the head of their proper companies on the Lord Mayor's day, sometimes with flags, were called whifflers , or bachelor whifflers , not because they cleared the way, but because they went first, as whifflers did."

Nares.

4. (Zo\'94l) The golden-eye. [Local, U.S.]

Whiffletree <Xpage=1646>

Whif"fle*tree` (?) , n. Same as Whippletree .

Whig <Xpage=1646>

Whig (?) , n. [See Whey .] Acidulated whey, sometimes mixed with buttermilk and sweet herbs, used as a cooling beverage. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

Whig <Xpage=1646>

Whig , n. [Said to be from whiggam , a term used in Scotland in driving horses, whiggamore one who drives horses (a term applied to some western Scotchmen), contracted to whig . In 1648, a party of these people marched to Edinburgh to oppose the king and the duke of Hamilton (the Whiggamore raid), and hence the name of Whig was given to the party opposed to the court. Cf. Scot. whig to go quickly.]

1. (Eng. Politics) One of a political party which grew up in England in the seventeenth century, in the reigns of Charles I. and II., when great contests existed respecting the royal prerogatives and the rights of the people. Those who supported the king in his high claims were called Tories , and the advocates of popular rights, of parliamentary power over the crown, and of toleration to Dissenters, were, after 1679, called Whigs . The terms Liberal and Radical have now generally superseded Whig in English politics. See the note under Tory .

2. (Amer. Hist.) (a) A friend and supporter of the American Revolution; -- opposed to Tory , and Royalist . (b) One of the political party in the United States from about 1829 to 1856, opposed in politics to the Democratic party.

Whig <Xpage=1646>

Whig , a. Of or pertaining to the Whigs.

Whiggamore <Xpage=1646>

Whig"ga*more (?) , n. [See Whig .] A Whig; -- a cant term applied in contempt to Scotch Presbyterians. [Scot.]

Sir W. Scott.

Whiggarchy <Xpage=1646>

Whig"gar*chy (?) , n. [ Whig + -archy .] Government by Whigs. [Cont]

Swift.

Whiggery <Xpage=1646>

Whig"ger*y (?) , n. The principles or practices of the Whigs; Whiggism.

Whiggish <Xpage=1646>

Whig"gish (?) , a. Of or pertaining to Whigs; partaking of, or characterized by, the principles of Whigs.

Whiggishly <Xpage=1646>

Whig"gish*ly , adv. In a Whiggish manner.

Whiggism <Xpage=1646>

Whig"gism (?) , n. The principles of the Whigs.

Whigling <Xpage=1646>

Whig"ling (?) , n. A petty or inferior Whig; -- used in contempt.

Spectator.

While <Xpage=1646>

While (?) , n. [AS. hw\'c6l ; akin to OS. hw\'c6l , hw\'c6la , OFries. hw\'c6le , D. wigl , G. weile , OHG. w\'c6la , hw\'c6la , hw\'c6l , Icel. hv\'c6la a bed, hv\'c6ld rest, Sw. hvila , Dan. hvile , Goth. hweila a time, and probably to L. quietus quiet, and perhaps to Gr. <?/ the proper time of season. &root;20. Cf. Quiet , Whilom .] 1. Space of time, or continued duration, esp. when short; a time; as, one while we thought him innocent . "All this while ."

Shak.

This mighty queen may no while endure. Chaucer.

[Some guest that] hath outside his welcome while , And tells the jest without the smile. Coleridge.