Chapter 1889

1. Originally, an interrogative pronoun, later, a relative pronoun also; -- used always substantively, and either as singular or plural. See the Note under What , pron. , 1. As interrogative pronouns, who and whom ask the question: What or which person or persons? Who and whom , as relative pronouns (in the sense of that ), are properly used of persons (corresponding to which , as applied to things), but are sometimes, less properly and now rarely, used of animals, plants, etc. Who and whom , as compound relatives, are also used especially of persons, meaning the person that; the persons that; the one that; whosoever. "Let who will be President."

Macaulay.

[He] should not tell whose children they were. Chaucer.

There thou tell'st of kings, and who aspire; Who fall, who rise, who triumph, who do moan. Daniel.

Adders who with cloven tongues Do hiss into madness. Shak.

Whom I could pity thus forlorn. Milton.

How hard is our fate, who serve in the state. Addison.

Who cheapens life, abates the fear of death. Young.

The brace of large greyhounds, who were the companions of his sports. Sir W. Scott.

2. One; any; one. [Obs., except in the archaic phrase, as who should say.]

As who should say , it were a very dangerous matter if a man in any point should be found wiser than his forefathers were. Robynson (More's Utopia).

Whoa <Xpage=1650>

Whoa (?) , interj. Stop; stand; hold. See Ho , 2.

Whobub <Xpage=1650>

Who"bub (?) , n. Hubbub. [Obs.]

Beau. & Fl.

Whoever <Xpage=1650>

Who*ev"er (?) , pron. Whatever person; any person who; be or she who; any one who; as, he shall be punished, whoever he may be . " Whoever envies or repines." Milton . " Whoever the king favors."

Shak.

Whole <Xpage=1650>

Whole (?) , a. [OE. hole , hol , hal , hool , AS. h\'bel well, sound, healthy; akin to OFries. & OS. h<?/l , D. heel , G. heil , Icel. heill , Sw. hel whole, Dan. heel , Goth. hails well, sound, OIr. c<?/l augury. Cf. Hale , Hail to greet, Heal to cure, Health , Holy .]

1. Containing the total amount, number, etc.; comprising all the parts; free from deficiency; all; total; entire; as, the whole earth; the whole solar system; the whole army; the whole nation. "On their whole host I flew unarmed."

Milton.

The whole race of mankind. Shak.

2. Complete; entire; not defective or imperfect; not broken or fractured; unimpaired; uninjured; integral; as, a whole orange; the egg is whole ; the vessel is whole .

My life is yet whole in me. 2 Sam. i. 9.

3. Possessing, or being in a state of, heath and soundness; healthy; sound; well.

[She] findeth there her friends hole and sound. Chaucer.

They that be whole need not a physician. Matt. ix. 12.

When Sir Lancelot's deadly hurt was whole . Tennyson.

Whole blood . (Law of Descent) See under Blood , n. , 2. -- Whole note (Mus.) , the note which represents a note of longest duration in common use; a semibreve. -- Whole number (Math.) , a number which is not a fraction or mixed number; an integer. Whole snipe (Zo\'94l.) , the common snipe, as distinguished from the smaller jacksnipe. [Prov. Eng.]

Syn. -- All; total; complete; entire; integral; undivided; uninjured; unimpaired; unbroken; healthy. -- Whole , Total , Entire , Complete . When we use the word whole , we refer to a thing as made up of parts , none of which are wanting; as, a whole week; a whole year; the whole creation . When we use the word total , we have reference to all as taken together, and forming a single totality ; as, the total amount ; the total income. When we speak of a thing as entire , we have no reference to parts at all, but regard the thing as an integer , i. e. , continuous or unbroken; as, an entire year ; entire prosperity. When we speak of a thing as complete , there is reference to some progress which results in a filling out to some end or object, or a perfected state with no deficiency; as, complete success; a complete victory .

All the whole army stood agazed on him. Shak.

One entire and perfect chrysolite. Shak.

Lest total darkness should by night regain Her old possession, and extinguish life. Milton.

So absolute she seems, And in herself complete . Milton.

Whole <Xpage=1650>

Whole (?) , n. 1. The entire thing; the entire assemblage of parts; totality; all of a thing, without defect or exception; a thing complete in itself.

"This not the whole of life to live, Nor all of death to die. J. Montgomery.

2. A regular combination of parts; a system.

Parts answering parts shall slide into a whole . Pope.

Committee of the whole . See under Committee . -- Upon the whole , considering all things; taking everything into account; in view of all the circumstances or conditions.

Syn. -- Totality; total; amount; aggregate; gross.

Whole-hoofed <Xpage=1650>

Whole"-hoofed` (?) , a. Having an undivided hoof, as the horse.

Whole-length <Xpage=1650>

Whole"-length` (?) , a. Representing the whole figure; -- said of a picture or statue. -- n. A portrait or statue representing the whole figure. <-- = full-length? -->

Wholeness <Xpage=1650>

Whole"ness , n. The quality or state of being whole, entire, or sound; entireness; totality; completeness.

Wholesale <Xpage=1650>

Whole"sale` (?) , n. Sale of goods by the piece or large quantity, as distinguished from retail .

By wholesale , in the mass; in large quantities; without distinction or discrimination.

Some, from vanity or envy, despise a valuable book, and throw contempt upon it by wholesale . I. Watts.

Wholesale <Xpage=1650>

Whole"sale` , a. 1. Pertaining to, or engaged in, trade by the piece or large quantity; selling to retailers or jobbers rather than to consumers; as, a wholesale merchant; the wholesale price .

2. Extensive and indiscriminate; as, wholesale slaughter . "A time for wholesale trust."

Mrs. Humphry Ward.

Wholesome <Xpage=1650>

Whole"some (?) , a. [ Compar. Wholesomer (?) ; superl. Wholesomest .] [ Whole + some ; cf. Icel. heilsamr , G. heilsam , D. heilzaam .]

1. Tending to promote health; favoring health; salubrious; salutary.

Wholesome thirst and appetite. Milton.

From which the industrious poor derive an agreeable and wholesome variety of food. A Smith.

2. Contributing to the health of the mind; favorable to morals, religion, or prosperity; conducive to good; salutary; sound; as, wholesome advice; wholesome doctrines; wholesome truths; wholesome laws .

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life. Prov. xv. 4.

I can not . . . make you a wholesome answer; my wit's diseased. Shak.

A wholesome suspicion began to be entertained. Sir W. Scott.

3. Sound; healthy. [Obs.]

Shak.

-- Whole"some*ly , adv. -- Whole"some*ness , n.

Whole-souled <Xpage=1650>

Whole"-souled` (?) , a. Thoroughly imbued with a right spirit; noble-minded; devoted.

Wholly <Xpage=1650>

Whol"ly (?) , adv. 1. In a whole or complete manner; entirely; completely; perfectly.

Nor wholly overcome, nor wholly yield. Dryden.

2. To the exclusion of other things; totally; fully.

They employed themselves wholly in domestic life. Addison.

Whom <Xpage=1650>

Whom (?) , pron. [OE. wham , AS. dative hw\'bem , hw<?/m . See Who .] The objective case of who . See Who .

&hand; In Old English, whom was also commonly used as a dative. Cf. Him .

And every grass that groweth upon root She shall eke know, and whom it will do boot. Chaucer.

Whomsoever <Xpage=1650>

Whom`so*ev"er (?) , pron. The objective of whosoever . See Whosoever .

The Most High ruleth in the kingdow of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. Dan. iv. 17.

Whoobub <Xpage=1650>

Whoo"bub (?) , n. Hubbub. [Obs.]

Shak.

Whoop <Xpage=1650>

Whoop (<?/) , n. [See Hoopoe.] (Zo\'94l.) The hoopoe.

Whoop <Xpage=1650>

Whoop , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Whooped (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Whooping .] [OE. houpen . See Hoop , v. i. ]

1. To utter a whoop, or loud cry, as eagerness, enthusiasm, or enjoyment; to cry out; to shout; to halloo; to utter a war whoop; to hoot, as an owl.

Each whooping with a merry shout. Wordsworth.

When naught was heard but now and then the howl Of some vile cur, or whooping of the owl. W. Browne.

2. To cough or breathe with a sonorous inspiration, as in whooping cough.

Whoop <Xpage=1650>

Whoop , v. t. To insult with shouts; to chase with derision.

And suffered me by the voice of slaves to be Whooped out of Rome. Shak.

<page="1651"> Page 1651

Whoop <Xpage=1651>

Whoop (?) , n. 1. A shout of pursuit or of war; a very of eagerness, enthusiasm, enjoyment, vengeance, terror, or the like; an halloo; a hoot, or cry, as of an owl.

A fox, crossing the road, drew off a considerable detachment, who clapped spurs to their horses, and pursued him with whoops and halloos. Addison.

The whoop of the crane. Longfellow.

2. A loud, shrill, prolonged sound or sonorous inspiration, as in whooping cough.

Whooper <Xpage=1651>

Whoop"er (?) , n. One who, or that which, whooops.

Woopher swan . (Zo\'94l.) See the Note under Swan .

Whooping <Xpage=1651>

Whoop"ing , a. & n. from Whoop , v. t.

Whooping cough (Med.) , a violent, convulsive cough, returning at longer or shorter intervals, and consisting of several expirations, followed by a sonorous inspiration, or whoop; chin cough; hooping cough. Dunglison . -- Whooping crane (Zo\'94l.) , a North American crane ( Crus Americana ) noted for the loud, whooplike note which it utters. <-- The species was reduced by hunting to several dozen in the 1960's and the numbers have been slowly rising since. --> -- Whooping swan (Zo\'94l.) , the whooper swan. See the Note under Swan .

Whoot <Xpage=1651>

Whoot (?) , v. i. [See Hoot .] To hoot. [Obs.]

Whop <Xpage=1651>

Whop (?) , v. t. Same as Whap .

Forby.

Whop <Xpage=1651>

Whop , n. Same as Whap .

Whopper <Xpage=1651>

Whop"per (?) , n. [Cf. Whapper .] <-- since < 1950 the preferred term for whapper, something very large, as a big lie. -->

1. One who, or that which, whops.

2. Same as Whapper .

Whore <Xpage=1651>

Whore (?) , n. [OE. hore , AS. h<?/re ; akin to D. hoer , hoere , G. hure , OHG. huora , huorra , Icel. h<?/ra , Dan. hore , Sw. hora , Goth. h<?/rs an adulterer, AS. h<?/r adultery, OHG. huor , and probably to L. carus dear. Cf. Charity .] A woman who practices unlawful sexual commerce with men, especially one who prostitutes her body for hire; a prostitute; a harlot.

Wyclif.

Syn. -- Harlot; courtesan; prostitute; strumpet.

Whore <Xpage=1651>

Whore , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Whored (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Whoring .] [Cf. Icel. h<?/ra . See Whore , n. ]

1. To have unlawful sexual intercourse; to practice lewdness.

2. (Script.) To worship false and impure gods.

Whore <Xpage=1651>

Whore , v. t. To corrupt by lewd intercourse; to make a whore of; to debauch. [R.]

Congreve.

Whoredom <Xpage=1651>

Whore"dom (?) , n. [OE. hordom ; cf. Icel. h<?/rd<?/mr .]

1. The practice of unlawful intercourse with the other sex; fornication; lewdness.

2. (Script.) The sin of worshiping idols; idolatry.

O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom , and Israel is defiled; they will not . . . turn unto their God. Hos. v. 3, 4.

Wheremaster <Xpage=1651>

Where"mas`ter (?) , n. 1. A man who practices lewdness; a lecher; a whoremonger.

2. One keeps or procures whores for others; a pimp; a procurer.

Whoremasterly <Xpage=1651>

Whore"mas`ter*ly , a. Having the character of a whoremaster; lecherous; libidinous.

Whoremonger <Xpage=1651>

Whore"mon`ger (?) , n. A whoremaster; a lecher; a man who frequents the society of whores.

Whoreson <Xpage=1651>

Whore"son (?) , n. A bastard; colloquially, a low, scurvy fellow; -- used generally in contempt, or in coarse humor. Also used adjectively. [Archaic]

Shak.

Whorish <Xpage=1651>

Whor"ish (?) , a. Resembling a whore in character or conduct; addicted to unlawful pleasures; incontinent; lewd; unchaste.

-- Whor"ish*ly , adv. -- Whor"ish*ness , n.

Whorl <Xpage=1651>

Whorl (?) , n. [OE. whorvil the whirl of a spindle; akin to AS. hweorfa the whirl of a spindle, hweorfan to turn; cf. OD. worvel the whirl of a spindle. See Whirl , n. & v. ]

1. (Bot.) A circle of two or more leaves, flowers, or other organs, about the same part or joint of a stem.

2. (Zo\'94l.) A volution, or turn, of the spire of a univalve shell.

3. (Spinning) The fly of a spindle.

Whorled <Xpage=1651>

Whorled (?) , a. Furnished with whorls; arranged in the form of a whorl or whorls; verticillate; as, whorled leaves .

Whorler <Xpage=1651>

Whorl"er (?) , n. A potter's wheel.

Whort <Xpage=1651>

Whort (?) , n. [See Whortleberry .] (Bot.) The whortleberry, or bilberry. See Whortleberry (a) .

Whortle <Xpage=1651>

Whor"tle (?) , n. (Bot.) The whortleberry, or bilberry.

[He] looked ahead of him from behind a tump of whortles . R. D. Blackmore.

Whortleberry <Xpage=1651>

Whor"tle*ber`ry (?) , n. [AS. wyrtil a small shrub (dim. of wyrt wort) + E. berry . See Wort , and cf. Huckleberry , Hurtleberry .] (Bot.) (a) In England, the fruit of Vaccinium Myrtillus ; also, the plant itself. See Bilberry , 1. (b) The fruit of several shrubby plants of the genus Gaylussacia ; also, any one of these plants. See Huckleberry .

Whose <Xpage=1651>

Whose (?) , pron. [OE. whos , whas , AS. hw\'91s , gen. of hw\'be . See Who .] The possessive case of who or which . See Who , and Which .

Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee. Gen. xxiv. 23.

The question whose solution I require. Dryden.

Whosesoever <Xpage=1651>

Whose`so*ev"er (?) , pron. The possessive of whosoever . See Whosoever .

Whoso <Xpage=1651>

Who"so (?) , pron. Whosoever.

Piers Plowman.

Whoso shrinks or falters now, . . . Brand the craven on his brow! Whittier.

Whoso-ever <Xpage=1651>

Who`so-ev"er (?) , pron. Whatsoever person; any person whatever that; whoever.

Whosoever will, let him take . . . freely. Rev. xxii. 17.

Whot <Xpage=1651>

Whot (?) , a. Hot. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Whur <Xpage=1651>

Whur (?) , v. i. [Probably of imitative origin. Cf. Hurr , Hurry , Whir .]

1. To make a rough, humming sound, like one who pronounces the letter r with too much force; to whir; to birr.

2. To snarl or growl, as a dog.

Halliwell.

Whur <Xpage=1651>

Whur (?) , n. A humming or whirring sound, like that of a body moving through the air with velocity; a whir.

Whurry <Xpage=1651>

Whur"ry (?) , v. t. [See Hurry .] To whisk along quickly; to hurry. [R.]

Whurrying the chariot with them to the shore. Vicars.

Whurt <Xpage=1651>

Whurt (?) , n. (Bot.) See Whort .

Why <Xpage=1651>

Why (?) , adv. [OE. whi , why , AS. hw\'c6 , hw<?/ , instrumental case of hw\'be , hw\'91t ; akin to Icel. hv\'c6 why, Dan. & Sw. hvi ; cf. Goth. hw<?/ . <?/. See Who .]

1. For what cause, reason, or purpose; on what account; wherefore; -- used interrogatively. See the Note under What , pron ., 1.

Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Ezek. xxxiii. 11.

2. For which; on account of which; -- used relatively.

No ground of enmity between us known Why he should mean me ill or seek to harm. Milton.

Turn the discourse; I have a reason why I would not have you speak so tenderly. Dryden.

3. The reason or cause for which; that on account of which; on what account; as, I know not why he left town so suddenly ; -- used as a compound relative.

&hand; Why is sometimes used as an interjection or an expletive in expression of surprise or content at a turn of affairs; used also in calling. " Why , Jessica!"

Shak.

If her chill heart I can not move, Why , I'll enjoy the very love. Cowley.

Sometimes, also, it is used as a noun.

The how and the why and the where. Goldsmith.

For why , because; why. See Forwhy . [Obs. or Colloq.]

Why <Xpage=1651>

Why , n. A young heifer. [Prov. Eng.]

Grose.

Whydah bird, &or; Whydah finch <Xpage=1651>

Whyd"ah bird` (?) , &or; Whyd"ah finch` (?) . (Zo\'94l.) The whidah bird.

Why-not <Xpage=1651>

Why"-not` (?) , n. A violent and peremptory procedure without any assigned reason; a sudden conclusive happening. [Obs.]

When the church Was taken with a why-not in the lurch. Hudibras.