📖 W — The English dictionary

wad — Everyday, meaning 1: A wad is a thick soft lump or roll of material, such as cotton wool, paper or chewing gum.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A wad of money or paper is a thick bundle of banknotes or sheets.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (verb) To wad something means to press it into a soft lump: «He wadded up the paper.».↗ Example: The nurse pressed a wad of cotton wool on my cut.↗ · Someone left a wad of gum under the desk.↗ · The robber pulled out a thick wad of banknotes.↗ · He wadded up the paper and threw it in the bin.↗ · She had a wad of homework sheets to mark.↗ · Stuff a wad of newspaper in your wet shoes to dry them.↗

waddle — Everyday, meaning 1: To walk with short steps, swaying from side to side, like a duck or penguin.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (noun) A swaying walk like this: the toddler walked with a funny waddle.↗ Example: The ducks waddled down to the pond.↗ · Penguins waddle across the ice, then slide on their bellies.↗ · The toddler waddled after the ball.↗ · In my big snowsuit I could only waddle.↗ · The goose waddled towards us and honked.↗ · A row of ducklings waddled behind their mother.↗ · The fat old cat waddled to its bowl.↗ · When it had said this the duck waddled off again.↗

wade — Everyday, meaning 1: To wade is to walk through water or mud, where it is hard to move.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To wade through something is to deal with a lot of boring or difficult work slowly.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To wade in is to join something, like a fight or argument, firmly.↗ Example: We waded across the shallow stream.↗ · The children waded in the sea up to their knees.↗ · Never wade into fast-flowing water.↗ · The heron waded in the pond looking for fish.↗ · I had to wade through a huge pile of homework.↗ · The little ones played in the wading pool.↗ · Wear old shoes when you wade in the river.↗ · The farmer waded through the mud.↗ · That thy foot may wade through blood, that the tongue of thy dogs may have its portion from thine enemies.'↗ (Writings PSA.68.24, JPS 1917)↗

wafer — Everyday, meaning 1: A wafer is a very thin, light, crisp biscuit, often eaten with ice cream or with cream between layers.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (church) In many churches, a wafer is a thin, round piece of special bread given at Holy Communion.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A wafer is any very thin slice: a wafer of silicon in computer chips.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: Wafer-thin means extremely thin.↗ Example: I had a strawberry ice cream with two wafers.↗ · The chocolate wafer bar snapped in half.↗ · (church) At Mass, the priest gave each person a small round wafer.↗ · The ham was sliced wafer-thin.↗ · Computer chips are made on thin silicon wafers.↗ · Gran keeps pink wafers in the biscuit tin.↗ · and unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened mingled with oil, and wafers unleavened spread with oil; of fine wheaten flour shalt thou make them.↗ (Torah EXO.29.2, JPS 1917)↗ · and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, and their meal-offering, and their drink-offerings.↗ (Torah NUM.6.15, JPS 1917)↗ · and one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before the LORD.↗ (Torah EXO.29.23, JPS 1917)↗ · for the showbread also, and for the fine flour for a meal-offering, whether of unleavened wafers, or of that which is baked on the griddle, or of that which is soaked, and for all manner of measure and size; (Writings 1CH.23.29, JPS 1917)↗

waffle — Everyday, meaning 1: A waffle is a crisp flat cake made of batter, cooked in a hot iron that gives it a grid of little squares.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (UK, informal) Waffle is long talk or writing that says very little.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (UK, informal) To waffle is to talk or write too much without saying anything useful.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (US, informal) To waffle is to keep changing your mind and not decide.↗ Example: We had waffles with maple syrup for breakfast.↗ · Belgian waffles are thick and soft inside.↗ · My teacher said my essay was full of waffle.↗ · Stop waffling and answer the question!↗ · He waffled on for ages about his holiday.↗ · The mayor waffled about whether to close the park.↗ · The waffle iron leaves a pattern of squares.↗

waft — Everyday, meaning 1: To waft is to move gently through the air, like a light breeze carrying something along.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (old use) To waft is to carry someone or something away over water or through the air.↗ Example: The smell of bread wafted from the kitchen.↗ · A feather wafted down from the tree.↗ · The cloud wafted slowly across the sky.↗

wag — Everyday, meaning 1: To move quickly from side to side or up and down, especially a dog's tail.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To shake a finger at someone to show you disagree.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: "Wag" or "wag school" means skip school without permission (Australian and New Zealand slang).↗ Example: The puppy wagged its tail when I came home.↗ · A wagging tail doesn't always mean a happy dog.↗ · Grandma wagged her finger at me.↗ · Tongues will wag if you do that.↗ · The dog's whole body wagged with joy.↗ · Always ask before you pat a dog.↗ · Every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.↗ (Prophets ZEP.2.15, JPS 1917)↗ · Now therefore, I pray thee, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.↗ (Prophets 2KI.18.23, JPS 1917)↗ · Now therefore, I pray thee, make a wager with my master, the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.↗ (Prophets ISA.36.8, JPS 1917)↗

wage — Everyday, meaning 1: A wage is the money a worker is paid for their work, usually counted by the hour, day or week.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Wages (plural) is the money someone earns, as in «his weekly wages».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (verb, formal) To wage a war or a fight means to carry it on for a long time.↗ Example: Mum's wage goes up next month.↗ · Sam earns a wage of 12 dollars an hour; how much does he earn in 5 hours?↗ · The workers asked for higher wages.↗ · The minimum wage is the lowest pay allowed by law.↗ · He spends half his wages on rent.↗ · The town waged a campaign against litter.↗ · The two kingdoms waged war for many years.↗ · "Give me my wage," said Ivan.↗ · And he said: 'Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.'↗ (Torah GEN.30.28, JPS 1917)↗ · And your father hath mocked me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.↗ (Torah GEN.31.7, JPS 1917)↗ · And Laban said unto Jacob: 'Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?'↗ (Torah GEN.29.15, JPS 1917)↗ · The wages of the righteous is life; the increase of the wicked is sin.↗ (Writings PRO.10.16, JPS 1917)↗ · The wicked earneth deceitful wages; but he that soweth righteousness hath a sure reward.↗ (Writings PRO.11.18, JPS 1917)↗ · As a servant that eagerly longeth for the shadow, and as a hireling that looketh for his wages; (Writings JOB.7.2, JPS 1917)↗

waggle — Everyday, meaning 1: To move something quickly from side to side or up and down: waggle your fingers.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (noun) A quick small movement like this: the dog's tail gave a waggle.↗ Example: Can you waggle your ears?↗ · The puppy waggled its tail when it saw me.↗ · She waggled her loose tooth with her tongue.↗ · Honeybees do a waggle dance to show where the flowers are.↗ · Give the plug a waggle if the lamp flickers — no, unplug it first and tell an adult.↗ · He waggled his eyebrows to make us laugh.↗ · Waggle your fingers to warm them up.↗ · At a little to their right there was a thin uncomely bridge that waggled across the torrent.↗

waggon — Everyday, meaning 1: A waggon is a heavy cart with four wheels, pulled by horses to carry goods.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (old spelling) The same as "wagon".↗ Example: A waggon full of hay rolled up the lane.↗ · The horses pulled the waggon to town.↗ · They loaded the wood onto the waggon.↗

waggoner — Everyday, meaning 1: A waggoner is a person who drives a waggon, especially a farm worker long ago.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (old spelling) The same as "wagoner".↗ Example: The waggoner cracked his whip.↗ · A waggoner walked beside his horses.↗ · The king hired a waggoner to carry the load.↗

wagon — Everyday, meaning 1: A vehicle with four wheels, pulled by horses or oxen, used to carry heavy loads or people.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: An open railway truck that carries goods (UK).↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A child's small cart pulled by a handle (US, a little red wagon).↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (informal, US) A station wagon, a car with a long back.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: «On the wagon» (informal): not drinking alcohol.↗ Example: The settlers crossed the plains in covered wagons.↗ · The horse pulled the hay wagon.↗ · The goods train had 30 wagons.↗ · Each wagon carries 15 tonnes, so 4 wagons carry 60 tonnes.↗ · I pulled my little sister in the red wagon.↗ · (informal) Uncle Jim is on the wagon this month.↗ · The wagon was filled with corpses.↗ · And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites.↗ (Torah NUM.7.6, JPS 1917)↗ · Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service.↗ (Torah NUM.7.7, JPS 1917)↗ · And the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.↗ (Torah GEN.45.21, JPS 1917)↗ · Nay, he will not ever be threshing it; and though the roller of his wagon and its sharp edges move noisily, he doth not crush it.↗ (Prophets ISA.28.28, JPS 1917)↗

wah — Early Modern English, meaning 1: In Kipling it is an exclamation of surprise; in Uncle Remus it is a dialect spelling of "war".↗ Example: "Dat ar jug's bin ter wah, mon.↗ (Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings) · In ole times, 'fo' de wah, I ain't heer tell er no seventy-fi'- year-ole nigger grapplin' wid no meezles.↗ (Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings) · “Wah!” said Little Toomai, “thou art a big elephant,” and he wagged his fluffy head, quoting his father.↗ “The Government may pay for elephants, but they belong to us mahouts.↗ (The Jungle Book)

wahoo — Everyday, meaning 1: (rare) A wahoo is a North American tree whose inner bark was used for weaving and making rope.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (old use, in Uncle Remus tales) "Wahoo!" is a loud shout or call.↗ Example: The old man wove baskets from wahoo bark.↗ · Strips of wahoo bark lay on the floor.↗ · "Wahoo!" the boy shouted across the field.↗

waif — Everyday, meaning 1: A waif is a homeless, neglected child or animal, often thin and with nobody to care for it.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal) A waif is a very thin, pale, delicate-looking person.↗ Example: The kind woman took in the little waif.↗ · Victorian cities had many waifs living on the streets.↗ · «Waifs and strays» are lost children or animals.↗ · The kitten was a thin little waif when we found it.↗ · The story is about a waif who finds a home.↗ · She looked like a waif in her big coat.↗ · He then carried him to the king, his master, who, pitying the poor little waif, enlisted for him the kind offices of his wife, Merope.↗

wail — Everyday, meaning 1: To wail is to cry out with a long, loud, high sound because of pain, sadness or anger.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A wail is such a long cry.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Things like sirens or the wind can also wail.↗ Example: The baby began to wail when her toy fell.↗ · The siren wailed as the ambulance raced past.↗ · The wind wailed around the old house.↗ · "It's not fair!" he wailed.↗ · A long wail came from the forest.↗ · The mourners wailed at the funeral.↗ · It wailed through the ship, and died away.↗ · And they came to the threshing-floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and there they wailed with a very great and sore wailing; and he made a mourning for his father seven days.↗ (Torah GEN.50.10, JPS 1917)↗ · 'Son of man, prophesy, and say: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Wail ye: Woe worth the day!↗ (Prophets EZK.30.2, JPS 1917)↗ · Therefore shall Moab wail for Moab, every one shall wail; for the sweet cakes of Kir-hareseth shall ye mourn, sorely stricken.↗ (Prophets ISA.16.7, JPS 1917)↗ · Moab is put to shame, for it is dismayed; wail and cry; tell ye it in Arnon, that Moab is spoiled.↗ (Prophets JER.48.20, JPS 1917)↗

wailing — Everyday, meaning 1: A long, loud, high cry of pain, sadness or anger.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A long, high sound like a cry, such as a siren or the wind.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal) Complaining loudly and at length.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: The Wailing Wall is a name for the Western Wall in Jerusalem, a holy place where Jewish people pray.↗ Example: The baby was wailing in the middle of the night.↗ · We heard the wailing of a fire engine's siren.↗ · The wind was wailing around the old house.↗ · There was wailing and crying when the dog ran away.↗ · Stop wailing about your homework and just start it!↗ · People pray at the Western Wall, also called the Wailing Wall.↗ · The ghost in the story made a terrible wailing sound.↗ · In one of the houses he heard cries and wailing.↗ · And they came to the threshing-floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and there they wailed with a very great and sore wailing; and he made a mourning for his father seven days.↗ (Torah GEN.50.10, JPS 1917)↗ · For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion: 'How are we undone!↗ (Prophets JER.9.18, JPS 1917)↗ · Hark! the cry of the shepherds, and the wailing of the leaders of the flock!↗ (Prophets JER.25.36, JPS 1917)↗ · Hark! the wailing of the shepherds, for their glory is spoiled; Hark! the roaring of young lions, for the thickets of the Jordan are spoiled.↗ (Prophets ZEC.11.3, JPS 1917)↗