📖 W — The English dictionary · page 25

wishbone — Everyday, meaning 1: A wishbone is a forked V-shaped bone between the neck and breast of a chicken, turkey or other bird.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: It is used in a game where two people pull it and the one who gets the bigger piece makes a wish.↗ Example: We pulled the wishbone after Christmas dinner.↗ · I got the bigger piece of the wishbone, so I made a wish.↗ · Let the wishbone dry before you pull it.↗ · The wishbone helps a bird's wings work.↗ · My sister always wins the wishbone.↗ · What did you wish for with the wishbone?↗

wishest — Early Modern English, meaning 1: «wishest» means «you wish», a form of «wish».↗ e.g. To wish means to want something to happen, even if it may not.↗ A wish is that hope.↗ Example: "That beast which thou wishest to overcome is my brother.↗ (Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-lore) · ‘That beast which thou wishest to overcome is my brother.↗ (The Red Fairy Book) · "Thou wishest thou couldest go to the ball, is it not so?"↗ (The Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault)

wishful — Everyday, meaning 1: Wanting or hoping for something.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: "Wishful thinking" means believing that something is true or will happen only because you want it to, not because it is likely.↗ Example: Hoping the test will be cancelled is just wishful thinking.↗ · He gave a wishful look at the toy in the shop window.↗ · Thinking our team will win 10–0 is wishful thinking.↗ · "Maybe it'll snow on Christmas Day," she said in a wishful voice.↗ · Believing the homework will do itself is wishful thinking.↗ · The dog gave a wishful glance at my sandwich.↗

wisp — Everyday, meaning 1: A wisp is a thin, light piece or strand of something: a wisp of hair, a wisp of grass.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A wisp of smoke, cloud or steam is a thin line or small amount drifting in the air.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal) A wisp of a person is a small, thin person.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: A will-o'-the-wisp is a strange, faint light that floats over marshes at night and is said to lead travellers astray.↗ Example: A wisp of smoke rose from the candle.↗ · She pushed a wisp of hair out of her eyes.↗ · Wispy clouds floated high in the blue sky.↗ · Only a wisp of steam came from the cup.↗ · The old man had a few wispy white hairs.↗ · The bird carried a wisp of straw to its nest.↗ · Perhaps capturing an intermediary concept between the immaterial divine imminence and the material wind is ‘wisp’, meaning both a small breeze and a phantom presence, but ‘Holy Wisp’ is a rather underwhelming expression.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)↗

wispy — Everyday, meaning 1: Wispy means thin, light and fine, in small loose strands, like thin wisps of hair, cloud or smoke.↗ Example: Wispy clouds streaked across the blue sky.↗ · The baby had wispy blond hair.↗ · Wispy smoke rose from the campfire.↗ · The old wizard had a long, wispy beard.↗ · High, wispy clouds are called cirrus.↗ · Wispy grass waved in the breeze.↗

wist — Early Modern English, meaning 1: Knew; had known.↗ Example: The wist-ful look in the poor man's face spoke plainer than words.↗ (Fifty Famous Stories Retold) · ‘Little green toad whose leg doth twist, Go to the corner of which you wist, And bring to me the large old kist.’↗ (The Yellow Fairy Book)

wistful — Everyday, meaning 1: Sad and full of longing for something you cannot have, or for something that is past.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Thoughtful and dreamy, with gentle sadness.↗ Example: She gave a wistful smile as she waved goodbye.↗ · The old man looked wistful as he spoke of his childhood.↗ · The Rat felt wistful when the swallows talked of the south.↗ · There was a wistful note in her voice.↗ · The puppy gave a wistful look at the closed door.↗ · The song was sweet and wistful.↗ · ‘Don’t be long,’ replied Zizi, and she watched him go with wistful eyes.↗

wistfully — Everyday, meaning 1: In a sad, longing way, as when you wish for something you cannot have or something that is gone.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: In a quietly thoughtful, dreamy way, with a little sadness.↗ Example: Tom looked wistfully at the bikes in the shop window.↗ · The old sailor smiled wistfully as he talked about the sea.↗ · «I wish summer could last forever,» she said wistfully.↗ · The puppy gazed wistfully at the biscuit on the table.↗ · Gran wistfully remembered her school days.↗ · The Rat stared wistfully south, where the swallows had flown.↗ · He stood beneath the tree looking long and wistfully at the peacock's bright feathers.↗

wistfulness — Everyday, meaning 1: A gentle, sad feeling of longing for something you miss or cannot have.↗ Example: There was wistfulness in her voice as she talked about her old school.↗ · Mole felt wistfulness for his little home.↗ · Alice looked with wistfulness at the garden.↗ · He watched the boats with wistfulness.↗ · A wistfulness came over Grandma as she looked at the photos.↗ · The song was full of wistfulness.↗

wit — Everyday, meaning 1: Wit is the ability to say clever and funny things quickly.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A wit is a person who is clever and funny with words.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Wits (plural) are your ability to think clearly and quickly: «keep your wits about you».↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (old) «To wit» is an old, formal way of saying «that is to say» or «namely».↗ Example: Her quick wit made the whole class laugh.↗ · Oscar Wilde was a famous wit.↗ · Keep your wits about you when crossing busy roads.↗ · Mum was at her wits' end when the dog ran away.↗ · The ghost story scared me out of my wits.↗ · The puzzle was a real battle of wits.↗ · (old, formal) There were three winners, to wit: Ava, Ben and Chloe.↗ · Gathering his wits together, he said:↗ · Get thee an associate, and look into it together, you will then understand."↗ At once, Abraham went to his teacher Shem. and stayed wit him three years.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · And Shaharaim begot children in the field of Moab, after he had sent them away, to wit, Hushim and Baara his wives; (Writings 1CH.8.8, JPS 1917)↗ · to wit, the prophets of Israel that prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and that see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD.↗ (Prophets EZK.13.16, JPS 1917)↗ · Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go back home; wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in fierce anger.↗ (Writings 2CH.25.10, JPS 1917)↗

witch — Everyday, meaning 1: In fairy tales and stories, a witch is a woman (and sometimes a man) who has magic powers, often shown with a pointed hat, a broomstick, a black cat and a cauldron.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: In history, many people, mostly poor or old women, were wrongly accused of being witches and punished or killed in witch hunts.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Some people today follow religions such as Wicca and call themselves witches; for them it is about nature and their beliefs, not evil.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (rude, insulting) Calling a woman «a witch» means she is nasty or ugly; this is unkind.↗ Example: The witch flew over the town on her broomstick.↗ · The wicked witch locked Hansel in a cage.↗ · I dressed up as a witch for Halloween.↗ · In the past, innocent women were accused of being witches.↗ · The witch stirred a bubbling cauldron.↗ · The newspaper said the inquiry was a witch hunt.↗ · Witches are not real in the way stories show them.↗ · The White Witch made it always winter in Narnia.↗ · The witch began gnashing her teeth.↗

witchcraft — Everyday, meaning 1: The use of magic powers, especially to do harm, as believed in stories and in many old beliefs.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (history) In the past, a crime people were wrongly accused of, as in the witch trials in Europe and in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal) Something so clever or surprising it seems like magic.↗ Example: In the story, the old woman used witchcraft to turn the prince into a frog.↗ · In 1692, people in Salem were wrongly accused of witchcraft.↗ · Long ago, people blamed witchcraft for bad harvests.↗ · The Bible warns against witchcraft.↗ · Harry Potter goes to a school of witchcraft and wizardry.↗ · Grandad called the new phone "pure witchcraft".↗ · The witch trials show how fear and rumours can hurt innocent people.↗ · No, I can’t believe that it is anything but witchcraft!↗ · For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim.↗ (Prophets 1SA.15.23, JPS 1917)↗ · And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thy hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers; (Prophets MIC.5.11, JPS 1917)↗ · Because of the multitude of the harlotries of the well-favoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her harlotries, and families through her witchcrafts.↗ (Prophets NAM.3.4, JPS 1917)↗

with — Everyday, meaning 1: With means together with someone or something: «I went with Dad».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: With means having something: «a girl with red hair», «a box with 6 eggs».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: With tells what you use: «cut with scissors».↗ Everyday, meaning 4: With can mean because of: «shaking with cold».↗ Everyday, meaning 5: With can mean against: «fight with», «argue with».↗ Everyday, meaning 6: (casual) «With it» means alert, cool; «I'm with you» means I agree or I understand; «with ya in a sec» means I'll come soon.↗ Everyday, meaning 7: (rude) «What's up with you?» and «get on with it!» are blunt.↗ Everyday, meaning 8: (formal) Exams say «in conjunction with», «together with», «containing», «accompanied by» and «each of which contains».↗ Everyday, meaning 9: With can show how something is done or felt, as in «with all my heart», which means very sincerely.↗ Example: Ben has 7 boxes with 9 cards in each box.↗ · Mia went to the park with 3 friends.↗ · A bag with 5 apples costs 10 cents.↗ · Cut the paper with scissors.↗ · The baby was shaking with cold.↗ · Can you help me with my homework?↗ · Handle the glass with care.↗ · me with 2 cousins and nan, set the table for all of us↗ · Get on with it, we haven't got all day!↗ · You coming with?↗ We're 4 already.↗ · Seven crates are supplied, each of which contains 9 units.↗ State the total.↗ · A teacher, accompanied by 12 pupils, boards the bus.↗ · "With all my heart," says I.↗ · And Laban came up with Jacob.↗ (Torah GEN.31.25, JPS 1917)↗ · It shall not be baked with leaven.↗ (Torah LEV.6.17, JPS 1917)↗ · And Jacob was wroth, and strove with Laban.↗ (Torah GEN.31.36, JPS 1917)↗ · Wherefore will ye contend with Me?↗ (Prophets JER.2.29, JPS 1917)↗ · Then it was well with him.↗ (Prophets JER.22.15, JPS 1917)↗ · Ekron, with its towns and its villages; (Prophets JOS.15.45, JPS 1917)↗

withal — Everyday, meaning 1: Also, besides, as well.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Even so, all the same.↗ Example: She was kind, and withal very clever.↗ · He was poor, but withal happy.↗ · The youngest was beautiful, and withal courteous.↗ · Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst I withal escape.↗ (Writings PSA.141.10, JPS 1917)↗ · Now he was ruddy, and withal of beautiful eyes, and goodly to look upon.↗ (Prophets 1SA.16.12, JPS 1917)↗ · And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.↗ (Prophets 1KI.19.1, JPS 1917)↗

withdraw — Everyday, meaning 1: To withdraw money is to take it out of a bank account.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To withdraw is to move back or away from a place.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To withdraw from something is to stop taking part in it, like a race.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: To withdraw something you said or offered is to take it back.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: To withdraw can mean to become quiet and not want to talk to people.↗ Example: Mum withdrew 50 dollars from the bank.↗ · He had 200 pounds and withdrew 30, so he has 170 left.↗ · The army withdrew from the town.↗ · She withdrew from the race with a sore leg.↗ · I withdraw what I said; I'm sorry.↗ · After the move, he became quiet and withdrawn.↗ · You can withdraw cash at the machine.↗ · The snail withdrew into its shell.↗ · Unwilling to lose his nuts but unable to withdraw his hand, he burst into tears.↗ · Why withdrawest Thou Thy hand, even Thy right hand?↗ (Writings PSA.74.11, JPS 1917)↗ · God will not withdraw His anger; the helpers of Rahab did stoop under Him.↗ (Writings JOB.9.13, JPS 1917)↗ · Withdraw Thy hand far from me; and let not Thy terror make me afraid.↗ (Writings JOB.13.21, JPS 1917)↗

withdrawal — Everyday, meaning 1: Taking money out of a bank account.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Taking something away or back: the withdrawal of an offer.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Moving soldiers or people back or away from a place.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: Leaving or stopping taking part: his withdrawal from the race.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: The ill feeling a person has when they stop taking a drug their body is used to.↗ Everyday, meaning 6: Becoming quiet and not wanting to be with people.↗ Example: She made a withdrawal of £50 from the cash machine.↗ · After a withdrawal of $30, the balance was $70.↗ · The army began its withdrawal from the city.↗ · Injury forced his withdrawal from the race.↗ · The withdrawal of the offer upset everyone.↗ · Headaches can be a withdrawal symptom when you stop drinking coffee.↗