waif

«waif» in Mova's school dictionary: a homeless, neglected child or animal, often thin and… — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

part of speech

noun (a waif, waifs)

meaning for a pupil

1) A waif is a homeless, neglected child or animal, often thin and with nobody to care for it. tree →

2) (informal) A waif is a very thin, pale, delicate-looking person. tree →

sense in the lessons

In Victorian stories and history, waifs were poor orphans living on the streets, like the children Dr Barnardo helped. The phrase «waifs and strays» means homeless children or lost animals. In The Wind in the Willows Rat and Mole search for the lost baby otter, a little waif. The word makes the reader feel pity.

examples

• The kind woman took in the little waif. tree →
• Victorian cities had many waifs living on the streets. tree →
• «Waifs and strays» are lost children or animals. tree →
• The kitten was a thin little waif when we found it. tree →
• The story is about a waif who finds a home. tree →
• She looked like a waif in her big coat. tree →
• 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. tree →

note

Countable. Sounds like «waive» (to give up a right) — a homophone. Do not mix up with «wife».

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «waif» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.