Chapter V: Moth (10)

Note: All the words of this class, whence, where, whither, whereabouts, etc., are occasionally used as pronouns by a harsh construction. O, how unlike the place from whence they fell Milton.

Note: From whence, though a pleonasm, is fully authorized by the use of good writers. From whence come wars and fightings among you James iv. 1. Of whence, also a pleonasm, has become obsolete.

WHENCEEVER Whence*ev"er, adv. & conj.

Defn: Whencesoever. [R.]

WHENCEFORTH Whence`forth", adv.

Defn: From, or forth from, what or which place; whence. [Obs.] Spenser.

WHENCESOEVER Whence`so*ev"er, adv. & conj.

Defn: From what place soever; from what cause or source soever. Any idea, whencesoever we have it. Locke.

WHENE'ER When*e'er, adv. & conj.

Defn: Whenever.

WHENEVER When*ev"er, adv. & conj.

Defn: At whatever time. "Whenever that shall be." Milton.

WHENNES When"nes, adv.

Defn: Whence. [Obs.] Chaucer.

WHENSOEVER When`so*ev"er, adv. & conj.

Defn: At what time soever; at whatever time; whenever. Mark xiv. 7.

WHER; WHERE Wher, Where (, pron. & conj. Etym: [See Whether.]

Defn: Whether. [Sometimes written whe'r.] [Obs.] Piers Plowman. Men must enquire (this is mine assent), Wher she be wise or sober or dronkelewe. Chaucer.

WHERE Where, adv. Etym: [OE. wher, whar, AS. hw; akin to D. waar, OS. hw, OHG. hwar, war, wa, G. wo, Icel. and Sw. hvar, Dan. hvor, Goth. hwar, and E. who; cf. Skr. karhi when. sq. root182. See Who, and cf. There.]

1. At or in what place; hence, in what situation, position, or circumstances; -- used interrogatively. God called unto Adam, . . . Where art thou Gen. iii. 9.

Note: See the Note under What, pron., 1.

2. At or in which place; at the place in which; hence, in the case or instance in which; -- used relatively. She visited that place where first she was so happy. Sir P. Sidney. Where I thought the remnant of mine age Should have been cherished by her childlike duty. Shak. Where one on his side fights, thousands will fly. Shak. But where he rode one mile, the dwarf ran four. Sir W. Scott.

3. To what or which place; hence, to what goal, result, or issue; whither; -- used interrogatively and relatively; as, where are you going But where does this tend Goldsmith. Lodged in sunny cleft, Where the gold breezes come not. Bryant.

Note: Where is often used pronominally with or without a preposition, in elliptical sentences for a place in which, the place in which, or what place. The star . . . stood over where the young child was. Matt. ii. 9. The Son of man hath not where to lay his head. Matt. viii. 20. Within about twenty paces of where we were. Goldsmith. Where did the minstrels come from Dickens.

Note: Where is much used in composition with preposition, and then is equivalent to a pronoun. Cf. Whereat, Whereby, Wherefore, Wherein, etc. Where away (Naut.), in what direction; as, where away is the land

Syn. -- See Whither.

WHERE Where, conj.

Defn: Whereas. And flight and die is death destroying death; Where fearing dying pays death servile breath. Shak.

WHERE Where, n.

Defn: Place; situation. [Obs. or Colloq.] Finding the nymph asleep in secret where. Spenser.

WHEREABOUT; WHEREABOUTS Where"a*bout`, Where"a*bouts`, adv.

1. About where; near what or which place; -- used interrogatively and relatively; as, whereabouts did you meet him

Note: In this sense, whereabouts is the common form.

2. Concerning which; about which. "The object whereabout they are conversant." Hooker.

WHEREABOUT; WHEREABOUTS Where"a*bout`, Where"a*bouts`, n.

Defn: The place where a person or thing is; as, they did not know his whereabouts. Shak. A puzzling notice of thy whereabout. Wordsworth.

WHEREAS Where*as", adv.

Defn: At which place; where. [Obs.] Chaucer. At last they came whereas that lady bode. Spenser.

WHEREAS Where*as", conj.

1. Considering that; it being the case that; since; -- used to introduce a preamble which is the basis of declarations, affirmations, commands, requests, or like, that follow.

2. When in fact; while on the contrary; the case being in truth that; although; -- implying opposition to something that precedes; or implying recognition of facts, sometimes followed by a different statement, and sometimes by inferences or something consequent. Are not those found to be the greatest zealots who are most notoriously ignorant whereas true zeal should always begin with true knowledge. Sprat.

WHEREAT Where*at", adv.

1. At which; upon which; whereupon; -- used relatively. They vote; whereat his speech he thus renews. Milton. Whereat he was no less angry and ashamed than desirous to obey Zelmane. Sir P. Sidney.

2. At what; -- used interrogatively; as, whereat are you offended

WHEREBY Where*by", adv.

1. By which; -- used relatively. "You take my life when you take the means whereby I life." Shak.

2. By what; how; -- used interrogatively. Whereby shall I know this Luke i. 18.

WHERE'ER Wher*e'er", adv.

Defn: Wherever; -- a contracted and poetical form. Cowper.

WHEREFORE Where"fore, adv.& conj. Etym: [Where + for.]

1. For which reason; so; -- used relatively. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matt. vii. 20.

2. For what reason; why; -- used interrogatively. But wherefore that I tell my tale. Chaucer. Wherefore didst thou doubt Matt. xiv. 31.

WHEREFORE Where"fore, n.

Defn: the reason why. [Colloq.]

WHEREFORM Where*form", adv. Etym: [Where + from.]

Defn: From which; from which or what place. Tennyson.

WHEREIN Where*in", adv.

1. In which; in which place, thing, time, respect, or the like; -- used relatively. Her clothes wherein she was clad. Chaucer. There are times wherein a man ought to be cautious as well as innocent. Swift.

2. In what; -- used interrogatively. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him! Mal. ii. 17.

WHEREINTO Where`in*to", adv.

1. Into which; -- used relatively. Where is that palace whereinto foul things Sometimes intrude not Shak. The brook, whereinto he loved to look. Emerson.

2. Into what; -- used interrogatively.

WHERENESS Where"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of having a place; ubiety; situation; position. [R.] A point hath no dimensions, but only a whereness, and is next to nothing. Grew.

WHEREOF Where*of", adv.

1. Of which; of whom; formerly, also, with which; -- used relatively. I do not find the certain numbers whereof their armies did consist. Sir J. Davies. Let it work like Borgias' wine, Whereof his sire, the pope, was poisoned. Marlowe. Edward's seven sons, whereof thyself art one. Shak.

2. Of what; -- used interrogatively. Whereof was the house built Johnson.

WHEREON Where*on", adv.

1. On which; -- used relatively; as, the earth whereon we live. O fair foundation laid whereon to build. Milton.

2. On what; -- used interrogatively; as, whereon do we stand

WHEREOUT Where*out", adv.

Defn: Out of which. [R.] The cleft whereout the lightning breaketh. Holland.

WHERESO Where"so, adv.

Defn: Wheresoever. [Obs.]

WHERESOE'ER Where`so*e'er", adv.

Defn: Wheresoever. [Poetic] "Wheresoe'er they rove." Milton.

WHERESOEVER Where`so*ev"er, adv.

Defn: In what place soever; in whatever place; wherever.

WHERETHROUGH Where*through", adv.

Defn: Through which. [R.] "Wherethrough that I may know." Chaucer. Windows . . . wherethrough the sun Delights to peep, to gaze therein on thee. Shak.

WHERETO 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 Where`un*to", adv.

Defn: Same as Whereto.

WHEREUPON Where`up*on", adv.

Defn: Upon which; in consequence of which; after which. The townsmen mutinied and sent to Essex; whereupon he came thither. Clarendon.

WHEREVER Wher*ev"er, adv.

Defn: At or in whatever place; wheresoever. He can not but love virtue wherever it is. Atterbury.

WHEREWITH 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 Where*with", n.

Defn: 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 Where`with*al", adv. & n.

Defn: 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.

WHERRET Wher"ret, v. t. Etym: [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 Wher"ret, n.

Defn: A box on the ear. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

WHERRY Wher"ry, n.; pl. Wherries. Etym: [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 Wher"ry, n. Etym: [Cf. W. chwerw bitter.]

Defn: A liquor made from the pulp of crab apples after the verjuice is expressed; -- sometimes called crab wherry. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

WHERSO Wher"so, adv.

Defn: Wheresoever. [Obs.] Chaucer.

WHET Whet, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Whetted; p. pr. & vb. n. Whetting.] Etym: [AS. hwettan; akin to D. wetten, G. wetzen, OHG. wezzen, Icel. hvetja, Sw. vättja, and AS. hwæt 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 Cæsar, I have not slept. Shak. To whet on, To whet forward, to urge on or forward; to instigate. Shak.

WHET 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 Wheth"er, pron. Etym: [OE. whether, AS. hwæ; akin to OS. hwe, OFries. hweder, OHG. hwedar, wedar, G. weder, conj., neither, Icel. hvarr whether, Goth. hwa, Lith. katras, L. uter, Gr. katara, from the interrogatively pronoun, in AS. hwa who. Who, and cf. Either, Neither, Or, conj.]

Defn: 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 Wheth"er, conj.

Defn: 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 Wheth"er*ing, n.

Defn: The retention of the afterbirth in cows. Gardner.

WHETILE Whet"ile, n. Etym: [Cf. Whitile.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The green woodpecker, or yaffle. See Yaffle. [Prov. Eng.]

WHETSTONE Whet"stone`, n. Etym: [AS. hwetstan.]

Defn: 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.

Note: 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 Whet"ter, n.

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

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

WHETTLEBONES Whet"tle*bones, n. pl.

Defn: The vertebræ of the back. [Prov. Eng.] Dunglison.

WHEW Whew (hwu), n. & interj.

Defn: A sound like a half-formed whistle, expressing astonishment, scorn, or dislike. Whew duck, the European widgeon. [Prov. Eng.]

WHEW Whew, v. i.

Defn: To whistle with a shrill pipe, like a plover. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

WHEWELLITE Whew"ell*ite, n. Etym: [So named after Prof. Whewell of Cambridge, England.] (Min.)

Defn: Calcium oxalate, occurring in colorless or white monoclinic crystals.

WHEWER Whew"er, n. Etym: [Cf. W. chwiwell a widgeon, chwiws widgeons, waterfowls; or cf. E. whew, v. i.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European widgeon. [Prov. Eng.]

WHEY Whey, n. Etym: [AS. hwæg; cf. D. wei, hui, Fries. weye, LG. wey, waje. ]

Defn: 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.

WHEY CURE Whey cure.

Defn: Treatment with whey as a drink and in baths.

WHEYEY Whey"ey, a.

Defn: Of the nature of, or containing, whey; resembling whey; wheyish. Bacon.

WHEYFACE Whey"face`, n.

Defn: One who is pale, as from fear.

WHEY-FACED Whey"-faced`, a.

Defn: Having a pale or white face, as from fright. "Whey-faced cavaliers." Aytoun.

WHEYISH Whey"ish, a.

Defn: Somewhat like whey; wheyey. J. Philips. -- Whey"ish*ness, n.

WHICH Which, pron. Etym: [OE. which, whilk, AS. hwilc, hwylc, hwelc, from the root of hwa who + lic body; hence properly, of what sort or kind; akin to OS. hwilik which, OFries. hwelik, D. welk, G. welch, OHG. welih, hwelih, Icel. hvilikr, Dan. & Sw. hvilken, Goth. hwileiks, hwleiks; cf. L. qualis. 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.

Note: 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.

Note: 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 Which*ev"er, Which`so*ev"er, pron. & a.

Defn: 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 Whid"ah bird`, (Zoöl.)

Defn: 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.

Note: 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 Whid"er, adv.

Defn: Whither. [Obs.] Chaucer.

WHIFF Whiff, n. Etym: [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. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The marysole, or sail fluke.

WHIFF 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 Whiff, v. i.

Defn: To emit whiffs, as of smoke; to puff.

WHIFFET Whif"fet, n.

Defn: A little whiff or puff.

WHIFFING 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 Whif"fle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Whiffled; p. pr. & vb. n. Whiffling.] Etym: [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

2. To change from one opinion or course to another; to use evasions; to prevaricate; to be fickle. A person of whiffing and unsteady turn of mind can not keep close to a point of controversy. I. Watts.

WHIFFLE 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 Whif"fle, n.

Defn: A fife or small flute. [Obs.] Douce.

WHIFFLER 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. 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.

Note: "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. (Zoöl)

Defn: The golden-eye. [Local, U.S.]

WHIFFLETREE Whif"fle*tree`, n.

Defn: Same as Whippletree.

WHIG Whig, n. Etym: [See Whey.]

Defn: Acidulated whey, sometimes mixed with buttermilk and sweet herbs, used as a cooling beverage. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

WHIG Whig, n. Etym: [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)

Defn: 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 Whig, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Whigs.

WHIGGAMORE Whig"ga*more, n. Etym: [See Whig.]

Defn: A Whig; -- a cant term applied in contempt to Scotch Presbyterians. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

WHIGGARCHY Whig"gar*chy, n. Etym: [Whig + -archy.]

Defn: Government by Whigs. [Cont] Swift.

WHIGGERY Whig"ger*y, n.

Defn: The principles or practices of the Whigs; Whiggism.

WHIGGISH Whig"gish, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Whigs; partaking of, or characterized by, the principles of Whigs.

WHIGGISHLY Whig"gish*ly, adv.

Defn: In a Whiggish manner.

WHIGGISM Whig"gism, n.

Defn: The principles of the Whigs.

WHIGLING Whig"ling, n.

Defn: A petty or inferior Whig; -- used in contempt. Spectator.

WHILE While, n. Etym: [AS. hwil; akin to OS. hwil, hwila, OFries. hwile, D. wigl, G. weile, OHG. wila, hwila, hwil, Icel. hvila a bed, hvild rest, Sw. hvila, Dan. hvile, Goth. hweila a time, and probably to L. quietus quiet, and perhaps to Gr. 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. I will go forth and breathe the air a while. Longfellow.

2. That which requires time; labor; pains. [Obs.] Satan . . . cast him how he might quite her while. Chaucer. At whiles, at times; at intervals. And so on us at whiles it falls, to claim Powers that we dread. J. H. Newman. -- The while, The whiles, in or during the time that; meantime; while. Tennyson. -- Within a while, in a short time; soon. -- Worth while, worth the time which it requires; worth the time and pains; hence, worth the expense; as, it is not always worth while for a man to prosecute for small debts.

WHILE While, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Whiled; p. pr. & vb. n. Whiling.]

Defn: To cause to pass away pleasantly or without irksomeness or disgust; to spend or pass; -- usually followed by away. The lovely lady whiled the hours away. Longfellow.

WHILE While, v. i.

Defn: To loiter. [R.] Spectator.

WHILE While, conj.

1. During the time that; as long as; whilst; at the same time that; as, while I write, you sleep. "While I have time and space." Chaucer. Use your memory; you will sensibly experience a gradual improvement, while you take care not to overload it. I. Watts.

2. Hence, under which circumstances; in which case; though; whereas. While as, While that, during or at the time that. [Obs.]

WHILE While, prep.

Defn: Until; till. [Obs. or Prov. Eng. & Scot.] I may be conveyed into your chamber; I'll lie under your bed while midnight. Beau. & Fl.

WHILERE Whil`ere", adv. Etym: [While + ere]

Defn: A little while ago; recently; just now; erewhile. [Obs.] Helpeth me now as I did you whilere. Chaucer. He who, with all heaven's heraldry, whilere Entered the world. Milton.

WHILES Whiles, adv. Etym: [See While, n., and -wards.]

1. Meanwhile; meantime. [R.] The good knight whiles humming to himself the lay of some majored troubadour. Sir. W. Scott.

2. sometimes; at times. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott. The whiles. See under While, n.

WHILES Whiles, conj.

Defn: During the time that; while. [Archaic] Chaucer. Fuller. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him. Matt. v. 25.

WHILK Whilk, n. Etym: [See Whelk a mollusk.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A kind of mollusk, a whelk. [Prov. Eng.]

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The scoter. [Prov. Eng.]

WHILK Whilk, pron.

Defn: Which. [Obs. or Scot.]

Note: Whilk is sometimes used in Chaucer to represent the Northern dialect.

WHILOM Whi"lom, adv. Etym: [AS. hwilum, properly, at times, dative pl. of hwil; akin to G. weiland formerly, OHG. hwilm, See While, n.]

Defn: Formerly; once; of old; erewhile; at times. [Obs. or Poetic] Spenser. Whilom, as olde stories tellen us, There was a duke that highte Theseus. Chaucer.

WHILST Whilst, adv. Etym: [From Whiles; cf. Amongst.]

Defn: While. [Archaic] Whilst the emperor lay at Antioch. Gibbon. The whilst, in the meantime; while. [Archaic.] Shak.

WHIM Whim, n. Etym: [Cf. Whimbrel.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European widgeon. [Prov. Eng.]

WHIM Whim, n. Etym: [Cf. Icel. hwima to wander with the eyes, vim giddiness, Norw. kvima to whisk or flutter about, to trifle, Dan. vimse to skip, whisk, jump from one thing to another, dial. Sw. hvimsa to be unsteady, dizzy, W. chwimio to move briskly.]

1. A sudden turn or start of the mind; a temporary eccentricity; a freak; a fancy; a capricious notion; a humor; a caprice. Let every man enjoy his whim. Churchill.

2. (Mining)

Defn: A large capstan or vertical drum turned by horse power or steam power, for raising ore or water, etc., from mines, or for other purposes; -- called also whim gin, and whimsey. Whim gin (Mining), a whim. See Whim, 2. -- Whim shaft (Mining), a shaft through which ore, water, etc., is raised from a mine by means of a whim.

Syn. -- Freak; caprice; whimsey; fancy. -- Whim, Freak, Caprice. Freak denotes an impulsive, inconsiderate change of mind, as by a child or a lunatic. Whim is a mental eccentricity due to peculiar processes or habits of thought. Caprice is closely allied in meaning to freak, but implies more definitely a quality of willfulness or wantonness.

WHIM Whim, v. i.

Defn: To be subject to, or indulge in, whims; to be whimsical, giddy, or freakish. [R.] Congreve.

WHIMBREL Whim"brel, n. Etym: [Cf. Whimper.] (Zoöl)

Defn: Any one of several species of small curlews, especially the European species (Numenius phæopus), called also Jack curlew, half curlew, stone curlew, and tang whaup. See Illustration in Appendix. Hudsonian or, Eskimo, whimbreal, the Hudsonian curlew.

WHIMLING Whim"ling, n. Etym: [Whim + -ling.]

Defn: One given to whims; hence, a weak, childish person; a child. Go, whimling, and fetch two or three grating loaves. Beau. & Fl.

WHIMMY Whim"my, a.

Defn: Full of whims; whimsical. The study of Rabbinical literature either finds a man whimmy or makes him so. Coleridge.

WHIMPER Whim"per, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Whimpered; p. pr. & vb. n. Whimpering.] Etym: [Cf. Scot. whimmer, G. wimmern.]

Defn: To cry with a low, whining, broken voice; to whine; to complain; as, a child whimpers. Was there ever yet preacher but there were gainsayers that spurned, that winced, that whimpered against him Latimer.

WHIMPER Whim"per, v. t.

Defn: To utter in alow, whining tone.

WHIMPER Whim"per, n.

Defn: A low, whining, broken cry; a low, whining sound, expressive of complaint or grief.

WHIMPERER Whim"per*er, n.

Defn: One who whimpers.

WHIMPLE Whim"ple, v. t.

Defn: See Wimple.

WHIMPLE Whim"ple, v. i. Etym: [Cf. Whiffle.]

Defn: To whiffle; to veer.

WHIMSEY; WHIMSY Whim"sey, Whimsy, n.; pl. Whimseys or Whimsies. Etym: [See Whim.]

1. A whim; a freak; a capricious notion, a fanciful or odd conceit. "The whimsies of poets and painters." Ray. Men's folly, whimsies, and inconstancy. Swift. Mistaking the whimseys of a feverish brain for the calm revelation of truth. Bancroft.

2. (Mining)

Defn: A whim.

WHIMSEY Whim"sey, v. t.

Defn: To fill with whimseys, or whims; to make fantastic; to craze. [R.] To have a man's brain whimsied with his wealth. J. Fletcher.

WHIMSICAL Whim"si*cal, a. Etym: [From Whimsey.]

1. Full of, or characterized by, whims; actuated by a whim; having peculiar notions; queer; strange; freakish. "A whimsical insult." Macaulay. My neighbors call me whimsical. Addison.

2. Odd or fantastic in appearance; quaintly devised; fantastic. "A whimsical chair." Evelyn.

Syn. -- Quaint; capricious; fanciful; fantastic.

WHIMSICALITY Whim`si*cal"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being whimsical; whimsicalness.

WHIMSICALLY Whim"si*cal*ly, adv.

Defn: In a whimsical manner; freakishly.

WHIMSICALNESS Whim"si*cal*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being whimsical; freakishness; whimsical disposition.

WHIMSY Whim"sy, n.

Defn: A whimsey.

WHIMWHAM Whim"wham, n. Etym: [Formed from whim by reduplication.]

1. A whimsical thing; an odd device; a trifle; a trinket; a gimcrack. [R.] They'll pull ye all to pieces for your whimwhams. Bear. & Fl.

2. A whim, or whimsey; a freak.

WHIN Whin, n. Etym: [W. chwyn weeds, a single weed.]

1. (Bot.) (a) Gorse; furze. See Furze. Through the whins, and by the cairn. Burns.

(b) Woad-waxed. Gray.

2. Same as Whinstone. [Prov. Eng.] Moor whin or Petty whin (Bot.), a low prickly shrub (Genista Anglica) common in Western Europe. -- Whin bruiser, a machine for cutting and bruising whin, or furze, to feed cattle on. -- Whin Sparrow (Zoöl.), the hedge sparrow. [Prov. Eng.] -- Whin Thrush (Zoöl.), the redwing. [Prov. Eng.]

WHINBERRY Whin"ber*ry, n. (Bot.)

Defn: The English bilberry; -- so called because it grows on moors among the whins, or furze. Dr. Prior.

WHINCHAT Whin"chat`, n. Etym: [So called because it frequents whins.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small warbler (Pratincola rubetra) common in Europe; -- called also whinchacker, whincheck, whin-clocharet.

WHINE Whine, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Whined; p. pr. & vb. n. Whining.] Etym: [OE. whinen, AS. hwinan to make a whistling, whizzing sound; akin to Icel. hvina, Sw. hvina, Dan. hvine, and probably to G. wiehern to neigh, OHG. wihn, hweijn; perhaps of imitative origin. Cf. Whinny, v. i.]

Defn: To utter a plaintive cry, as some animals; to mean with a childish noise; to complain, or to tell of sorrow, distress, or the like, in a plaintive, nasal tone; hence, to complain or to beg in a mean, unmanly way; to moan basely. "Whining plovers." Spenser. The hounds were . . . staying their coming, but with a whining accent, craving liberty. Sir P. Sidney. Dost thou come here to whine Shak.

WHINE Whine, v. t.

Defn: To utter or express plaintively, or in a mean, unmanly way; as, to whine out an excuse.

WHINE Whine, n.

Defn: A plaintive tone; the nasal, childish tone of mean complaint; mean or affected complaint.

WHINER Whin"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, whines.

WHINGE Whinge, v. i.

Defn: To whine. [Scot.] Burns.

WHINGER Whing"er, n. Etym: [See Whinyard.]

Defn: A kind of hanger or sword used as a knife at meals and as a weapon. [Scot. & Prov. Eng.] The chief acknowledged that he had corrected her with his whinger. Sir W. Scott.

WHININGLY Whin"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a whining manner; in a tone of mean complaint.

WHINNER Whin"ner, v. i.

Defn: To whinny. [Colloq.]

WHINNY Whin"ny, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Whinnied; p. pr. & vb. n. Whinnying.] Etym: [From Whine]

Defn: To utter the ordinary call or cry of a horse; to neigh.

WHINNY Whin"ny, n.; pl. Whinnies (.

Defn: The ordinary cry or call of a horse; a neigh. "The stately horse . . . stooped with a low whinny." Tennyson.

WHINNY Whin"ny, a.

Defn: Abounding in whin, gorse, or furze. A fine, large, whinny, . . . unimproved common. Sterne.

WHINOCK Whin"ock, n. Etym: [Cf. Scot. whin, quhene, a few, AS. hw, hwne, a little, hwn little, few. Cf. Wheen.]

Defn: The small pig of a litter. [Local, U. S.]

WHINSTONE Whin"stone", n. Etym: [Whin + stone; cf. Scot. quhynstane.]

Defn: A provincial name given in England to basaltic rocks, and applied by miners to other kind of dark-colored unstratified rocks which resist the point of the pick. -- for example, to masses of chert. Whin-dikes, and whin-sills, are names sometimes given to veins or beds of basalt.

WHINYARD Whin"yard, n. Etym: [Cf. Prov. E. & Scot. whingar, whinger; perhaps from AS. winn contention, war + geard, gyrd, a staff, rod, yard; or cf. AS. hwinan to whistle, E. whine.]

1. A sword, or hanger. [Obs.]

2. Etym: [From the shape of the bill.] (Zoöl) (a) The shoveler. [Prov. Eng.] (b) The poachard. [Prov. Eng.]

WHIP Whip, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Whipped; p. pr. & vb. n. Whipping.] Etym: [OE. whippen to overlay, as a cord, with other cords, probably akin to G. & D. wippen to shake, to move up and down, Sw. vippa, Dan. vippe to swing to and fro, to shake, to toss up, and L. vibrare to shake. Cf. Vibrate.]

1. To strike with a lash, a cord, a rod, or anything slender and lithe; to lash; to beat; as, to whip a horse, or a carpet.

2. To drive with lashes or strokes of a whip; to cause to rotate by lashing with a cord; as, to whip a top.

3. To punish with a whip, scourge, or rod; to flog; to beat; as, to whip a vagrant; to whip one with thirty nine lashes; to whip a perverse boy. Who, for false quantities, was whipped at school. Dryden.

4. To apply that which hurts keenly to; to lash, as with sarcasm, abuse, or the like; to apply cutting language to. They would whip me with their fine wits. Shak.

5. To thrash; to beat out, as grain, by striking; as, to whip wheat.

6. To beat (eggs, cream, or the like) into a froth, as with a whisk, fork, or the like.

7. To conquer; to defeat, as in a contest or game; to beat; to surpass. [Slang, U. S.]

8. To overlay (a cord, rope, or the like) with other cords going round and round it; to overcast, as the edge of a seam; to wrap; -- often with about, around, or over. Its string is firmly whipped about with small gut. Moxon.

9. To sew lightly; specifically, to form (a fabric) into gathers by loosely overcasting the rolled edge and drawing up the thread; as, to whip a ruffle. In half-whipped muslin needles useless lie. Gay.

10. To take or move by a sudden motion; to jerk; to snatch; -- with into, out, up, off, and the like. She, in a hurry, whips up her darling under her arm. L'Estrange. He whips out his pocketbook every moment, and writes descriptions of everything he sees. Walpole.

11. (Naut.) (a) To hoist or purchase by means of a whip. (b) To secure the end of (a rope, or the like) from untwisting by overcasting it with small stuff.

12. To fish (a body of water) with a rod and artificial fly, the motion being that employed in using a whip. Whipping their rough surface for a trout. Emerson. To whip in, to drive in, or keep from scattering, as hounds in a hurt; hence, to collect, or to keep together, as member of a party, or the like. -- To whip the cat. (a) To practice extreme parsimony. [Prov. Eng.] Forby. (b) To go from house to house working by the day, as itinerant tailors and carpenters do. [Prov. & U. S.]

WHIP Whip, v. i.

Defn: To move nimbly; to start or turn suddenly and do something; to whisk; as, he whipped around the corner. With speed from thence he whipped. Sackville. Two friends, traveling, met a bear upon the way; the one whips up a tree, and the other throws himself flat upon the ground. L'Estrange.

WHIP Whip, n. Etym: [OE. whippe. See Whip, v. t.]

1. An instrument or driving horses or other animals, or for correction, consisting usually of a lash attached to a handle, or of a handle and lash so combined as to form a flexible rod. "[A] whip's lash." Chaucer. In his right hand he holds a whip, with which he is supposed to drive the horses of the sun. Addison.

2. A coachman; a driver of a carriage; as, a good whip. Beaconsfield.

3. (Mach.) (a) One of the arms or frames of a windmill, on which the sails are spread. (b) The length of the arm reckoned from the shaft.

4. (Naut.) (a) A small tackle with a single rope, used to hoist light bodies. (b) The long pennant. See Pennant (a)

5. A huntsman who whips in the hounds; whipper-in.

6. (Eng. Politics) (a) A person (as a member of Parliament) appointed to enforce party discipline, and secure the attendance of the members of a Parliament party at any important session, especially when their votes are needed. (b) A call made upon members of a Parliament party to be in their places at a given time, as when a vote is to be taken. Whip and spur, with the utmost haste. -- Whip crane, or Whip purchase, a simple form of crane having a small drum from which the load is suspended, turned by pulling on a rope wound around larger drum on the same axle. -- Whip gin. See Gin block, under 5th Gin. -- Whip grafting. See under Grafting. -- Whip hand, the hand with which the whip is used; hence, advantage; mastery; as, to have or get the whip hand of a person. Dryden. -- Whip ray (Zoöl.), the European eagle ray. See under Ray. -- Whip roll (Weaving), a roll or bar, behind the reeds in a loom, on which the warp threads rest. -- Whip scorpion (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of arachnids belonging to Thelyphonus and allied genera. They somewhat resemble true scorpions, but have a long, slender bristle, or lashlike organ, at the end of the body, instead of a sting. -- Whip snake (Zoöl.), any one of various species of slender snakes. Specifically: (a) A bright green South American tree snake (Philodryas viridissimus) having a long and slender body. It is not venomous. Called also emerald whip snake. (b) The coachwhip snake.

WHIPCORD Whip"cord`, n.

Defn: A kind of hard-twisted or braided cord, sometimes used for making whiplashes.

WHIPGRAFT Whip"graft`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Whipgrafted; p. pr. & vb. n. Whipgrafting.]

Defn: To graft by cutting the scion and stock in a certain manner. See Whip grafting, under Grafting.

WHIPLASH Whip"lash`, n.

Defn: The lash of a whip, -- usually made of thongs of leather, or of cords, braided or twisted.

WHIPPAREE Whip`pa*ree", n. (Zoöl.) (a) A large sting ray (Dasybatis, or Trygon, Sayi) native of the Southern United States. It is destitute of large spines on the body and tail. (b) A large sting ray (Rhinoptera bonasus, or R. quadriloba) of the Atlantic coast of the United States. Its snout appears to be four- lobed when viewed in front, whence it is also called cow-nosed ray.

WHIPPER Whip"per, n.

1. One who whips; especially, an officer who inflicts the penalty of legal whipping.

2. One who raises coal or merchandise with a tackle from a chip's hold. [Eng.]

3. (Spinning)

Defn: A kind of simple willow.

WHIPPERIN Whip"per*in`, n.

1. A huntsman who keeps the hounds from wandering, and whips them in, if necessary, to the of chase.

2. Hence, one who enforces the discipline of a party, and urges the attendance and support of the members on all necessary occasions.

WHIPPERSNAPPER Whip"per*snap`per, n.

Defn: A diminutive, insignificant, or presumptuous person. [Colloq.] "Little whippersnappers like you." T. Hughes.

WHIPPING Whip"ping,

Defn: a & n. from Whip, v. Whipping post, a post to which offenders are tied, to be legally whipped.

WHIPPLETREE Whip"ple*tree`, n. Etym: [See Whip, and cf. Whiffletree.]

1. The pivoted or swinging bar to which the traces, or tugs, of a harness are fastened, and by which a carriage, a plow, or other implement or vehicle, is drawn; a whiffletree; a swingletree; a singletree. See Singletree. [People] cut their own whippletree in the woodlot. Emerson.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: The cornel tree. Chaucer.

WHIP-POOR-WILL Whip"-poor-will`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An American bird (Antrostomus vociferus) allied to the nighthawk and goatsucker; -- so called in imitation of the peculiar notes which it utters in the evening. [Written also whippowil.]

WHIPSAW Whip"saw`, n.

Defn: A saw for dividing timber lengthwise, usually set in a frame, and worked by two persons; also, a fret saw.

WHIP-SHAPED Whip"-shaped`, a.

Defn: Shaped like the lash of a whip; long, slender, round, and tapering; as, a whip-shaped root or stem.

WHIPSTAFF Whip"staff`, n. (Naut.)

Defn: A bar attached to the tiller, for convenience in steering.

WHIPSTALK Whip"stalk`, n.

Defn: A whipstock.

WHIPSTER Whip"ster, n. Etym: [Whip + -ster.]

Defn: A nimble little fellow; a whippersnapper. Every puny whipster gets my sword. Shak.

WHIPSTICK Whip"stick`, n.

Defn: Whip handle; whipstock.

WHIPSTITCH Whip"stitch`, n.

1. A tailor; -- so called in contempt.

2. Anything hastily put or stitched together; hence, a hasty composition. [R.] Dryden.

3. (Agric.)

Defn: The act or process of whipstitching.

WHIPSTITCH Whip"stitch`, v. t. (Agric.)

Defn: To rafter; to plow in ridges, as land. [Eng.]

WHIPSTOCK Whip"stock`, n.

Defn: The rod or handle to which the lash of a whip is fastened.

WHIPT Whipt, imp. & p. p. of Whip.

Defn: Whipped.

WHIP-TOM-KELLY Whip"-tom`-kel"ly, n. Etym: [So called in imitation of its notes.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A vireo (Vireo altiloquus) native of the West Indies and Florida; -- called also black-whiskered vireo.

WHIPWORM Whip"worm`, n. Etym: [So called from its shape.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A nematode worm (Trichocephalus dispar) often found parasitic in the human intestine. Its body is thickened posteriorly, but is very long and threadlike anteriorly.

WHIR Whir, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Whirred; p. pr. & vb. n. Whirring.] Etym: [Perhaps of imitative origin; cf. D. hvirre to whirl, and E. hurr, hurry, whirl.

Defn: To whirl round, or revolve, with a whizzing noise; to fly or more quickly with a buzzing or whizzing sound; to whiz. The partridge bursts away on whirring wings. Beattie.

WHIR Whir, v. t. Etym: [See Whir to whiz.]

Defn: To hurry a long with a whizzing sound. [R.] This world to me is like a lasting storm, Whirring me from my friends. Shak.

WHIR Whir, n.

Defn: A buzzing or whizzing sound produced by rapid or whirling motion; as, the whir of a partridge; the whir of a spinning wheel.

WHIRL Whirl, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Whirled; p. pr. & vb. n. Whirling.] Etym: [OE. whirlen, probably from the Scand.; cf. Icel. & Sw. hvirfla, Dan. hvirvle; akin to D. wervelen, G. wirbeln, freq. of the verb seen in Icel. hverfa to turn. sq. root16. See Wharf, and cf. Warble, Whorl.]

1. To turn round rapidly; to cause to rotate with velocity; to make to revolve. He whirls his sword around without delay. Dryden.

2. To remove or carry quickly with, or as with, a revolving motion; to snatch; to harry. Chaucer. See, see the chariot, and those rushing wheels, That whirled the prophet up at Chebar flood. Milton. The passionate heart of the poet is whirl'd into folly. Tennyson.

WHIRL Whirl, v. i.

1. To be turned round rapidly; to move round with velocity; to revolve or rotate with great speed; to gyrate. "The whirling year vainly my dizzy eyes pursue." J. H. Newman. The wooden engine flies and whirls about. Dryden.

2. To move hastily or swiftly. But whirled away to shun his hateful sight. Dryden.

WHIRL Whirl, n. Etym: [Cf. Dan. hvirvel, Sw. hvirfvel, Icel. hvirfill the crown of the head, G. wirbel whirl, crown of the head, D. wervel. See Whirl, v. t.]

1. A turning with rapidity or velocity; rapid rotation or circumvolution; quick gyration; rapid or confusing motion; as, the whirl of a top; the whirl of a wheel. "In no breathless whirl." J. H. Newman. The rapid . . . whirl of things here below interrupt not the inviolable rest and calmness of the noble beings above. South.

2. Anything that moves with a whirling motion. He saw Falmouth under gray, iron skies, and whirls of March dust. Carlyle.

3. A revolving hook used in twisting, as the hooked spindle of a rope machine, to which the threads to be twisted are attached.

4. (Bot. & Zoöl.)

Defn: A whorl. See Whorl.

WHIRLABOUT Whirl"a*bout`, n.

Defn: Something that whirls or turns about in a rapid manner; a whirligig.

WHIRLBAT Whirl"bat`, n.

Defn: Anything moved with a whirl, as preparatory for a blow, or to augment the force of it; -- applied by poets to the cestus of ancient boxers. The whirlbat and the rapid race shall be Reserved for Cæsar. Dryden.

WHIRL-BLAST Whirl"-blast`, n.

Defn: A whirling blast or wind. A whirl-blast from behind the hill. Wordsworth.

WHIRLBONE Whirl"bone`, n. (Anat.) (a) The huckle bone. [Obs.] (b) The patella, or kneepan. [Obs.] Ainsworth.

WHIRLER Whirl"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, whirls.

WHIRLICOTE Whirl"i*cote, n.

Defn: An open car or chariot. [Obs.] Of old time coaches were not known in this island, but chariots, or whirlicotes. Stow.

WHIRLIGIG Whirl"i*gig, n. Etym: [Whirl + gig.]

1. A child's toy, spun or whirled around like a wheel upon an axis, or like a top. Johnson.

2. Anything which whirls around, or in which persons or things are whirled about, as a frame with seats or wooden horses. With a whirligig of jubilant mosquitoes spinning about each head. G. W. Cable.

3. A mediæval instrument for punishing petty offenders, being a kind of wooden cage turning on a pivot, in which the offender was whirled round with great velocity.

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of beetles belonging to Gyrinus and allied genera. The body is firm, oval or boatlike in form, and usually dark colored with a bronzelike luster. These beetles live mostly on the surface of water, and move about with great celerity in a gyrating, or circular, manner, but they are also able to dive and swim rapidly. The larva is aquatic. Called also weaver, whirlwig, and whirlwig beetle.

WHIRLING Whirl"ing,

Defn: a. & n. from Whirl, v. t. Whirling table. (a) (Physics) An apparatus provided with one or more revolving disks, with weights, pulleys, and other attachments, for illustrating the phenomena and laws of centrifugal force, and the like. (b) A potter's wheel.

WHIRLPIT Whirl"pit`, n.

Defn: A whirlpool. [Obs.] "Raging whirlpits." Sandys.

WHIRLPOOL Whirl"pool`, n.

1. An eddy or vortex of water; a place in a body of water where the water moves round in a circle so as to produce a depression or cavity in the center, into which floating objects may be drawn; any body of water having a more or less circular motion caused by its flowing in an irregular channel, by the coming together of opposing currents, or the like.

2. A sea monster of the whale kind. [Obs.] Spenser. The Indian Sea breedeth the most and the biggest fishes that are; among which the whales and whirlpools, called "balænæ," take up in length as much as four . . . arpents of land. Holland.

WHIRLWIG Whirl"wig`, n. Etym: [Cf. Earwig.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A whirligig.

WHIRLWIND Whirl"wind`, n. Etym: [Cf. Icel. hvirfilvindr, Sw. hvirfvelvind, Dan. hvirvelvind, G. wirbelwind. See Whirl, and Wind, n.]

1. A violent windstorm of limited extent, as the tornado, characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air with an upward current in the center; a vortex of air. It usually has a rapid progressive motion. The swift dark whirlwind that uproots the woods. And drowns the villages. Bryant.

Note: Some meteorologists apply the word whirlwind to the larger rotary storm also, such as cyclones.

2. Fig.: A body of objects sweeping violently onward. "The whirlwind of hounds and hunters." Macaulay.

WHIRRY Whir"ry, v. i.

Defn: To whir. [Obs.]

WHIRTLE Whir"tle, n. (Mech.)

Defn: A perforated steel die through which wires or tubes are drawn to form them.

WHISK Whisk, n. Etym: [See Whist, n.]

Defn: A game at cards; whist. [Obs.] Taylor (1630).

WHISK Whisk, n. Etym: [Probably for wisk, and of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. visk a wisp; akin to Dan. visk, Sw. viska, D. wisch, OHG. wisc, G. wisch. See Wisp.]

1. The act of whisking; a rapid, sweeping motion, as of something light; a sudden motion or quick puff. This first sad whisk Takes off thy dukedom; thou art but an earl. J. Fletcher.

2. A small bunch of grass, straw, twigs, hair, or the like, used for a brush; hence, a brush or small besom, as of broom corn.

3. A small culinary instrument made of wire, or the like, for whisking or beating eggs, cream, etc. Boyle.

4. A kind of cape, forming part of a woman's dress. My wife in her new lace whisk. Pepys.

5. An impertinent fellow. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

6. A plane used by coopers for evening chines.

WHISK Whisk, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Whisked; p. pr. & vb. n. Whisking.] Etym: [Cf. Dan. viske, Sw. viska, G. wischen, D. wisschen. See Whisk, n.]

1. To sweep, brush, or agitate, with a light, rapid motion; as, to whisk dust from a table; to whisk the white of eggs into a froth.

2. To move with a quick, sweeping motion. He that walks in gray, whisking his riding rod. J. Fletcher. I beg she would not impale worms, nor whisk carp out of one element into another. Walpole.

WHISK Whisk, v. i.

Defn: To move nimbly at with velocity; to make a sudden agile movement.

WHISKER Whisk"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, whisks, or moves with a quick, sweeping motion.

2. Formerly, the hair of the upper lip; a mustache; -- usually in the plural. Hoary whiskers and a forky beard. Pope.

3. pl.

Defn: That part of the beard which grows upon the sides of the face, or upon the chin, or upon both; as, side whiskers; chin whiskers.

4. A hair of the beard.

5. One of the long, projecting hairs growing at the sides of the mouth of a cat, or other animal.

6. pl. (Naut.)

Defn: Iron rods extending on either side of the bowsprit, to spread, or guy out, the stays, etc.

WHISKERED Whisk"ered, a.

1. Formed into whiskers; furnished with whiskers; having or wearing whiskers. Our forefathers, a grave, whiskered race. Cowper.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having elongated hairs, feathers, or bristles on the cheeks. The whiskered vermin race. Grainger.

WHISKERLESS Whisk"er*less, a.

Defn: Being without whiskers.

WHISKET Whis"ket, n. Etym: [Cf. Wisket.]

1. A basket; esp., a straw provender basket. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

2. (Mach.)

Defn: A small lathe for turning wooden pins.

WHISKEY Whis"key, n.

Defn: Same as Whisky, a liquor.

WHISKEY; WHISKY Whis"key, Whis"ky, n.; pl. Whiskeys or Whiskies. Etym: [See Whisk, v. t. & n.]

Defn: A light carriage built for rapid motion; -- called also tim- whiskey.

WHISKIN Whisk"in, n.

Defn: A shallow drinking bowl. [Prov. Eng.] Ray.

WHISKING Whisk"ing, a.

1. Sweeping along lightly.

2. Large; great. [Prov. Eng.]

WHISKY; WHISKEY Whis"ky, Whis"key, n. Etym: [Ir. or Gael. uisge water (perhaps akin to E. wash, water) in uisgebeatha whiskey, properly, water of life. Cf. Usquebaugh.]

Defn: An intoxicating liquor distilled from grain, potatoes, etc., especially in Scotland, Ireland, and the United States. In the United States, whisky is generally distilled from maize, rye, or wheat, but in Scotland and Ireland it is often made from malted barley. Bourbon whisky, corn whisky made in Bourbon County, Kentucky. -- Crooked whisky. See under Crooked. -- Whisky Jack (Zoöl.), the Canada jay (Perisoreus Canadensis). It is noted for its fearless and familiar habits when it frequents the camps of lumbermen in the winter season. Its color is dull grayish blue, lighter beneath. Called also moose bird.

WHISKYFIED; WHISKEYFIED Whis"ky*fied, Whis"key*fied, a. Etym: [Whisky + -fy.]

Defn: Drunk with whisky; intoxicated. [Humorous] Thackeray.

WHISKY RING; WHISKEY RING Whisky, or Whiskey, Ring . (U. S. Hist.)

Defn: A conspiracy of distillers and government officials during the administration of President Grant to defraud the government of the excise taxes. The frauds were detected in 1875 through the efforts of the Secretary of the Treasury. B. H. Bristow, and most of the offenders were convicted.

WHISP Whisp, n.

Defn: See Wisp.

WHISP Whisp, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A flock of snipe.

WHISPER Whis"per, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Whispered; p. pr. & vb. n. Whispering.] Etym: [AS. hwisprian; akin to G. wispern, wispeln, OHG. hwispal, Icel. hviskra, Sw. hviska, Dan. hviske; of imitative origin. Cf. Whistle.]

1. To speak softly, or under the breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter words without sonant breath; to talk without that vibration in the larynx which gives sonorous, or vocal, sound. See Whisper, n.

2. To make a low, sibilant sound or noise. The hollow, whispering breeze. Thomson.