Select a letter for some words
W
the twenty-third letter of the English alphabet, is usually a consonant, but sometimes it is a vowel, forming the second element of certain diphthongs, as in , . It takes its written form and its name from the repetition of a V, this being the original form of the Roman capital letter which we call . Etymologically it is most related to and . See V, and U. Some of the uneducated classes in England, especially in London, confuse and , substituting the one for the other, as for , and for ; for , and for , etc. See , 266-268.
Waddy
To attack or beat with a waddy.
Waft
To be moved, or to pass, on a buoyant medium; to float.
Waiment
See .
Wanness
The quality or state of being wan; a sallow, dead, pale color; paleness; pallor; .
Warrener
The keeper of a warren.
Warrior
A man engaged or experienced in war, or in the military life; a soldier; a champion.
Wash
To cleanse by ablution, or dipping or rubbing in water; to apply water or other liquid to for the purpose of cleansing; to scrub with water, etc., or as with water;
Wassailer
One who drinks wassail; one who engages in festivity, especially in drinking; a reveler.
Wasteful
Full of waste; destructive to property; ruinous; .
Water power
The power of water employed to move machinery, etc.
Water radish
A coarse yellow-flowered plant () related to the water cress and to the horse-radish.
Water rocket
A cruciferous plant () with small yellow flowers.
Watertath
A kind of coarse grass growing in wet grounds, and supposed to be injurious to sheep.
Water tube
One of a system of tubular excretory organs having external openings, found in many invertebrates. They are believed to be analogous in function to the kidneys of vertebrates. See under , and .
Waygate
The tailrace of a mill.
Way-going
Going away; departing; of or pertaining to one who goes away.
Weather station
A station for taking meteorological observations, making weather forecasts, or disseminating such information. Such stations are of the when they make observations of all the important elements either hourly or by self-registering instruments; of the when only important observations are taken; of the when simpler work is done, as to record rainfall and maximum and minimum temperatures.
Weel
A whirlpool.
Welsher
One who cheats at a horse race; one who bets, without a chance of being able to pay; one who receives money to back certain horses and absconds with it.
Wem
Spot; blemish; harm; hurt.
Werrey
To warray.
Wet plate
A plate the film of which retains its sensitiveness only while wet. The film used in such plates is of collodion impregnated with bromides and iodides. Before exposure the plate is immersed in a solution of silver nitrate, and immediately after exposure it is developed and fixed.
Whall
A light color of the iris in horses; wall-eye.
Wheeze
A piping or whistling sound caused by difficult respiration.
Whimsically
In a whimsical manner; freakishly.
Whisperingly
In a whisper, or low voice; in a whispering manner; with whispers.
Whiteback
The canvasback.
White-blaze
See .
Whitwall
Same as .
Wickedly
In a wicked manner; in a manner, or with motives and designs, contrary to the divine law or the law of morality; viciously; corruptly; immorally.
Widow
Widowed.
Wiener Schnitzel
A veal cutlet variously seasoned garnished, often with lemon, sardines, and capers.
Wifely
Becoming or life; of or pertaining to a wife.
Wiggler
The young, either larva or pupa, of the mosquito; -- called also .
Windmill
A mill operated by the power of the wind, usually by the action of the wind upon oblique vanes or sails which radiate from a horizontal shaft.
Winter
To keep, feed or manage, during the winter; .
Withdrawing-room
A room for retirement from another room, as from a dining room; a drawing-room.
Witted
Having (such) a wit or understanding; .
Wolverine State
Michigan; -- a nickname.
Wontedness
The quality or state of being accustomed.
Wood-note
A wild or natural note, as of a forest bird.
Woolgrower
One who raises sheep for the production of wool.
Workaday
See .
Worktable
A table for holding working materials and implements; esp., a small table with drawers and other conveniences for needlework, etc.
Worldly-wise
Wise in regard to things of this world.
Worrier
One who worries.
Worryingly
In a worrying manner.
Wretchless
Reckless; hence, disregarded.
Wrung
of .
Wype
The wipe, or lapwing.