WHALE, noun [G., to stir, agitate or rove.] The general name of an order of animals inhabiting the ocean, arranged in zoology under the name of Cete or Cetacea, and belonging to the class Mammalia in the Linnean system. The common whale is of the genus Balaena. It is the largest animal of which we have any account, and probably the largest in the world. It is sometimes ninety feet in length in the northern seas, and in the torrid zone much larger. The whale furnishes us with oil, whalebone, etc. [See Cachalot.]

WHALEBONE, noun [whale and bone.] A firm elastic substance taken from the upper jaw of the whale, used as a stiffening in stays, fans, screens, etc.

WHALY, adjective Marked with streaks; properly wealy.

WHAME, noun A species of fly, tabanus, the burrel fly, that annoys horses.

WHANG, noun A lether thong. [Not in use.]

WHANG, verb transitive To beat. [Not in use or local.]

WHAP, noun A blow. [Vulgar.] [See Awhape.]

WHAPPER, noun Something uncommonly large of the kind. So thumper is connected with thump, to strike with a heavy blow. [Vulgar.]

WHARF, noun A perpendicular bank or mound or timber or stone and earth, raised on the shore of a harbor, or extending some distance into the water, for the convenience of lading and unlading ships and other vessels. This name is also given to the wider part of a canal, where boats lie while loading and unloading. The two longest wharfs in New England are at Boston and at New Haven. The latter is much the longest, extending into the harbor about three quarter of a mile.

WHARF, verb transitive To guard or secure by a wharf or firm wall of timber or stone; as, the western bank of the Connecticut is wharfed at Hartford, to prevent the river from wearing away the land.

WHARFAGE, noun The fee or duty paid for the privilege of using a wharf for loading or unloading goods, timber, wood, etc.

WHARFING, noun Wharfs in general.

WHARFINGER, noun A man who has the care of a wharf, or the proprietor of a wharf.

WHAT, pronoun relative or substitute. [G., Latin See Wight.]

1. That which. Say what you will, is the same as say that which you will.

2. Which part. Consider what is due to nature, and what to art or labor.

3. what is the substitute for a sentence or clause of a sentence. I tell thee what corporal, I could tear her. Here what relates to the last clause, I could tear her; this is what I tell you.

4. what is used as an adjective, of both genders, often in specifying sorts or particulars. See what colors this silk exhibits. I know what qualities you desire in a friend; that is, I know the qualities which you desire.

5. what is much used in asking questions. what sort of character is this? what poem is this? what man is this we see coming?

6. what time, at the time or on the day when.

WHAT time the morn mysterious visions brings.

7. To how great a degree.

WHAT a partial judges are our love and hate!

8. Whatever.

Whether it was the shortness of his foresight, the strength of his will--or what it was--

9. Some part, or some. The year before, he had so used the matter, that what by force, what by policy, he had taken from the Christians above thirty castles; that is, he had taken above thirty castles; that is, he had taken above thirty castles, a part or some by force, a part or some by policy; or what may be interpreted partly. Sometimes what has no verb to govern it, and it must be considered as adverbially used. what with carrying apples and fuel, he finds himself in a hurry; that is, partly, in part.

10. what is sometimes used elliptically for what is this, or how is this?

WHAT! Could ye not watch with me one hour? Matthew 26:8.

11. what is used interrogatively and elliptically, as equivalent to what will be the consequence? what will follow? As in the phrase, what if I undertake this business myself?

WHAT though, that is, grant this or that; allow it to be so.

WHAT ho, an exclamation of calling.

WHAT, noun Fare; things; matter. [Not in use.]

WHATEVER, pronoun [what and ever.]

1. Being this or that; being of one nature or another; being one thing or another; any thing that may be. whatever is read, let it be read with attention. whatever measure may be adopted, let it be with due caution. whatever you do, let it be done with prudence.

2. All that; the whole that; all particulars that.

At once came forth whatever creeps.

WHATSOEVER, a compound of what, so, and ever, has the sense of whatever, and is less used than the latter. Indeed it is nearly obsolete. Whatso, in a like sense, is entirely obsolete.

WHEAL, noun A pustule. [See Weal.]

WHEAT, noun [G.] A plant of the genus Triticum, and the seed of the plant, which furnishes a white flour for bread, and next to rice, is the grain most generally used by the human race. Of this grain the varieties are numerous, as red wheat white wheat bald wheat bearded wheat winter wheat summer wheat etc.

WHEATEN, adjective Hweetn. Made of wheat; as wheaten bread.

WHEEDLE, verb transitive [Gr.] To flatter; to entice by soft words.

To learn th unlucky art of wheeling fools.

WHEEDLE, verb intransitive To flatter; to coax.

WHEEDLED, participle passive Flattered; enticed; coaxed.

WHEEDLING, participle present tense Flattering; enticing by soft words.

WHEEDLING, noun The act of flattering or enticing.

WHEEL, noun

1. A circular frame of wood, iron or other metal, consisting of a nave or hub, into which are inserted spokes which sustain a rim or felly; the whole turning on an axis. The name is also given to a solid circular or round piece of wood or metal, which revolves on an axis. The wheel and axle constitute one of the mechanical powers.

2. A circular body.

3. A carriage that moves on wheels.

4. An instrument for torturing criminals; as an examination made by the rack and the wheel

5. A machine for spinning thread, of various kinds.

6. Rotation; revolution; turn; as the vicissitude and wheel of things.

7. A turning about; a compass.

He throws his flight in many an airy wheel

8. In pottery, a round board turned by a lathe in a horizontal position, on which the clay is shaped by the hand.

WHEELED, participle passive Conveyed on wheels; turned; rolled round.

WHEELER, noun A maker of wheels.

WHEELING, participle present tense Conveying on wheels or in a wheel-carriage; turning.

WHEELING, noun

1. The act of conveying on wheels.

2. The act of passing on wheels, or convenience for passing on wheels. We say, it is good wheeling or bad wheeling according to the state of the roads.

3. A turning or circular movement of troops embodied.

WHEELY, adjective Circular; suitable to rotation.

WHEEZE, verb intransitive [Latin] To breathe hard and with an audible sound, as persons affected with asthma.

WHEEZING, participle present tense Breathing with difficulty and noise.

WHELK, noun

1. A wrinkle; inequality on the surface; protuberance; a pustule. [See Welk and Weal.]

2. A shell of the genus Bussinum, or trumpetshell, univalvular, spiral and gibbous, with an oval aperture ending in a short canal or gutter.

WHELKY, adjective Protuberant; embossed; rounded.

WHELM, verb transitive

1. To cover with water or other fluid; to cover by immersion in something that envelops on all sides; as, to whelm a person or a company in the seas; to whelm a caravan in sand or dust.

2. To cover completely; to immerse deeply; to overburden; as, to whelm one in sorrows.

3. To throw over so as to cover. [Not used.]

WHELMED, participle passive Covered, as by being plunged or immersed.

WHELMING, participle present tense Covering, as by immersion.

WHELP, noun [Latin]

1. The young of the canine species, and of several other beasts of prey; a puppy; a cub; as a bear robbed of her whelps; lions whelps.

2. A son; in contempt.

3. A young man; in contempt.

WHELP, verb intransitive To bring forth young, as the female of the canine species and some other beasts of prey.

WHEN, adverb [G., Latin ]

1. At the time. We were present when General LaFayette embarked at Havre for New York.

2. At what time, interrogatively.

WHEN shall these things be? Matthew 24:3.

3. Which time.

I was adopted heir by his consent; since when his oath is broke.

4. After the time that. when the act is passed, the public will be satisfied.

5. At what time.

Kings may take their advantage, when and how they list.

WHEN as, at the time when; what time.

WHEN as sacred light began to dawn.

WHENCE, adverb

1. From what place.

WHENCE and what art thou?

2. From what source. whence shall we derive hope? whence comes this honor?

WHENCE hath this man this wisdom? Matthew 13:27.

3. From which premises, principles or facts. These facts or principles are admitted, whence it follows, that judgment must be entered for the plaintiff.

4. How; by what way or means. Mark 12:37.

5. In general, from which person, cause, place, principle or circumstance.

From whence may be considered as tautological, from being implied in whence; but the use is well authorized, and in some cases the use of it seems to give force or beauty to the phrase. We ascended the mountain, from whence we took a view of the beautiful plains below.

Of whence is not now used.

WHENCESOEVER, adverb [whence, so, and ever.] From what place soever; from what cause or source soever.

Any idea, whencesoever we have it--

WHENCEVER. [See Whensoever.]

WHENEVER, adverb [when and ever.] At whatever time. whenever you come, you will be kindly received.

WHENSOEVER, adverb [when, so, and ever.] At what time soever; at whatever time.

WHERE, adverb

1. At which place or places.

She visited the place where first she was so happy--

In all places where I record my name, I will come to thee and I will bless thee. Exodus 20:21.

2. At or in what place.

Adam, where art thou? Genesis 3:9.

3. At the place in which.

WHERE I though the remnant of my age should have been cherishd by her child-like duty.

4. Whither; to what place, or from what place. where are you going? where are you from? [These uses of where are common, and the first cannot be condemned as vulgar.]

Any where in any place. I sought the man, but could not find him any where

[Note. where seems to have been originally a noun, and was so used by Spenser. He shall find no where safe to him. In this sense, it is obsolete; yet it implies place, its original signification.]

WHEREABOUT, adverb [where and about.]

1. Near what place. whereabout did you meet your friend?

2. Near which place.

3. Concerning which.

The object whereabout they are conversant.

WHEREAS, adverb s as z. [where and as.]

1. When in fact or truth, implying opposition to something that precedes.

Are not those found to be the greatest zealots, who are most notoriously ignorant? whereas true zeal should always begin with true knowledge.

2. The thing being so that; considering that things are so; implying an admission of facts, sometimes followed by a different statement, and sometimes by inferences or something consequent, as in the law style, where a preamble introduces a law.

WHEREAS wars are generally causes of poverty--

3. Whereat; at which place.

4. But on the contrary. [See No. 1.]

WHEREAT, adverb [where and at.]

1. At which.

WHEREAT he was no less angry and ashamed, than desirous to obey Zelmane.

2. At what, interrogatively. whereat are you offended?

WHEREBY, adverb [where and by.]

1. By which.

You take my life, when you do take the means whereby I live.

2. By what, interrogatively.

WHEREBY shall I know this? Luke 1:18.

WHEREEVER, adverb [where and ever.] At whatever place.

He cannot but love virtue, wherever it is.

WHEREFORE, adverb [where and for.]

1. For which reason.

WHEREFORE by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:20.

2. Why; for what reason.

WHEREFORE didst thou doubt? Matthew 14:31.

WHEREIN, adverb [where and in.]

1. In which; in which thing, time, respect, book, etc. This is the thing wherein you have erred.

2. In what.

Yet ye say, wherein have we wearied him? Malachi 2:17.

WHEREINTO, adverb [where and into.] Into which.

WHERENESS, noun Ubiety; imperfect locality.

A point hath no dimensions, but only a whereness and is next to nothing.

[This word is not used, nor has it any intelligible signification.]

WHEREOF, adverb [where and of.]

1. Of which. We are not guilty of the crime whereof we are accused.

2. Of what. whereof was this house built?

How this world, when and whereof created--

WHEREON, adverb [where and on.]

1. On which; as the ground whereon we tread.

2. On what. whereon do we stand?

WHERESO, adverb [See Wheresoever.]

WHERESOEVER, adverb [where, so, and ever.] In what place soever; in whatever place, or in any place indefinitely. Seize the thief, wheresoever he may be found. [Wherever is the preferable word.]

WHERETHROUGH, through which, is not in use.

WHERETO, adverb [where and to.]

1. To which.

WHERETO we have already attained-- Philippians 3:16.

2. To what; to what end. [Little used.]

WHEREUNTO, adverb [where and unto.] The same as whereto. [Little used.]

WHEREUPON, adverb Upon which.

The townsmen mutinied and sent to Essex, whereupon he came thither.

WHEREWITH, adverb [where an with.]

1. With which.

The love wherewith thou hast loved me. John 17:26.

2. With what, interrogatively.

WHEREWITH shall I save Israel? Judges 6:15.

WHEREWITHAL, adverb [See Withal.] [where, with, and all.] The same as wherewith.

WHERRET, verb transitive [G.] To hurry; to trouble; to tease; to give a box on the ear. [Low and not used in America.]

WHERRET, noun A box on the ear. [Not in use.]

WHERRY, noun [a different orthography of ferry, formed with a strong breathing; like whistle, from Latin ]

1. A boat used on rivers. The name is given to several kinds of light boats. It is also applied to some decked vessels used in fishing, in different parts of Great Britain and Ireland.

2. A liquor made from the pulp of crabs after the verjuice is expressed; sometimes called crab-wherry. [Local.]

WHET, verb transitive preterit tense and participle passive whetted or whet [G.]

1. To rub for the purpose of sharpening, as an edge tool; to sharpen by attrition; as, to whet a sythe or an ax.

2. To provoke; to excite; to stimulate; as, to whet the appetite.

3. To provoke; to make angry or acrimonious.

Since Cassius first did whet me against Cesar, I have not slept.

To whet on or whet forward, to urge on; to instigate. [Not used nor proper.]

WHET, noun

1. The act of sharpening by friction.

2. Something that provokes or stimulates the appetite; as sips, drams and whets.

WHETHER, pronoun or substitute. [Latin The sense seems to be what, or which of two, referring either to persons or to sentences.]

1. Which of two.

WHETHER of them twain did the will of his father? Matthew 21:31/

Here whether is a substitute for one of two, and signifies which; which of the two; but in this sense it is obsolete.

2. Which of two alternatives, expressed by a sentence or the clause of a sentence, and followed by or. Resolve whether you will go or not; that is, you will go or not go; resolve which.

[Note. IN the latter use, which is now most common, whether is called an adverb. This is a mistake. It is the same part of speech as in the former example. The only difference is that in the former example it represents or refers to a noun, and in the latter to a sentence or clause.]

WHETSTONE, noun [whet and stone.] A stone used for sharpening edged instruments by friction.

WHETTED, participle passive Rubbed for sharpening; sharpened; provoked; stimulated.

WHETTER, noun He or that which whets or sharpens.

WHETTING, participle present tense Rubbing for the purpose of making sharp; sharpening; provoking; inciting; stimulating.

WHEWER, noun Another name of the widgeon. [Local.]

WHEY, noun The serum or watery part of milk, separated from the more thick or coagulable part, particularly in the process of making cheese. In this process, the thick part is called curd, and the thin part whey

WHEYEY, adjective Partaking of whey; resembling whey.

WHEYISH, adjective Having the qualities of whey.

WHICH, pronoun relative or substitute. [I have not found this word in any other language. I think it may be from the root of quick. See What and Wight.]

1. A word called a relative or pronoun relative, because it relates to another word or thing, usually to some word that precedes it in the sentence. I call it also a substitute, as it supplies the place of a noun, or of an adjective, or of a sentence or clause. 1. The garden which I cultivate, that is , the garden, which garden I cultivate. 2. We are bound to obey all the divine commands, which we cannot do without divine aid. Here which represents the words, obey the divine commands. 3. You declared him to be innocent, which he is not. Here which stands for innocent. In the foregoing uses, which is not used in the masculine gender, that is, it does not in modern usage represent a person.

2. which is much used in asking questions, for the purpose of obtaining the designation of a particular person or thing by the answer, and in this use, it is of the masculine as well as of the neuter gender. There are two or three things to be done; which shall I do first? which man is it?

WHICH of you convinceth me of sin? John 8:9.

For which of those works do ye stone me? John 10:6.

3. That which Take which you will, that is, take any one of the whole.

The which by the which The use of the before which is obsolete.

WHICHEVER, WHICHSOEVER, pronoun Whether one or the other. whichever road you take, it will conduct you to town.

WHICHEVER, WHICHSOEVER pronoun Whether one or the other. Whichever road you take, it will conduct you to town.

WHIFF, noun

1. A sudden expulsion of air from the mouth; a puff; as the whiff of a smoker.

And seasons his whiffs with impertinent jokes.

2. In ichthyology, a species of Pleuronectes or flounder.

WHIFF, verb transitive TO puff; to throw out in whiffs; to consume in whiffs.

WHIFFLE, verb intransitive [G., to doubt, to rove or wander, which seems to be allied to sweep.] To start, shift and turn; to change from one opinion or course to another; to use evasions; to prevaricate; to be fickle and unsteady.

A person of a whiffing and unsteady turn of mind, cannot keep close to a point of controversy.

WHIFFLE, verb transitive To disperse with a puff; to scatter.

WHIFFLE, noun Anciently, a fife or small flute.

WHIFFLER, noun

1. One who whiffles or frequently changes his opinion or course; one who uses sifts and evasions in argument.

2. A harbinger; perhaps one who blows the horn or trumpet.

3. A young man who goes before a company in London on occasions of public solemnity.

WHIFFLING, participle present tense Shifting and turning; prevaricating; shuffling.

WHIFFLING, noun Prevarication.

WHIG, noun [See Whey.] Acidulated whey, sometimes mixed with butter milk and sweet herbs; used as a cooling beverage. [Local.]

WHIG, noun [origin uncertain.] One of a political party which had its origin in England in the seventeenth century, in the reign of Charles I. or 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 were called whigs. During the revolution in the United States, the friends and supporters of the war and the principles of the revolution, were called whigs, and those who opposed them, were called tories and royalists.

Where then, when tories scarce get clear, shall whigs and congresses appear?

WHIGGARCHY, noun Government by whigs. [Cant.]

WHIGGISH, adjective Pertaining to whigs; partaking of the principles of whigs.

WHIGGISM, noun The principles of a whig.

WHILE, noun [G. See the Verb.] Time; space of time, or continued duration. He was some while in this country. One while we thought him innocent.

Pausing a while thus to herself she musd.

Worth while worth the time which it requires; worth the time and pains; hence, worth the expense. It is not always worth while for a man to prosecute for small debts.

WHILE, adverb

1. During the time that while I write, you sleep.

2. As long as.

Use your memory, and you will sensibly experience a gradual improvement, while you take care not to overload it.

3. At the same time that.

WHILE, verb transitive [G., to abide, to stay.] To while away, as time, in English, is to loiter; or more generally, to cause time to pass away pleasantly, without irksomeness; as, we while away time in amusements or diversions.

Let us while away this life.

WHILE, verb intransitive To loiter.

WHILERE, adverb [while and ere.] A little while ago.

WHILING, participle present tense Loitering; passing time agreeably, without impatience or tediousness.

WHILK, noun A shell. [See Whelk.]

WHILOM, adverb Formerly; once; of old.

WHILST, adverb The same as while, which see. Whiles is not used.

WHIM, noun

1. Properly, a sudden turn or start of the mind; a freak; a fancy; a capricious notion. We say, every man has his whims. [See Freak and Caprice.]

All the superfluous whims relate.

2. A low wit; a cant word.

WHINBREL, WHIMBREL noun A bird resembling the curlew.

WHIMPER, verb intransitive [G.] To cry with a low, whining, broken voice; as, a child whimpers.

WHIMPERING, participle present tense Crying with a low broken voice.

WHIMPERING, noun [supra.] A low muttering cry.

WHIMPLED, a word used by Shakespeare, is perhaps a mistake for whimpered. There is no such word in the English.

WHIMSEY, noun s as z. [from whim.] A whim; a freak; a capricious notion; as the whimseys of poets.

Mens follies, whimsies, and inconstancy.

WHIMSICAL, adjective Full of whims; freakish; having odd fancies; capricious.

My neighbors call me whimsical

WHIMSICALLY, adverb [supra.] In a whimsical manner; freakishly.

WHIMSICALNESS, noun [supra.] Freakishness; whimsical disposition; odd temper.

WHIN, noun [Latin] Gorse; furze; a plant of the genus Ulex.

WHINBREL, WHIMBREL, noun A bird resembling the curlew.

WHINE, verb transitive [Latin] TO express murmurs by a plaintive cry; to moan with a puerile noise; to murmur meanly.

They came--with a whining accent craving liberty.

Then, if we whine look pale--

WHINE, noun A plaintive tone; the nasal puerile tone of mean complaint; mean or affected complaint.

WHINER, noun One who whines.

WHINING, participle present tense Expressing murmurs by a mean plaintive tone or cant.

WHINNY, verb intransitive [Latin ; from the root of whine.] To utter the sound of a horse; to neigh.

WHINOC, noun [G., small.] The small pig of a litter.

WHIP, verb transitive [Latin , a sweeping throw or thrust.]

1. To strike with a lash or sweeping cord; as, to whip a horse.

2. To sew slightly.

3. To drive with lashes; as, to whip a top.

4. To punish with the whip; as, to whip a vagrant; to whip one thirty nine lashes; to whip a perverse boy.

Who, for false quantities, was whippd at school.

5. To lash with sarcasm.

They would whip me with their fine wits.

6. To strike; to thrash; to beat out, as grain, by striking; as, to whip wheat. [Not in use int he United States.]

To whip about or round, to wrap; to inwrap; as, to whip a line round a rod.

To whip out, to draw nimbly; to snatch; as, to whip out a sword or rapier from its sheath.

To whip from, to take away suddenly.

To whip into, to thrust in with a quick motion. He whipped his hand into his pocket.

To whip us, to seize or take up with a quick motion. She whipped up the child, and ran off. Among seamen, to hoist with a whip or small tackle.

WHIP, verb intransitive To move nimbly; to start suddenly and run; or to turn and run; as, the boy whipped away in an instant; he whipped round the corner; he whipped into the house, and was out of wight in a moment.

WHIP, noun

1. An instrument for driving horses or other teams, or for correction, consisting of a lash tied to a handle or rod.

2. In ships, a small tackle, used to hoist light bodies.

WHIP and spur, with the utmost haste.

WHIPPED, participle passive Struck with a whip; punished; enwrapped; sewed slightly.

WHIPPER, noun One who whips; particularly, an officer who inflicts the penalty of legal whipping.

WHIPPING, participle present tense Striking with a whip; punishing with a whip; enwrapping.

WHIPPING, noun The act of striking with a whip, or of punishing; the state of being whipped.

WHIPPOWIL, noun The popular name of an American bird, so called from its note, or the sounds of its voice. [Not whip-poor-will.]

WHIPSTER, noun A nimble fellow.

WHIPT, participle passive of whip; sometimes used for whipped.

WHIR, verb intransitive hwur. To whirl round with noise; to fly with noise.

WHIR, verb transitive To hurry.

WHIRL, verb transitive hwurl. [G., to whirl to warble. Latin ] TO turn round rapidly; to turn with velocity.

He whirls his sword around without delay.

WHIRL, verb intransitive

1. To be turned round rapidly; to move round with velocity; as the whirling spindles of a cotton machine or wheels of a coach.

The wooden engine flies and whirls about.

2. To move hastily.

--But whirld away, to shun his hateful sight.

WHIRL, noun [G.]

1. A turning with rapidity or velocity; rapid rotation or circumvolution; quick gyration; as the whirl of a top; the whirl of a wheel; the whirl of time; the whirls of fancy.

2. Any thing that moves or is turned with velocity, particularly on an axis or pivot.

3. A hook used in twisting.

4. In botany, a species of inflorescence, consisting of many subsessile flowers surrounding the stem in a ring. It is also written whorl and wherl.

WHIRLED, participle passive

1. Turned round with velocity.

2. In botany, growing in whirls; bearing whirls; verticillate.

WHIRLIGIG, noun [whirl and gig.]

1. A toy which children spin or whirl round.

2. In military antiquities, an instrument for punishing petty offenders, as sutlers, brawling women, etc.; a kind of wooden cage turning on a pivot, in which the offender was whirled round with great velocity.

WHIRLING, participle present tense Turning or moving round with velocity.

WHIRLPOOL, noun [whirl and pool.] An eddy of water; a vortex or gulf where the water moves round in a circle. In some cases, a whirlpool draws things to its center and absorbs them, as is the case with the Maelstrom off the coast of Norway.

WHIRLWIND, noun [whirl and wind.] A violent wind moving in a circle, or rather in a spiral form, as if moving round an axis; this axis or the perpendicular column moving horizontally, raising and whirling dust, leaves and the like.

WHIRRAW. [See Hoora.]

WHIRRING, noun The sound of a partridges or pheasants wings. [Note.--Whir is used by the common people in New England in an adverbial manner, to express the rapid flight or the sound of any thing thrown. See Whir.]

WHISK, noun

1. A small bunch of grass, straw, hair or the like, used for a brush; hence, a brush or small besom.

2. Part of a womans dress; a kind of tippet.

WHISK, verb transitive

1. To sweep, brush or wipe with a whisk

2. To sweep along; to move nimbly over the ground.

WHISK, verb intransitive To move nimbly and with velocity.

WHISKER, noun [from whisk.[ Long hair growing on the human cheek.

WHISKERED, adjective Formed into whiskers; furnished with whiskers.

WHISKET, noun A basket. [Local.]

WHISKING, participle present tense Brushing; sweeping along; moving with velocity along the surface.

WHISKY, noun A spirit distilled from grain. In the north of England, the name is given to the spirit drawn from barley. In the United States, whisky is generally distilled from wheat, rye or maiz.

WHISPER, verb intransitive [Latin The word seems by its sound to be an onomatopy, as it expresses a sibilant sound or breathing.]

1. To speak with a low hissing or sibilant voice. It is ill manners to whisper in company.

The hollow whispring breeze--

2. To speak with suspicion or timorous caution.

3. To plot secretly; to devise in mischief.

All that hate me whisper together against me. Psalms 41:7.

WHISPER, verb transitive

1. To address in a low voice. He whispers the man in the ear. [But this is elliptical for whispers to.]

2. To utter in a low sibilant voice. He whispered a word in my ear.

3. To prompt secretly; as, the came to whisper Woolsey.

WHISPER, noun

1. A low soft sibilant voice; or words uttered with such a voice.

The whisper cannot give a tone.

Soft whispers through the assembly went.

2. A cautious or timorous speech.

3. A hissing or buzzing sound.

WHISPERED, participle passive Uttered in a low voice; uttered with suspicion or caution.

WHISPERER, noun

1. One who whispers.

2. A tattler; one who tells secrets; a conveyer of intelligence secretly.

3. A backbiter; one who slanders secretly. Proverbs 16:28.

WHISPERING, participle present tense Speaking in a low voice; telling secretly; backbiting.

WHISPERING, noun The act of speaking with a low voice; the telling of tales, and exciting of suspicions; a backbiting.

WHISPERINGLY, adverb In a low voice.

WHIST, adjective Silent; mute; still; not speaking; not making a noise.

The winds with wonder whist smoothly the waters kissd.

[This adjective, like some others, always follows its noun. We never say, whist wind; but the wind is whist ]

WHIST is used for be silent. whist whist that is, be silent or still.

WHIST, noun A game at cards, so called because it requires silence or close attention. It is not in America pronounced whisk.

WHISTLE, verb intransitive hwisl. [Latin , a whistle; allied to whisper.]

1. To utter a kind of musical sound, by pressing the breath through a small orifice formed by contracting the lips.

While the plowman near at hand, whistles oer the furrowd land.

2. To make a sound with a small wind instrument.

3. To sound shrill, or like a pipe.

The wild winds whistle and the billows roar.

WHISTLE, verb transitive

1. To form, utter or modulate by whistling; as, to whistle a tune or air.

2. To call by a whistle; as, he whistled back his dog.

WHISTLE, noun [Latin]

1. A small wind instrument.

2. The sound made by a small wind instrument.

3. Sound made by pressing the breath through a small orifice of the lips.

4. The mouth; the organ of whistling. [Vulgar.]

5. A small pipe, used by a boatswain to summon the sailors to their duty; the boatswains call.

6. The shrill sound of winds passing among trees or through crevices, etc.

7. A call, such as sportsmen use to their dogs.

WHISTLED, participle passive Sounded with a pipe; uttered in a whistle.

WHISTLER, noun One who whistles.

WHISTLING, participle present tense Uttering a musical sound through a small orifice of the lips; sounding with a pipe; making a shrill sound, as wind.

WHISTLY, adverb Silently.

WHIT, noun [Latin] A point; a jot; the smallest part or particle imaginable. It is used without a preposition. He is not a whit the wiser for experience.

It does not me a whit displease.

The regular construction would be by a whit or in a whit In these phrases, a whit may be interpreted by in the least, in the smallest degree.

WHITE, adjective [G.]

1. Being in the color of pure snow; snowy; not dark; as white paper; a white skin.

2. Pale; destitute of color in the cheeks, or of the tinge of blood color; as white with fear.

3. Having the color of purity; pure; clean; free from spot; as white robed innocence.

4. Gray; as white hair; a venerable man, white with age.

5. Pure; unblemished.

No whiter page than Addisons remains.

6. In a scriptural sense, purified from sin; sanctified. Psalms 51:7.

WHITED, participle passive Made white; whitened.

WHITELY, adverb Coming near to white. [Not used.]

WHITEN, verb transitive hwitn. To make white; to bleach; to blanch; as, to whiten cloth.

WHITEN, verb intransitive To grow white; to turn or become white. The hair whitens with age; the sea whitens with foam; the trees in spring whiten with blossoms.

WHITENED, participle passive Made white; bleached.

WHITENER, noun One who bleaches or makes white.

WHITENESS, noun

1. The state of being white; white color, or freedom from any darkness or obscurity on the surface.

2. Paleness; want of a sanguineous tinge in the face.

3. Purity; cleanness; freedom from stain or blemish.

WHITES, noun The fluor albus, a disease of females.

WHITESTER, noun A bleacher. [Local.]

WHITESTONE, noun IN geology, the weiss stein of Werner, and the eurite of some geologists; a species of rocks, composed essentially of feldspar, but containing mica and other minerals.

WHITEWASH, noun [white and wash.]

1. A wash or liquid composition for whitening something; a wash for making the skin fair.

2. A composition of lime and water, used for whitening the plaster of walls, etc.

WHITEWASH, verb transitive

1. To cover with a white liquid composition, as with lime and water, etc.

2. To make white; to give a fair external appearance.

WHITEWASHED, participle passive Covered or overspread with a white liquid composition.

WHITEWASHING, participle present tense Overspreading or washing with a white liquid composition.

WHITEWOOD, noun A species of timber tree growing in North America, the Liriodendron, or tulip tree. The name of certain species of Bignonia.

WHITE, noun

1. One of the natural colors of bodies, but not strictly a color, for it is said to be a composition of all the colors; destitution of all stain or obscurity on the surface; whiteness. WE say, bleached cloth is of a good white; attired in a robe of white.

2. A white spot or thing; the mark at which an arrow is shot.

White of the eye, that part of the ball of the eye surrounding the iris or colored part. It owes its whiteness to the lunica albuginea or adnata, a partial covering of the forepart of the eye, formed by the expansion of the tendons of the muscles which move the eye-ball.

White of an egg, the albumen, or pellucid viscous fluid, which surrounds the vitellus or yelk.

An analogous part, in the seeds of plants, is called the albumen or white. It is a farinaceous fleshy or horny substance, which makes up the chief bulk of some seeds, as in grasses, corn, palms and lilies, never rising out of the ground nor performing the office of leaves, but destined solely to nourish the germinating embryo, till its roots can perform their office. It is the perispermum of Jussieu.

Spanish white, a substance used in painting, prepared from chalk, by separating from the latter its silicious impurities.

WHITE, verb transitive To make white; to whiten; to whitewash; as whited sepulchers. Mark 9:1. Matthew 23:1.

WHITHER, adverb

1. To what place, interrogatively. whither goest thou?

WHITHER away so fast?

2. To what place, absolutely.

I strayd, I knew not whither

3. To which place, relatively.

WHITHER when as they came, they fell at words.

4. To what point or degree.

5. Whithersoever.

WHITHERSOEVER, adverb [whither and soever.] To whatever place. I will go whithersoever you lead.

WHITING, noun [from white.]

1. A small sea fish, the Asellus mollis or albus, a species of Gadus.

2. The same as Spanish white, which see.

WHITISH, adjective [from white.] Somewhat white; white in a moderate degree.

WHITISHNESS, noun [supra.] The quality of being somewhat white.

WHITLEATHER, WHITLETHER, noun [white and leather.] Lether dressed with alum, remarkable for its toughness.

WHITLEATHER, WHITLETHER noun [white and leather.] Lether dressed with alum, remarkable for its toughness.

In common use, the ligaments of animals, when in food.

WHITLOW, noun

1. In surgery, paronychia, a swelling or inflammation about the nails or ends of the fingers, or affecting one or more of the phalanges of the fingers, generally terminating in an abscess. There are four or five varieties of this swelling. 1. The cutaneous paronychia, which raises the cuticle, forming a kind of vesicle filled with a limpid serum, or bloody fluid. 2. The subcutaneous paronychia, a tumor attended with acute pain. It is seated in the cellular membrane under the skin. 3. The subungual paronychia, which occurs under the nail. It commences with inflammatory symptoms, but is less painful than the former. 4. There is also the paronychia of the periosteum, and the paronychia of the tendons or theca.

2. In sheep, the whitlow is a disease of the feet, of an inflammatory kind. It occurs round the hoof, where an acrid matter is collected, which ought to be discharged.

WHITSOUR, noun A sort of apple.

WHITSTER, noun A whitener; a bleacher.

WHITSUL, noun A provincial name of milk, sour milk, cheese curds and butter.

WHITSUNTIDE, noun [white, Sunday, and tide.] The feast or season of Pentecost; so called it is said, because, in the primitive church, those who had been newly baptized appeared at church between Easter and Pentecost in white garments.

WHITTLE, noun

1. A small pocket knife. [In this sense, I believe the word is not used in America.]

2. A white dress for a woman; a double blanket worn by west countrywomen in England, over the shoulders, like a cloke. [Not used in the United States.]

WHITTLE, verb transitive

1. To pare or cut off the surface of a thing with a small knife. Some persons have a habit of whittling, and are rarely seen without a penknife in their hands for that purpose. [This is, I believe, the only use of this word in New England.]

2. To edge; to sharpen. [Not in use.]

WHIZ, verb transitive [It seems to be allied to hiss.] To make a humming or hissing sound, like an arrow or ball flying through the air.

It flew, and whizzing cut the liquid way.

WHIZ, noun A hissing sound.

WHIZZING, participle present tense Making a humming or hissing sound.

WHO, pronoun relative. pronoun hoo. [Latin who is undoubtedly a contracted word in English as in Latin. See What and Wight.]

1. who is a pronoun relative, always referring to persons. It forms whose in the genitive or possessive case, answering to the Latin Cujus, and whom in the objective or accusative case. who whose and whom, are in both numbers. Thus we say, the man or woman who was with us; the men or women who were with us; the men or women whom we saw.

2. Which of many. Are you satisfied who did the mischief?

3. It is much used in asking questions; as, who am I? who art thou? who is this? who are these? In this case, the purpose is to obtain the name or designation of the person or character.

4. It has sometimes a disjunctive sense.

There thou tellst of kings, and who aspire; who fall, who rise, who triumph, who do moan.

5. Whose is of all genders. Whose book is this?

This question whose solution I require--

As who should say, elliptically for as one who should say.

WHOEVER, pronoun [who and ever.] Any on without exception; any person whatever. The person who trespasses shall be punished, whoever he may be.

WHOLE, adjective Hole. [G., Gr. This seems to be connected with heal, hale. Of this the derivative wholesome, is evidence.]

1. All; total; containing the total amount or number, or the entire thing; as the whole earth; the whole world; the whole solar system; the whole army; the whole nation.

2. Complete; entire; not defective or imperfect; as a whole orange; the egg is whole; the vessel is whole

3. Unimpaired; unbroken; uninjured.

My life is yet whole in me. 2 Samuel 1:9.

4. Sound; not hurt or sick.

They that are whole need not a physician. Matthew 9:12.

5. Restored to health and soundness; sound; well.

Thy faith hath made thee whole Mark 5:28.

His hand was restored whole Mark 3:5.

WHOLE, noun

1. The entire thing; the entire or total assemblage of parts. The whole of religion is contained in the short precept, Love God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself.

Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13.

2. A system; a regular combination of parts.

WHOLESALE, noun [whole and sale.]

1. Sale of goods by the piece or large quantity; as distinguished from retail. Some traders sell either by wholesale or retail.

2. The whole mass.

Some from vanity or envy, despise a valuable book, and throw contempt upon it by wholesale

WHOLESALE, adjective [supra.]

1. Buying and selling by the piece or quantity; as a wholesale merchant or dealer.

2. Pertaining to the trade by the piece or quantity; as the wholesale price.

WHOLESOME, adjective [G.]

1. Tending to promote health; favoring health; salubrious; as wholesome air or diet; a wholesome climate.

2. Sound; contributing to the health of the mind; favorable to morals, religion or prosperity; as wholesome advice; wholesome doctrines; wholesome truths.

3. Useful; salutary; conducive to public happiness, virtue or peace; as a wholesome law.

4. That utters sound words.

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life. Proverbs 15:4.

5. Kindly; pleasing; as a wholesome answer.

WHOLESOME ship, a ship that will try, hull and ride well.

WHOLESOMELY, adverb In a wholesome or salutary manner; salubriously.

WHOLESOMENESS, noun

1. The quality of contributing to health; salubrith; as the wholesomeness of air or diet.

2. Salutariness; conduciveness to the health of the mind or of the body politic; as the wholesomeness of doctrines or laws.

WHOLLY, adverb

1. Entirely; completely; perfectly.

Nor wholly overcome, nor wholly yield.

2. Totally; in all the parts or kinds.

They employed themselves wholly in domestic life.

WHOM, pronoun hoom. The objective of who, coinciding with the Latin quem and quam.

WHOM have I in heaven but thee? Psalms 123:1.

WHOMSOEVER, pronoun [whom and soever.] Any person without exception.

With whomsoever thou findest thy goods, let him not live. Genesis 31:32.

WHOOBUB, for hubbub. [Not in use.]

WHOOP, noun Hoop. [ This is the same as hoop, but aspirated. The sense is to drive out the voice.]

1. A shout of pursuit.

2. A shout of war; a particular cry of troops when they rush to the attack. The Indians of America are remarkable for their war whoop

3. The bird called hoopoe or upupa.

WHOOP, verb intransitive To shout with a particular voice.

WHOOP, verb transitive To insult with shouts.

WHOOT, verb intransitive hoot. [See Hoot.]

WHOP, noun [the vulgar pronunciation of whap, or awhap.] A sudden fall, or the suddenness of striking in a fall.

WHORE, noun Hore. [G. The correct orthography is hore.] A harlot; a courtesan; a concubine; a prostitute.

WHORE, verb intransitive [supra.] To have unlawful sexual commerce; to practice lewdness.

WHORE, verb transitive To corrupt by lewd intercourse. [Little used.]

WHOREDOM, noun Horedom.

1. Lewdness; fornication; practice of unlawful commerce with the other sex. It is applied to either sex, and to any kind of illicit commerce.

2. In Scripture, idolatry; the desertion of the worship of the true God, for the worship of idols.

WHOREMASTER, noun [supra.] One who practices lewdness.

WHOREMONGER, noun The same as whoremaster.

WHORESON, noun A bastard; a word used generally in contempt.

WHORISH, adjective Lewd; unchaste; addicted to unlawful sexual pleasures; incontinent.

WHORISHLY, adverb In a lewd manner.

WHORISHNESS, noun The practice of lewdness; the character of a lewd woman.

WHORL, WHORLE. [See Whirl.]

WHORL, WHORLE [See Whirl.]

WHORT, noun The fruit of the whortleberry; or the shrub.

WHORTLEBERRY, noun A plant or shrub and its fruit, of the genus Vaccinium.

WHOSE, hooz. The possessive or genitive case of who or which; applied to persons or things. We say, the person whose merits are known; the garment whose color is admired.

WHOSESOEVER, pronoun [whose and soever.] Of any person whatever. John 20:1.

WHOSO, pronoun Hooso. Any person whatever.

WHOSOEVER, pronoun [who, so, and ever.] Any one; any person whatever.

WHOSOEVER will, let him take of the water of life freely. Revelations 22.

WHUR, verb intransitive To pronounce the letter r with too much force.

WHUR, noun The sound of a body moving through the air with velocity. [See Whir.]

WHURT, noun A whortleberry or bilberry. [See Whort.]

WHY, adverb [Latin , for what. The original phrase is for what, for why ]

1. For what cause or reason, interrogatively.

Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die? Jeremiah 27:13.

2. For which reason or cause, relatively.

No ground of enmity, why he should mean me ill.

3. For what reason or cause; for which; relatively.

Turn the discourse; I have a reason why I would not have you speak so tenderly.

4. It is used sometimes emphatically, or rather as a expletive.

If her chill heart I cannot move, why Ill enjoy the very love.