don't want to overdo it).
2 intr. (usu. foll. by for) lack; be deficient (wants for nothing).
3 tr. be without or fall short by (esp. a specified amount or thing) (the drawer wants a handle).
4 intr. (foll. by in, out) esp. US colloq. desire to be in, out, etc. (wants in on the deal).
5 tr. (as wanted adj.) (of a suspected criminal etc.) sought by the police. --n.
1 (often foll. by of) a a lack, absence, or deficiency (could not go for want of time; shows great want of judgement). b poverty; need (living in great want; in want of necessities).
2 a a desire for a thing etc. (meets a long-felt want). b a thing so desired (can supply your wants). do not want to am unwilling to. want ad US a classified newspaper advertisement for something sought. wanter n. [ME f. ON vant neut. of vanr lacking = OE wana, formed as WANE]
whaler
whaler: n.
1 a whaling ship or a seaman engaged in whaling.
2 an Australian shark of the genus Carcharhinus.
3 Austral. sl. a tramp.
wellweird
weird: adj. & n. --adj.
1 uncanny, supernatural.
2 colloq. strange, queer, incomprehensible.
3 archaic connected with fate. --n. esp. Sc. archaic fate, destiny. the weird sister.
1 the Fates.
2 witches. weirdly adv. weirdness n. [(earlier as noun) f. OE wyrd destiny f. Gmc]
wrestlingweed
weed: n. & v. --n.
1 a wild plant growing where it is not wanted.
2 a thin weak-looking person or horse.
3 (prec. by the) sl. a marijuana. b tobacco. --v.
1 tr. a clear (an area) of weeds. b remove unwanted parts from.
2 tr. (foll. by out) a sort out (inferior or unwanted parts etc.) for removal. b rid (a quantity or company) of inferior or unwanted members etc.
3 intr. cut off or uproot weeds. weed-grown overgrown with weeds. weed-killer a substance used to destroy weeds. weeder n. weedless adj. [OE weod, of unkn. orig.]
wallpaper
wallpaper: n. & v. --n.
1 paper sold in rolls for pasting on to interior walls as decoration.
2 an unobtrusive background, esp. (usu. derog.) with ref. to sound, music, etc. --v.tr. (often absol.) decorate with wallpaper.
warhorse
warhorse: n.
1 hist. a knight's or trooper's powerful horse.
2 colloq. a veteran soldier, politician, etc.; a reliable hack.
were
were: 2nd sing. past, pl. past, and past subj. of BE.
window
window: n.
1 a an opening in a wall, roof, or vehicle etc., usu. with glass in fixed, sliding, or hinged frames, to admit light or air etc. and allow the occupants to see out . b the glass filling this opening (have broken the window).
2 a space for display behind the front window of a shop.
3 an aperture in a wall etc. through which customers are served in a bank, ticket office, etc.
4 an opportunity to observe or learn.
5 an opening or transparent part in an envelope to show an address.
6 a part of a VDU display selected to show a particular category or part of the data.
7 a an interval during which atmospheric and astronomical circumstances are suitable for the launch of a spacecraft. b any interval or opportunity for action.
8 strips of metal foil dispersed in the air to obstruct radar detection.
9 a range of electromagnetic wavelengths for which a medium is transparent. out of the window colloq. no longer taken into account. window-box a box placed on an outside window-sill for growing flowers. window-cleaner a person who is employed to clean windows. window-dressin.
1 the art of arranging a display in a shop-window etc.
2 an adroit presentation of facts etc. to give a deceptively favourable impression. window-ledge = window-sill. window-pane a pane of glass in a window. window-sea.
1 a seat below a window, esp. in a bay or alcove.
2 a seat next to a window in an aircraft, train, etc. window-shop (-shopped, -shopping) look at goods displayed in shop-windows, usu. without buying anything. window-shopper a person who window-shops. window-sill a sill below a window. window tax Brit. hist. a tax on windows or similar openings (abolished in 1851). windowed adj. (also in comb.). windowless adj. [ME f. ON vindauga (as WIND(1), EYE)]
whirlpool
whirlpool: n. a powerful circular eddy in the sea etc. often causing suction to its centre.
wallingwawl
wawl: var. of WAUL.
wicked
wicked: adj. (wickeder, wickedest.
1 sinful, iniquitous, given to or involving immorality.
2 spiteful, ill-tempered; intending or intended to give pain.
3 playfully malicious.
4 colloq. foul; very bad; formidable (wicked weather; a wicked cough).
5 sl. excellent, remarkable. Wicked Bible an edition of 1631, with the misprinted commandment 'thou shalt commit adultery'. wickedly adv. wickedness n. [ME f. obs. wick (perh. adj. use of OE wicca wizard) + -ED(1) as in wretched]
whey
whey: n. the watery liquid left when milk forms curds. whey-faced pale esp. with fear. [OE hwg, hweg f. LG]
warehouse
warehouse: n. & v. --n.
1 a building in which esp. retail goods are stored; a repository.
2 esp. Brit. a wholesale or large retail store. --v.tr. also store (esp. furniture or bonded goods) temporarily in a repository. warehouseman n. (pl. -men).
walrus
walrus: n. a large amphibious long-tusked arctic mammal, Odobenus rosmarus, related to the seal and sea lion. walrus moustache a long thick drooping moustache. [prob. f. Du. walrus, -ros, perh. by metath. after walvisch 'whale-fish' f. word repr. by OE horschwl 'horse-whale']
wagtail
wagtail: n. any small bird of the genus Motacilla with a long tail in frequent motion.
