Wax (A lad o’), a spruce young man, like a model in wax. Lucretius speaks of persona cerea, and Horace of the waxen arms of Telĕphus, meaning beautiful in shape and color.
A man, young lady! Lady, such a man
As all the world----Why, he’s a man o’ wax!
Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (1595).
Way of the World (The), a comedy by W. Congreve (1700). The “way of the world” is to tie up settlements to wives, to prevent their husbands squandering their wives’ fortunes. Thus, Fainall wanted to get into his power the fortune of his wife, whom he hated, but found it was “in trust to Edward Mirabell,” and consequently could not be tampered with.
Way to Keep Him (The), a comedy by A. Murphy (1760). The object of this drama is to show that women, after marriage, should not wholly neglect their husbands, but should try to please them, and make home agreeable and attractive. The chief persons are Mr. and Mrs. Lovemore. Mr. Lovemore has a virtuous and excellent wife, whom he esteems and loves; but, finding his home insufferably dull, he seeks amusement abroad; and those passions which have no play at home lead him to intrigue and card-playing, routes and dubious society. The under-plot is this: Sir Bashful Constant is a mere imitator of Mr. Lovemore, and Lady Constant suffers neglect from her husband and insult from his friends, because he foolishly thinks it is not comme il faut to love after he has married the woman of his choice.
Ways and Means, a comedy by Colman, the younger (1788). Random and Scruple meet at Calais two young ladies, Harriet and Kitty, daughters of Sir David Dunder, and fall in love with them. They come to Dover, and accidentally meet Sir David, who invites them over to Dunder Hall, where they are introduced to the two young ladies. Harriet is to be married next day, against her will, to Lord Snolts, a stumpy, “gummy” nobleman of five and forty; and, to avoid this hateful match, she and her sister agree to elope at night with the two young guests. It so happens that a series of blunders in the dark occur, and Sir David himself becomes privy to the whole plot, but, to prevent scandal, he agrees to the two marriages, and discovers that the young men, both in family and fortune, are quite suitable to be his sons-in-law.
Wayland (Launcelot), or Wayland Smith, farrier in the vale of Whitehorse. Afterwards disguised as a pedlar at Cumnor Place.--Sir W. Scott, Kenilworth (time, Elizabeth).
Wealtheow (2 syl.), wife of Hrothgar, king of Denmark.
Wealtheow went forth; mindful of their races, she ... greeted the men in the hall. The freeborn lady first handed the cup to the prince of the East Danes.... The lady of the Helmings then went about every part ... she gave treasure-vessels, until the opportunity occurred that she (a queen hung round with rings) ... bore forth the mead-cup to Beowolf ... and thanked God that her will was accomplished, that an earl of Denmark was a guarantee against crime.--Beowulf (Anglo-Saxon epic, sixth century).