WIPER DRAWER. A pickpocket, one who steals handkerchiefs. He drew a broad, narrow, cam, or specked wiper; he picked a pocket of a broad, narrow, cambrick, or coloured handkerchief.
TO WIREDRAW. To lengthen out or extend any book, letter,
or discourse.
WISE. As wise as Waltham's calf, that ran nine miles to
suck a bull.
WISE MEN OF GOTHAM. Gotham is a village in Nottinghamshire; its magistrates are said to have attempted to hedge in a cuckow; a bush, called the cuckow's bush, is still shewn in support of the tradition. A thousand other ridiculous stories are told of the men of Gotham.
WISEACRE. A foolish conceited fellow.
WISEACRE'S HALL. Gresham college.
WIT. He has as much wit as three folks, two fools and a
madman.
WITCHES. Silver. Witcher bubber; a silver bowl. Witcher
tilter; a silver-hilted sword. Witcher cully; a silversmith.
TO WOBBLE. To boil. Pot wobbler; one who boils a
pot.
WOLF IN THE BREAST. An extraordinary mode of imposition, sometimes practised in the country by strolling women, who have the knack of counterfeiting extreme pain, pretending to have a small animal called a wolf in their breasts, which is continually gnawing them.