Virginal (W. T. i. 2). The virginal was the first form of the pianoforte. It was rectangular, differing in this from the spinnet, the harpsichord, and grand piano. Nares, who had seen the instrument, describes it exactly. It was sometimes called a pair of virginals, as an organ was a pair of organs, in allusion probably to the set (pair) of keys.
Wanton (from wendan, A.S., turn, change?) seems to have originally signified yielding, changeable. We have "the wanton green" (M. N. D. ii. 2), "the wanton rushes" (1 H. IV. iii. 1).
Water-work (2 H. IV. ii. 1) seems to mean work done on cloth in water-colours, or distemper.
Weaver (Tw. N. ii. 3, 1 H. IV. ii. 4). Weavers, from the sedentary nature of their work, seem to have been much addicted to singing, especially psalms. By the three souls in the first of these passages is meant the vegetative, sensitive, and reasonable souls, which were held to compose the soul.
Weyard. This is the way in which Shakespeare spells in Macbeth the word which in G. Douglas and Holinshed is spelt weird.
Wheel (Ham. iv. 5), the burthen in a ballad, a translation of rota, probably on account of its coming round and round.
Whiffler (H. V. v. Chor.), a fifer, who went first in a procession. It then came to be used of any one who went before to clear the way.
While, whiles, whilst. The first of these words is a noun, signifying time; the second is the adverbial genitive of it, and the third this last with a paragogic t. While is used adverbially, like whiles, with an ellipsis of in the. It also occurs, as in the following passages, with an ellipsis of to the, till the. "The Romans had a law that every man should use shooting in peace-time, while he was forty year old" (Ascham, Toxoph. p. 16). "When the conjured spirit appears, which will not be while after many circumstances," etc. (K. James, Demonol.).
"I may be convey'd into your chamber. I'll lie
Under your bed while midnight."