Wedge, wej, n. a piece of wood or metal, thick at one end and sloping to a thin edge at the other, used in splitting: anything shaped like a wedge: a mass of metal: at Cambridge, the man lowest on the list of the classical tripos.—v.t. to cleave with a wedge: to force or drive with a wedge: to press closely: to fasten with a wedge: to make into a wedge.—v.i. to force one's way like a wedge.—adjs. Wedged, cuneiform or wedge-shaped; Wedge′-shaped, having the shape of a wedge; Wedge′-tailed, having the tail wedge-shaped or cuneate.—adv. Wedge′wise, in the manner of a wedge.—n. Wedg′ing, a method of joining timbers.—Wedge of least resistance, the form in which a substance yields to pressure.—The thin, or small, end of the wedge, the insignificant-looking beginning of a principle or practice which will yet lead to something great and important. [A.S. wecg; Ice. veggr, Ger. weck, a wedge; prob. from the root of weigh.]
Wedgwood ware. See Ware.
Wedlock, wed′lok, n. marriage: matrimony.—Break wedlock, to commit adultery. [A.S. wedlác—wed, -lác, a gift.]
Wednesday, wenz′dā, n. fourth day of the week. [A.S. Wódenes dæg, the day of Woden or Odin, the chief Teutonic deity.]
Wee, wē, n. a short distance, a short time.—adj. tiny. [Scand. form of way; Dan. vei, Ice. vegr; not conn. with Ger. wenig, little.]
Weed, wēd, n. any useless plant of small growth: anything useless or troublesome; a sorry animal, a worthless fellow: (coll.) a cigar.—v.t. to free from weeds: to remove anything hurtful or offensive.—adjs. Weed′ed, Weed′-grown, overgrown with weeds.—n. Weed′er.—n.pl. Weed′er-clips (Scot.), shears for weeding.—ns. Weed′ery, a place full of weeds; Weed′iness; Weed′ing-chis′el, -for′ceps, -fork, -hook, -tongs (pl.) garden implements of varying forms for destroying weeds.—adjs. Weed′less; Weed′y, weed-like, consisting of weeds; worthless. [A.S. wéod, an herb.]
Weed, wēd, n. a garment, esp. in pl. a widow's mourning apparel.—adj. Weed′y, clad in widow's mourning. [A.S. wǽd, clothing; Old High Ger. wāt, cloth; cf. leinwand.]
Weed, wēd, n. (Scot.) a popular name for any sudden illness, cold, or relapse with febrile symptoms in women after confinement or nursing: lymphangitis in the horse.—Also Weid.
Week, wēk, n. the space of seven days, esp. from Sunday to Sunday: the six working days of the week.—n. Week′day, any day of the week except Sunday.—adj. Week′ly, coming, happening, or done once a week.—adv. once a week.—n. a publication appearing once a week.—Week about, in alternate periods of seven days.—A prophetic week (B.), seven years; A week of Sundays (coll.), seven weeks: a long time; Feast of Weeks, a Jewish festival lasting seven weeks; Great Week, Holy Week, Passion Week, the week preceding Easter Sunday; This day week, a week from to-day. [A.S. wice; Dut. week, Ger. woche.]
Week, wēk, n. (Spens.). Same as Wick.