Wharf, hworf, n. a bank of timber or stone on the shore of a harbour or river for lading and unlading vessels: (Shak.) the bank of a river:—pl. Wharfs, Wharves.—v.t. to secure by a wharf: to place on a wharf.—ns. Wharf′age, the dues paid for using a wharf: accommodation at a wharf; Wharf′ing, material for making a wharf: wharfs; Wharfinger (hworf′in-jėr), one who has the care of, or owns, a wharf; Wharf′-rat, the common brown rat: a fellow who loafs about a wharf in the hope of picking up a chance job. [A.S. hwerf, a dam; prob. conn. with hweorfan (Ice. hverfa), to turn.]
What, hwot, interrog. pron. applied both to persons and things—also used elliptically and as an interjection: (Shak.) used to express a summons, or as a mere expletive.—interrog. adj. of what sort, how much, how great—also used in an intensive manner.—rel. pron. that which, such ... as: (Shak.) any, who, which.—indef. pron. something: (Spens.) a portion, bit.—adv. (obs.) why? to what degree?—conj. so much as: that, as in but what, that ... not.—ns. What′abouts, the things one is occupied about; What′-d'ye-call (-it, -'em), a word substituted for the name of a thing (or person) because of forgetfulness, or in contempt.—adjs. What′en, What′ten (Scot.), what kind of.—prons. Whatev′er, Whate'er′, anything which: (coll.) what?—adj. any or all that, no matter what.—adjs. What′-like (coll.), of what kind; What′na (Scot.), same as Whaten.—pron. What′not, whatever or whoever.—adj. What′so, of whatever kind.—pron. whosoever.—adjs. Whatsoev′er, Whatsoe'er′, of whatever kind; Whatsomev′er (coll.), whatsoever.—What an if (Shak.), what of; What else, could anything else be the case? What ... for (Shak.), what kind of; What ho! a loud summons; What if, what would happen if? What not, elliptical for 'what may I not say?' implying the presence or existence of many other things; What of, what comes of? what do you think of? What's what, the real or genuine thing; What though, what matters it though, notwithstanding; What time, at the very time when; What with, by reason of. [A.S. hwæt, neut. of hwa, who; Ger. was, L. quid.]
Whatnot, hwot′not, n. a piece of furniture with shelves for books, &c., so called because used to hold anything: anything, no matter what.
Whaup, hwawp, n. (Scot.) a curlew—sometimes Great Whaup as opposed to Little Whaup, the whimbrel.
Wheal, hwēl, n. a wale, weal.—v.t. to cause weals upon. [Prob. conn. with A.S. hwelan, to pine.]
Wheal, hwēl, n. a Cornish name for a mine.
Wheat, hwēt, n. the most valuable of all the cereal grasses, the grain furnishing a white flour for bread—known as bearded, beardless, or bald, according to the presence or the absence of the awns or beard; as white, red, or amber, according to colour; and as spring, summer, autumn, or winter, according to the time of sowing.—ns. Wheat′-bird, the chaffinch; Wheat′-ear, an ear of wheat; Wheat′-eel, a disease in wheat—also Ear-cockle.—adj. Wheat′en, made of wheat.—ns. Wheat′-field, a field of wheat; Wheat′-fly, name of several flies which destroy wheat—e.g. the Hessian fly; Wheat′-midge, a dipterous insect which lays its eggs in the flowers of wheat-heads, and whose reddish larvæ devour the kernels; Wheat′-mil′dew, the rust which gathers on wheat and oats; Wheat′-moth, one of several small moths whose larvæ devour stored wheat.—Wheat-ear stitch, a fancy stitch in embroidery. [A.S. hwǽte—hwit, white; Ger. weizen; allied to white, and named from its colour.]
Wheat-ear, hwēt′-ēr, n. a bird of the genus Chat, a common summer visitant of Britain, abounding on downs and fallow fields. [Corr. from White-arse.]
Wheedle, hwēd′l, v.t. to entice by soft words: to flatter.—n. a coaxing person.—n. Wheed′ler.—adj. Wheed′lesome, coaxing.—n. Wheed′ling. [Perh. from Ger. wedeln, to wag the tail, as a dog—wedel, a fan, brush—Old High Ger. wehan, to blow.]
Wheel, hwēl, n. a circular frame turning on an axle: an old instrument of torture: a steering-wheel: (fig.) the course of events, from the wheel, one of the attributes of Fortune, the emblem of mutability: (coll.) a bicycle or tricycle: circular motion: principle of life or motion: (Shak.) a refrain: (pl.) chariot: (slang) a dollar.—v.t. to cause to whirl: to convey on wheels: to turn.—v.i. to turn round or on an axis: to roll forward: to change direction: to move in a circle: to change about: (coll.) to ride a bicycle or tricycle.—ns. Wheel′-an′imal, -animal′cule, a rotifer; Wheel′-barrow, a barrow supported on one wheel and two handles, and driven forward by one man; Wheel′-boat, a boat having wheels, for use on water or on inclined planes; Wheel′-carr′iage, any kind of carriage moved on wheels; Wheel′-chair, a chair moving on wheels.—adj. Wheel′-cut, cut, or ground and polished, on a wheel—of glass.—n. Wheel′-cut′ter, a machine for cutting the teeth on watch and clock wheels.—p.adj. Wheeled, having wheels.—ns. Wheel′er, one who wheels: the horse nearest the wheels of a carriage: a maker of wheels; Wheel′-horse, one of the horses next the wheels in a team; Wheel′-house, a box or small house erected over the steering-wheel in ships: a paddle-box; Wheel′ing, the act of moving or conveying on wheels: a turning or circular movement of troops; Wheel′-lock, a lock for firing a gun by means of a small steel wheel; Wheel′man, a steersman: a cyclist; Wheel′-plough, a plough the depth of whose furrow is regulated by a wheel; Wheel′-race, the part of a race in which the water-wheel is fixed; Wheel′-tax, a tax on carriages; Wheel′-win′dow, a circular window with radiating tracery; Wheel′-work, a combination of wheels and their connection in machinery; Wheel′wright, a wright who makes wheels and wheel-carriages.—adj. Wheel′y, like a wheel.—Wheel and axle, one of the mechanical powers, in its primitive form a cylindrical axle, on which a wheel, concentric with the axle, is firmly fastened, the power being applied to the wheel, and the weight attached to the axis; Wheel of life (see Zoetrope); Wheels within wheels, a complication of circumstances.—Break a butterfly (fly, &c.) upon the wheel, to inflict a punishment out of all proportion to the offence: to employ great exertions for insignificant ends. [A.S. hwéol; Ice. hjól.]