Williewaught, wil′i-wäht, n. (Scot.), for gude-willie waught. [See Waught.]
Will-o'-the-wisp, wil′-o-the-wisp′, n. the ignis-fatuus: any deluding person or thing.
Willow, wil′ō, n. any tree or shrub of the genus Salix, having slender, pliant branches: the wood of the willow: a cricket-bat.—v.t. to beat with willow rods, as in cleaning cotton, &c.—adj. Will′owed, abounding with, or containing, willows.—n. Will′ow-herb, a perennial herb (Epilobium) of the evening primrose family—also Rose-bay, Bay-willow, French or Persian willow.—adj. Will′owish, like a willow, slender and supple.—ns. Will′ow-machine′, a machine for extracting dirt from hemp, cotton, &c.—also Will′ow; Will′ow-moth, a common British night-moth; Will′ow-war′bler, -wren, a small European sylviine bird; Will′ow-weed, one of various species of Polygonum or knot-weed: the purple loose-strife.—adj. Will′owy, abounding in willows: flexible, graceful.—n. Weep′ing-will′ow, a very ornamental species, a native of the East, much planted in Britain on account of its beautiful pendent twigs.—Bedford willow, a species whose bark is especially rich in salicin and in tannin; White, or Huntingdon, willow, the largest of British species, reaching a height of eighty feet. [A.S. welig; Low Ger. wilge, Dut. wilg.]
Will-worship, wil′-wur′ship, n. (B.) worship that is self-invented, superstitious observance without divine authority.
Willy, wil′i, n. (prov.) a willow basket.
Willy-nilly, wil′i-nil′i, adv. willing or unwilling.—adj. vacillating. [Will and nill.]
Wilt, wilt, v.i. to droop, lose energy.—v.t. to render limp or pithless. [Cf. Welk; cf. Ger. welk, withered.]
Wilt, wilt, 2d pers. sing. of will.
Wily, wī′li, adj. full of wiles or tricks: using craft or stratagem: artful: sly.—adv. Wī′lily.—n. Wī′liness, cunning.
Wimble, wim′bl, n. an instrument for boring holes, turned by a handle.—v.t. to bore through with such. [Scand., Dan. vimmel, auger; conn. with Old Dut. weme, a wimble, and wemelen, to whirl.]