WHELK, hwelk, _n._ a popular name for a number of marine Gasteropods, especially applied to species of _Buccinum_ common on the coasts of northern seas.--_adjs._ WHELKED, ridged like a whelk; WHEL'KY, knobby, rounded. [Wrong form of _welk_--A.S. _wiloc_, _weoluc_, prob. from _wealcan_, to roll.]
WHELK, hwelk, _n._ (_Shak._) the mark of a stripe on the body, a wrinkle, an inequality or protuberance. [_Weal_, _wheal_.]
WHELM, hwelm, _v.t._ to cover completely: to plunge deep: to overburden: to ruin, destroy.--_v.i._ to pass over in such a way as to submerge. [M. E.
_whelmen_, _whelven_, to overturn (Ice. _hvalfa_, Ger. _wolben_); allied to A.S. _hwealf_, arched; cf. Gr. _kolpos_, a gulf.]
WHELP, hwelp, _n._ the young of the dog kind and of lions, &c.: a puppy: a cub: a young man (in contempt).--_v.i._ and _v.t._ to bring forth young.
[A.S. _hwelp_; Ice. _hvelpr_.]
WHEMMLE, hwem'l, WHUMMLE, hwum'l, _n._ an overthrow: (_Scot._) confusion.--_v.t._ to whelm, overthrow. [Freq. form of _whelm_.]
WHEN, hwen, _adv._ and _conj._ at what time? at which time: at or after the time that: while.--_interj._ (_Shak._) an exclamation of impatience, like _what!_--_conj._ WHEN'AS (_Shak._), when: whereas.--_adv._ and _conj._ WHENCE (also FROM WHENCE), from what place: from which things: wherefore.--_adv._ WHENCEFORTH' (_Spens._), whence.--_conjs._ WHENCESOEV'ER, from what place, cause, or source soever; WHENEV'ER, WHENE'ER', at every time when; WHENSOEV'ER, at what time soever: whenever.
[A.S. _hwaenne_, _hwonne_ (Ger. _wann_, _wenn_); orig. accus. of interrog.
pron. _hwa_, who.]
WHERE, hw[=a]r, _adv._ and _conj._ at which place, at what place? to what place, to which place? (_Shak._) whence, whereas: wherever.--_n._ (_Shak._) situation, place.--_adv._ and _conj._ WHEREABOUT', about which, about where: near what?--also WHERE'ABOUTS.--_n._ WHERE'ABOUTS, one's present place.--_conjs._ WHEREAGAINST' (_Shak._), against which; WHEREAS', as or on account of which: since: when in fact: where.--_advs._ and _conjs._ WHEREAT', at which: at what? WHEREBY', by which; WHERE'FORE, for which reason: for what reason? why?--_n._ the cause.--_advs._ and _conjs._ WHEREFROM', whence; WHEREIN', in which respect: in what? WHEREINSOEV'ER, in whatever place or respect; WHEREINTO (hw[=a]r-in't[=oo], -in-t[=oo]'), into what? into which.--_n._ WHERE'NESS, state of having place or position.--_advs._ and _conjs._ WHEREOF', of which: of what? WHEREON', on which: on what? WHEREOUT', out of which; WHERE'SO, WHERESOE'ER', WHERESOEV'ER, in what place soever: (_Shak._) whencesoever; WHERETHROUGH', through which; WHERETO', to which: to what? WHEREUN'DER, under which; WHEREUNTIL' (_Shak._), whereunto; WHEREUNTO', WHEREUN'TO, whereto: for what purpose? WHEREUPON', upon or in consequence of which; WHERE'ER', WHEREV'ER, at whatever place; WHEREWITH', WHEREWITHAL', with which? with what.--WHERE AWAY? (_naut._), a query uttered by the officer of the deck as to the direction of an object sighted by the lookout.--THE WHEREWITH, WHEREWITHAL, means. [A.S. _hw['ae]r_, _hwar_; from stem of who. Cf. _There_.]
WHERRY, hwer'i, _n._ a shallow, light boat, sharp at both ends for speed:--_pl._ WHERR'IES.--_n._ WHERR'Y-MAN, one who rows a wherry. [Ety.
dub.; perh. conn. with Ice. _hverfr_, crank--_hverfa_, to turn.]
WHERRY, hwer'i, _n._ a liquor made from the pulp of crab-apples.
WHET, hwet, _v.t._ to sharpen by rubbing: to make keen: to excite: (_obs._) to preen:--_pr.p._ whet'ting: _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ whet'ted.--_n._ act of sharpening: something that sharpens the appetite.--_ns._ WHET'-STONE, a stone for sharpening edged instruments: a stimulant; WHET'TER.--WHET ON, or FORWARD (_Shak._), to urge on. [A.S. _hwettan_--_hwaet_, sharp; Ger.
_wetzen_.]
WHETHER, hweth'[.e]r, _interrog._ and _rel. pron._ signifying which of two.--_conj._ which of two alternatives.--_interrog. adv._ introducing the first of two questions, the second being introduced by or--also _conj._--WHETHER OR NO (_coll._), in any case, surely. [A.S. _hwaether_, from _hwa_, who, with the old comp. suffix _-ther_; cog. with Goth.
_hwathar_, Ger. _weder_; also with L. _uter_, Gr. _koteros_, Sans.
_katara_. Cf. _Other_ and _Alter_.]
WHETHERING, hweth'[.e]r-ing, _n._ (_prov._) the retention of the afterbirth in cows.
WHEW, WHEUGH, hw[=u], _interj._ expressing wonder or dismay.--_n._ a whistling sound noting astonishment.--_v.i._ to utter such a sound.
WHEW, hw[=u], _v.i._ (_prov._) to bustle about.
WHEY, hw[=a], _n._ the watery part of milk, separated from the curd, esp.
in making cheese.--_adjs._ WHEY'EY, WHEY'ISH, of whey: like whey.--_n._ WHEY'-FACE, a pale or white face, caused by fright.--_adj._ WHEY'-FACED.--_ns._ WHEY'ISHNESS; WHEY'-TUB. [A.S, _hw['ae]g_; Low Ger.
_wey_.]
WHICH, hwich, _interrog. pron._ what one of a number?--also used adjectively.--_rel. pron._ (_obs._) who, whom: now used of things only.--_prons._ WHICHEV'ER, WHICHSOEV'ER, every one which: whether one or other.--(_obs._) WHICH...HE, who; WHICH...HIS, whose--surviving in the vulgar use of _which_ as a mere introductory word; WHICH IS WHICH? which is the one, which is the other? a common phrase denoting inability to decide between two or more things.--THE WHICH (_obs._), which. [A.S. _hwilc_, _hwelc_, from _hwi_, instrumental case of _hwa_, who, and _lic_, like; Goth. _hwei-leiks_, Ger. _welch_, _welcher_; L. _qualis_. Cf. _Such_ and _Each_.]
WHID, hwid, _n._ (_Scot._) a rapid movement.--_v.i._ to move quickly, to whisk.--_v.i._ WHID'DER, to whiz. [Prob. conn. with W. _chwid_, a jerk; or perh. A.S. _hwitha_, a breeze.]
WHID, hwid, _n._ (_Scot._) a lie: (_obs._) a word: (_prov._) a quarrel.--_v.i._ to lie.--CUT BOON WHIDS, to speak good words. [Perh. A.S.
_cwide_, a word--_cwethan_, to say.]
WHIDAH-BIRD. See WHYDAH.
WHIFF, hwif, _n._ a sudden puff of air or smoke from the mouth: a slight blast: a light kind of outrigger boat: (_prov._) a glimpse.--_v.t._ to throw out in whiffs: to puff.--_v.i._ to go out or off in a whiff.--_ns._ WHIFF'ER; WHIFF'ET, a whipper-snapper.--_v.i._ WHIFF'LE, to veer about, blow in gusts: to be fickle: to prevaricate: to talk idly.--_n._ a fickle, light-headed person.--_ns._ WHIFF'LER, a fickle person: a herald, usher, piper, leading the way in a procession; WHIFF'LERY, levity; WHIFT, a breath, snatch. [W. _chwiff_, a puff; imit.]
WHIFF, hwif, _v.i._ to fish with a hand-line.--_n._ WHIFF'ING. [_Whip_.]
WHIFFLETREE, hwif'l-tr[=e], _n._ a swingletree.--Also WHIP'PLETREE. [From whifle, to turn. Cf. _Whiff_.]
WHIG, hwig, _n._ the name, since 1830 almost superseded by 'Liberal,' of one of the great English political parties: a Scotch Presbyterian, first so called in the middle of the 17th century: (_U.S._) one of those who in the colonial period were opposed to British rule: one of the survivors of the old National Republican party, first so called in 1834--it died in 1852.--_adj._ composed of Whigs--also WHIG'GISH.--_n._ WHIG'GARCHY, government by WHIGS.--_adv._ WHIG'GISHLY.--_ns._ WHIG'GISM, WHIG'GERY, WHIG'GISHNESS, WHIG'SHIP, Whig principles. [Prob. short for _whiggamore_.]
WHIG, hwig, _v.i._ (_Scot._) to jog along.
WHIG, hwig, _n._ (_prov._) sour whey, buttermilk.
WHIGGAMORE, hwig'a-m[=o]r, _n._ originally a person who came from the west and south-west of Scotland to Leith to buy corn: one of the 7000 Western Covenanters who marched on Edinburgh in 1648, sealing the doom of Charles I.: a Scotch Presbyterian, a WHIG. [Traced by some to _whiggam_, a sound used by the peasantry of the western Lowlands in driving their horses; others derive from _whig_, sour whey. Not derivable from _whig_ (1) and Gael. _mor_, great.]
WHIGMALEERIE, hwig-ma-l[=e]'ri, _n._ (_Scot._) a trinket, knick-knack: a whim. [Orig. uncertain.]
WHILE, hw[=i]l, _n._ a space of time: trouble spent.--_adv._ during the time that: at the same time that, as long as.--_v.t._ to cause to pass without irksomeness (with _away_).--_conjs._ WHILE, WHILST, as long as: at the same time that: (_Shak._) until; WHILES (_B._), while, at the same time that.--_adv._ (_Scot._) at times (orig. gen. of A.S. _hwil_).--_advs._ WH[=I]'LOM, WH[=I]'LOME (_Milt._), formerly, once (orig. dat. pl. of A.S.
_hwil_, time).--EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, now and then; THE WHILE (_Shak._), in the meantime; THE WHILST (_Shak._), while: in the meantime; WORTH WHILE, worth the trouble and time taken. [A.S. _hwil_; Goth. _hweila_, Ger.
_weile_.]
WHILK, hwilk, _pron._ an obsolete form of _which_.
WHILLY, hwil'i, _v.t._ (_Scot._) to cajole.--_v.i._ WHILL'Y-WHAW, to make wheedling speeches.--_n._ cajolery.--_adv._ smooth-tongued, wheedling.
[Prob. a mixture of _wile_ and _wheedle_.]
WHIM, hwim, _n._ a caprice: a fancy: a machine for raising ore, a mine.--_v.i._ to turn round, to be seized with a whim.--_v.t._ to cause to turn.--_adjs._ WHIM'MY, WHIM'SICAL, full of whims, odd, fantastical.--_ns._ WHIMSICAL'ITY, WHIM'SICALNESS.--_adv._ WHIM'SICALLY.--_ns._ WHIM'SY, WHIM'SEY, a whim, freak.--_adj._ full of whims, changeable.--_n._ WHIM'-WHAM, a ridiculous notion or thing, a freak, an odd device. [Ice.
_hvima_, to have the eyes wandering.]
WHIMBREL, hwim'brel, _n._ a bird of the family _Scolopacidae_, allied to the curlew and like it in form, plumage, and habits, but smaller, and having a shorter bill.--Also WIM'BREL. [Prob. imit.]
WHIMPER, hwim'p[.e]r, _v.i._ to cry with a low, whining voice.--_n._ a peevish cry.--_ns._ WHIM'PERER, one who whimpers; WHIM'PERING, peevish crying.--_adv._ WHIM'PERINGLY.--BE ON THE WHIMPER, to be peevish and ready to cry. [Scot. _whimmer_; Ger. _wimmern_; perh. from the root of _whine_.]
WHIMPLE, hwim'pl (_Spens._). Same as WIMPLE.
WHIN, hwin, _n._ gorse, furze.--_n._ WHIN'-CHAT, a bird very similar in appearance, esp. when it assumes its duller autumn plumage, to the Stone-chat, a summer visitant of Britain.--_adj._ WHIN'NY, abounding in whins. [W. _chwyn_, weeds.]
WHIN, hwin, _n._ See WHINSTONE.
WHINE, hw[=i]n, _v.i._ to utter a plaintive, shrill cry: to complain in an unmanly way.--_n._ a plaintive cry: an affected nasal tone of complaint.--_ns._ WH[=I]'NER; WH[=I]'NING.--_adv._ WH[=I]'NINGLY. [A.S.
_hwinan_, to whine; Ice. _hvina_.]
WHINGE, hwinj, _v.i._ (_Scot._) to whine. [_Whine_.]
WHINGER, hwing'[.e]r, _n._ a dirk.--Also WHIN'IARD and WHIN'YARD. [Prob. a corr. of _hanger_.]
WHINNOCK, hwin'ok, _n._ (_prov._) the smallest pig in a litter: a milk-pail.
WHINNY, hwin'i, v.i, to neigh:--_pa.t._ and _pa.p._ whinn'ied.--_n._ a neigh. [Freq. of _whine_.]
WHINSTONE, hwin'st[=o]n, _n._ a popular name in Scotland for any hard and compact kind of stone, as distinguished from sandstone or freestone and rocks of slaty structure.--Also WHIN. [Perh. corr. from _whernstone_, _quernstone_, stone suitable for querns.]