The Phrontistery



W

   ABCD EFGH IJKL MNO P QRST UVWX YZINDEX

Word Definition
wackold name for decomposed basalt
wadmalthick coarse wool
waftagetransportation through water or air
waftureact of waving or wafting
wagonettecarriage with one crosswise seat in front, two seats in back
wagtailan obsequious person; a harlot
wainageteam and implements needed for cultivation of land
wainscotto line with boards or panels; fine oak panelling
wairtimber of six feet in length and one foot in width
waitsmusicians employed to play on ceremonial occasions
wakerifewakeful; indisposed to sleep
waldfluteorgan flute stop of 4 feet in length
waldgraveold German title of nobility
waldhornFrench valveless hunting horn
waleto choose; the act of choosing
walleteerone who carries a wallet
wallfishsnail
wallfloweryellowish-red
wallydragfeeble or worthless person or animal
walmto spout; to boil up
waltyinclined to tip over or lean
wamblechurning of the stomach; wobbling or rolling motion
wamethe womb or belly; a protuberant hollow part
wamuscardigan or jacket buttoned at neck and wrists
wanchancyunlucky; uncanny
wangthe cheek; a molar
wanhopedespair
waniganpay office in a lumber camp
wanionill luck; misfortune
wankleunstable or unsteady
wantagedeficiency; shortage
wanzeto decrease; to waste away
wapenshawperiodic gathering to evaluate readiness of men for combat
wapentakearchaic sub-division of certain counties
wapitielk
waqfcharitable donation for Islamic religious purposes
warblesmall tumour suffered by horses under the saddle area
wardcornpayment of corn in place of military service
wardenkind of pear used in cooking
wardmotemeeting of a ward or a court of a ward
wardroomquarters for ship's officers
warisonwealth; reward; punishment
warrantisethe act of guaranteeing or warranting; an assurance
warrayto make war on
warrenheart-shaped hoe
warrenerkeeper of a warren of rabbits
wasesmall bundle of hay or straw for resting one's head
washballball of toilet soap
washboardbroad thin plank along ship's gunwale to keep out sea water
washerylocation where industrial washing takes place
washeterialaundromat or launderette
washithin Japanese paper used to make kites and lanterns
washlandarea periodically flooded by river
wasman outdated policy, doctrine or theory
wassailtoast to someone's health; to go caroling or carousing; spiced ale
wassermanman-shaped sea monster
wastelsweet flaky bread made with fine flour and butter
wastelotunused lot of land in a built-up area
wasterwooden sword used for practicing fencing
wastiveliable to waste
watchetpale blue
watchglasssmall dish used for holding small amounts of a solution
watchingfully afloat
wateragefee paid for travelling on water
waterishresembling or filled with water; insipid or diluted
watermanboatman or ferryman
waterworkpiece of fabric painted to resemble a tapestry
wattmeterinstrument for measuring electrical power
waulkto full cloth
waulkercloth fuller
wavemeterinstrument for measuring wavelengths
wavesongoods floating on the sea after a shipwreck
waxclothoilcloth; linoleum
wayboardthin geological seam separating larger strata
waygoneexhausted from long travels
waymentlamentation; grief
waywiserinstrument for measuring distance travelled
wayzgooseannual employees' dinner or outing
wearto turn a ship's stern to windward to alter its course
wearishtasteless; savourless
weasandthe gullet or windpipe
weatherboardweather side of a ship
weatherlyable to sail close to the wind with little leeway
weatherometerinstrument for measuring weather-resisting properties of paint
webcastlive broadcast transmitted on the World Wide Web
weberunit of magnetic flux equal to 100 million maxwells
webstera female weaver
webwheelwheel in which spokes, rim and centre made from one piece of material
wedelnskiing in a swiveling motion with skis close together
weedgarment or outfit worn during mourning
weedicidesomething that kills weeds
weedydressed in widow's mourning clothes
weftagetexture
wegotismexcessive use of the pronoun 'we' in speech or writing
weighagefee paid for weighing goods
weirdwardbordering upon the supernatural
weldyellow dye; plant from which it is extracted
welkto twist about
welkinthe vault of the sky; firmament; heaven
wellawayexpression of sorrow or lamentation; alas
welterto be in a state of turmoil or chaos
wenenormously congested city
wergildfine paid by family of murderer to family of murder victim
wertfreiwithout value judgement; neutral
westingspace or distance westward
wethercastrated ram
weyold measure for dry goods usually equal to 40 bushels
whanga leather thong; a thick slice
whangaman imaginary animal
wharfingerkeeper or owner of a wharf
whataboutsthings with which one is occupied
wheala Cornish mine
wheatenthe golden colour of ripe wheat
wheelhouseshelter where ship's steering wheel kept
wheepsound made by a steel weapon when drawn from a sheath
wheepleto whistle feebly
whelkyknobby; rounded
whelveto cover with an upside down vessel
whemmleto overturn; to throw into a state of disorder
whenaswhen
whencesoeverfrom whatsoever place or source
whereagainstagainst which
whereinsoeverin whatsoever respect or place
whereintointo which; into what
whereofof what
whereonon what
whereoutout of which
wherethroughthrough which; through the agency of
whereuntilto what
wherewithwith what
wherreta blow on the ear or side of the head
wherrylight shallow boat; barge
wheyoff-white
whichsoeverevery one that
whickerto neigh; to bleat
whiffto fish with hand line towed behind a boat
whiffetpaltry person; little dog
whifflerofficial who clears way for a procession
whifflerylevity; trifling
whifta slight puff or blast
whiggarchygovernment by Whigs
whilomformerly; once; former
whingorse; furze
whingerdirk or short sword
whinstonehard and compact rock
whinyardshort sword
whipcattailor
whipcordfabric with bold twill used for making dresses
whipjackwhining beggar who pretends to be a sailor
whippeta small tank
whippletreecrosspiece of a carriage to which harnesses attached
whippypliant; supple
whipsawnarrow saw for cutting timber lengthwise
whipstaffvertical lever controlling ship's rudder
whipstallairplane stall causing nose to whip forward and down
whirretto give a sharp blow to
whiskerandoa whiskered person
whiskerinebeard-growing contest
whissto hiss or whistle
whistlermythical bird whose whistle is fatal to the listener
whitecoatwhite-furred seal pup
whitherto what place
whithersoeverto any place whatsoever
whitherwardtoward what or which place
whitleatherleather dressed with alum
whitlowabscess around a fingernail
whitsterbleacher of cloth and clothing
whittawerone who makes saddles or harnesses
whittlea woollen shawl or blanket
whodunitrygenre of writing poor mystery novels
wholestitchweaving stitch that fills in a pattern
whoresonbastard; whore's son; term of contempt
whosoeverevery one who
wicketsmall door forming part of larger door of a church or castle
widdershinscounterclockwise
widgeonfreshwater duck
widgetany small manufactured object
wieldlessunmanageable
wiganstiff plain-woven cotton
wighta supernatural man-like being
wightnimble; strong; courageous
wilderto cause to stray
wildingthat which grows without cultivation
williwawsudden squall, tumult or disturbance
willowishof the colour of willow leaves
wimbleinstrument for boring holes; gimlet; auger
wimplecloth covering for head and neck worn by nuns
winceyplain or twilled cotton
windboundhindered from sailing by contrary winds
windcheaterwindproof jacket
windgallpuffy swelling around a horse's joints
windlasscircuitous movement; indirect action
windlasswinch used to raise a ship's anchor
windleappliance for winding yarn
windlestrawanything light or insubstantial; feeble person
windrosediagram showing yearly wind strengths for a locality
windrowhay raked together into a line
windthrowthe blowing over of trees by the wind
wingleta small wing
winklerone who extracts or forces something out little by little
winterbourneintermittent spring of water
winterimshort winter term at a private school designed for personal study
winterkillto kill by exposure to cold
winzesmall ventilating shaft between two levels of a mine
wippenpart of piano hammer raised when note played
wirbleto whirl; to turn round and round
wiredrawto reduce fluid pressure by passing it through a small orifice
wirewovevery fine quality of writing paper
wisto know, to believe
wiseacresomeone who unduly assumes air of superior wisdom
wiselingone who pretends to be wise
wisentEuropean bison
wisentextinct European bison
wisketa basket
wistto know
wistlylongingly; earnestly
witchknotknot in hair supposedly tied by witches
witelesswithout fault; blameless
witenagemotearly English national council
withalbesides; therewith; nevertheless; with
witheelastic tool handle to save the hand from shock of blows
withepartition between chimney flues
witherlingwithered or decrepit person; an adversary
withinsideon the interior of
withoutsideon the exterior of
withyflexible; wiry and agile; willow
witlingone who utters markedly feeble witticisms
witticastera petty or inferior wit
wittolone who knows wife's faithlessness and submits to it
witwantonto engage in irreverent wit
wiveto take for a wife; to marry a woman
wivernmythical two-legged winged monster
woadbroad-leafed plant yielding blue dye
wogglering of leather or plastic used to thread neckerchief
woldopen tract of country
womanthropea hater of women
wombyhollow; capacious
wondermongerone who promises miracles
wonderworkprodigy; miracle; thaumaturgy
wonea dwelling-place; custom or habit
woningstate of dwelling; dwelling-place
wontlessunaccustomed
woodmad; insane; wild
woodmealsawdust and other wood waste used as industrial filler
woodreeveoverseer of a wood
woodsheddingspontaneous barbershop singing
woodwosewild man of the woods, used in heraldry as supporter; satyr or faun
woofitsan unwell feeling; depression
woolageuntidy hair
woolbirdsheep
wooldto wind a rope or chain around
woolfellskin with the wool still on it
woolpackcirrocumulus cloud; a bale or bundle of wool
woolsacklarge wool-filled scarlet sack for the Lord Chancellor
woolseycotton and wool blend
woolwardwith wool next to the skin as punishment
woonerfroad in a residential district which uses various measures to calm traffic
woopiewell-off older person
worcesterfine wool
wordboundunable to find expression in words
wordbreakpoint of division in a word that runs onto the next line
wordishverbose
workeristone who supports worker's rights
workshyhating or avoiding work; lazy
worksomeindustrious
worldlinga person engrossed in concerns of the present world
wormcastspiral heap of earth left by burrowing worm
wormeryplace where worms are bred
wormillump in the skin of an animal's back
wormwoodsomething bitter, galling, or grievous
worricowscarecrow; hobgoblin; frightening-looking person
worsementdeterioration or deprecation of property without the owner's consent
worsificationthe composition of bad poetry
wortany herb or vegetable
wortinfusion of malt before fermentation
wortleperforated plate through which wire drawn to make thinner
woubita small and shabby person
woundlessharmless
woundycausing wounds; characterized by wounds
woundyexcessively; extremely
wrackseaweed or wreckage cast up on shore
wrackfuldestructive
wranglershipposition of being a wrangler at Cambridge University
wrawlto caterwaul
wreaklessunpunished
wretchocksmallest or weakest of a brood
wrickto twist; to sprain; to strain
wrightmaker; repairer
wristletwristband; small strap worn around the wrist
writativecharacterized by an inclination to write
writhledwrinkled; shriveled
wrongousunjust; wrongful
wrothwrathful; in commotion; stormy
wroxto decay; to rot
wuffleragricultural machine for turning and fluffing bales of hay
wurleya nest; an aboriginal hut
wurstlarge sausage
wurzelkind of beet
wutheringblowing strongly with a roaring sound
wyea Y-branching pipe or railroad track arrangement
wynold English rune having value 'w'
wyndnarrow street or lane
wyrdthe personification of fate or destiny


I hope you have found this site to be useful. If you have any corrections, additions, or comments, please contact me. Please note that I am not able to respond to all requests. Please consult a major dictionary before e-mailing your query. All material on this page © 1996-2021 Stephen Chrisomalis. Links to this page may be made without permission.

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