• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

wag·gle verb wag·gled; wag·gling : to move backward and forward or from side to side : WAG

waggle noun : a jerky motion back and forth or up and down

wag·gon chiefly British variant of WAGON

wag·on noun 1 : a 4-wheeled vehicle; especially : one drawn by animals and used for freight or merchandise

2 : PADDY WAGON

3 : a child's 4-wheeled cart

4 : STATION WAGON

wag·on·er noun : the driver of a wagon

wag·on·ette noun : a light wagon with two facing seats along the sides behind a cross seat in front

wa·gon–lit noun, plural wagons–lits or wagon–lits [ORIGIN: F, fr. wagon railroad car + lit bed]

: a railroad sleeping car

wagon train noun : a column of wagons traveling overland

wag·tail noun : any of various slender-bodied mostly Old World birds with a long tail that jerks up and down

wa·hi·ne noun 1 : a Polynesian woman

2 : a female surfer

wa·hoo noun, plural wahoos : a large vigorous food and sport fish related to the mackerel and found in warm seas

waif noun 1 : something found without an owner and esp. by chance

2 : a stray person or animal; especially : a homeless child

wail verb 1 : to express sorrow audibly : make a mournful outcry

2 : to make a sound suggestive of a mournful cry

3 : to express dissatisfaction in a manner suggestive of sadness : COMPLAIN

Synonyms

bay, howl, keen, yowl—more at HOWL

usually wail for bemoan, bewail, deplore, grieve, lament, mourn—more at LAMENT

wail noun : a usu. prolonged cry or sound expressing grief or pain

Synonyms

groan, howl, keen, lament, moan, plaint—more at LAMENT

wail·ful adjective : SORROWFUL, MOURNFUL

— wail·ful·ly adverb

wain noun : a usu. large heavy farm wagon

wain·scot noun 1 : a usu. paneled wooden lining of an interior wall of a room

2 : the lower part of an interior wall when finished differently from the rest

— wainscot verb

wain·scot·ing or wain·scot·ting noun : material for a wainscot; also : WAINSCOT

waist noun 1 : the narrowed part of the body between the chest and hips

2 : a part resembling the human waist esp. in narrowness or central position

3 : a garment or part of a garment (as a blouse or bodice) for the upper part of the body

Synonyms

middle, midriff—more at MIDRIFF

waist·band noun : a band (as on pants or a skirt) that fits around the waist

waist·coat noun, chiefly British

: VEST 1

waist·line noun 1 : an arbitrary usu. imaginary line around the waist at its narrowest part; also : the length of this

2 : the line at which the bodice and skirt of a dress meet

1wait verb 1 : to remain inactive in readiness or expectation <~ for orders>

2 : to delay serving (a meal)

3 : to act as attendant or servant <~ on customers>

4 : to attend as a waiter : SERVE <~ tables> <~ at a banquet>

5 : to be ready

Synonyms

[1, 5] await, bide, hold on, stay; also hang around, linger, stick around; anticipate, expect

2wait noun 1 : a position of concealment usu. with intent to attack or surprise

2 : an act or period of waiting

wait·er noun 1 : one that waits on another; especially : a person who waits tables

2 : TRAY

waiting game noun : a strategy in which one or more participants withhold action in the hope of an opportunity for more effective action later

waiting room noun : a room (as at a doctor's office) for the use of persons who are waiting

wait·per·son noun : a waiter or waitress

wait·ress noun : a woman who waits tables

waive verb waived; waiv·ing [ORIGIN: ME weiven to decline, reject, give up, fr. AF waiver, gaiver, fr. waif lost, stray]

1 : to give up claim to

2 : POSTPONE

waiv·er noun 1 : the act of waiving right, claim, or privilege

2 : a document containing a declaration of a waiver

1wake verb woke also waked ; wo·ken or waked also woke; wak·ing 1 : to be or remain awake; especially : to keep watch (as over a corpse)

2 : to become awake : AWAKEN