WAI 



745 



W A R 



an ore of manganese in Derbyshire and 

 Devonshire, consisting ol peroxide of the 

 metal associated with oxide of iron. 

 Sometimes called Slack-wadd . 



WA.U'IU\O. In manufactures, a soft 

 spongy web, made with a fleece of cotton 

 prepared by the carding-maehine, for 

 lining various parts of ladies' dresses, &c. 



AVA'DERS. In ornithology, the English 

 name of the Grallatores.an order of birds 

 remarkable for the length of their legs 

 from the lower extremity of the tibia 

 downwards. By this they are adapted 

 for wading in the margins of rivers, low 

 shores, and marshy places. 



W AD'S ETT, from Sax. tcaed, a pledge. In 

 Scotch law. a species of mortgage of pro- 

 perty, for the recovery of money borrowed. 



WA'GER. In law, the icager of battle or 

 battel, was a mode of trial by single com- 

 bat, where, in appeals of felony, the 

 appellee might fight with the appel- 

 lant, to prove his innocence. This reiic 

 of barbarism has only been recently abo- 

 lished. The wager of law is an offer, on 

 the part of the defendant, in an action of 

 debt by simple Contract, to take an oath 

 in court, in presence of eleven com- 

 purgators, that he owes the plaintiff 

 nothing in the manner aud form he has 

 declared. 



WAG'TAIL. A beautiful small bird which 

 frequents the margins of ponds and water- 

 courses, and takes its name from its con- 

 tinually elevating and depressing the tail. 

 The Wagtails constitute the sub-genus 

 Motacilla, Cuv., of the genus J\fotacilla, 

 Lin. See MOTACILLA. 



W AH ABBES'. A Mussulman sect founded 

 by Abd-el-Wahab, a learned Arabian. 



WAIFS. Bona waviata. Goods stolen 

 and thrown away by the thief in his 

 flight, on which event they belong to the 

 crown. The term now comprises all goods 

 found of which the owner is not known. 



WAIN, Sax. waen. A waggon. In as- 

 tronomy, a constellation; Charles' wain. 



WAIS'SCOT. In carpentry, the inner 

 wooden lining of a wall, generally in 

 panels. The wood originally used in this 

 work was a foreign oak known by the 

 name of wagescote, and hence the name by 

 degrees came to be corrupted and applied 

 to "the work itself. 



WAIST. In ship-building, the space be- 

 tween the quarter-deck and forecastle. 



WAITS. These were formerly attend- 

 ant musicians on great personages, may- 

 ors, and bodies corporate, generally fur- 

 nished with appropriate dresses. They 

 foave fallen from their high estate, and 

 unk into itinerant musicians, who, in 

 their nocturnal perambulations, give no- 

 tice of the approach of Christmas. 



WAJV'ER. A term in laic, signifying 

 that a person declines or refuses to ac- 

 cept or to avail himself ;f something. 



WAKE. The track which a ship in mo 

 tion leaves in the water. 



WALDEX'SES. A. religious sect named 

 from Peter Waldo, who attempted to 

 effect a reform in doctrinal matters about 

 the year 1180. They still exist as a church, 

 notwithstanding many severe persecu- 

 tions ; are strictly CalvinUtic ; adhere to 

 the Presbyterian form of church govern- 

 ment, and have given the right hand of 

 fellowship to the new dissenting church 

 of Scotland. 



WALES. In thip-bui!duig, an assemblage 

 of strong planks extending along a ship'* 

 side, serving to reinforce the decks, and 

 forming the curves of the vessel. Set 

 CHAIN WALES. 



WAL'LERITE. The name given by 

 Cleaveland to a variety of clay found in 

 compact masses about the size of a nut, 

 white and opaque, or yellow and trans- 

 lucent. 



WALL-EYE. An opacity of the cornea 

 of the eye. 



WALL-PLATES. In carpentry, pieces of 

 timber which are so placed as to form the 

 supports to the roof of a building. 



WAL'P.US, from Ger. tc<i!.l. and ross. a 

 horse. The- morse or sea -horse. Set Tai- 

 CHECHUS. 



WALTZ. A modern dance and tune, the 

 measure of whose music is triple: three 

 quavers to a bar. The wait/ is the natiou*J 

 German dance. Waltz, says Hamilton, is 

 the name of a riotous and indecent Ger- 

 man dance, derived from waltzen, to roll, 

 wallow, or welter in the mud, dirt or mire. 



WAM'PUM. A sort of broad belt forned 

 of strings of shells, and worn as an orna- 

 ment or girdle by the North American 

 Indians. This name has also been given 

 to the interior parts of the clam shell, 

 formerly used as money among them. The 

 native name is wampampeague or team* 

 pumpengue. 



WANGHEES'. Japan canes. Canes im- 

 ported from Chuia. 



WAP'EXTAKE. A territorial division in 

 Yorkshire. The name was applied by the 

 Danish inhabitants, and is derived from 

 wapen, a, weapon. 



WAR'BLES. In farriery, small hard tu- 

 mours on the backs of horses, occasioned 

 by the heat of the saddle in travelling, or 

 by the uneasiness of its situation. 



WARD'-MOTE. A court in each ward of 

 the city of London, having the power to 

 present defaults in matters of police, &c. 



WARMTH. In painting, a tone of co- 

 lour arising from the use of colours ex- 

 pressive of heat. 



WARP. 1. In manufactures, the thread 

 extended lengthways on the loom, across 

 which the woof is passed by means of a 



shuttle. 2. in naval affairs, signifying 



rope laid out for the purpose of moving 

 ship. 



