web-press 
web-press (web'pres), n. A printing-machine 
which is automatically supplied with its paper 
from a great web or roll: usually a rotary ma- 
chine, but the name is given to newspaper 
printing-machines of different constructions, 
like those of Hoe, Marinoni, Walter, and others. 
See cut un<\eT printing-machine. 
web-saw (web'sa), n. A frame-saw. 
The irflt-mu; the glue-pot, the plane, and the hammer 
arc the principal tools used. The Century, XXXVII. 418. 
webstert (web'ster), w. [= Sc. wabster; < ME. 
webstere, websiar, < AS. webbcstrc, a female 
weaver, < ttY'fcftaK, weave : see ht6 and -s/er. As 
with other JIE. forms in -stcr (strictly fem. in 
themselves), the word was also often regarded 
as mase. (cf. baxter and brewt^ter'^, used as masc. 
in ME.). The name survives In the surname 
Webste7-.J A weaver. IVyclif, Job vii. 6. 
One witness says "a very goodwebster cslh scarcely earne 
fewer pence a day w'>' weavinge." 
Mecord Soc. Lancashire and CheshirCj XI. 53. 
websterite (web'ster-U), n. [So named in 
honor of Thomas Webster ( 1772-1844), a Scottish 
geologist.] Aluminite; hydrous tribasic sul- 
phate of aluminium, found in Sussex, England, 
and at Halle in Prussia, in reniform masses and 
botryoidal concretions of a white or yellowish- 
white color. 
Webster's condenser. An apparatus consist- 
ing of two lenses, used in microscopy for in- 
tensifying the light thrown on the object. 
web-toed (web'tod), a. Web-footed. 
web-wheel (web'hwel), n. A wheel in which 
the hub and rim are connected by a web or 
plate, which may be either intact or perforated. 
It is a common form for railway car-wheels, and is also 
used for the wheels of watches and clocks, which are cast 
or stamped with webs, and then crossed out — that is, the 
web is perforated and filed into the form of spokes. E. H. 
Knight. 
web-winged (web'wingd), «. Winged by large 
webs stretched between elongated digits of the 
fore limbs, as bats; chiropterous. Seecutsun- 
der bat- and Fiiria. 
web-worm (web'werm), n. Anyone of several 
lepidopterous larvai which feed more or less 
gregariously, and spin large webs into which 
they retire at night, or within which they feed 
during the day until the contained foliage is 
entirely devoured, when the web is enlarged. 
The tent-caterpillars, Clisiocampa americana and C. syl- 
vatica, are web-worms. (See cut under tent -caterpillar.') 
The fall well-worm is the larva of the bombycid Hi/phan- 
tria cunea. The garden web-worm is the larva of Eury- 
creon rantidia, a pyralid motli of the fjimily Botidm. This 
species is nut gregarious, but the larvae form individual 
webs near the roots of corn, cotton, cabbage, melon, po- 
tato, and other cultivated crops in the western United 
States. — Grape web-worm. Same as vine inch-worm 
(which see, under vine). — Turf web-WOrm. Same as 
god-worm. 
wecht (weeht), n. [Also spelled weight, wcyht; 
perhaps connected with ME. Keyi/en, < AS. 
wecyan, move, a secondary verb, < wet/an, carry : 
see iceiylA, and cf. wei(jht^.'\ An instrument in 
the form of a sieve, but without holes, used for 
lifting grain. Burns. [Scotch.] 
wedt (wed), n. [= Sc. wad; < ME. wed, wedde, 
< AS. wed, wedd, a pledge, = OFries. wed = MD. 
wedde = OHG. ivetti, weti, MHG. wette, wete, 
wet, G. wctlc = leel. veth, a pledge, = Sw. vad, 
a bet, appeal. = Goth, icadi, a pledge, = L. vas 
(vad-), a pledge; cf. Gr. at-BAov, contr. aS'Aov 
(orig. *aFtl)'/.ov), a prize, tlie prize of a contest 
(> ult. E. athlete, etc.) ; cf. Skt. vadhu, a bride, 
woman. Hence wed, i\, wud.'ict, etc. From the 
same source, L. or Teut., are ult. E. vadimony, 
gage, engage, wage, wager, etc.] A pledge ; 
pawn ; security. 
He that lawith at a niynstrels worde gevith to hyni a 
wedde. Political Poeins, etc. (ed. Funiivall), p. 31. 
Passage shalt thou pai here under the grene-wode tre, 
Or els thou shiilt leve a wedde with me. 
Playc of llobyn Mode (Child's Ballads, V. 427). 
There 'a uane that gaes by Carterhaugh 
But maun leave him a wad. 
Either gowd rings, or green mantles. 
The Ymuvj Tamlane (CInld's Ballads, I. 116). 
To wed, in pledge; in pawn. 
A Kyng of Fraunce bi,ughte theise Relikes soratyme of 
the .luwes, to whom the Emperour had leyde hem to 
wedde, for a gret summe of Sylvi-e. 
Mandeville, Travels, p. 13. 
Let him be war, his nekke lith to wedde. 
Chaucer, Knight's Tale, 1. 360. 
My londes beth set to wedde, Roliyn, 
XJntvll a certayne daye. 
Lytell Gette of Itohyn Uode (Child's Ballads, V. .',4). 
wed (wed), f.; j)r('t. and pp. wedded, teed, ppr. 
wedding. [< ME. wedden.i AS. weddian, pledge, 
engage, = OS. weddian = MI). D. wedden, lay a 
wager, = MHG. G. wetten, wager, = Icel. retlija. 
6866 
wager, = Sw. vddja, appeal, = Dan. vedde, wa- 
ger, = Goth, ga-ioadjon, pledge, betroth; from 
the noun. Ci. wage, gage', v.} I. trans. It. To 
pledge ; henee, to wager. 
Yee be welcome, that dare I wele wedde. 
My lorde has sente for to seke hym. 
York Plays, p. 261. 
The yonge man, hauinge his hart all redy wedded to his 
frende Titus, . . . refused ... to be parswaded. 
Sir T. Elyot, The Governour, ii. 12. 
I'll wad a weather he'll gar the blude spin frae under 
your nails. Scott, Black Dwarf, xvii. 
2. To marry ; take for husband or for wife. 
Thei wedden there no Wyfes ; for alle the Womnien there 
ben commoun, and thei forsake no man. 
Mandetrille, Travels, p. 179. 
Since the day 
I saw thee first, and wedded thee. 
Milton, P. L., ix. 1030. 
3. To join in marriage; give or unite in wed- 
lock. 
In Syracusa was I born, and wed 
Unto a woman. Shak., C. of E., i. 1. 37. 
4. To unite closely in affection ; attach firmly 
by passion or prejudice: as, to be wedded to 
one's habits or opinions. 
Men are wedded to their lusta. TUlotson, Sermons. 
I am iu)t wedded to these ideas. 
Jefferson, To Colonel Monroe (Correspondence, I. 236). 
Faith, fanatic Faith, once wedded fast 
To some dear falsehood, hugs it to the last. 
Moore, I.alla Rookh, Veiled Prophet. 
5. To unite forever or inseparably. 
Thou art wedded to calamity. Shak., R. and J., iii. 3. 3. 
They led the vine 
To wed her elm. Milton, P. L., v. 215. 
6t. To espouse; take part with. 
They . . . wedded his cause. Clarendon. 
To wed 'With a rush ring. SeerusAi. 
II. intrans. To marry; contract marriage; 
become united as in matrimony. 
With Athulf child he wedde. 
King Horn (E. E. T. S.), p. 9. 
For to been a wyf he gaf nie leve 
Of indulgence, so it is no repreve 
To wedde me if that my make dye. 
Chaucer, Prol. to Wife of Bath's Tale, I. 86. 
Tiiought leapt out to wed with Thought 
Ere Thought could wed itself with Speech. 
Tennyson, Iti Men)oriam, xxiii. 
Wed. An abbreviation of Wednesday. 
wedbrekt, «• [ME., < wed + break.~i An adul- 
terer. Early English Psalter, Ps. xlix. 18. (Strat- 
mann.) 
weddet, «• Same as wed. 
wedded (wed'ed), j?. a. 1. Married; united in 
marriage. 
Let wealth, let honour, wait the wedded dame. 
Pope, Eloisa to Abelard, 1. 77. 
2. Of or pertaining to matrimony: as, wedded 
life; wedded bliss. — 3. Intimately united or 
joined together; clasped together. 
Then fled she to her inmost bower, and there 
Unclasp'd the wedded eagles of her belt. 
Tennyson, Godiva. 
wedde-fee, n. See wed-fee. 
wedder' (weii'er),». [< iccrf -t- -erl.] One who 
weds. 
wedder^ (wed'er), n. A dialectal form of 
wether. 
wedde-settet, "• *• See wcdset, wadset. 
wedding (wed'ing), n. [< ME. wedding, wed- 
dynge, < AS. weddung (= MD. weddinghe),vfed- 
ding, marriage, verbal n. of weddian, pledge, 
wed: see !(;e(?l.] Marriage; nuptials; nuptial 
ceremony or festivities, especially the latter: 
also used attributively: as, wedding cheer. 
Tliere dide oure Lord the firste Myracleat the Wedyny, 
whan he turned Watre in to Wyu. 
Mand£dZle, Travels, p. 111. 
The kyngdam of heueues is maad lie to a man kyng that 
made weddingus to his sone. Wyclif, Mat. xxii. 2. 
Simple and brief was the wedding, as that of Ruth and of 
Boaz. 
Softly the youth and the maiden repeated the words of 
betrothal, 
Taking each other for husband and wife in the Magis- 
trate's presence. Longfellow, Miles Staudish, ix. 
Penny wedding, a wedding at which the guests contrib- 
ute toward the expenses of the entertaitmient, and fre- 
quently toward the household outfit of the wedded pair. 
Love that no golden ties can attach 
. . . will fly away from an Emperor's match 
To dance at a Penny Wedding ! 
Hood, Miss Kilmansegg, Her Honeymoon. 
Silver wedding, golden wedding, diamond wed- 
ding, the celebmticiiis of the twenty-flfth, the flftietb, 
and the seventy-fifth anniversaries of a wedding, at w hich 
silver, gold, and dianioml ]>resents respectively are maile. 
Pajyer, jrooden, tin, crystal, and china weddings arc also 
sometimes celebrated on fir-^t, fifth, tenth, fifteenth, ami 
twentieth anniversaries. = Syn. Nuptials, Matnmony, etc. 
See marriage. 
wedge 
wedding-bed (wed'ing-bed), «. The bed of a 
newly married pair. 
My grave Is like to be my wedding bed. 
Shak., R. and J., i. 5. 137. 
wedding-cake (wed'ing-kak'), «. A rich, deco- 
rated cake made to grace a wedding, it is cut 
and distributed to the guests, and portions of it are sent 
afterward to friends not present. Also bride-cake. 
wedding-cards (wed'ing-kilrdz' ), n. ]>l. In gen- 
eral, an invitation or notification sent out on 
the occasion of a marriage; specifically, two 
cards, one bearing the name of the bride and 
the other that of the groom. 
wedding-chest (wed'ing-chest), n. A chest or 
coffer, usually of ornamental character, de- 
signed to contain the clothes and ornaments 
of a bride. Compare bridal chest (under ehest^), 
and cassone. 
wedding-clothes (wed'ing-kloTHz'), n.pl. Gar- 
ments made for the occasion of a wedding, es- 
pecially those of the bride or the bridegroom, 
and either worn at the ceremony and festivities, 
or prepared as necessary for the changed con- 
ditions of life. 
wedding-day ( wed'ing-da), n. The day of mar- 
riage. 
wedding-dower (wed'ing-dou''er), V. A mar- 
riage-portion. 
Let her beauty be her wedding -dmcer. 
Shak., 1. G. of V., uL 1. 78. 
wedding-dress (wed'ing-dres'), w. The dress 
worn by a bride at her wedding. 
Weddinger (wed'ing-er), n. [< wedding + -«rl.] 
A guest at a wedding; one of a wedding party. 
[Provincial.] 
wedding-fa'VOr (wed'ing-fa''''vor), )i. A bunch 
of white ribbons, or a rosette, etc., sometimes 
worn by men attending a wedding. Simtnoitds. 
wedding-feast (wed'ing-fest), «. A feast or 
entertainment in honor of a wedding. 
wedding-flower (wed'ing-flou"<T), n. A plant, 
Marxa (Iri,s) Eobin,smiiana of Lord Howe's 
Island, New South Wales, having white iris- 
like flowers sometimes 4 inches across Cape 
wedding-flower, Dombeya Xatalcnsui, a ^outh African 
sliruh or .small tree with showy flowers. 
wedding-garment (wed'ing-giir'ment), n. A 
garment such as is worn at a wedding ceremony 
or entertainment. 
And when the King came in to see the guests, he saw 
there a man which had not on a wedding garment. 
Mat. xxii. 11. 
Is supper ready, the house trinnned, . . . and every offi- 
cer his wedding -garment on ? Shak., T. of the S., iv. 1. 51. 
wedding-knife (wed'ing-nif ), n. One of a pair of 
knives contained in a sheath which is arranged 
to be worn at the girdle. This was a common 
wedding-gift in the seventeenth century. 
wedding-ring (wed'ing-ring), 11. A ring which 
is given by one of a married pair to the other 
on the occasion of their marriage, especially one 
given by the groom to the bride. It is usually 
a plain gold ring. 
wedding-song (wed'ing-s6ng), H. A song sung 
in honor of a bride and groom; an epithala- 
mium. 
wedeH, v- i- [ME. weden, < AS. wedan, be mad, < 
tfod, mad : see uood^.'] To go mad ; rage ; rave. 
He tok his leue & went home a-geiue 
Weping as he wold wide for wo & for sorwe, 
William of Palerne (E. E. T. S.X 1. 1509. 
wedeif, «. [ME., < wede, r.] Madness. 
And had therof so mochc drede. 
That he wende have go to wede. 
MS. Harl. 1701, f. 24. (HalliiceO.) 
wede^t, »• A Middle English form of weed^. 
wed-fee (wed'fe), «. [Also wedde-fee; < wed 
+ /wl.] 1. A wager. Bobson. (Halliwell.) 
[Prov.Eng.] — 2. Wage; reward; recompense. 
Jamieson. [Scotch.] 
wedgel (wej), n. [< ME. wegge. wigge, wege, < 
AS. wecg, a wedge (a mass of metal), = MD. 
wegghe, wigghe, D. wigge, wig, a wedge, = MLG. 
wegge = OHG. icekl-i, weggi, MHG. wecie, wegge, 
G . toecVe, week, a wedge-shaped loaf, = Icel. veggr 
= Sw. i-igg — Dan. vsegge, a wedge; prob. lit. 
'a mover' (from the use and effect in splitting), 
ult. from the verb represented by weight. Cf. 
Lith. wagis, a bent wooden peg for hanging 
things on, a spigot for a cask, also 
a wedge.] 1. A simple machine 
consisting of a very acute-angled 
triangular prism of hai'd material, 
which is driven in between objects 
to be separated, or into anything 
which is to be split. The wedge is wed^c. 
nieiely a special application of au inclined 
plane, and is nowise entitled to a distir.ct place in th 
list of niecliaincal iwwers. 
hanging 
