wig 
See alloTige.— Blenheim wigt, a periwig: m named in 
honor of the battle of Blenheim (1704).— Campaign 
Wig, a wig used in traveling, with twisted side-locks 
ana curled forehead. See 10 in cut on preceding page. 
— Cauliflower wig, a variety of peruke in the eighteenth 
century, close curled, and covered with powder : so named 
from its supposed resemblance to a head of cauliflower 
when served at the table.— Welsh wig, a worsted cap. 
Simmonds. 
Wig3 (wig), t'. t. ; pret. and pp. irigijrd, ppr. win- 
ging. [< (fiV/S, II., the orig. sense being perhaps 
■ to put a wig on,' i. e. to set right witliout cere- 
mony, or 'to snatch at (one's) wig,' to ruffle or 
handle (one) without ceremony. Compare icig- 
ging, where the ref. to ear-wigging in the quo't. 
is prob. humorous, the term meaning ' wigging 
into one's private ear,' but alluding to earwig. 
an annoying insect.] To rate or scold severely. 
[Colloq.] 
If you wish to 'scape ■wi'jgino. a dumli wife 's the dandy ! 
Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, II. 386. 
Wi^an (wig'an), «. [Prob. from the town of 
tt^gaii in Lancashire, Eng.] A stiff, open can- 
vas-like fabric, used for stiffening and protect- 
ing the lower inside surface of skirts, etc. 
Wigandia (wi-gan'di-a), II. [NL. (Kunth, 
1818), named after J. H.' JUganil (1769-1817), 
a physician in Hamburg.] A genus of gamo- 
petalous plants, of the order Hi/dropliyllaccse 
and tribe Xaineif. It is characterized hy a broadly 
bell-shaped corolla, commonly exserted stamens, and a 
two-valved capsule. There are :i or 4 closely related spe- 
cies, widely dispersed through mountain regions of tropical 
America. They are tall, coarse, rough hairy herbs, with 
large rugose alternate leaves and conspicuous forking scor- 
pioid cymes. They are sometimes cultivated for ornament 
or as curiosities. W. urenx has been called Caracas bit/- 
lea/. 
wig-block (wig'blok). «. A block shaped like 
the top of the head, designed to support a wig 
in the process of making or when not in use. 
wigeon, «. See widgeon. 
Wigged (wigd), a. [< iciifi + -rd'i.'l Having 
the heail covered with a wig; wearing a wig. 
Tlic best-wigg'd Pr-n-e in Ohristendom. 
Moore, Twopenny Post-bag. 
At one end of this aisle is raised the Speaker's chair, be- 
low and in frontof which, invading the spacesof the aisle, 
are the desks of the \fi(f<jeil and gi >wned clerks. 
W. WUmn, rongressional (Jovernment, ii. 
wiggen-tree, 'wiggin-tree (wig'ou-tre, wig'in- 
tre), n. Hamons iriekin-trfi: Uritt/n and Hal- 
land. [Prov. Eng.] 
wiggert, a. An obsolete form of wicl.cr^. 
Wiggery (wig'er-i), n.; pi. wiggrrici (-iz). [< 
10(1/3 -f -eri/.] 1. The work of a wig-maker; 
false hair. [Rare.] 
She was a ghastly thing to loi>k at, as well from the 
quantity aa from the natine of the iriii'jerieif which she 
wore. Trollope, I>ast (.'hroniclc of Barset, xxiv. 
2. Excess of formality ; red-tapism. 
There is yet in venerable wigged .Justice some wisdom 
unid such mountains of irO:ipriei and folly. 
Carlyle. Paat and Present, ii. 17. (IMvieif.) 
'wigging (wig'ing), II. A scolding. See wi</3, v. 
If the head of a firm calls a clerk into the parlour and 
rebukes him, it is an eann'^^'/i^ ; if dotie before the other 
clerks, it is a tri-j*fin'j. Ilotten's SlatKj Diet. 
'Wiggin-tree, «. See wiggen-tree. 
wiggle (wig'l). r. t. and i. ; pret. and pp. wig- 
gled, ppr. wiggling. [< ME. icigcleii (= MD. 
leighelen = Mllti. trigelen), reel, stagger; prob. 
H var. form of waggle.'} To waggle; wabble; 
wriggle. [Provincial orcolloq.] 
'Wiggle Cwig'l), n. [< wiggle, c] A waggling 
or wriggling motion. 
Wiggler (wig'ler), H. One who or that which 
wriggles. 
wiggletail (wig'1-tal), ». Same as wriggler. 
■Wighert, '•. i. [Prob. imitative; cf. E. dial, ire- 
Af'-. ir(/i(>, neigh, whinnv.] To neigh; whinny. 
[Rare. J 
Sir Per. .See you this tail '? 
Dind. I cut it from a dead horse that can now 
Neither iriijher nor wag tail. 
Heau. and Fl. (?), Faithful Friends, iii. 2. 
'Wighiet, «. [Also weliee; prob. imitative; cf. 
wigher.] Tlie neighing of a horse ; a neigh. 
Whan the hors was lans, he ginnctli gon . . . 
Forth with Wehei: Chauee.r, Beeves Tale, 1. 14«. 
Hange on hyin the beuy brydel to holde hi.> bed lowe, 
For he wil make leehe tweye er be be tlicrc. 
Piem Ploinmtn (B), iv. 2'2. 
wight' (wit), w. [< MK. Wight, wi/glif. wi?t, 
wiht, < AS. Willi, wnlit, iniht, neut. iind f., a crea- 
ture, animal, person, thing. = OS. wiht. thing, 
pi. demons, = D. wiehl. » <diild, = OIKi. wiht, 
m. and neut., thing, cieature, ])i'isoii. MIK!. 
wihl, creature, thing, <«. wieht. being, i-ri^ature, 
babe, = Iccl. cdttr, a wight, vietUi, a whit, = Sw. 
6923 
vdtier, vatt = Dan. vietl£, an elf, = t4oth. waihts, 
f., tpaJAi, neut., athing; prob. orig. ' something 
moving' (a moving object indistinctly seen at 
a distance, whether man, child, animal, elf, or 
demon), < AS. wegan, etc., move, stir, carry : 
see weight, wag^. The word, by a phonetic 
change, also appears as mod. E. whit^. It also 
appears unrecognized in aught, naught, ho/1.] 
1 . A person, whether male or female ; a human 
being: as, an unlucky wight. 
There schulle thei fynde no Wight that will selle hem 
ony Vitaille or ony thing. Mandeville, Travels, p. 130. 
To you, my purse, and to non other wi<jht 
Compleyne I, for ye be my lady dere. 
Chaxieer, Complaint to his Purse, 1. 1. 
She was a icight, if ever such wight were, . . . 
To suckle fools and chronicle small beer. 
Shak., Othello, ii. 1. 159. 
N'o living wight, save the Ladye alone. 
Had dared to cross the threshold atone. 
Scott, L. of L. M., i. 1. 
2t. A preternatural, unearthly, or uncanny 
creature ; an elf, sprite, witch, or the like. 
*'I crouche thee from elves and fro vnghteg," 
Therwith the nyght-spel, seyde he anonriglites. 
Chaucer, Miller's Tale, I. 293. 
3t. A space of time ; a whit; awhile, 
she was falle aslepe a litle wight. 
Chaucer, Reeve's Tale, I. 363. 
wight^ (wit), a. [< ME. Wight, wijght, wicht, 
wyte, wiht, teigt, nimble, active, strong, < Icel. 
rigr (neut. fi/ft), serviceable for war, in fight- 
ing condition (= Sw. vig (neut. vigt), nimble, 
active, agile), < fig (= AS. wig), wiir; cf. vega, 
fight, smite, (ioth. weihan, fight, strive, con- 
tend, L. vincere, conquer: see victor, vincible. 
Cf. wie, wye, a warrior.] Having warlike prow- 
ess; valiant; courageous; strong and active; 
agile; nimble; swift. [Archaic] 
He was a knight full kant, the kynges son of Lice, 
And a uright mon in wcr, wild of his dedis; 
Pegtniction o/ Troy (E. E. T. S.), I. 6085. 
I is ful wight, God wat, as is a ra. 
Chaucer, Reeve's Tale, 1. 166. 
Le BalafriS roared out for fair play, adding "that he 
would venture his nephew on him were he as uright as 
Wallace." Scott, Quentin Durward, xxxvii. 
wigllt'''t, "• -^ Middle English form of weight^. 
wight't, ». See witel. 
'Wightlyt (wit'li), adv. [< ME. wightly, wihtliche, 
wigtliehc, wi^tli ; < wight" -I- -/y-.] Swiftly; 
nimbly; quickly; vigorously; boldly. 
Wi.jtliche with the child he went to his house, 
and bi-tok it to his wif tijtly to kepe. 
Waiiam of Palerne (E. E. T. S.), 1. 65. 
Sho went vp tcightlg by a walle syde 
To the toppe of a toure, & tot ouer the water 
Ffor to loke on hir luffe, longyng in hert. 
Destruction o/ Troy (E. E. T. S.), I. 862. 
ii& wightli/ thou, and I sal keepe hym heere. 
Chaucer, Reeve's Tale, I. 182. (Uarl. MS.) 
For day that was is wightiy past. 
Spenser, Shep. Cat, September. 
■wightnesst ('wit'nes), n. [< ME. wightiies; < 
wight- -I- -nes.'i.'] Courage; vigor; bravery. 
Thurgh my leightnes, I-wysse, & worthi Achilles, 
We bane . . . getyn to the grekis this ground with oure 
help. Destruction o/ Troy (E. E. T. S.), L 12108. 
'Wighty (wi'ti), o. [< wight^ -I- -//I.] Strong; 
active. Halliwell. [Prov. Eng.] 
wigless (wig'les), a. [< icig^ -t- -tes*-.] Without 
a wig; wearing no wig. 
Though irigtess, with his cassock torn, he bounds 
From .some facetious squire's encouraged hounds. 
Colman, "Vagaries Vindicated. 
■wig-maker (vvig'ma"ker), n. One who makes 
wigs, or who keeps up an establishment for 
the making and selling of wigs. 
'Wigre'Ve (wig'rev), n. [For 'wickrecre : < ME. 
'wikrere. < AS. wic-gerefa, a village or town of- 
ficer who had supervision of sales, < wie, town, 
+ gerefa, reeve: see ic/ct^and reere'^.'] A bailiff 
or steward of a hamlet. 
'Wig-tail (wig'tSl). n. The tropic-bird. See 
cut under I'haifthan. 
The wig-tail, a white bird about the size of a pigeon, 
having two long flexible, streamer-like tail featliers." 
Amer. Naturalist, X.\II. 862. 
wig-tree (wig'tre), ». The Venetian sumac, 
or smoke-tree, llhnn Cotiniis: so named from 
its puffy peruke-like inflorescence. See ninake- 
tree and ^nnifte, 2. 
wigwag (wig' wag), r. i. [A varied redupl. of 
ttYff/t.] To move to and fro; specifically, to 
signal by nu)vements of flags. [Collo([.] 
'Wigwag (wig'wag), (/. and n. [< wigwag, »i.] 
I. ((. Writhing, wriggling, or twisting. 
His midil embnicing with wig wag eirculed hooping. 
Stanihurst, Mnnid, ii. 2.'iO. 
Wild 
II. n. 1. A rubbing instrument used by watch- 
makers. It is attached by a crank to a wheel of a lathe, 
which gives it a longitudinal movement of reciprocation. 
E. U. Knight. 
2. Signaling by the movements of flags: as, to 
practise the wigwag. [CoUoq.] 
In the army wig-wag system, a flag moved to right and 
left during the day, and a white light moved over a 
stationary red one at night, are readily made to answer 
the same purpose. Sci. Amer., LIV. 16. 
■wigwag (wig'wag), adv. [An elliptical use of 
wigwag, ».] To and fro ; with wiggling motion : 
as, to go wigwag back and forth. [CoUoq.] 
wigwam (wig'wam), a. [Formerly also week- 
waiii ; from an Algonkin word represented by 
Etehemin weekwahm, a house, week, his house, 
neek, my house, keek, thy house, Massachusetts 
week or wek, his house, wekou-om-ut. in his or 
their house, etc. ; Cree wikiwdk, in their houses.] 
1. The tent or lodge of a North American 
Indian, generally of a conical shape and formed 
of bark or mats, or now most often of skins. 
>y//' 
Wigwam. 
laid over poles (called lodge-poles) stacked on 
the ground and converging at the top, where is 
left an opening for the escape of smoke. 
Ye Indeans . . . departed from their wigwames. 
Bradford, Plymouth Plantation, p. 428. 
Finch, of Watertown, had his wigwam burnt and all his 
goods. Winthrop, Hist. New England, I. 43. 
"We then marched on, . . . and, falling upon several Wig- 
wams, burnt them. 
Colt. Mass. Hi.1t, Soc. (1677), 2d ser., VIII. 142. 
When they would erect a wigwam, which is the Indian 
name for a house, they stick saplins into the ground by one 
end, and bend the other at the top, fasteinng them together 
by strings made of tlbrous roots, the rind of trees or of the 
green wood of the white oak, which will rive into thongs. 
Beverley, Virginiii, iii. T] 10. 
2. A large Iniilding; especially, a large struc- 
ture in which a nominating convention or other 
political gathering is held. [Slang, U. S.] 
■wig-weaver (wig ' w6 " ver), «. A wig-maker. 
[Hare.] 
Her head . . . 
Indebted to some smart wig-weaver's hand 
For more than half the tresses it sustains. 
Cowper, Task, iv. 543. 
■wike't, "• A Middle English form of weeki^, 
wick'^, wiek*. 
■wike^t, n. [< ME. wike, oiiiee, service ; appar. 
a use of wike, etc., week; cf. Goth, wiko, 
course, < L. *vix (vie-), change, regular succes- 
sion, office, service: see ?;ice*, week.'} Office; 
service. 
Ich can do wel gode wike. Owl and Nightingale, I. 603. 
■wike^ (wik), n. [Cf. «ci(!A-n'l.] A temporary 
mark, as a twig or brauchlet, used to divide 
swaths to be mown in commons, etc. Also 
called wicker. [Obsolete or prov. Eng.] 
■wiking (wi'king), n. [An adaptation of AS. 
wleing: seo viking.'} A viking. [Rare.] 
From the " wik," or creek where their long-ship lurked, 
the Wilcings, or "creek-men, ' as the adventurers were 
called, pounced upon their prey. 
J. It. Green, Conq. of Eng., p. 66. 
'Wikket, a. A Middle English spelling of icick'^. 
■wildl (wild), a. and n. [< ME. wildr. wielde, 
also wille, ivill, wil, < AS. wild, tmtamed, wild, 
= OS. wildi = OFries. v^ilde = D. wilil, savage, 
proud, = OHG. wildi, MHG. wilde, G. wild, 
wild, savage (as a noun, wild beasts, game), 
= Icel. )'(■//)• (for "rililr). wild, also bewilder- 
ed, astray, confused, = Sw. Dan. vild = Goth. 
wiltheix, wild, uncultivated; prob. orig. 'self- 
willed,' 'wilfnl,' with orig. pp. suffix -d (as in 
old, cold, etc.), from the root of wiWi; cf. W. 
gwyllt, wild, savage, gwyllys, the will. Henee 
wild. «., wildernesx, wilder, bewilder, etc.] I. 
a. 1. Self-willed; wayward; wanton; impa- 
