Dictionary: WI – WIL


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WIBBET
n. 1. 1869 – a little piece, a wee bit → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
n. 2. 1869 – a very small child Eng. dial. (Bk.)

WICK
n. 20C – the penis rhyming sl. for ‘prick’

WICKED
adj. 1920 – really good, fantastic, excellent, first-rate, wonderful; great; deeply satisfying → sl., orig. US
adv. 1960 – very; extremely, really, totally → Amer. dial.

WICKED GOOD
adj. 1974 – very good Amer. dial.

WICKER
vb. 1965 – to whinny, to neigh softly Amer. dial.

WICKERBILL
n. 1. 1921 – a poor, White, rural Southerner; also used as a vaguely derogatory term Amer. dial.
n. 2. 1939 – the foreskin; the penis Amer. dial.
n. 3. 1951 – a contraption, a gadget, a doohickey Amer. dial.

WICKET FOR WACKET
phr. 1889 – tit for tat Eng. dial.

WICKEYUPWICKIE-UP WICKIUP WICKY-UP
n. 1876 – any meagre shelter or dwelling Amer. dial.

WICKY
n. 1914 – a teepee Amer. dial.

WIDDER
n. 1914 – a widow Amer. dial.

WIDDERY-MINDED
adj. 19C – vacillating; changeable Eng. dial.

WIDDIE
int. 1902 – a call to chickens or other domestic fowl Amer. dial.
n. 1936 – a baby chick; also, rarely, a hen Amer. dial.

WIDDLE
n. 1954 – urination sl.
vb. 1968 – to urinate sl.

WIDDY
int. 1902 – a call to chickens or other domestic fowl Amer. dial.
n. 1. 1914 – a widow Amer. dial.
n. 2. 1936 – a baby chick; also, rarely, a hen Amer. dial.

WIDDY-BIT
n. 1942 – a small amount; a bit Amer. sl. (Bk.)

WIDE
adj. 1. 1879 – said of someone engaged in or skilled in sharp practice, dishonest Brit. sl.
adj. 2. ..20C – shrewd; wary Brit. sl.

WIDE AND SIDE
adv. ..900 – far and wide obs.

WIDE BOY
n. 1937 – a rogue, a ne’er-do-well Brit. sl.

WIDE EYE
n. 1. 1990 – insomnia Amer. dial.
n. 2. 1990 – severe exhaustion Amer. dial.

WIDE HOLE IN THE ROAD
n. 1965 – a very small town Amer. dial.

WIDE OF THE CUSHION
adv. 1690 – away from the main purpose or argument, beside the mark; erroneously or mistakenly obs.

WIDE PATH IN THE ROAD
n. 1965 – a very small town Amer. dial.

WIDE PLACE IN THE ROAD
n. 1879 – a very small town Amer. dial.

WIDE SPACE IN THE ROAD
n. 1965 – a very small town Amer. dial.

WIDE SPOT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD
n. 1950 – a very small town Amer. dial.

WIDE SPOT IN THE ROAD
n. 1909 – a very small town Amer. dial.

WIDE-WHERE
adv. 1000 – far and wide, over a wide area arch.

WIDGEON
n. 1. 1508 – a wild duck of the genus Mareca 
n. 2. 1607 – applied to a person, in allusion to the supposed stupidity of the bird; a fool, a simpleton, a stupid person → arch.
vb. 1596 – to make a ‘widgeon’ of; to cheat, to befool → obs.

WIDGET
n. E20 – a gadget; a small manufactured item colloq.

WIDGIE
n. 1950 – an Australasian Teddy-girl Aust. & NZ sl.

WIDOW
n. 1. 1891 – in cardplaying: a spare hand dealt in certain card games sl.
n. 2. 1900 – an outhouse or toilet → Amer. students’ sl.

THE WIDOW
n. 1. 1781 – champagne
n. 2. 1969 – an outside toilet Amer. dial.

WIDOWER
n. 1. 1965 – a widow Amer. dial.
n. 2. 1965 – a divorced woman Amer. dial.

WIDOW GENTLEMAN
n. 1965 – a widower Amer. dial.

WIDOW JONES
n. 1900 – an outhouse or toilet Amer. students’ sl.

WIDOW JONES HOUSE
n. 1969 – an outside toilet Amer. dial.

WIDOW JONES PLACE
n. 19C – a W.C.; a toilet colloq.

WIDOW LADY
n. 1912 – a widow Amer. dial.

WIDOW-MAKER
n. 1. 1899 – a tree or branch that has fallen on or is likely to fall on or snap back at a person; a dangerous hanging limb Amer. dial.
n. 2. ..20C – a killer or potential killer of men
n. 3. 1968 – an extra-bad horse Amer. dial.
n. 4. 1970 – a cigarette Amer. dial.
n. 5. 1974 – corn whisky → Amer. dial.

WIDOWMAN
n. 1688 – a widower Amer. dial.

WIDOWS
n. 20C – in dominoes, in bidding games, the dominoes left after the players have drawn their hands

WIDOW WOMAN
n. 1. 1739 – a widow Amer. dial.
n. 2. 1941 – a divorced woman Amer. dial.

WIELDER OF THE BIG STICK
n. 1942 – Theodore Roosevelt, twenty-sixth US President Amer. sl. (Bk.)

WIELD THE SCEPTRE
vb. L16 – to exercise supreme authority, to rule

WIENER
n. 1. 1950 – a boring, socially unappealing or unacceptable person US students’ sl.
n. 2. 1950 – a hard-working student US students’ sl.

WIENER DOG
n. 20C – a dachshund N. Amer. colloq.

WIENIE
n. 1891 – a wiener sausage Amer. dial.

WIENIE-WAGGER
n. 1980 – a male who exposes his genitals police sl.

WIFE
n. 1. ..19C – a mistress or concubine sl.
n. 2. 1883 – passive member of a homosexual partnership sl.
n. 3. ..20C – the more feminine partner in a homosexual marriage sl.

WIFE-BEATER
n. 1990 – a man’s sleeveless vest or T-shirt US colloq.

WIFELKIN
n. 1851 – an affection form of address for a wife colloq.

WIFE-WIDOW
n. 1875 – a wife living apart from her husband

WIFEY
n. L18 – a little wife; a little or young woman; chiefly used as a term of endearment or familiarity

WIFFENPOOF
n. 1. 1939 – an imaginary animal or monster; an animal that cannot be named Amer. sl.
n. 2. 1942 – nonsense Amer. sl. (Bk.)

WIFFIN
n. 19C – a moment Sc.

WIFFLE-HEADED
adj. 19C – thoughtless Eng. dial.

WIFFLE-WOFFLES
n. 1. 20C – a stomach-ache colloq.
n. 2. 20C – sorrow, the dumps, a state of depression colloq.

WIFIE
n. L18 – a little wife; a little or young woman; chiefly used as a term of endearment or familiarity

WIFT
vb. M16 – orig., to go astray; later, to drift to and fro, to drift along obs.

WIG
adj. 1960 – excellent, wonderful teen sl.
n. 1. ..L18 – a severe reprimand colloq.
n. 2. 1930 – one’s head; one’s mind jive talk usage
n. 3. 1950 – an eccentric Amer. sl.
n. 4. 1950 – a cool jazz musician jazz musicians sl.
vb. 1. ..E19 – to reprimand severely colloq.
vb. 2. 1930 – to annoy someone jive talk usage
vb. 3. 1930 – to talk, esp. casually and freely→ (jive talk usage

WIGEON
n. E17 – a fool, a simpleton arch.

WIGGA-WAGGA
n. E20 – the penis Brit sl.

WIGGED
adj. 1950 – out of touch with reality; deluded → students’ sl.

WIGGED OUT
adj. 1. 1950 – intoxicated with narcotics → drug culture sl.
adj. 2. 1950 – out of touch with reality; deluded → students’ sl.

WIGGER
n. 1990 – a White person who tries to emulate or acquire cultural behaviour and tastes attributed to Black people → US sl.

WIGGING
adj. 20C – stressing, going crazy → students’ sl.
n. 1805 – a severe rebuke, reproof, or reprimand; a scolding → colloq.

WIGGIN’S
n. 1930 – an eavesdropper → sl.

WIGGLE
n. 20C – the penis, esp. that of a child → US

WIGGLER
n. 1. 1859 US – an earthworm → US
n. 2. 1913 – a larval mosquito Amer. dial. (Bk.)
n. 3. 1942 – an earthquake Amer. sl. (Bk.)

WIGGLE ROOM
n. 20C – scope for negotiation, esp. in order to modify a previous statement or decision colloq., chiefly N. Amer.

WIGGLETAIL
n. 1970 – earthworm Amer. dial.

WIGGLE-WAGGLE
adj. L18 – vacillating
n. 1913 – a larval mosquito Amer. dial. (Bk.)

WIGGLEWORM
n. 1896 – an earthworm Amer. dial.

WIGGLYTAIL
n. 1970 – earthworm Amer. dial.

WIGGLY-WAGGLY
adj. L19 – that wiggles and waggles → colloq. & Eng. dial.

WIGGLY-WOGGLY
adj. L19 – that wiggles and waggles colloq. & Eng. dial.

WIGGY
adj. 1. 1810 – crazy or eccentric; delirious; not in control of one’s emotions US sl.
adj. 2. 1960 – exciting and up-to-date sl.
adj. 3. 1960 – intoxicated on or using narcotics sl.

WIGHT
adj. 1. 1275 – strong and courageous, esp. in warfare; valiant, brave arch., Sc., & Eng. dial.
adj. 2. 1300 – strong, robust, mighty; exercising strength, energetic arch., Sc., & Eng. dial.
adj. 3. 1330 – strongly built or constructed, stout arch., Sc., & Eng. dial.
adj. 4. 1400 – forcible, violent, powerful in effect arch., Sc., & Eng. dial.
adv. 1. 1400 – actively, energetically obs.
adv. 2. 1400 – quickly, without delay obs.
n. 1. 1000 – a certain amount, esp. a small amount; usually used in negative contexts obs.
n. 2. 1175 – a human being; a person arch., Eng. dial., & literary usage

WIGHTLING
n. 1330 – a valiant man; a brave warrior → obs.

WIGHTY
adj. 1475 – strong and courageous, esp. in warfare, valiant, brave → obs.

WIG OUT
vb. 1. 1955 – to make or become wildly excited or enthusiastic; to lose control of one’s emotions; to be or get angry sl.
vb. 2. 1950 – to become mentally unbalanced; to lose one’s sanity US sl.
vb. 3. ?? – to be intoxicated with narcotic drugs → sl.

WIG-PICKER
n. 1961 – a psychiatrist → US sl.

WIGSBY
n. L18 – a person wearing a wig → jocular arch.

WIGS ON THE GREEN
n. 20C – violent or unpleasant developments, ructions → orig. Irish

WIGSTER
n. L18 – a man wearing a wig sl.

WIGWAG
vb. 1910 – to signal with flags Amer. sl.

WIKIWIKI
adj. 1967 – quick, fast, speedy Hawaii
adv. 1917 – quickly, hastily, right away Hawaii

WILBUR WARMTH
n. 1968 – a rustic US students’ sl. (Bk.)

WILD
adj. 1955 – intensely eager or enthusiastic; exciting colloq., orig. & chiefly US

WILD ABOUT
adj. 1868 – fond of; enthusiastic about; liking

WILD AND WOOLLY
adj. 1884 – crude and raucous; untamed; uncouth

WILD AS A CUT FOX
adj. 1910 – completely deranged; utterly furious; extremely uncontrolled, esp. in personal behaviour Aust. & US sl.

WILD-ASS
adj. 1960 – madly exuberant; untamed sl.

WILD-ASSED
adj. 1960 – madly exuberant; untamed sl.

WILD AX-HANDLE
n. 1965 – diarrhoea Amer. dial.

WILD CANARY
n. 1876 – a goldfinch Amer. dial.

WILDCAT
adj. 1881 – of a still or its products: illicit Amer. dial.
n. 1. 1881 – illicit liquor Amer. dial.
n. 2. 1913 – a locomotive and tender running without cars Amer. dial. (Bk.)

WILDCAT HOUSE
n. 1965 – a place where liquor was sold and consumed illegally Amer. dial.

WILDCAT’S ANKLE
n. 1942 – something excellent Amer. sl. (Bk.)

WILDCATTER
n. 1965 – one who makes or distributes illicit liquor Amer. dial.

WILDCAT WARRIOR
n. 1942 – prizefighter Joe Louis Amer. sl. (Bk.)

WILD COLT
n. 1950 – the child of an unwed mother Amer. dial.

WILDER THAN A PEACH-ORCHARD BOAR
adj. 1997 – very wild, unrestrained Amer. dial.

WILD HAIR
n. M20 – the imaginary cause of impassioned or violent behaviour US sl.

WILD-HOG
vb. 1939 – to live a life of debauchery; to be wild; to seek illicit sexual adventure Amer. dial.

WILD INDIAN
n. 1946 – a child, esp. a misbehaving or unruly one Amer. dial.

WILDING
n. 1989 – rampaging by a gang of youths through a public place, attacking or mugging people along the way US sl.

THE WILD MARE
n. 1. 1586 – a seesaw → obs.
n. 2. 1790 – a boys’ game; the person who acts the mare slides over the shoulders of several others, who are linked together, and is strapped with leathern aprons and such like, all the while he is getting over them Eng. dial.

WILD MARE’S MILK
n. 1937 – distilled liquor, whisky Amer. dial.

WILD OAT
n. 1929 – a child born out of wedlock Amer. dial.

WILD OATS
n. 1. ..16C – excitement and energy in youth; usually considered to be sexual in the male sl.
n. 2. 1564 – a dissipated or dissolute young fellow; a ‘wild’ young man obs.

WILD ONE
n. 1942 – in cards: the joker → Amer. sl. (Bk.)

WILD OUT
vb. 1990 – to go on a damaging rampage; to riot African-American sl.

WILD PUSSY
n. 1965 – a skunk Amer. dial.

WILD QUIRT
n. 17C – diarrhoea colloq.

WILDWARE
n. 1393 – fur of wild animals obs.

WILL A FISH SWIM?
phr. M19 – a phrase used to emphasize one’s absolute agreement sl.

WILL AND WALE
n. 1742 – free choice Sc.

WILLAWAW
n. 1896 – a sudden violent wind or windstorm Amer. dial.

WILLIAM
n. 1. 1850 – a piece of paper currency Amer. dial.
n. 2. 1865 – a dollar bill → US sl.

WILLIAMSTOWN PIERS
n. 1999 – ears Aust. rhyming sl. (Bk.)

WILLIE
n. 1905 – the penis sl.

WILLIE-FISHER
n. 1. 19C – a notorious liar Sc.
n. 2. 19C – the common tern; the sea-swallow, Sterna hirundo; a water-fowl Sc.

WILLIE FUDD
n. 1960 – a WF-2 propeller-driven naval radar aircraft US Navy usage

WILLIES
n. 1970 – the rolls of dust that gather under beds, furniture, etc. Amer. dial.

THE WILLIES
n. 1. 1896 – a state of nervousness or unease sl., orig. US
n. 2. 1905 – feelings of physical discomfort or illness, esp. delirium tremens Amer. dial.

WILLIPUS-WALLIPUS
n. 1. 1885 – a steamroller or other large machine; any monstrous thing Amer. dial. obs.
n. 2. 1892 – a fictitious animal; a bogeyman Amer. dial.

WILLIPUS-WAMPUS
n. 1921 – a fictitious animal; a bogeyman Amer. dial.

THE WILLIWACKS
n. 1972 – a remote, sparsely inhabited area Amer. dial.

WILLIWAW
n. 1896 – a sudden violent wind or windstorm Amer. dial.

WILL-JILL
n. 1. 19C – a sterile or impotent person Eng. dial.
n. 2. 19C – an hermaphrodite Eng. dial.

WILL-O’-THE-WISP
n. 1939 – a firefly; a lightning bug Eng. dial.

WILLOW BUG
n. 1888 – a mayfly Amer. dial.

WILLOW WITCH
n. 1. 1930 – a dowsing rod, a divining rod  (whether made of willow or not) Amer. dial.
n. 2. 1977 – a dowser, one who uses a divining rod Amer. dial.

WILLOW WITCHER
n. 1970 – a dowser Amer. dial.

WILLOW WITCHING
n. 1929 – dowsing Amer. dial.

THE WILLOW-WACKS
n. 2002 – a remote, sparsely inhabited area Amer. dial.

WILLY
n. 1. ..19C – the stereotype of a domestic Black servant or slave US sl.
n. 2. 1905 – the penis sl.
n. 3. 1965 – a piece of paper currency Amer. dial.

THE WILLY-NILLIES
n. 1. 1965 – feelings of uneasiness, apprehension, depression, or nervousness
n. 2. 1965 – an imaginary disease Amer. dial.

WILL YOU TAKE EGGS FOR MONEY?
phr. 1633 – will you allow yourself to be imposed upon?

THE WILLYWACKS
n. 1972 – a remote, sparsely inhabited area Amer. dial.

THE WILLYWAGS
n. 1965 – a remote, sparsely inhabited area Amer. dial.

WILLY-WALLIE
n. 1822 – an affected effeminate man Sc.

WILLY-WALLIES
n. 1747 – fine clothes, finery Sc.

WILMA
n. 1. 1980 – an ugly or stupid woman students’ sl.
n. 2. 1989 – a prank involving the abrupt and rough yanking upwards of someone’s belt loop, belt buckle, underwear top, or seat of the pants so that the victim’s underwear becomes wedged between the buttocks; a wedgie Amer. dial.

WILTED
adj. 20C – intoxicated with alcohol US sl.

WILY-PIE
n. 1450 – a crafty or cunning fellow; a sly rogue obs.


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