A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

where --- O.E. hwær, hwar, from P.Gmc. *khwar (cf. O.S. hwar, O.N. hvar, O.Fris. hwer, M.Du. waer, O.H.G. hwar, Ger. wo, Goth. hvar "where"), from PIE interrogative base *qwo- (see who).

whereabouts (adv.) --- in what place, 1450, from where + about + adverbial gen. -s (form whereabout is attested from c.1300). The noun is recorded from 1795.

wherever --- c.1275, ware euere, from where + ever.

wherewithal (adv.) --- means by which, 1535, from where + withal. The noun is first recorded 1809.

whet --- O.E. hwettan, from P.Gmc. *khwatjanan (cf. O.N. hvetja "to sharpen, encourage," M.L.G., M.Du. wetten, O.H.G. wezzan, Ger. wetzen "to sharpen," Goth. ga-hvatjan "to sharpen, incite"), from an adj. represented by O.E. hwæt "brave, bold," O.S. hwat "sharp," from P.Gmc. *khwataz, from PIE base *qwed- "sharp" (cf. Skt. codati "incites," lit. "sharpens"). Fig. sense was in O.E.

whether --- O.E. hwæðer, hweðer "which of two, whether," from P.Gmc. *khwatharaz (cf. O.S. hwedar, O.N. hvarr, Goth. huaþar, O.H.G. hwedar "which of the two," Ger. weder "neither"), from interrogative base *khwa- "who" (see who) + comparative suffix *-theraz (cf. Skt. katarah, Avestan katara-, Gk. poteros, L. uter "which of the two, either of two," Lith. katras "which of the two," O.C.S. koteru "which"). Its comparative form is either.

whetstone --- O.E. hwetstan; see whet + stone.

whew --- exclamation of astonishment, etc., c.1425, a whistling sound, of imitative origin.

whey --- O.E. hwæg "whey," from P.Gmc. *khwaja- (cf. M.Du. wey, Du. wei), of unknown origin.

which --- O.E. hwilc (W.Saxon) "which," short for hwi-lic "of what form," from P.Gmc. *khwilikaz (cf. O.S. hwilik, O.N. hvelikr, Swed. vilken, O.Fris. hwelik, M.Du. wilk, Du. welk, O.H.G. hwelich, Ger. welch, Goth. hvileiks "which"), from *khwi- "who" (see who) + *likan "body, form" (cf. O.E. lic "body;" see like). In M.E. used as a relative pronoun where mod. Eng. would use who, as still in the Lord's Prayer. O.E. also had parallel forms hwelc and hwylc, which disappeared 15c.

whichever --- 1388, from which + ever.

whiff --- 13c., weffe "foul scent or odor," of imitative origin. Modern form became popular late 16c. with tobacco smoking, probably influenced by whiffle "blow in gusts or puffs" (1568). The verb in the baseball slang sense "to swing at a ball and miss" first recorded 1913.

whiffle (v.) --- flicker or flutter as if blown by the wind, 1662 (see whiff). The noun meaning "something light or insignificant" (1680) is preserved in whiffle-ball (1931).

Whig --- British political party, 1657, in part perhaps a disparaging use of whigg "a country bumpkin" (c.1645); but mainly a shortened form of Whiggamore (1649) "one of the adherents of the Presbyterian cause in western Scotland who marched on Edinburgh in 1648 to oppose Charles I." Perhaps originally "a horse drover," from dialectal verb whig "to urge forward" + mare. The name was first used 1689 in reference to members of the British political party that opposed the Tories. American Revolution sense of "colonist who opposes Crown policies" is from 1768. Later it was applied to opponents of Andrew Jackson (as early as 1825), and taken as the name of a political party (1834) that merged into the Republican Party in 1854-56.

while (n.) --- O.E. hwile, acc. of hwil "a space of time," from P.Gmc. *khwilo (cf. O.S. hwil, O.Fris. hwile, O.H.G. hwila, Ger. Weile, Goth. hveila "space of time, while"), originally "rest" (cf. O.N. hvila "bed," hvild "rest"), from PIE *qwi- "rest" (cf. Avestan shaitish "joy," O.Pers. šiyatish "joy," L. quies "rest, repose, quiet," O.C.S. po-koji "rest"). Notion of "period of rest" became in Gmc. "period of time." Now largely superseded by time except in formulaic constructions (e.g. all the while). M.E. sense of "time spent in doing something" now only preserved in worthwhile and phrases such as worth (one's) while. As a conjunction (late O.E.), it represents O.E. þa hwile þe; form whiles is recorded from c.1220; whilst is from c.1375, with excrescent -st as in amongst, amidst (see amid).

while (v.) --- to cause (time) to pass without dullness, 1635, earlier to occupy or engage (someone or something) for a period of time" (1606), new formation from while (n.), not considered to be from M.E. hwulen "to have leisure," which is from a Gmc. verb form of while (n.) (cf. Ger. weilen "to stay, linger"). An association with phrases such as Shakespearean beguile the day, L. diem decipere, Fr. tromper le temps "has led to the substitution of WILE v by some modern writers" [OED] (see wile).

whilom --- at time past (archaic), c.1200, from O.E. hwilum "at times," dative case of while (q.v.). Cf. Ger. weiland "formerly."

whilst --- c.1375, from while (q.v.) with adverbial gen. -s-, and excrescent -t- (as in amongst, amidst).

whim --- 1641, "pun or play on words," shortened from whimwham "fanciful object" (q.v.). Meaning "sudden notion, fancy, or idea" first recorded 1697, probably a shortened form of whimsy.

whimper (v.) --- 1513, probably of imitative origin, or from Ger. wimmern "to whimper, moan." The noun is first recorded c.1700.

whimsy --- 1605, probably related to whimwham. Whimsical formed 1653.

whimwham --- whimsical device, trifle, 1529, of unknown origin; perhaps from Scand. (cf. O.N. hvima "to let the eyes wander," Norw. kvima "to flutter"), or else an arbitrary native formation (cf. flim-flam).

whine (v.) --- O.E. hwinan "to whiz or whistle through the air" (only of arrows), also hwinsian "to whine" (of dogs), ultimately of imitative origin (cf. O.N. hvina "to whiz," Ger. wiehern "to neigh"). Meaning "to complain in a feeble way" is first recorded 1530. The noun is from 1633. The northern form of O.E. hwinsian survives in dial. whinge "to complain peevishly."

whinny --- 1530, probably related to whine, and ultimately imitative (cf. L. hinnire).

whip (v.) --- c.1250, wippen "flap violently," from P.Gmc. *wipp- (cf. Dan. vippe "to raise with a swipe," M.Du., Du. wippen "to swing," O.H.G. wipf "swing, impetus"), from PIE *wib- "move quickly." The noun is attested from c.1325. In parliamentary use from 1850 (the v3rb in this sense is recorded from 1742), from the sense in fox-hunting. The parliamentary whip's duty originally was to ensure the attendance of party members on important occasions. The cookery sense is from 1673. Whipping boy first recorded 1647; whipping block is from c.1877. Whip-saw is attested from 1538; whip snake first recorded 1774.

whiplash --- 1573, "the lash of a whip," from whip + lash. The injury caused by sudden head motion so called by 1955, in ref. to the notion of moving to and fro like a cracking whip. The verb in this sense is recorded by 1971.

whippersnapper --- 1674, apparently a "jingling extension" [OED] of *whip-snapper "a cracker of whips," or perhaps an alteration of snipper-snapper (c.1590). Cf. also late 16c. whipperginnie, a term of abuse for a woman.

whippet --- small, fast type of dog, 1610, probably from whip in the sense of "move quickly" + dim. suffix -et Used earlier (1550) in ref. to "a brisk, nimble woman."

whippoorwill --- 1709, imitative of its cry.

whir --- c.1400, Scottish, "fling, hurl," probably from O.N. hvirfla, freq. of hverfa "to turn" (see wharf). Cf. Dan. hvirvle, Du. wervelen, Ger. wirbeln "to whirl."

whirl (n.) --- 1411, "flywheel of a spindle," from whirl (v.). The meaning "act of whirling" is recorded from c.1480; fig. sense of "confused activity" is recorded from 1552. Colloq. sense of "tentative attempt" is attested from 1884, Amer.Eng.

whirl (v.) --- c.1290, probably from O.N. hvirfla "to go round, spin," related to hvirfill "circle, ring, crown," and to O.E. hweorfan "to turn" (see whir). Whirlpool is attested from 1529, but O.E. had hwyrfepol and wirfelmere; whirlwind is c.1340, probably on model of O.N. hvirfilvindr. Whirligig is from 1440, of various toys. Whirlybird "helicopter" is from 1951.

whisk (n.) --- 1375, "quick stroke, sweeping movement," probably from O.N. visk "wisp," from P.Gmc. *wisk- "move quickly" (cf. M.Du. wisch, Du. wis, O.H.G. wisc, Ger. wisch "wisp, brush"), from PIE base *weis- "to turn, twist" (cf. Skt. veskah "noose," Czech vechet "a wisp of straw"). Meaning "implement for beating eggs, etc." first recorded 1577.

whisk (v.) --- c.1480, from a Scand. source (cf. Dan. viske, Norw., Swed. viska) related to O.E. wiscian "to plait," weoxian "to clean" (with a whisk or brush), granwisc "awn" (see whisk (n.)).

whisker --- hair of a man's face (usually plural), 1600, originally a playful formation, from M.E. wisker "anything that whisks or sweeps" (c.1425); see whisk (v.). In ref. to animal lip hair, recorded from 1678.

whiskey --- 1715, from Gaelic uisge beatha "whisky," lit. "water of life," from O.Ir. uisce "water" + bethu "life." The Gaelic is probably a loan-translation of M.L. aqua vitae, which had been applied to intoxicating drinks since early 14c. (cf. Fr. eau de vie "brandy"). Other early spellings in Eng. include usquebea (1706) and iskie bae (1583). Distinction between Scotch whisky and Irish and American whiskey is a 19c. innovation. Whisky sour is recorded from 1889.

whisper (v.) --- O.E. hwisprian "speak very softly" (only in a Northumbrian gloss for L. murmurare), from P.Gmc. *khwis- (cf. M.Du. wispelen, O.H.G. hwispalon, Ger. wispeln, wispern, O.N. hviskra "to whisper"), imitative and probably related to O.E. hwistlian "to whistle." The noun is from 1596.

whist --- card game, 1663, alteration of whisk "kind of card game," alluded to as early as 1529, perhaps so called from the notion of "whisking" up cards after each trick; altered perhaps from assumption that it was an interjection invoking silence, from whist "silent" (M.E.).

whistle (v.) --- O.E. hwistlian, from P.Gmc. *khwis-, of imitative origin. Used also in M.E. of the hissing of serpents. The noun meaning "tubular musical instrument" is from O.E. hwistle. To wet one's whistle "take a drink" (c.1386) originally may have referred to pipes, or be an allusion to the throat as a sort of pipe. To whistle for (with small prospect of getting) is probably from nautical whistling for a wind. Figurative use of whistle-blower first attested 1970. To whistle "Dixie" is from 1940. Phrase clean as a whistle is recorded from 1878; railroad whistle stop (at which trains stop only if the engineer hears a signal from the station) is recorded from 1934.

whit --- smallest particle, 12c., in na whit "no amount," from O.E. nan wiht, from wiht "amount," originally "person, human being" (see wight).

white --- O.E. hwit, from P.Gmc. *khwitaz (cf. O.S., O.Fris. hwit, O.N. hvitr, Du. wit, O.H.G. hwiz, Ger. weiß, Goth. hveits), from PIE *kwintos/*kwindos "bright" (cf. Skt. svetah "white;" O.C.S. sviteti "to shine," svetu "light;" Lith. sviesti "to shine," svaityti "to brighten"). As a surname, originally with reference to fair hair or complexion, it is one of the oldest in Eng., being well-established before the Conquest. Meaning "morally pure" was in O.E. Association with royalist causes is late 18c. Slang sense of "honorable, fair" is 1877, Amer.Eng. The racial sense (adj.) of "of those races (chiefly European or of European extraction) characterized by light complexion" is first recorded 1604. The noun in this sense ("white man, person of a race distinguished by light complexion") is from 1671; whitey in this sense is recorded from 1828. White supremacy attested from 1902; white flight is from 1967; white trash is black slang first attested 1855. White heat "state of intense or extreme emotion" first recorded 1839. White lie is attested from 1741. White Christmas is attested from 1857. White-collar is from 1919, first attested in Upton Sinclair. White House at the U.S. presidential residence is recorded from 1811. White water "river rapids" is recorded from 1586. White Russian "language of Byelorussia" is recorded from 1850; the mixed drink is from c.1978.

white bread --- c.1300, as opposed to darker whole-grain type; its popularity among middle-class America led to the slang sense of "conventional, bourgeois" (c.1980).

white elephant --- 1851, from supposed custom of the King of Siam in showing his disfavor of a courtier by giving him care of one of the sacred albino elephants, a high honor, but ruinously expensive.

white feather --- as a symbol of cowardice, 1785, supposedly from game-cocks, "where having a white feather, is proof he is not of the true game breed" [Grose].

white hope --- c.1912, originally in sporting use in reference to the quest for a white man capable of beating champion pugilist Jack Johnson.

white meat --- meat of poultry, pigs, etc., as opposed to red meat, is recorded from 1752; earlier it meant "foods prepared from milk" (c.1425). Black slang sense of "white women as sex partners" is from 1920s.

white out --- 1946 as an extreme snow condition on the U.S. prairie; 1977 as a liquid correction for paper.

whitecap --- 1668, of birds, from white + cap. Attested from 1773 in ref. to breaking waves, from 1818 of mushrooms, and from 1891 in ref. to "one of a self-constituted band in U.S. who committed outrages under pretense of regulating public morals" [OED].

whitewash (v.) --- 1591, "to wash a building surface with white liquid," from white + wash. Fig. sense of "to cover up, conceal" is attested from 1762. The noun is recorded from 1697.

whither --- O.E. hwider, from P.Gmc. *khwi- "who" (see who) + -der as in hither and thither. Cf. Goth. hvadre.

whitlow --- inflammation on a finger or toe, 1440, alteration of whitflaw (c.1400), from flaw, with first element possibly from Du. vijt or Low Ger. fit "abscess."

Whitsunday --- Pentecost, late O.E. Hwita Sunnandæg "white Sunday," possibly from the white baptismal robes worn by newly baptized Christians on this day.

whittle --- 1552, "to cut thin shavings from (something) with a knife," from M.E. whittel "a knife" (1404), variant of thwittle (1390), from O.E. þwitan "to cut," from P.Gmc. *thwitanan (cf. O.N. þveita "to hew"). Fig. sense is attested from 1746.

whiz --- clever person, 1914, probably a special use of whiz "something remarkable" (1908), an extended sense of whizz; or perhaps a shortened form of wizard. Noun phrase whiz kid is from 1930s, a take-off on a radio show's quiz kid.

whizbang --- 1915, originally a type of Ger. artillery shell in World War I, so called by the Allied troops in reference to its characteristic sound.

whizz --- make or move with a humming, hissing sound, 1547, of imitative origin. Meaning "to urinate" is from 1929. The noun is recorded from 1620.

who --- O.E. hwa, from P.Gmc. *khwas, *khwes, *khwo (cf. O.S. hwe, Dan. hvo, Swed. vem, O.Fris. hwa, Du. wie, O.H.G. hwer, Ger. wer, Goth. hvo (fem.) "who"), from PIE *qwos/*qwes (cf. Skt. kah "who, which," Avestan ko, Hittite kuish "who," L. qui, quae, quod "who, which, what," Lith. kas "who," O.C.S. kuto, Rus. kto "who," O.Ir. ce, Welsh pwy "who").

whoa --- 1623, a cry to call attention from a distance, a variant of who. As a command to stop a horse, it is attested from 1843, a variant of ho. As an expression of delight or surprise (1980s) it has gradually superseded wow, which was very popular 1960s.

whodunit --- murder mystery, 1930, U.S. slang, originally a semi-facetious formation from who done it?

whoever --- late O.E. hwa efre.

whole --- O.E. hal "entire, unhurt, healthy," from P.Gmc. *khailaz "undamaged" (cf. O.S. hel, O.N. heill, O.Fris. hal, M.Du. hiel, Du. heel, O.H.G., Ger. heil "salvation, welfare"), from PIE *koilas (cf. O.S.C. celu "whole, complete;" see health). The spelling with wh- developed c.1420. Whole-hearted is first recorded 1840. For phrase whole hog, see hog.

whole cloth --- 1433, "piece of cloth of full size," as opposed to a piece cut out for a garment; fig. sense first attested 1579.

whole nine yards --- 1960s, originally U.S. military slang, of unknown origin; perhaps from concrete mixer trucks, which were said to have dispensed in this amount. Or the yard may be in the slang sense of "one hundred dollars." Several similar phrases meaning "Everything" arose in the 1940s (whole ball of wax, which is likewise of obscure origin, whole schmear); older examples include whole hog (see hog) and whole shooting match (1896) whole shebang (1895).

wholesale --- c.1417, "in large quantities," from whole + sale; the general sense of "extensive" is attested from 1642.

wholesome --- c.1200, from whole (in the "healthy" sense) + -some. Originally in moral senses; physical sense first attested c.1374.

whom --- O.E. hwam, the dative form of hwa (see who).

whomp (n.) --- 1926, echoic of the sound of a heavy blow or something falling heavily; the verb is first attested 1952.

whoop (v.) --- c.1376, houpen, partly imitative, partly from O.Fr. houper "to cry out," also imitative. It is attested as an interjection from at least 1460. The noun is recorded from 1600. Extended form whoopee is attested from 1845, originally Amer.Eng.; whoopee cushion is attested from 1960. Phrase whoop it up "create a disturbance" is recorded from 1884. Expression whoop-de-do is recorded from 1929. Whooping cough (1739) is now the prevalent spelling of hooping cough; whooping crane is recorded from 1791.

whoops --- exclamation of dismay, 1925, variant of oops.

whoosh --- 1856, of imitative origin.

whop --- to beat, strike, c.1440, of imitative origin; cf. Welsh chwap "a stroke," also of imitative origin; cf. also wap.

whopper --- 1785, formed as if from whop (v.) "to beat, overcome." Meaning "big lie" is recorded first in 1791. Whopping "large, big, impressive" is attested by 1625.

whore (n.) --- O.E. hore "prostitute, harlot," from P.Gmc. *khoraz (fem. *khoron-) "one who desires" (cf. O.N. hora "adulteress," Dan. hore, Swed. hora, Du. hoer, O.H.G. huora "whore;" in Goth. only in the masc. hors "adulterer, fornicator," also as a verb, horinon "commit adultery"), from PIE *qar-, a base that has produced words in other languages for "lover" (cf. L. carus "dear;" O.Ir. cara "friend;" O.Pers. kama "desire;" Skt. Kama, name of the Hindu god of love, kamah "love, desire," the first element in Kama Sutra). Whore itself is perhaps a Gmc. euphemism for a word that has not survived. Some equivalent words in other languages also derive from sources not originally pejorative, e.g. perhaps O.Fr. pute, perhaps lit. "girl," fem. of V.L. *puttus (but perhaps rather from L. putidus "stinking;" see poontang). Welsh putain "whore" is from O.Fr., probably via M.E. Cf. also Bohemian nevestka, dim. of nevesta "bride." And Du. deern, Ger. dirne originally "girl, lass, wench." Among other languages, Gk. porne "prostitute" is related to pernemi "sell," with an original notion, probably of a female slave sold for prostitution; L. meretrix is lit. "one who earns wages" (source of Ir. mertrech, O.E. miltestre "whore, prostitute"). The vulgar Roman word was scortum, lit. "skin, hide." Another term was lupa, lit. "she-wolf" (preserved in Sp. loba, It. lupa, Fr. louve; see wolf). And of course there was prostituta, lit, "placed in front," thus "publicly exposed," from the fem. pp. of prostituere (see prostitute). Another O.N. term was skækja, which yielded Dan. skøge, Swed. sköka; probably from M.L.G. schoke, which is perhaps from schode "foreskin of a horse's penis," perhaps with the sense of "skin" (cf. L. scortum) or perhaps via an intermediary sense of "vagina." Sp. ramera, Port. ramiera are from fem. form of ramero "young bird of prey," lit. "little branch," from ramo "branch." Breton gast is cognate with Welsh gast "bitch," of uncertain origin. Cf. also strumpet, harlot. O.C.S. ljubodejica is from ljuby dejati "fornicate," a compound from ljuby "love" + dejati "put, perform." Rus. bljad "whore" derives from O.C.S. bladinica, from bladu "fornication." Pol. nierzadnica is lit. "disorderly woman." Skt. vecya is a derivation of veca- "house, dwelling," especially "house of ill-repute, brothel." Another term, pumccali, means lit. "one who runs after men." Avestan jahika is lit. "woman," but only of evil creatures; another term is kunairi, from pejorative prefix ku- + nairi "woman." The wh- spelling became current 16c. A general term of abuse from at least 13c. Whore of Babylon is from Rev. xvii:1, 5, etc.

whore (v.) --- to have to do with whores, 1583, from whore (n.).

whore-house --- c.1300, from whore (n.) + house (n.). Obsolete from c.1700, revived early 20c. in Amer.Eng.

whoreson (adj.) --- c.1300, from whore + son. Often used affectionately, it translates Anglo-Fr. fiz a putain.

whorl --- c.1460, "flywheel or pulley on a spindle," perhaps an alteration of whirl. Meaning "circle of leaves or flowers round a stem of a plant" is first recorded 1551. Of seashells or other spiral structures, from 1828.

whortleberry --- 1578, southwestern Eng. variant of hurtleberry (see huckleberry).

whose --- gen. of who; from O.E. hwæs, gen. of hwa (see who).

whump (v.) --- 1897, of imitative origin. The noun is recorded from 1915.

why --- O.E. hwi, instrumental case (showing for what purpose or by what means) of hwæt (see what), from P.Gmc. *khwi (cf. O.S. hwi, O.N. hvi), from PIE *qwei, locative of *qwo- "who" (cf. Gk. pei "where"). As an interjection of surprise or to call attention to a statement, recorded from 1519.

Wicca --- An O.E. masc. noun meaning "male witch, wizard, soothsayer, sorcerer, magician;" see witch. Use of the word in modern contexts traces to English folklorist Gerald Gardner (1884-1964), who is said to have joined circa 1939 an occult group in New Forest, Hampshire, England, for which he claimed an unbroken tradition to medieval times. Gardner seems to have first used it in print in 1954, in his book "Witchcraft Today" (e.g.: "Witches were the Wica or wise people, with herbal knowledge and a working occult teaching usually used for good ...."). In published and unpublished material, he apparently only ever used the word as a mass noun referring to adherents of the practice and not as the name of the practice itself. Some of his followers continue to use it in this sense. According to Gardner's book "The Meaning of Witchcraft" (1959), the word, as used in the initiation ceremony, played a key role in his experience:

wick (1) --- bundle of fiber in a lamp or candle, O.E. weoce, from W.Gmc. *weukon (cf. M.Du. wieke, Du. wiek, O.H.G. wiohha, Ger. Wieche), of unknown origin, with no known cognates beyond Gmc. To dip one's wick "engage in sexual intercourse" (in ref. to males) is recorded from 1958, perhaps from Hampton Wick, rhyming slang for "prick," which would connect it rather to wick (2).

wick (2) --- dairy farm, now surviving, if at all, as a localism in East Anglia or Essex, it was once the common O.E. wic "dwelling place, abode," then coming to mean "village, hamlet, town," and later "dairy farm" (e.g. Gatwick "Goat-farm"). Common in this latter sense 13c.-14c. The word is a general Gmc. borrowing from L. vicus "village, hamlet" (see vicinity). Cf. O.H.G. wih "village," Ger. Weichbild "municipal area," Du. wijk "quarter, district," O.Fris. wik, O.S. wic "village."

wicked --- c.1275, earlier wick (12c.), apparently an adj. use of O.E. wicca "wizard" (see wicca). For evolution, cf. wretched from wretch. Slang ironic sense of "wonderful" first attested 1920, in F. Scott Fitzgerald.

wicker --- 1336, "wickerwork," from a Scand. source (cf. M.Swed. viker "willow branch") akin to O.N. vikja "to move, turn," Swed. vika "to bend," and related to O.E. wican "to give way, yield" (see weak). The notion is of pliant twigs.

wicket --- c.1225, "small door or gate," from Anglo-Fr. wiket, from O.N.Fr. wiket (Fr. guichet) "wicket, wicket gate," probably from P.Gmc. *wik- (cf. O.N. vik "nook") related to O.E. wican "to give way, yield" (see weak). The notion is of "something that turns." Cricket sense of "set of three sticks defended by the batsman" is recorded from 1733.