Woolward adverb [ Wool + - ward .] In wool; with woolen raiment next the skin. [ Obsolete]

Woolward-going noun A wearing of woolen clothes next the skin as a matter of penance. [ Obsolete]

Their . . . woolward-going , and rising at midnight.

Tyndale.

Woon noun Dwelling. See Wone . [ Obsolete]

Woorali noun Same as Curare .

Woosy adjective Oozy; wet. [ Obsolete] Drayton.

Wootz (wōts) noun [ Perhaps a corruption of Canarese ukku steel.] A species of steel imported from the East Indies, valued for making edge tools; Indian steel. It has in combination a minute portion of alumina and silica.

Wooyen noun (Zoology) See Yuen .

Wopen obsolete past participle of Weep . Wept. Chaucer.

Worble noun (Zoology) See Wormil .

Word noun [ Anglo-Saxon word ; akin to OFries. & Old Saxon word , Dutch woord , German wort , Icelandic orð , Swedish & Danish ord , Goth. waúrd , OPruss. wirds , Lithuanian vardas a name, Latin verbum a word; or perhaps to Greek "rh`twr an orator. Confer Verb .]

1. The spoken sign of a conception or an idea; an articulate or vocal sound, or a combination of articulate and vocal sounds, uttered by the human voice, and by custom expressing an idea or ideas; a single component part of human speech or language; a constituent part of a sentence; a term; a vocable. "A glutton of words ." Piers Plowman.

You cram these words into mine ears, against
The stomach of my sense.

Shak.

Amongst men who confound their ideas with words , there must be endless disputes.

Locke.

2. Hence, the written or printed character, or combination of characters, expressing such a term; as, the words on a page.

3. plural Talk; discourse; speech; language.

Why should calamity be full of words ?

Shak.

Be thy words severe;
Sharp as he merits, but the sword forbear.

Dryden.

4. Account; tidings; message; communication; information; -- used only in the singular.

I pray you . . . bring me word thither
How the world goes.

Shak.

5. Signal; order; command; direction.

Give the word through.

Shak.

6. Language considered as implying the faith or authority of the person who utters it; statement; affirmation; declaration; promise.

Obey thy parents; keep thy word justly.

Shak.

I know you brave, and take you at your word .

Dryden.

I desire not the reader should take my word .

Dryden.

7. plural Verbal contention; dispute.

Some words there grew 'twixt Somerset and me.

Shak.

8. A brief remark or observation; an expression; a phrase, clause, or short sentence.

All the law is fulfilled in one word , even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Gal. v. 14.

She said; but at the happy word "he lives,"
My father stooped, re-fathered, o'er my wound.

Tennyson.

There is only one other point on which I offer a word of remark.

Dickens.

By word of mouth , orally; by actual speaking. Boyle. -- Compound word . See under Compound , adjective -- Good word , commendation; favorable account. "And gave the harmless fellow a good word ." Pope. -- In a word , briefly; to sum up. -- In word , in declaration; in profession. "Let us not love in word , . . . but in deed and in truth." 1 John iii. 8. -- Nuns of the Word Incarnate (R. C. Ch.) , an order of nuns founded in France in 1625, and approved in 1638. The order, which also exists in the United States, was instituted for the purpose of doing honor to the "Mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God." -- The word , or The Word . (Theol.) (a) The gospel message; esp., the Scriptures, as a revelation of God. "Bold to speak the word without fear." Phil. i. 14. (b) The second person in the Trinity before his manifestation in time by the incarnation; among those who reject a Trinity of persons, some one or all of the divine attributes personified. John i. 1. -- To eat one's words , to retract what has been said. -- To have the words for , to speak for; to act as spokesman. [ Obsolete] "Our host hadde the wordes for us all." Chaucer. -- Word blindness (Physiol.) , inability to understand printed or written words or symbols, although the person affected may be able to see quite well, speak fluently, and write correctly. Landois & Stirling. -- Word deafness (Physiol.) , inability to understand spoken words, though the person affected may hear them and other sounds, and hence is not deaf. -- Word dumbness (Physiol.) , inability to express ideas in verbal language, though the power of speech is unimpaired. -- Word for word , in the exact words; verbatim; literally; exactly; as, to repeat anything word for word . -- Word painting , the act of describing an object fully and vividly by words only, so as to present it clearly to the mind, as if in a picture. -- Word picture , an accurate and vivid description, which presents an object clearly to the mind, as if in a picture. -- Word square , a series of words so arranged that they can be read vertically and horizontally with like results.

   
 H E A R T
 E M B E R
 A B U S E
 R E S I N
 T R E N T 
 
 (A word square)
  

Syn. -- See Term .

Word intransitive verb To use words, as in discussion; to argue; to dispute. [ R.]

Word transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Worded ; present participle & verbal noun Wording .]

1. To express in words; to phrase.

The apology for the king is the same, but worded with greater deference to that great prince.

Addison.

2. To ply with words; also, to cause to be by the use of a word or words. [ Obsolete] Howell.

3. To flatter with words; to cajole. [ Obsolete] Shak.

To word it , to bandy words; to dispute. [ Obsolete] " To word it with a shrew." L'Estrange.

Word method (Education) A method of teaching reading in which words are first taken as single ideograms and later analyzed into their phonetic and alphabetic elements; -- contrasted with the alphabet and sentence methods .

Word-catcher noun One who cavils at words.

Wordbook noun [ Confer Dutch woordenboek , German wörterbuch .] A collection of words; a vocabulary; a dictionary; a lexicon.

Worder noun A speaker. [ Obsolete] Withlock.

Wordily adverb In a wordy manner.

Wordiness noun The quality or state of being wordy, or abounding with words; verboseness. Jeffrey.

Wording noun The act or manner of expressing in words; style of expression; phrasing.

It is believed this wording was above his known style.

Milton.

Wordish adjective Respecting words; full of words; wordy. [ R.] Sir P. Sidney. -- Word"ish*ness , noun

The truth they hide by their dark woordishness .

Sir K. Digby.

Wordle noun One of several pivoted pieces forming the throat of an adjustable die used in drawing wire, lead pipe, etc. Knight.

Wordless adjective Not using words; not speaking; silent; speechless. Shak.

Wordplay noun A more or less subtle playing upon the meaning of words.

Wordsman noun One who deals in words, or in mere words; a verbalist. [ R.] "Some speculative wordsman ." H. Bushnell.

Wordy adjective [ Compar. Wordier ; superl. Wordiest .]

1. Of or pertaining to words; consisting of words; verbal; as, a wordy war. Cowper.

2. Using many words; verbose; as, a wordy speaker.

3. Containing many words; full of words.

We need not lavish hours in wordy periods.

Philips.

Wore imperfect of Wear .

Wore imperfect of Ware .

Work (wûrk) noun [ Middle English work , werk , weorc , Anglo-Saxon weorc , worc ; akin to OFries. werk , wirk , Old Saxon , D., & German werk , Old High German werc , werah , Icelandic & Swedish verk , Danish værk , Goth. ga waúrki , Greek 'e`rgon , ϝ e`rgon , work, "re`zein to do, 'o`rganon an instrument, 'o`rgia secret rites, Zend verez to work. √145. Confer Bulwark , Energy , Erg , Georgic , Liturgy , Metallurgy , Organ , Orgy , Surgeon , Wright .]

1. Exertion of strength or faculties; physical or intellectual effort directed to an end; industrial activity; toil; employment; sometimes, specifically, physical labor.

Man hath his daily work of body or mind
Appointed.

Milton.

2. The matter on which one is at work; that upon which one spends labor; material for working upon; subject of exertion; the thing occupying one; business; duty; as, to take up one's work ; to drop one's work .

Come on, Nerissa; I have work in hand
That you yet know not of.

Shak.

In every work that he began . . . he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

2 Chron. xxxi. 21.

3. That which is produced as the result of labor; anything accomplished by exertion or toil; product; performance; fabric; manufacture; in a more general sense, act, deed, service, effect, result, achievement, feat.

To leave no rubs or blotches in the work .

Shak.

The work some praise,
And some the architect.

Milton.

Fancy . . .
Wild work produces oft, and most in dreams.

Milton.

The composition or dissolution of mixed bodies . . . is the chief work of elements.

Sir K. Digby.

4. Specifically: (a) That which is produced by mental labor; a composition; a book; as, a work , or the works , of Addison. (b) Flowers, figures, or the like, wrought with the needle; embroidery.

I am glad I have found this napkin; . . .
I'll have the work ta'en out,
And give 't Iago.

Shak.

(c) plural Structures in civil, military, or naval engineering, as docks, bridges, embankments, trenches, fortifications, and the like; also, the structures and grounds of a manufacturing establishment; as, iron works ; locomotive works ; gas works . (d) plural The moving parts of a mechanism; as, the works of a watch.

5. Manner of working; management; treatment; as, unskillful work spoiled the effect. Bp. Stillingfleet.

6. (Mech.) The causing of motion against a resisting force. The amount of work is proportioned to, and is measured by, the product of the force into the amount of motion along the direction of the force. See Conservation of energy , under Conservation , Unit of work , under Unit , also Foot pound , Horse power , Poundal , and Erg .

Energy is the capacity of doing work . . . Work is the transference of energy from one system to another.

Clerk Maxwell.

7. (Mining) Ore before it is dressed. Raymond.

8. plural (Script.) Performance of moral duties; righteous conduct.

He shall reward every man according to his works .

Matt. xvi. 27.

Faith, if it hath not works , is dead.

James ii. 17.

Muscular work (Physiol.) , the work done by a muscle through the power of contraction. -- To go to work , to begin laboring; to commence operations; to contrive; to manage. "I 'll go another way to work with him." Shak. -- To set on work , to cause to begin laboring; to set to work. [ Obsolete] Hooker. -- To set to work , to employ; to cause to engage in any business or labor.

Work (wûrk) intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Worked (wûrkt), or Wrought (rat); present participle & verbal noun Working .] [ Anglo-Saxon wyrcean (imp. worthe , wrohte , past participle geworht , gewroht ); akin to OFries. werka , wirka , Old Saxon wirkian , Dutch werken , German wirken , Icelandic verka , yrkja , orka , Goth. waúrkjan . √145. See Work , noun ]

1. To exert one's self for a purpose; to put forth effort for the attainment of an object; to labor; to be engaged in the performance of a task, a duty, or the like.

O thou good Kent, how shall I live and work ,
To match thy goodness?

Shak.

Go therefore now, and work ; for there shall no straw be given you.

Ex. v. 18.

Whether we work or play, or sleep or wake,
Our life doth pass.

Sir J. Davies.

2. Hence, in a general sense, to operate; to act; to perform; as, a machine works well.

We bend to that the working of the heart.

Shak.

3. Hence, figuratively, to be effective; to have effect or influence; to conduce.

We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.

Rom. viii. 28.

This so wrought upon the child, that afterwards he desired to be taught.

Locke.

She marveled how she could ever have been wrought upon to marry him.

Hawthorne.

4. To carry on business; to be engaged or employed customarily; to perform the part of a laborer; to labor; to toil.

They that work in fine flax . . . shall be confounded.

Isa. xix. 9.

5. To be in a state of severe exertion, or as if in such a state; to be tossed or agitated; to move heavily; to strain; to labor; as, a ship works in a heavy sea.

Confused with working sands and rolling waves.

Addison.

6. To make one's way slowly and with difficulty; to move or penetrate laboriously; to proceed with effort; -- with a following preposition, as down , out , into , up , through , and the like; as, scheme works out by degrees; to work into the earth.

Till body up to spirit work , in bounds
Proportioned to each kind.

Milton.

7. To ferment, as a liquid.

The working of beer when the barm is put in.

Bacon.

8. To act or operate on the stomach and bowels, as a cathartic.

Purges . . . work best, that is, cause the blood so to do, . . . in warm weather or in a warm room.

Grew.

To work at , to be engaged in or upon; to be employed in. -- To work to windward (Nautical) , to sail or ply against the wind; to tack to windward. Mar. Dict.

Work (wûrk) transitive verb
1. To labor or operate upon; to give exertion and effort to; to prepare for use, or to utilize, by labor.

He could have told them of two or three gold mines, and a silver mine, and given the reason why they forbare to work them at that time.

Sir W. Raleigh.

2. To produce or form by labor; to bring forth by exertion or toil; to accomplish; to originate; to effect; as, to work wood or iron into a form desired, or into a utensil; to work cotton or wool into cloth.

Each herb he knew, that works or good or ill.

Harte.

3. To produce by slow degrees, or as if laboriously; to bring gradually into any state by action or motion. "Sidelong he works his way." Milton.

So the pure, limpid stream, when foul with stains
Of rushing torrents and descending rains,
Works itself clear, and as it runs, refines,
Till by degrees the floating mirror shines.

Addison.

4. To influence by acting upon; to prevail upon; to manage; to lead. " Work your royal father to his ruin." Philips.

5. To form with a needle and thread or yarn; especially, to embroider; as, to work muslin.

6. To set in motion or action; to direct the action of; to keep at work; to govern; to manage; as, to work a machine.

Knowledge in building and working ships.

Arbuthnot.

Now, Marcus, thy virtue's the proof;
Put forth thy utmost strength, work every nerve.

Addison.

The mariners all 'gan work the ropes,
Where they were wont to do.

Coleridge.

7. To cause to ferment, as liquor.

To work a passage (Nautical) , to pay for a passage by doing work. -- To work double tides (Nautical) , to perform the labor of three days in two; -- a phrase which alludes to a practice of working by the night tide as well as by the day. -- To work in , to insert, introduce, mingle, or interweave by labor or skill. -- To work into , to force, urge, or insinuate into; as, to work one's self into favor or confidence. -- To work off , to remove gradually, as by labor, or a gradual process; as, beer works off impurities in fermenting. -- To work out . (a) To effect by labor and exertion. " Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Phil. ii. 12. (b) To erase; to efface. [ R.]

Tears of joy for your returning spilt,
Work out and expiate our former guilt.

Dryden.

(c) To solve, as a problem. (d) To exhaust, as a mine, by working. -- To work up . (a) To raise; to excite; to stir up; as, to work up the passions to rage.

The sun, that rolls his chariot o'er their heads,
Works up more fire and color in their cheeks.

Addison.

(b) To expend in any work, as materials; as, they have worked up all the stock. (c) (Nautical) To make over or into something else, as yarns drawn from old rigging, made into spun yarn, foxes, sennit, and the like; also, to keep constantly at work upon needless matters, as a crew in order to punish them. R. H. Dana, Jr.

Work noun
1. (Cricket) Break; twist. [ Cant]

2. (Mech.) The causing of motion against a resisting force, measured by the product of the force into the component of the motion resolved along the direction of the force.

Energy is the capacity of doing work . . . . Work is the transference of energy from one system to another.

Clerk Maxwell.

3. (Mining) Ore before it is dressed.

Workable adjective Capable of being worked, or worth working; as, a workable mine; workable clay.

Workaday noun See Workyday .

Workbag noun A bag for holding implements or materials for work; especially, a reticule, or bag for holding needlework, and the like.

Workbasket noun A basket for holding materials for needlework, or the like.

Workbench noun A bench on which work is performed, as in a carpenter's shop.

Workbox noun A box for holding instruments or materials for work.

Workday noun & adjective [ Anglo-Saxon weorcdæg .] A day on which work is performed, as distinguished from Sunday, festivals, etc., a working day.

Worker noun
1. One who, or that which, works; a laborer; a performer; as, a worker in brass.

Professors of holiness, but workers of iniquity.

Shak.

2. (Zoology) One of the neuter, or sterile, individuals of the social ants, bees, and white ants. The workers are generally females having the sexual organs imperfectly developed. See Ant , and White ant , under White .

Workfellow noun One engaged in the same work with another; a companion in work.

Workfolk noun People that labor.

Workful adjective Full of work; diligent. [ R.]

Workhouse noun ; plural Workhouses . [ Anglo-Saxon weorch...s .]

1. A house where any manufacture is carried on; a workshop.

2. A house in which idle and vicious persons are confined to labor.

3. A house where the town poor are maintained at public expense, and provided with labor; a poorhouse.

Working a & noun from Work .

The word must cousin be to the working .

Chaucer.

Working beam . See Beam , noun 10. -- Working class , the class of people who are engaged in manual labor, or are dependent upon it for support; laborers; operatives; -- chiefly used in the plural. -- Working day . See under Day , noun -- Working drawing , a drawing, as of the whole or part of a structure, machine, etc., made to a scale, and intended to be followed by the workmen. Working drawings are either general or detail drawings. -- Working house , a house where work is performed; a workhouse. -- Working point (Machinery) , that part of a machine at which the effect required; the point where the useful work is done.

Working-day adjective Pertaining to, or characteristic of, working days, or workdays; everyday; hence, plodding; hard-working.

O, how full of briers in this working-day world.

Shak.

Workingman noun ; plural Workingmen A laboring man; a man who earns his daily support by manual labor.

Workless adjective
1. Without work; not laboring; as, many people were still workless .

2. Not carried out in practice; not exemplified in fact; as, workless faith. [ Obsolete] Sir T. More.

Workman noun ; plural Workmen . [ Anglo-Saxon weorcmann .]

1. A man employed in labor, whether in tillage or manufactures; a worker.

2. Hence, especially, a skillful artificer or laborer.

Workmanlike adjective Becoming a workman, especially a skillful one; skillful; well performed.