WISHING • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Wishing

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/wˈɪʃɪŋ/ Listen

verb

Wish v. t.

To desire; to long for; to hanker after; to have a mind or disposition toward. "I would not wish Any companion in the world but you." "I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper."

To frame or express desires concerning; to invoke in favor of, or against, any one; to attribute, or cal down, in desire; to invoke; to imprecate. "I would not wish them to a fairer death." "I wish it may not prove some ominous foretoken of misfortune to have met with such a miser as I am." "Let them be driven backward, and put to shame, that wish me evil."

To recommend; to seek confidence or favor in behalf of. (Obs.) "I would be glad to thrive, sir, And I was wished to your worship by a gentleman."

Synonyms: See Desire.

Wish v. i. (past & past part. wished; pres. part. wishing)

To have a desire or yearning; to long; to hanker. "They cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day." "This is as good an argument as an antiquary could wish for."

noun

Wishing n. A. & n. from Wish, v. t.

Wishing bone. See Wishbone.

Wishing cap, a cap fabled to give one whatever he wishes for when wearing it.

See images of 'Wishing'

Etymology of 'Wishing'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Wishing" Quotes from Famous Books

... Grillparzer treated his case with great fulness of sensuous detail, but without superabundance of antiquarian minutiae, in spite of careful study of historical sources of information. "Pride goeth before destruction," is the theme, but Grillparzer was far from wishing either to demonstrate or illustrate that truth. Ottocar is the tragedy of an individual unequal to superhuman tasks; it does not represent an ...

— The German Classics of The Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Vol. VI. • Editor-in-Chief: Kuno Francke

... the Don Quixote attempts to regulate the price of provisions; an artificial famine created by it, and a real one dreaded from it; the spirit of the people failing through a more intimate acquaintance with the causes of our misfortunes; many submitting daily to General Howe; and more wishing to do it, only to avoid the calamities which threaten our country. But is our case desperate? By no means. We have wisdom, virtue and strength enough to save us, if they could be called into action. ...

— Patrick Henry • Moses Coit Tyler

... left the conversation to the Duke and Capraja, not wishing to be the victims of mystification. Only Vendramin and the French doctor listened to them for a few minutes. The opium-smoker understood these poetic flights; he had the key of the palace where those two sensuous imaginations were wandering. The doctor, too, tried ...

— Massimilla Doni • Honore de Balzac

... the enthusiasm that was felt for him as a convert. Once, in a fit of indignation, he wrote a Persian letter, full of abuse of Mr. Martyn, to a friend in the service of the English resident at Lucknow. By him it was carried to his master, who, wishing to show Mr. Martyn the real character of his favourite convert, sent him the letter. Instead of looking into it, Mr. Martyn summoned Sabat, and bade him read it aloud to him. For once the Arab was overpowered; he cowered before his calm master and entreated his ...

— Pioneers and Founders - or, Recent Workers in the Mission field • Charlotte Mary Yonge

... sometimes pour forth an amount of gush about wishing to be better, broader, nobler, stronger, in a manner that would lead you, for a moment, perhaps, to believe in her sincerity. But when, in the next hour, you see her neglecting little duties that a woman who was really broad, strong, and noble would ...

— As a Matter of Course • Annie Payson Call

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