Adjacent Words

Wish definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

WISH, v.i. [G.]
1. To have a desire, or strong desire, either for what is or is not supposed to be obtainable. It usually expresses less than long; but sometimes it denotes to long or wise earnestly. We often wise for what is not obtainable.
This is as good an argument as an antiquary could wish for.
They have more than heart could wish. Psalms 73.
I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper. 3 John 2.
They cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. Acts 27.
2. To be disposed or inclined; as, to wish well to anothers affairs.
3. It sometimes partakes of hope or fear. I wish the event may prove fortunate, or less calamitous than we apprehend.
WISH, v.t.
1. To desire. I wish your prosperity.
Let them be driven backward and put to shame, that wish me evil. Psalms 40.
2. To long for; to desire eagerly or ardently. It has this sense when expressed with emphasis.
3. To recommend by wishing.
I would not wish them to a fairer death.
4. To imprecate; as, to wish curses on an enemy.
5. To ask; to express desire.
WISH, n.
1. Desire; sometimes, eager desire. Job 33.
2. Desire expressed.
Blisterd be thy tongue for such a wish.
3. Thing desired. He has his wish.
The difference between wish and desire seems to be, that desire is directed to what is obtainable, and a wish may be directed to what is obtainable or not.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a specific feeling of desire; "he got his wish"; "he was above all wishing and desire" [syn: wish, wishing, want]
2: an expression of some desire or inclination; "I could tell that it was his wish that the guests leave"; "his crying was an indirect request for attention" [syn: wish, indirect request]
3: (usually plural) a polite expression of desire for someone's welfare; "give him my kind regards"; "my best wishes" [syn: regard, wish, compliments]
4: the particular preference that you have; "it was his last wish"; "they should respect the wishes of the people" v
1: hope for; have a wish; "I wish I could go home now"
2: prefer or wish to do something; "Do you care to try this dish?"; "Would you like to come along to the movies?" [syn: wish, care, like]
3: make or express a wish; "I wish that Christmas were over"
4: feel or express a desire or hope concerning the future or fortune of [syn: wish, wish well] [ant: begrudge, resent]
5: order politely; express a wish for
6: invoke upon; "wish you a nice evening"; "bid farewell" [syn: wish, bid]

Merriam Webster's

I. verb Etymology: Middle English wisshen, from Old English wy?scan; akin to Old High German wunsken to wish, Sanskrit v?ńchati he wishes, vanoti he strives for — more at win Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. to have a desire for (as something unattainable) <wished he could live his life over> 2. to give expression to as a wish ; bid <wish them good night> 3. a. to give form to (a wish) b. to express a wish for c. to request in the form of a wish ; order d. to desire (a person or thing) to be as specified <cannot wish our problems away> 4. to confer (something unwanted) on someone ; foist intransitive verb 1. to have a desire ; want <wishing for more> 2. to make a wish <wish on a falling star> Synonyms: see desire • wisher noun II. noun Date: 14th century 1. a. an act or instance of wishing or desire ; want <a wish to travel> b. an object of desire ; goal 2. a. an expressed will or desire ; mandate b. a request or command couched as a wish 3. an invocation of good or evil fortune on someone

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. & n. --v. 1 intr. (often foll. by for) have or express a desire or aspiration for (wish for happiness). 2 tr. (often foll. by that + clause, usu. with that omitted) have as a desire or aspiration (I wish I could sing; I wished that I was dead). 3 tr. want or demand, usu. so as to bring about what is wanted (I wish to go; I wish you to do it; I wish it done). 4 tr. express one's hopes for (we wish you well; wish them no harm; wished us a pleasant journey). 5 tr. (foll. by on, upon) colloq. foist on a person. --n. 1 a a desire, request, or aspiration. b an expression of this. 2 a thing desired (got my wish). Phrases and idioms: best (or good) wishes hopes felt or expressed for another's happiness etc. wish-fulfilment a tendency for subconscious desire to be satisfied in fantasy. wishing-well a well into which coins are dropped and a wish is made. the wish is father to the thought we believe a thing because we wish it true. Derivatives: wisher n. (in sense 4 of v.); (also in comb.). Etymology: OE wyscan, OHG wunsken f. Gmc, ult. rel. to WEEN, WONT

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Wish Wish, v. t. 1. 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. --Shak. I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper. --3. John 2. 2. 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. --Shak. I wish it may not prove some ominous foretoken of misfortune to have met with such a miser as I am. --Sir P. Sidney. Let them be driven backward, and put to shame, that wish me evil. --Ps. xl. 14. 3. To recommend; to seek confidence or favor in behalf of. [Obs.] --Shak. I would be glad to thrive, sir, And I was wished to your worship by a gentleman. --B. Jonson. Syn: See Desire.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Wish Wish, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Wished; p. pr. & vb. n. Wishing.] [OE. wischen, weschen, wuschen, AS. w?scan; akin to D. wenschen, G. w["u]nschen, Icel. [ae]eskja, Dan. ["o]nske, Sw. ["o]nska; from AS. w?sc a wish; akin to OD. & G. wunsch, OHG. wunsc, Icel. ?sk, Skr. v[=a]?ch[=a] a wish, v[=a]?ch to wish; also to Skr. van to like, to wish. ?. See Winsome, Win, v. t., and cf. Wistful.] 1. To have a desire or yearning; to long; to hanker. They cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. --Acts xxvii. 29. This is as good an argument as an antiquary could wish for. --Arbuthnot.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Wish Wish, n. 1. Desire; eager desire; longing. Behold, I am according to thy wish in God a stead. --Job xxxiii. 6. 2. Expression of desire; request; petition; hence, invocation or imprecation. Blistered be thy tongue for such a wish. --Shak. 3. A thing desired; an object of desire. Will he, wise, let loose at once his ire . . . To give his enemies their wish! --Milton.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(wishes, wishing, wished) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. A wish is a desire or strong feeling that you want to have something or do something. Clearly she had no wish for conversation... She wanted to go everywhere in the world. She soon got her wish... The decision was made against the wishes of the party leader. N-COUNT: oft with poss see also death wish 2. If you wish to do something or to have it done for you, you want to do it or have it done. (FORMAL) If you wish to go away for the weekend, our office will be delighted to make hotel reservations... We can dress as we wish now... There were the collaborators, who wished for a German victory. VERB: V to-inf, V, V for n 3. If you wish something were true, you would like it to be true, even though you know that it is impossible or unlikely. I wish I could do that... The world is not always what we wish it to be. VERB: no cont, V that, V n to-inf 4. If you wish for something, you express the desire for that thing silently to yourself. In fairy stories, when a person wishes for something, the thing they wish for often happens by magic. We have all wished for men who are more considerate... VERB: V for n • Wish is also a noun. Blow out the candles and make a wish. N-COUNT 5. If you say that you would not wish a particular thing on someone, you mean that the thing is so unpleasant that you would not want them to be forced to experience it. It's a horrid experience and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. VERB: no cont, with brd-neg, V n on n 6. If you wish someone something such as luck or happiness, you express the hope that they will be lucky or happy. I wish you both a very good journey... Goodbye, Hanu. I wish you well. VERB: V n n, V n adv 7. If you express your good wishes towards someone, you are politely expressing your friendly feelings towards them and your hope that they will be successful or happy. I found George's story very sad. Please give him my best wishes... N-PLURAL: adj N [politeness]

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wish: The word appears both as a substantive and as a verb in the Old Testament, having a variety of meanings: (1) The substantive, peh, means "mouth" and also "speech." In this form it occurs in Job 33:6 margin: "Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead." Elihu here refers to Job's expressed desire for an umpire (9:33), and one who would maintain his right with God (16:21). (2) The verb: (a) haphets, "willing," or "desirous" (Ps 40:14 the King James Version); (b) sha'-al, "to ask," "petition," "supplicate" (Job 31:30 the King James Version); (c) another variation of meaning is found in Ps 73:7 where maskith, "to imagine," is translated "wish": "They have more than heart could wish"; (d) euchomai, "to solicit," "to implore" (Ro 9:3).

Arthur Walwyn Evans

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. n. Desire, long, hanker, list. II. v. a. 1. Bid, direct, want, desire, intend, mean. 2. Desire, want, long for, hanker after, set one's heart upon. III. n. 1. Desire, want, will, pleasure, behest, hest (poetical), mind, intention. 2. Longing, want, desire, hankering, liking.