whimbrel

[Etym. not apparent; prob. from the cry of the bird. Cf. titterel.] Ornith.: Numenius phœopus , widely distributed from the north of Europe and Asia to the north of Africa and India, visiting England in its spring and autumn migrations, occasionally breeding in the Shetland Islands. It resembles the Curlew (q. v.), but is smaller, and has a proportionately shorter bill; length of male sixteen inches, female somewhat larger. Plumage bright ash-color, with streaks of brown on neck and breast; a band of yellowish white on middle of head, with a wider brown band on each side; belly and abdomen white; feathers of back and scapulars deep brown in the middle, bordered with brighter brown; tail ashy-brown, with oblique brown bands; bill blackish, inclining to "For a' the nonsense maggots that ye whiles take into red at base; feet lead-color. The Whimbrel is prob your head."- Scott: Antiquary, ch. xxxviii. whil-ing, pr.par.or a. [WHILE, v.] *whiling-time, s. A time of waiting. "The whiling -time, the gathering together and waiting a little before dinner, is the most awkwardly pa ed away of any in the four-and-twenty hours." -Steele : Spectator , No. 448. whilk, s. [WHELK.] whilk, pron. [WHICH.) ( Scotch.) whil-lý, v. t. [Probably connected with wheedle principles of the Whigs; whiggery. "And, though he had never been factious, his political opinions had a tinge of Whiggism."-Macaulay: Hist. Eng ., ch. viii. whig'-ling, subst. [Eng. whig, s.; dim in. suff. -ling.] A petty or insignificant Whig. (Used in contempt.) whig-ma-leër'-le, s. & a. [Etym. doubtful.] A. As subst.: A trinket, a nicknack, a whim. ( Scotch.) "Nane o' yere whigmaleeries and curlieworlies." - Scott: Rob Roy, ch. xix. B. As adj .: Dealing in gimcracks; whimsical. while, *whil, *whyle, *wyle, s. & conj . [A. S. hwil a time; cogn. with Icel. hvíla =a place of rest, a bed; Dan. hvile =rest; Sw.hvila rest; О. Н. German huila ; Ger. weile ; Goth. hweila a time, season; and perhaps also with Lat. quies =rest.] A. As substantive: 1. A time; a space of time; especially a short space of time during which something happens, or is to happen, or be done. "I for a while will leave you." Shakesp.: Measure for Measure, v. *2. A turn, a return. ( Wycliffe: 1 Kings xxiv. 20.) B. As conjunction: 1. During the time that; as, While I write you sleep. 2. As long as; whilst. "Use your memory; you will sensibly experience a gradual improvement, while you take care not to overJoad it."- Watts . IMG:content-0826.png:[blocks in formation] (1) The while : During the time that something else is going on; in the meantime. "Put on the gown the while." Shakesp.: Merry Wives of Windsor, iv. 2. (2) Worth while: Worth the expenditure of time which would be required; worth the time, pains, labor, or expense involved. *(3) While was formerly used in exclamations of grief; as, Alas, the while ! while, v. t. & i. [WHILE, 8. ] A. Transitive : 1. To cause to pa pleasantly, or without languor, irksomene , or wearine . (Usually followed by away .) "Here in seclusion, as a widow may, The lovely lady whiled the hours away ." Long fellow : Student's Tale.