| whaap | <zoology> The European curlew; called also awp, whaup, great whaup, and stock whaup. The whimbrel; called also May whaup, little whaup, and tang whaup. Origin: So called from one of its notes. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
|---|---|
| whahoo | <botany> An American tree, the winged elm. (Ulmus alata). Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| whale | <zoology> Any aquatic mammal of the order Cetacea, especially any one of the large species, some of which become nearly one hundred feet long. Whales are hunted chiefly for their oil and baleen, or whalebone. The existing whales are divided into two groups: the toothed whales (Odontocete), including those that have teeth, as the cachalot, or sperm whale (see Sperm whale); and the baleen, or whalebone, whales (Mysticete), comprising those that are destitute of teeth, but have plates of baleen hanging from the upper jaw, as the right whales. The most important species of whalebone whales are the bowhead, or Greenland, whale, the Biscay whale, the Antarctic whale, the gray whale (see under Gray), the humpback, the finback, and the rorqual. Whale bird. A balanoglossus. Origin: OE. Whal, AS. Hwael; akin to D. Walvisch, G. Wal, walfisch, OHG. Wal, Icel. Hvalr, Dan. & Sw. Hval, hvalfisk. Cf. Narwhal, Walrus. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| whale fingers | An infection caused by erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae that is almost wholly restricted to persons who in their occupation handle infected fish, shellfish, poultry, or meat. Three forms of this condition exist: a mild localised form manifested by local swelling and redness of the skin; a diffuse form that might present with fever; and a rare systemic form associated with endocarditis. (12 Dec 1998) |
| whaleman | A man employed in the whale fishery. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| whaler | A vessel or person employed in the whale fishery. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| whales | Large marine mammals of the order cetacea. In the past, they were commercially valued for whale oil, for their flesh as human food and in animal feed and fertiliser, and for baleen. The sperm whale produces ambergris, an intestinal secretion used in perfumery. (12 Dec 1998) |
| whame | <zoology> A breeze fly. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| whanghee | <botany> See Wanghee. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| wharf | Origin: AS. Hwerf, hwearf, a returning, a change, from hweorfan to turn, turn about, go about; akin to D. Werf a wharf, G. Werft, Sw. Varf a shipbuilder's yard, Dan. Verft wharf, dockyard, G. Werben to enlist, to engage, woo, OHG. Werban to turn about, go about, be active or occupied, Icel. Hverfa to turn, Goth. Hwairban, hwarbon, to walk. Cf. Whirl. 1. A structure or platform of timber, masonry, iron, earth, or other material, built on the shore of a harbor, river, canal, or the like, and usually extending from the shore to deep water, so that vessels may lie close alongside to receive and discharge cargo, passengers, etc.; a quay; a pier. "Commerce pushes its wharves into the sea." (Bancroft) "Out upon the wharfs they came, Knight and burgher, lord and dame." (Tennyson) The plural of this word is generally written wharves in the United States, and wharfs in England; but many recent English writers use wharves. 2. [AS. Hwearf] The bank of a river, or the shore of the sea. "The fat weed that roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf." Wharf boat, a kind of boat moored at the bank of a river, and used for a wharf, in places where the height of the water is so variable that a fixed wharf would be useless. Wharf rat. <zoology> The common brown rat. A neglected boy who lives around the wharfs. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| wharfing | 1. Wharfs, collectively. 2. <physics> A mode of facing sea walls and embankments with planks driven as piles and secured by ties. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Wharton's duct | The duct of the submandibular salivary gland; it opens at the sublingual papilla near the frenulum of the tongue. Synonym: ductus submandibularis, ductus submaxillaris, submaxillary duct, Wharton's duct. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Wharton's jelly | <obstetrics> Viscous hyaluronic acid rich jelly found in the umbilical cord. (18 Nov 1997) |
| Wharton, Thomas | <person> English anatomist and physician, 1614-1673. See: Wharton's duct, Wharton's jelly. (05 Mar 2000) |
| whaup | <zoology> See Whaap. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |