| wadding | Carded cotton or wool in sheets, used for surgical dressings. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| Waddington | C. H., British embryologist and geneticist, 1905-1975. See: waddingtonian homeostasis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| waddingtonian homeostasis | The set of processes by which imbalances and other defects in ontogeny are corrected before development is completed. Synonym: ontogenic homeostasis, waddingtonian homeostasis. Origin: homeo-+ G. Rheos, stream, current (05 Mar 2000) |
| waddle | Rolling gait in which the weight-bearing hip is not stabilised; it bulges outward with each step, while the opposite side of the pelvis drops, resulting in alternating lateral trunk movements; due to gluteus medius muscle weakness, and seen with muscular dystrophies, among other disorders. Synonym: waddle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| waddling gait | Rolling gait in which the weight-bearing hip is not stabilised; it bulges outward with each step, while the opposite side of the pelvis drops, resulting in alternating lateral trunk movements; due to gluteus medius muscle weakness, and seen with muscular dystrophies, among other disorders. Synonym: waddle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| wader | 1. One who, or that which, wades. 2. <ornithology> Any long-legged bird that wades in the water in search of food, especially any species of limicoline or grallatorial birds; called also wading bird. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| wading | From Wade, Wading bird. <zoology> See Wader. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| waeg | <zoology> The kittiwake. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| wafer | 1. A thin cake made of flour and other ingredients. "Wafers piping hot out of the gleed." (Chaucer) "The curious work in pastry, the fine cakes, wafers, and marchpanes." (Holland) "A woman's oaths are wafers break with making" (B. Jonson) 2. A thin cake or piece of bread (commonly unleavened, circular, and stamped with a crucifix or with the sacred monogram) used in the Eucharist, as in the Roman Catholic Church. 3. An adhesive disk of dried paste, made of flour, gelatin, isinglass, or the like, and colouring matter, used in sealing letters and other documents. Wafer cake, a sweet, thin cake. Wafer irons, or Wafer tongs, a pincher-shaped contrivance, having flat plates, or blades, between which wafers are baked. Wafer woman, a woman who sold wafer cakes; also, one employed in amorous intrigues. Origin: OE. Wafre, OF. Waufre, qaufre, F. Qaufre; of Teutonic origin; cf. LG. & D. Wafel, G. Waffel, Dan. Vaffel, Sw. Vaffla; all akin to G. Wabe a honeycomb, OHG. Waba, being named from the resemblance to a honeycomb. G. Wabe is probably akin to E. Weave. See Weave, and cf. Waffle, Gauffer. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| wagati | <zoology> A small East Indian wild cat (Felis wagati), regarded by some as a variety of the leopard cat. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| wage | 1. That which is staked or ventured; that for which one incurs risk or danger; prize; gage. "That warlike wage." 2. That for which one labors; meed; reward; stipulated payment for service performed; hire; pay; compensation; at present generally used in the plural. See Wages. "My day's wage." . "At least I earned my wage." . "Pay them a wage in advance." . "The wages of virtue." . "By Tom Thumb, a fairy page, He sent it, and doth him engage, By promise of a mighty wage, It secretly to carry." (Drayton) "Our praises are our wages." (Shak) "Existing legislation on the subject of wages." (Encyc. Brit) Wage is used adjectively and as the first part of compounds which are usually self-explaining; as, wage worker, or wage-worker; wage-earner, etc. Board wages. See 1st Board. Synonym: Hire, reward, stipend, salary, allowance, pay, compensation, remuneration, fruit. Origin: OF. Wage, gage, guarantee, engagement. See Wage. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| wagel | <zoology> See Waggel. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| wagenboom | <botany> A south African proteaceous tree (Protea grandiflora); also, its tough wood, used for making wagon wheels. Origin: D, literally, wagon tree. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| waggel | <zoology> The young of the great black-backed gull (Larus marinus), formerly considered a distinct species. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Wagner | Hans, Swiss ophthalmologist, *1905. See: Wagner's disease, Wagner's syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |