| withdrawal symptoms | A group of morbid symptom's, predominantly erethistic, occurring in an addict who is deprived of his accustomed dose of the addicting agent. Synonym: abstinence symptoms. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| withdrawal syndrome | <syndrome> The development of a substance-specific syndrome that follows the cessation of, or reduction in, intake of a psychoactive substance that the person previously used regularly; e.g., clinical syndrome of disorientation, perceptual disturbance, and psychomotor agitation following the cessation of chronic use of excessive quantities of alcohol is termed alcohol withdrawal syndrome. The syndrome that develops varies according to the psychoactive substance used. Common symptoms include anxiety, restlessness, irritability, insomnia, and impaired attention. See: abstinence syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| withe-rod | <botany> A North American shrub (Viburnum nudum) whose tough osierlike shoots are sometimes used for binding sheaves. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| wither | 1. To fade; to lose freshness; to become sapless; to become sapless; to dry or shrivel up. "Shall he hot pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither?" (Ezek. Xvii. 9) 2. To lose or want animal moisture; to waste; to pin away, as animal bodies. "This is man, old, wrinkled, faded, withered." (Shak) "There was a man which had his hand withered." (Matt. Xii. 10) "Now warm in love, now with'ring in the grave." (Dryden) 3. To lose vigor or power; to languish; to pass away. "Names that must not wither." "States thrive or wither as moons wax and wane." (Cowper) Origin: OE. Wideren; probably the same word as wederen to weather (see Weather, &); or cf. G. Verwittern to decay, to be weather-beaten, Lith. Vysti to wither. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| witherband | <veterinary> A piece of iron in a saddle near a horse's withers, to strengthen the bow. Origin: Withers + band. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Withering, William | <person> William Withering, the son and grandson of successful physicians, popularised foxglove (Digitalis purpurea, (fairies thimbles), although its proposal to be used for "the dropsy" (excess body fluid) first appeared in the third London Pharmacopeia in 1677. William Withering was a botanist, chemist, musician (bagpipes, flute, harpsichord), geologist, and a well-to-do busy medical practitioner of Birmingham, England. He was a graduate of the University of Edinburgh. He discovered barium carbonate, which was named Witherite in his honor. He was so very busy that it was necessary for him to travel many nights, so he equipped his carriage with a light, and studied while he rode along the countryside. Once a month he joined E. Darwin, J. Priestley, and J. Watt for dinner and lively discussions. This was called the Lunar Society, and they the learned Lunatics. In 1775, he learned from a "grand old dame" of Shropshire that she had a successful formula mixture of some 20 drugs for the treatment of dropsy. She was unable to differentiate between renal, cardiac, hepatic or cerebral dropsy. Botanist Withering perceived that the recipe had foxglove in it. Withering then undertook a careful study of the effects, administering infusions and powders from the foxglove leaf, stems, and the roots of the plant. After cautioning of the toxicity, he provided quantities of the drug for his fellow physicians to try, but heedless that in their administration quite a number of people were evidently being "poisoned" by it with symptoms of nausea, vomiting, yellow vision, diarrhea, and slow pulse. The drug was temporarily depopularised. So Withering produced his, "An Account of the Fox Glove and Some of its Medical Uses" (1785) to let people know how to properly use it. Withering wrote, "Time will fix the real value upon this discovery, and determine whether I have imposed upon myself and others, or contributed to the benefit of science and mankind." The last 15 years of his life, he suffered frequent episodes of haemoptysis, dyspnoea, and fevers. A friend visited him who related of this celebrated botanist-physician, "The flower of English physicians is indeed Withering." Lived: 1741-1799. (18 Nov 1997) |
| witherite | <chemical> Barium carbonate occurring in white or gray six-sided twin crystals, and also in columnar or granular masses. Origin: So called after Dr. W. Withering. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| withers | The region of the back of an animal, particularly of the horse, which lies between the shoulder blades. Origin: A.S. Wither, against Fistulous withers, a fistula, caused by bacterial infection, of the withers. (05 Mar 2000) |
| withhold | 1. To hold back; to restrain; to keep from action. "Withhold, O sovereign prince, your hasty hand From knitting league with him." (Spenser) 2. To retain; to keep back; not to grant; as, to withhold assent to a proposition. "Forbid who will, none shall from me withhold Longer thy offered good." (Milton) 3. To keep; to maintain; to retain. "To withhold it the more easily in heart." (Chaucer) Origin: Withheld; Withheld, Withholden; Withholding] [With again, against, back + hold. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| within | 1. In the inner or interior part of; inside of; not without; as, within doors. "O, unhappy youth! Come not within these doors; within this roof The enemy of all your graces lives." (Shak) "Till this be cured by religion, it is as impossible for a man to be happy that is, pleased and contented within himself as it is for a sick man to be at ease." (Tillotson) 2. In the limits or compass of; not further in length than; as, within five miles; not longer in time than; as, within an hour; not exceeding in quantity; as, expenses kept within one's income. "That he repair should again within a little while." "Within these five hours lived Lord Hastings, Untainted, unexamined, free, at liberty." (Shak) 3. Hence, inside the limits, reach, or influence of; not going outside of; not beyond, overstepping, exceeding, or the like. "Both he and she are still within my power." (Dryden) "Within himself The danger lies, yet lies within his power." (Milton) "Were every action concluded within itself, and drew no consequence after it, we should, undoubtedly, never err in our choice of good." (Locke) Origin: OE. Withinne, withinnen, AS. Wioinnan; wio with, against, toward + innan in, inwardly, within, from in in. See With, In. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| without | Unless; except; introducing a clause. "You will never live to my age without you keep yourselves in breath with exercise, and in heart with joyfulness." (Sir P. Sidney) Now rarely used by good writers or speakers. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| withstand | To stand against; to oppose; to resist, either with physical or moral force; as, to withstand an attack of troops; to withstand eloquence or arguments. "I withstood him to the face." (Gal. Ii. 11) "Some village Hampden, that, with dauntless breast. The little tyrant of his fields withstood." (Gray) Origin: AS. Withstandan. See With, and Stand. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| withvine | <botany> Quitch grass. Origin: Withe + vine. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| withwind | <botany> A kind of bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). "He bare a burden ybound with a broad list, In a withewyndes wise ybounden about." (Piers Plowman) Origin: AS. Withowinde. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| withwine | <botany> Same as Withvine. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |