*whee*

. A kind of heavily built dished wheel with a long axle box, used on gun carriages, usually having 14 spokes and 7 felloes; hence, a wheel of similar construction for use on automobiles, etc. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

1. (Horology) (a) A wheel which regulates the beats or pulses of a watch or chronometer, answering to the pendulum of a clock; -- often called simply a balance. (b) A ratchet-shaped scape wheel, which in some watches is acted upon by the axis of the balance wheel proper (in those watches called a balance). [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mach.) A wheel which imparts regularity to the movements of any engine or machine; a fly wheel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A water wheel, on which the stream of water strikes neither so high as in the overshot wheel, nor so low as in the undershot, but generally at about half the height of the wheel, being kept in contact with it by the breasting. The water acts on the float boards partly by impulse, partly by its weight. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A wheel without teeth, used to turn a similar one by the friction of bristles or something brushlike or soft attached to the circumference. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A circular revolving brush used by turners, lapidaries, silversmiths, etc., for polishing. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. the type of wheel used on a cart; it typically has wooden spokes and a metal rim. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. an acrobatic maneuver in which the arms and legs are outstretched like the spokes of a wheel, and the body is turned sideways through one or more revolutions, by first touching the hands and then the feet to the ground, in rapid succession so as to mimic the rolling of a wheel; in the course of this feat, the person performing it is alternately upright and upside-down. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

3. a silver dollar; a dollar made of silver. [ Colloq. ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. i. 1 to perform a cartwheel{ 2 }.
Syn. -- do cartwheels. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

A flanged wheel of a railway car or truck. [ 1913 Webster ]

See catherine wheel. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ So called from St. Catherine of Alexandria, who is represented with a wheel, in allusion to her martyrdom. ] 1. (Geoth.Arth.) Same as Rose window and Wheel window. Called also Catherine-wheel window. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Pyrotechny) A revolving piece of fireworks resembling in form the window of the same name. [ Written also Catharine wheel. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A chain pulley, or sprocket wheel. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An inversion of the chain pump, by which it becomes a motor driven by water. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A wheel with cogs or teeth; a gear wheel. See Illust. of Gearing. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. (Mil.) To cause to wheel or turn in an opposite direction. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The wheel in a clock which regulates the number of strokes. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Named from its resemblance to a crown. ] (Mach.) A wheel with cogs or teeth set at right angles to its plane; -- called also a contrate wheel or face wheel. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To encircle. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The rotating wheel in an escapement mechanism which has notches that are periodically engaged and disengaged by the anchor. [ PJC ]

An amusement device consisting of a giant power-driven vertically oriented steel wheel, revolvable on its horizontal stationary axle, and carrying a number of balanced passenger cars or open seats around its rim; the seats are suspended so as to remain horizontal as the wheel rotates, and, depending on the size of the wheel, the passengers when they reach the top may have a grand vista of the surrounding area; -- so called after G. W. G. Ferris, American engineer, who erected the first of its kind for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Ferris wheels are often found at traveling fairs and at permanent amusement parks. The Reisenrad in Vienna is one of the world's largest and most famous Ferris wheels. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

n. An annual of the central U. S. (Gaillardia pulchella) having showy long-stalked yellow flower heads marked with scarlet or purple in the center.
Syn. -- blanket flower, Indian blanket, Gaillardia pulchella. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A heavy wheel or disk which stores kinetic energy by rotating on a shaft, and by its momentum smoothes the operation of a reciprocating engine by reducing fluctuations of speed. It is used in certain types of machinery, such as automobiles. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

☞ Flywheels rotating at high speed have also been proposed as a means to store kinetic energy for use as a low-polluting source of energy in vehicles. [ PJC ]

a. Having four wheels. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A vehicle having four wheels; specifically, a hackney carriage with four weels. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Mach.) A clutch fitted in the rear hub of a cycle, which engages the rear sprocket with the rear wheel when the pedals are rotated forwards, but permits the rear wheel to run on free from the rear sprocket when the pedals are stopped or rotated backwards. Freewheelcycles are usually fitted with hub brakes or rim brakes, operated by back pedaling. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. i. 1. (a) Of a freewheel cycle, to run on while the pedals are held still. (b) Of a person, to ride a cycle of this manner; to coast in a vehicle having a freewheel. To ride a freewheel cycle. [ wns=2 ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. (Mach.) To operate like a freewheel, so that one part moves freely over another which normally moves with it; -- said of a clutch. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

3. To act without controls, external or internal; to live freely, independently, and without concern; -- of people. [ wns=1 ] [ PJC ]

n. Someone acting freely or even irresponsibly.
Syn. -- free agent, free spirit. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. Acting heedless of consequences; acting without controls, external or internal; as, freewheeling foolishness.
Syn. -- careless, irresponsible, reckless. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

(Shoemaking) A tool for ornamenting the edge of a sole. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Mach.) Any wheel worked by hand; esp., one the rim of which serves as the handle by which a valve, car brake, or other part is adjusted. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To encircle. [ R. ] Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A program that delivers hot meals to persons, such as the elderly or disabled, who are confined to their homes and unable to cook for themselves; also, the meals thus delivered. Such programs are usually conducted by governmental or charitable organizations. [ PJC ]

n. a waterwheel that is used to drive machinery in a mill. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

(Mech.) A form of impulse turbine or water wheel, consisting of a row of double cup-shaped buckets arranged round the rim of a wheel and actuated by one or more jets of water playing into the cups at high velocity. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. (Mach.) A wheel, usually with radial handles projecting from the rim, for traversing the saddle of a machine tool, esp. an automatic machine tool, by hand. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. (Horol.) The wheel in an escapement (as of a clock or a watch) into the teeth of which the pallets play. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a paddle wheel on each side; -- said of steam vessels; as, a side-wheel steamer. [ 1913 Webster ]

. same as Split pulley. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

[ Etymology of sprocket is uncertain. ] (Mach.) Same as Chain wheel. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a paddle wheel at the stern; as, a stern-wheel steamer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A steamboat having a stern wheel instead of side wheels. [ Colloq. U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

. A wheel used for measuring, by its motion when submerged, the velocity of flowing water; a current wheel. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. (a) A worm or worm wheel; a tangent screw. (b) A wheel with tangent spokes. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. (Zool.) The chewink. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Mach.) (a) A locomotive driving wheel which acts by friction adhesion to a smooth track. (b) A smooth-rimmed friction wheel for giving motion to an endless link belt or the like. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a pair of small wheels attached to the rear of a bicycle to keep the bicycle upright; -- used to assist those, especially small children, learning how to ride a bicycle. [ PJC ]

. (Mach.) A circular plate or a cross, with two or more cross grooves intersecting at the center, used on the end of a shaft to transmit motion to another shaft not in line with the first. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. A wheel turned by persons or animals, by treading, climbing, or pushing with the feet, upon its periphery or face. See Treadmill. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Any wheel for propelling machinery or for other purposes, that is made to rotate by the direct action of water; -- called an overshot wheel when the water is applied at the top, an undershot wheel when at the bottom, a breast wheel when at an intermediate point; other forms are called reaction wheel, vortex wheel, turbine wheel, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The paddle wheel of a steam vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A wheel for raising water; a noria, or the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Wheedled p. pr. & vb. n. Wheedling ] [ Cf. G. wedeln to wag with the tail, as a dog, wedel a fan, tail, brush, OHG. wadal; akin to G. wehen to blow, and E. wind, n. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To entice by soft words; to cajole; to flatter; to coax. [ 1913 Webster ]

The unlucky art of wheedling fools. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

And wheedle a world that loves him not. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To grain, or get away, by flattery. [ 1913 Webster ]

A deed of settlement of the best part of her estate, which I wheedled out of her. Congreve. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To flatter; to coax; to cajole. [ 1913 Webster ]