*wit*

a. Characterized by after-wit; slow-witted. Tyndale. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ OE. attwyten, AS. ætwītan. See Twit. ] To speak reproachfully of; to twit; to upbraid. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Stupid; dull. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. OF. buie bond, chain, fr. L. boja neck collar, fetter. Cf. Buoy. ] A double slip of leather by which bells are fastened to a hawk's legs. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bewitched p. pr. & vb. n. Bewitching. ] 1. To gain an ascendency over by charms or incantations; to affect (esp. to injure) by witchcraft or sorcery. [ 1913 Webster ]

See how I am bewitched; behold, mine arm
Is like a blasted sapling withered up. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To charm; to fascinate; to please to such a degree as to take away the power of resistance; to enchant. [ 1913 Webster ]

The charms of poetry our souls bewitch. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To enchant; captivate; charm; entrance. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being bewitched. Gauden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who bewitches. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The power of bewitching or fascinating; bewitchment; charm; fascination. [ 1913 Webster ]

There is a certain bewitchery or fascination in words. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having power to bewitch or fascinate; enchanting; captivating; charming. -- Be*witch"ing*ly, adv. -- Be*witch"ing*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of bewitching, or the state of being bewitched. Tylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The power of bewitching or charming. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Flighty; passing rapidly from one subject to another; not having the faculty of attention. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. an edible agaric (Tricholoma personatum) that is pale lilac when young.
Syn. -- blewits. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. same as blewit.
Syn. -- blewit, Tricholoma personatum. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ } n. [ AS. blōwīte; blōd blood, + wīte wite, fine. ] (Anc. Law) A fine or amercement paid as part of a settlement for the shedding of blood; also, a riot wherein blood was spilled. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Dull; stupid. [ 1913 Webster ]

Blunt-witted lord, ignoble in demeanor! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) See Cowhage. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Czarowitzes [ Russ. tsarévich'. ] The title of the eldest son of the czar of Russia. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. mentally retarded; relatively slow in mental function.
Syn. -- half-witted, simple, simple-minded. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

a. Deprived of wits or understanding; distracted. [ Obs. ] Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The red-breasted or gray snipe (Macrorhamphus griseus); -- called also brownback, and grayback. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Stupid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A witness by means of his ears; one who is within hearing and does hear; a hearer. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who sees a thing done; one who has ocular view of anything. [ 1913 Webster ]

We . . . were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 2 Pet. i. 16. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Dull; stupid. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Fight + wite. ] (O.Eng. Law) A mulct or fine imposed on a person for making a fight or quarrel to the disturbance of the peace. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To manipulate (a machine or device) without proper knowledge of its operation; to experiment aimlessly with a device; as, don't fool around with the transit. [ PJC ]

n. 1. A leader, or would-be leader, in matters of knowledge or taste. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Nor that the forewits, that would draw the rest unto their liking, always like the best. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Foresight; prudence. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let this forewit guide thy thought. Southwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ pres. indic. sing., 1st & 3d pers. Forewot 2d person Forewost pl. Forewiten imp. sing. Forewiste pl. Forewisten p. pr. & vb. n. Forewiting ] [ AS. forewitan. See Wit to know. ] To foreknow. [ Obs. ] [ Written also forwete. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. Immediately; without delay; directly. [ 1913 Webster ]

Immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales; and he received sight forthwith. Acts ix. 18. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) As soon as the thing required may be done by reasonable exertion confined to that object. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Prob. from AS. gōd good + wiht creature, wight. ] (Zool.) One of several species of long-billed, wading birds of the genus Limosa, and family Tringidæ. The European black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa), the American marbled godwit (Limosa fedoa), the Hudsonian godwit (Limosa hæmastica), and others, are valued as game birds. Called also godwin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A foolish person; a dolt; a blockhead; a dunce. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Weak in intellect; silly. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With this. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A howitzer. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ G. haubitze, formerly hauffnitz, Bohem. haufnice, orig., a sling. ] (Mil.) (a) A gun so short that the projectile, which was hollow, could be put in its place by hand; a kind of mortar. [ Obs. ] (b) A short, light, largebore cannon, usually having a chamber of smaller diameter than the rest of the bore, and intended to throw large projectiles with comparatively small charges. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Inward sense; mind; understanding; conscience. [ Obs. ] Wyclif. [ 1913 Webster ]

prep. Within. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

This purse hath she inwith her bosom hid. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Biol.) A large orange-colored luminescent mushroom, Clitocybe illudens, also classified as Omphalotus olearius. It is poisonous and is sometimes found on hardwood tree stumps. [ wns=1 ]
Syn. -- jack-a-lantern, Clitocybe illudens. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

2. a pale light sometimes seen at night over marshy ground; an ignis fatuus; a will-o'-the-wisp. [ wns=2 ]“[ Newspaper speculations ] supplying so many more jack-o'-lanterns to the future historian.” Lowell.
Syn. -- friar's lantern, ignis fatuus, will-o'-the-wisp. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. A lantern carved from a hollowed-out pumpkin, with holes cut in the rind and so shaped that when it is illuminated by a candle inside, the features of a human face, cat's face, etc. appear in a glowing yellow color. It is used mostly as a decoration at Halloween. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

. (Elec.) A switch consisting of one or more knifelike pieces hinged at one end and making contact near the other with flat gripping springs. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

prop. n. A Chinese genus having only one species, the beauty bush.
Syn. -- genus Kolkwitzia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Having but little sense or shrewdness. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. or conj. [ Originally the participle of withstand, with not prefixed. ] Nevertheless; however; although; as, I shall go, notwithstanding it rains. [ 1913 Webster ]

I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding, in thy days I will not do it. 1 Kings xi. 11, 12. [ 1913 Webster ]

They which honor the law as an image of the wisdom of God himself, are, notwithstanding, to know that the same had an end in Christ. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

You did wisely and honestly too, notwithstanding
She is the greatest beauty in the parish. Fielding. [ 1913 Webster ]

Notwithstanding that, notwithstanding; although. [ 1913 Webster ]

These days were ages to him, notwithstanding that he was basking in the smiles of the pretty Mary. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

prep. Without prevention, or obstruction from or by; in spite of. [ 1913 Webster ]

We gentil women bee
Loth to displease any wight,
Notwithstanding our great right. Chaucer's Dream. [ 1913 Webster ]

Those on whom Christ bestowed miraculous cures were so transported that their gratitude made them, notwithstanding his prohibition, proclaim the wonders he had done. Dr. H. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Notwithstanding was, by Johnson and Webster, viewed as a participle absolute, an English equivalent of the Latin non obstante. Its several meanings, either as preposition, adverb, or conjunction, are capable of being explained in this view. Later grammarians, while admitting that the word was originally a participle, and can be treated as such, prefer to class it as a preposition or disjunctive conjunction. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- In spite of; despite. -- Notwithstanding, In spite of, Despite. Of these, only notwithstanding can be used postpositively; as, I will go, the weather notwithstanding. With respect to meaning, these words and phrases are often interchanged, but there is a difference between them, chiefly in strength. Notwithstanding is the weaker term, and simply points to some obstacle that may exist; as, I shall go, notwithstanding the rain. In spite or despite of has reference primarily to active opposition to be encountered from others; as, “I'll be, in man's despite, a monarch; ” “I'll keep mine own, despite of all the world.” Shak. Hence, these words, when applied to things, suppose greater opposition than notwithstanding. We should say. ”He was thrust rudely out of doors in spite of his entreaties, ” rather than “notwithstanding”. On the other hand, it would be more civil to say, “Notwithstanding all you have said, I must still differ with you.” [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

v. t. 1. To surpass in wisdom, esp. in cunning. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To defeat or gain an advantage over by superior craft or cunning stratagems; as, the thief outwitted his pursuers and left the country undetected. [ PJC ]

They did so much outwit and outwealth us ! Gauden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The faculty of acquiring wisdom by observation and experience, or the wisdom so acquired; -- opposed to inwit. [ Obs. ] Piers Plowman. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To outwit. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. (Zool.) See Pewit. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A large crested Old World plover having wattles and spurs; the pewit.
Syn. -- lapwing, green plover, pewit, peevit, peerwit. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. Any of several small olive-colored woodland flycatchers of eastern North America.
Syn. -- pewee, peewee, pewit, wood pewee, Contopus virens. [ WordNet 1.5 ]