Hypertext Webster Gateway: "whiff"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Marysole \Ma"ry*sole\, n. [Mary, the proper name + sole the
fish.] (Zo["o]l.)
A large British fluke, or flounder ({Rhombus megastoma}); --
called also {carter}, and {whiff}.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Whiff \Whiff\, n. [OE. weffe vapor, whiff, probably of imitative
origin; cf. Dan. vift a puff, gust, W. chwiff a whiff, puff.]
1. A sudden expulsion of air from the mouth; a quick puff or
slight gust, as of air or smoke.
But with the whiff and wind of his fell sword The
unnerved father falls. --Shak.
The skipper, he blew a whiff from his pipe, And a
scornful laugh laughed he. --Longfellow.
2. A glimpse; a hasty view. [Prov. Eng.]
3. (Zo["o]l.) The marysole, or sail fluke.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Whiff \Whiff\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Whiffed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Whiffing}.]
1. To throw out in whiffs; to consume in whiffs; to puff.
2. To carry or convey by a whiff, or as by a whiff; to puff
or blow away.
Old Empedocles, . . . who, when he leaped into Etna,
having a dry, sear body, and light, the smoke took
him, and whiffed him up into the moon. --B. Jonson.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Whiff \Whiff\, v. i.
To emit whiffs, as of smoke; to puff.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
whiff
n 1: a short light gust of air [syn: {puff}, {puff of air}]
2: a lefteye flounder found in coastal waters from New England
to Brazil
3: a strikeout resulting from the batter swinging at and
missing the ball for the third strike
v 1: perceive by inhaling through the nose; "sniff the perfume"
[syn: {sniff}]
2: drive or carry as if by a puff of air; "The gust of air
whiffed away the clouds"
3: of a baseball batter: strike out by swinging and missing the
pitch charged as the third
4: smoke and exhale strongly; "puff a cigar"; "whiff a pipe"
[syn: {puff}]
5: utter with a puff of air; "whiff out a prayer"
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.