<B>withe, </B>noun, verb, <B>withed,</B> <B>withing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a willow twig. <DD><B> 2. </B>any tough, easily bent twig or branch used for binding or tying, and sometimes for plaiting; withy. <DD><B> 3. </B>a flexible handle of a tool, to prevent or lessen jarring of the wrist. <DD><I>v.t. </I> (Dialect.) <B>1a. </B>to bind with a withe or withes. <DD><B> b. </B>(U.S.) to take (deer) with a noose made of withes. <DD><B> 2. </B>to twist like a withe. </DL>
<A NAME="wither">
<B>wither, </B>intransitive verb, transitive verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>to lose or cause to lose freshness, vigor, or other lively quality; make or become dry and lifeless; dry up; fade; shrivel. <BR> <I>Ex. The hot sun withers grass (v.t.). Flowers wither after they are cut (v.i.). Old age had withered her face (v.t.).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) to feel or cause to feel ashamed or confused. <BR> <I>Ex. to wither at the thought of a public rebuke (v.i.). She blushed under her aunt's withering look (v.t.).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="withering">
<B>withering, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>very destructive. <BR> <I>Ex. a withering blast of machine-gun fire.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) very sarcastic or trenchant. <BR> <I>Ex. a withering remark.</I> adv. <B>witheringly.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="witherite">
<B>witherite, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> native barium carbonate, a rare white, gray, or yellowish mineral. </DL>
<A NAME="witherod">
<B>withe rod,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> either of two North American shrubs of the honeysuckle family, varieties of viburnum, with tough, osierlike shoots and white or yellowish flowers. </DL>
<A NAME="withers">
<B>withers, </B>noun pl.<DL COMPACT><DD> the highest part of a horse's or other animal's back, behind the neck. <BR><I>expr. <B>wring one's withers,</B> </I>to subject one to emotional stress, pain, or other torment; cause anguish; distress. <BR> <I>Ex. He wrings our withers in this, but perhaps he lacks the ability to awe us with the agonies of the soul (Punch).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="withershins">
<B>withershins, </B>adverb.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Scottish.) <DD><B> 1. </B>in a direction contrary to the apparent course of the sun (considered as unlucky or causing disaster). <DD><B> 2. </B>(Obsolete.) in a direction opposite to the usual; in the wrong way. Also, <B>widdershins,</B> <B>widershins.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="withheld">
<B>withheld, </B>verb.<DL COMPACT><DD> the past tense and past participle of <B>withhold.</B> <BR> <I>Ex. The boy wrongly withheld information about his friend, thinking he was protecting him.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="withhold">
<B>withhold, </B>verb, <B>-held,</B> <B>-holding.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to refuse to give. <BR> <I>Ex. There will be no seal hunting if the government withholds permits.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to hold back; keep back. <BR> <I>Ex. The dam broke as it was too weak to withhold the pressure of the rising water.</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> to refrain (from). <BR> <I>Ex. to withhold from spreading the news.</I> noun <B>withholder.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="withholdingtax">
<B>withholding tax,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the part of a person's income tax that is deducted from his salary or wages by his employer on behalf of the government. </DL>
<A NAME="withholdment">
<B>withholdment, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the act of withholding. </DL>
<A NAME="within">
<B>within, </B>preposition, adverb, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>prep. </I> <B>1. </B>inside the limits of; not beyond; not more than. <BR> <I>Ex. to live within one's income, to be within sight. The task was within the man's power. He guessed my weight within five pounds.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>in or into the inner part of; inside of. <BR> <I>Ex. By the use of X rays, doctors can see within the body.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>(Figurative.) in the inner being, soul, or mind of. <BR> <I>Ex. And fire and ice within me fight (A. E. Housman).</I> <DD><I>adv. </I> <B>1. </B>in or into the inner part; inside. <BR> <I>Ex. The house had been painted within and without. The curtains were white without and green within.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) in the inner being; in the being, soul, or mind; inwardly. <BR> <I>Ex. to keep one's grief within.</I> <DD><I>noun </I> the inner part; interior; inside. <BR><I>expr. <B>from within,</B> </I>from the inside of a person, place, or thing. <BR> <I>Ex. His regime is clearly being eroded from within (New York Times).</I> </DL>
<B>within-named, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> specified by name within this or that document, clause, or other piece of writing. </DL>
<A NAME="withit">
<B>with-it, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Slang.) up-to-date; keeping up with the latest trends or fashions; hip; in. <BR> <I>Ex. Etams ... set out to get with-it trendy clothes as quickly as possible on to the backs of the girls (Scotsman). The papier-mache toe rings are very simple and very with-it (Maclean's).</I> noun <B>with-itness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="without">
<B>without, </B>preposition, adverb, conjunction, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>prep. </I> <B>1. </B>with no; not having; free from; lacking. <BR> <I>Ex. A cat walks without noise. I drink tea without sugar.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>so as to leave out, avoid, or neglect. <BR> <I>Ex. She walked past without noticing us.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>outside of; beyond. <BR> <I>Ex. Only those who lived without the city walls were able to save anything from the fire.</I> <DD><I>adv. </I> <B>1. </B>on the outside; outside. <BR> <I>Ex. The house is clean within and without.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) outside of the inner being; with regard to external actions or circumstances; in relation to others. <BR> <I>Ex. at ease without and at peace within (James Martineau).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>lacking. <BR> <I>Ex. We must eat this or go without.</I> <DD><I>conj. </I> (Dialect.) unless. <BR> <I>Ex. I will not come without you invite me.</I> <DD><I>noun </I> the outer part; exterior; outside. <BR> <I>Ex. The wholeness of man encompasses both the without or physical [aspect] and the within (New Scientist).</I> <BR><I>expr. <B>from without,</B> </I>from the outside of a person, place or thing. <BR> <I>Ex. An independent state, jealous of all interference from without (Macauley). Doors opened smartly from without (Dickens).</I> </DL>
<B>withstand, </B>verb, <B>-stood,</B> <B>-standing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.t. </I> to stand against; hold out against; bear up under; resist; endure; oppose, especially successfully. <BR> <I>Ex. Explorers have to withstand hardships. These shoes will withstand much hard wear.</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> to offer resistance or opposition; resist; endure. </DL>
<A NAME="withstood">
<B>withstood, </B>verb.<DL COMPACT><DD> the past tense and past participle of <B>withstand.</B> <BR> <I>Ex. The windows withstood the force of the blast and did not shatter.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="withy">
<B>withy, </B>noun, pl. <B>withies,</B> adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a willow or osier. <DD><B> 2. </B>a twig of willow or osier; withe. <DD><B> 3. </B>a band or halter made of withes. <DD><I>adj. </I> resembling a withe in flexibility. </DL>
<A NAME="witless">
<B>witless, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>lacking sense; stupid; foolish. <BR> <I>Ex. a witless person, a witless remark. Crossing the street without looking in both directions is a witless thing to do.</I> (SYN) brainless. <DD><B> 2. </B>not knowing; unaware. <BR> <I>Ex. to be witless of danger.</I> adv. <B>witlessly.</B> noun <B>witlessness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="witling">
<B>witling, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a person who fancies himself to be clever at repartee; would-be wit. </DL>
<A NAME="witloof">
<B>witloof, </B>noun. =endive.</DL>
<A NAME="witness">
<B>witness, </B>noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a person who saw something happen; spectator; eyewitness. <BR> <I>Ex. He made the remark in the presence of several witnesses.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a person who takes an oath to tell the truth in a court of law. <BR> <I>Ex. Both the judge and the lawyers questioned the police witness.</I> <DD><B> 3a. </B>evidence; testimony. <BR> <I>Ex. A person who gives false witness in court is guilty of lying under oath.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>a person or thing that furnishes evidence or proof of the thing or fact mentioned. <BR> <I>Ex. (Figurative.) Their tattered clothes were a witness of their poverty.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>a person who writes his name on a document to show that he saw the maker sign it; person selected to be present at some transaction in order to be able to testify that it occurred. <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to see; perceive. <BR> <I>Ex. I witnessed the accident.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to be the scene or setting of (a fact or event). <BR> <I>Ex. the years that witnessed the Industrial Revolution.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>to testify to; give evidence of. <BR> <I>Ex. Her whole manner witnessed her surprise.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>(Figurative.) to furnish evidence or proof of; betoken. <DD><B> 5. </B>to sign (a document) as a witness. <BR> <I>Ex. The two servants witnessed his will.</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> to give evidence; bear witness; testify (to, against). <BR><I>expr. <B>bear witness,</B> </I>to be evidence; give evidence; testify. <BR> <I>Ex. The results of the experiment bore witness to the scientist's theory. The girl's blushing bore witness to her embarrassment.</I> noun <B>witnesser.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="witness">
<B>Witness, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a member of Jehovah's Witnesses. </DL>
<A NAME="witnessbox">
<B>witness box,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a rectangular enclosure in a British court occupied by a witness while giving evidence. </DL>
<A NAME="witnesschair">
<B>witness chair,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a chair for a witness, especially on a witness stand. </DL>
<A NAME="witnessstand">
<B>witness stand,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a place where a witness stands or sits to give evidence in a law court. </DL>
<A NAME="witster">
<B>witster, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a person who is adept in making witticisms; wit. </DL>
<A NAME="witted">
<B>-witted,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (combining form.) having a ______ wit or wits. <BR> <I>Ex. Quick-witted = having a quick wit.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="witticism">
<B>witticism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a witty remark. (SYN) quip, mot. </DL>
<A NAME="wittily">
<B>wittily, </B>adverb.<DL COMPACT><DD> in a witty manner; with wit. </DL>
<A NAME="wittiness">
<B>wittiness, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the character of being witty; quality of being ingenious or clever. </DL>
