wish

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Wished p. pr. & vb. n. Wishing. ] [ OE. wischen, weschen, wuschen, AS. w&unr_;scan; akin to D. wenschen, G. wünschen, Icel. æeskja, Dan. önske, Sw. önska; from AS. w&unr_;sc a wish; akin to OD. & G. wunsch, OHG. wunsc, Icel. &unr_;sk, Skr. vā&unr_;chā a wish, vā&unr_;ch to wish; also to Skr. van to like, to wish. &unr_;. See Winsome, Win, v. t., and cf. Wistful. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To have a desire or yearning; to long; to hanker. [ 1913 Webster ]

They cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. Acts xxvii. 29. [ 1913 Webster ]

This is as good an argument as an antiquary could wish for. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To desire; to long for; to hanker after; to have a mind or disposition toward. [ 1913 Webster ]

I would not wish
Any companion in the world but you. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper. 3. John 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To frame or express desires concerning; to invoke in favor of, or against, any one; to attribute, or cal down, in desire; to invoke; to imprecate. [ 1913 Webster ]

I would not wish them to a fairer death. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

I wish it may not prove some ominous foretoken of misfortune to have met with such a miser as I am. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let them be driven backward, and put to shame, that wish me evil. Ps. xl. 14. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To recommend; to seek confidence or favor in behalf of. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

I would be glad to thrive, sir,
And I was wished to your worship by a gentleman. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- See Desire. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable or worthy of being wished for; desirable. Udall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The forked bone in front of the breastbone in birds; -- called also merrythought, and wishing bone. See Merrythought, and Furculum. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. According to wish; conformably to desire. [ Obs. ] Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who wishes or desires; one who expresses a wish. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. Wistful. ] 1. Having desire, or ardent desire; longing. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Showing desire; as, wishful eyes. [ 1913 Webster ]

From Scotland am I stolen, even of pure love
To greet mine own land with my wishful sight. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Desirable; exciting wishes. [ R. ] Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Wish"ful*ly, adv. -- Wish"ful*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. from Wish, v. t. [ 1913 Webster ]

Wishing bone. See Wishbone. --
Wishing cap, a cap fabled to give one whatever he wishes for when wearing it. [ 1913 Webster ]