Tuesday, December 14, 2010

A wish is a hope or desire for something. Fictionally, wishes can be used as plot devices. In folklore, opportunities for "making a wish" or for wishes to "come true" or "be granted" are themes that are sometimes used.

Some cultures have customs in which people are encouraged to "make a wish", such as blowing out the candles on a birthday cake, seeing a shooting star at night, tossing a coin into a wishing well or fountain or breaking the wishbone of a cooked turkey. Many believe such wishes can only come true if you keep them a secret from other people. Others, on the other hand, believe that wishes come true only if you tell them to someone else. Another way to make a wish is on 11:11 (a.m. or p.m.) it is believed that if you make a wish at these times, it will come true as long as you don't tell anyone.
–verb (used with object)
1.
to want; desire; long for (usually fol. by an infinitive or a clause): I wish to travel. I wish that it were morning.
2.
to desire (a person or thing) to be (as specified): to wish the problem settled.
3.
to entertain wishes, favorably or otherwise, for: to wish someone well; to wish someone ill.
4.
to bid, as in greeting or leave-taking: to wish someone a good morning.
5.
to request or charge: I wish him to come.
–verb (used without object)
6.
to desire; long; yearn (often fol. by for ): Mother says I may go if I wish. I wished for a book.
7.
to make a wish: She wished more than she worked.
–noun
8.
an act or instance of wishing.
9.
a request or command: I was never forgiven for disregarding my father's wishes.
10.
an expression of a wish, often one of a kindly or courteous nature: to send one's best wishes.
11.
something wished or desired: He got his wish—a new car.
12.
wish on,
a.
to force or impose (usually used in the negative): I wouldn't wish that awful job on my worst enemy.
b.
Also, wish upon. to make a wish using some object as a magical talisman: to wish on a star.

Origin:
bef. 900;  (v.) ME wisshen,  OE wȳscan;  c. G wünschen,  ON æskja;  akin to OE wynn  joy ( see winsome), L venus  charm ( see Venus); (n.) ME, deriv. of the v.

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