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View synonyms for wish

wish

[ wish ]

verb (used with object)

  1. to want; desire; long for (usually followed by an infinitive or a clause):

    I wish to travel.

    I wish that it were morning.

    Synonyms: crave

  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.

    Synonyms: order, direct



verb (used without object)

  1. to desire; long; yearn (often followed by for ):

    Mother says I may go if I wish.

    I wished for a book.

  2. to make a wish:

    She wished more than she worked.

noun

  1. an act or instance of wishing.
  2. a request or command:

    I was never forgiven for disregarding my father's wishes.

    Synonyms: want, will, desire

  3. an expression of a wish, often one of a kindly or courteous nature:

    to send one's best wishes.

  4. something wished or desired:

    He got his wish—a new car.

verb phrase

    1. to force or impose (usually used in the negative):

      I wouldn't wish that awful job on my worst enemy.

    2. Also wish upon. to make a wish using some object as a magical talisman:

      to wish on a star.

wish

/ wɪʃ /

verb

  1. whentr, takes a clause as object or an infinitive; when intr, often foll by for to want or desire (something, often that which cannot be or is not the case)

    to wish for peace

    I wish I lived in Italy

  2. tr to feel or express a desire or hope concerning the future or fortune of

    I wish you well

  3. tr to desire or prefer to be as specified
  4. tr to greet as specified; bid

    he wished us good afternoon

  5. formal.
    tr to order politely

    I wish you to come at three o'clock



noun

  1. the act of wishing; the expression of some desire or mental inclination

    to make a wish

  2. something desired or wished for

    he got his wish

  3. usually plural expressed hopes or desire, esp for someone's welfare, health, etc
  4. formal.
    often plural a polite order or request

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Derived Forms

  • ˈwishless, adjective
  • ˈwisher, noun

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Other Words From

  • wisher noun
  • wishless adjective
  • inter·wish verb (used with object) noun
  • outwish verb (used with object)

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Word History and Origins

Origin of wish1

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb wishen, Old English wȳscan; cognate with German wünschen, Old Norse æskja; akin to Old English wynn “joy” ( winsome ), Latin venus “charm” ( Venus ); noun derivative of the verb

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Word History and Origins

Origin of wish1

Old English wӯscan; related to Old Norse öskja, German wünschen, Dutch wenschen

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Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with wish , also see if wishes were horses .

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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