Nearby Words

wow

[wou] Example Sentences Origin

wow

1[wou] Informal.
interjection
1.
(an exclamation of surprise, wonder, pleasure, or the like): Wow! Look at that!
verb (used with object)
2.
to gain an enthusiastic response from; thrill.

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Wow is one of our favorite verbs.
So is kibitz. Does it mean:
to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp. public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle.
chat, to converse
noun
3.
an extraordinary success: His act is a real wow.
4.
excitement, interest, great pleasure, or the like: a car that will add some wow to your life.

Origin:
1890–95; perhaps identical with Scots wow! exclamation of surprise or admiration
Example Sentences
  • Wow and the want all loans to run through the same system, good luck to students getting funds next year.
  • Oh wow that acutally makes a lot of sense wwwbeing-anonymousattc.
  • Whatever their provenance, the bracelets are enough to wow even seasoned researchers.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged

wow

2[wou]
noun
1.
Audio. a slow wavering of pitch in sound recording or reproducing equipment caused by uneven speed of the turntable or the tape. Compare flutter (def. 12).
2.
Scot. and North England Dialect. a howl, wail, bark, whine, or mew.
verb (used without object)
3.
Scot. and North England Dialect. to howl, wail, bark, whine, or mew.

Origin:
1800–10 for defs. 2–3; 1930–35 for def. 1; imitative; the audio term is probably an independent formation
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
wow1 (waʊ)
 
interj
1.  an exclamation of admiration, amazement, etc
 
n
2.  slang a person or thing that is amazingly successful, attractive, etc
 
vb
3.  slang (tr) to arouse great enthusiasm in
 
[C16: originally Scottish, expressive of surprise, amazement, etc]

wow2 (waʊ, wəʊ)
 
n
See also flutter a slow variation or distortion in pitch that occurs at very low audio frequencies in sound-reproducing systems, such as a record player, usually due to variation in speed of the turntable, etc
 
[C20: of imitative origin]

WOW
 
abbreviation for
waiting on weather: used esp in the oil industry

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

wow
1513, Scottish interjection, a natural expression of amazement. The verb meaning "overwhelm with delight or amazement" is first recorded 1924, Amer.Eng. slang. Used as a noun meaning "unqualified success" since 1920.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary

wow definition


  1. exclam.
    an indication of amazement or surprise. (Usually Wow!) : A whole quarter! Wow! Thanks, mister.
  2. tv.
    to delight or impress someone. : That ought to wow them right out of their seats.
  3. n.
    something exciting. : For a pretty good wow, try the Empire Theater's production of “Mame” this weekend.
  4. n.
    an exclamation point. : Almost every sentence you write has a wow at the end of it.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage
Abbreviations & Acronyms
WOW
World Ocean Watch
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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