51Թ

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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:

  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: ,



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: , ,

  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

/ ɪʃ /

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

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈɾ, adjective
  • ˈɾ, noun
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • ɾİ noun
  • ɾl adjective
  • t·ɾ verb (used with object) noun
  • dzܳw verb (used with object)
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of wish1

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb wishen, Old English ɲ̄; cognate with German üԲ, Old Norse æᲹ; akin to Old English wynn “joy” ( winsome ), Latin venus “charm” ( Venus ); noun derivative of the verb
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of wish1

Old English ӯ; related to Old Norse öᲹ, German üԲ, 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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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“So yeah, I think if he wished it, wanted it and got it, he would be great,” Bronson said of Taylor-Johnson and the “Bond” role.

From

Mr Hampshire said in his witness statement that there was "nothing to hide" in the exchanges between Andrew and Xi – and they were full of "top-level nothingness", such as birthday wishes.

From

“Thank you Val. I wish you well on your next journey.”

From

The hosts of "Girls Gone Bible" frequently speak about "staying pure," telling their followers that sex before marriage "ruins lives" and that "modesty is very important" if women wish to avoid appearing "promiscuous."

From

Though the agency provides licenses to private space companies wishing to launch rockets, environmental review is only a small part of the permitting process.

From

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When To Use

What are other ways to say wish?

To wish is to want or long for something. How is wish different from desire and want? Find out on .

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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