Chapter Ward to Water of W by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Warwick Lane (City). The site of a magnificent house belonging to the famed Beauchamps, Earls of Warwick.

Warwolf (See Werwolf .)

Washed Out (I am thoroughly). I am thoroughly exhausted or done up; I have no strength or spirit left in me.

Washing Wash your dirty linen at home (French). The French say the English do not follow the advice of washing their dirty linen en famille - meaning that they talk openly and freely of the faults committed by ministers, corporations, and individuals. All may see their dirty linen; and as for its washing, let it be washed, and the English care not who has the doing of it. Horace (2 Ep., i. 220) says, “Vineta egomet cædam mea” (I do my own washing at home). Though the French assert that we disregard this advice, we have the familiar proverb, “It is an ill bird that fouls its own nest.”

Washington of Columbia Simon Bolivar (1785-1831).

Wassail (2 syl.). A salutation used on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day over the spiced-ale cup, hence called the “wassail bowl.” (Anglo-Saxon, Wæs hæl, be whole, be well.)

Wassailers Those who join a wassail; revellers, drunkards.

“I should be loath
To meet the rudenoss and swilled insolence
Of such late wassailers.”
Milton: Comus (The Lady).

Wastlers Wandering musicians; from wastle, to wander. The carolsingers in Sussex are called wastlers.

Wat A familar name for a hare.

“By this, poor Wat, far off upon a hill,
Stands on his hinder legs, with listening ear.”
Shakespeare: Venus and Adonis.

Wats Dyke (Flintshire). A corruption of Wato's Dyke. Wato was the father of Weland, the Vulcan of Northern mythology, and the son of King Vilkinr by a mermaid. This dyke extends from the vicinity of Basingwerk Abbey, in a south-easterly direction, into Denbighshire. The space between it and Offa's Dyke, which in some parts is three miles, and in others not above 500 yards, is neutral ground, “where Britons, Danes, and Saxons met for commercial purposes.” (See Wans Dyke .)

“There is a famous thing
Called Offa's Dyke, that reacheth far in length.
All kinds of ware the Danes might thither bring;
It was free ground, and called the Briton's Strength.
Wat's Dyke, likewise, about the same was set,
Between which two both Danes and Britons met,
And traffic still.
Churchyard: Worthiness of Wales (1587).

Watch Night December 31st, to see the Old Year out and the New Year in by a religious service. John Wesley grafted it on the religious system, but it has been followed by most Christian communities.

“Southey in his biography of the evangelist (Wesley) denounces watch-night as another of Wesley's objectionable institutions.”- Nottingham Guardian, January 1, 1895, p. 5.

Watch on Board Ship There are two sorts of watch- the long watch of four hours, and the dog watch of two, from 4 to 6; but strictly speaking a watch means four hours. The dog watches are introduced to prevent one party always keeping watch at the same time. (See Wolf, Between dog and wolf, Dog-Watch .)

12 to 4 p.m.	Afternoon watch.
4 to 6 ”	First dog-watch.
6 to 8 ”	Second dog-watch.
8 to 12 ”	First night watch.
12 to 4 a.m.	Middle watch.
4 to 8 ”	Morning watch.
8 to 12 ”	Forenoon watch.

   There are two divisions which perform duty alternately- the starboard watch and the port watch. The former is called the captain's watch in the merchant service, often under the command of the second mate; the port watch is under the command of the first mate.
   The Black Watch. The gallant 42nd, linked with the 73rd, now called the Royal Highlanders. The 42nd was the first corps raised for the royal service