Page:An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language.djvu/417

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hwaiwa, ‘how.’ Based on the Teut. pronom. stem hwa-, Aryan qe, qo. The formation of pre-Teut. koiwô is identical with that of Sans. êvā̆, ‘in this manner,’ from the pronom. stem a, ‘this.’ Another form is preserved in E. how, from the equiv. AS. hû (equiv. to OSax. and Teut. hwô).

Wiebel, m., ‘beetle,’ from MidHG. wibel, OHG. wibil, m.; corresponding to OSax. wiƀil, AS. wifel, E. weevil. The literal meaning of this word as a derivative of weben (see also Wespe) is probably ‘weaver’ (because it surrounds itself with a web on changing into a chrysalis state). Comp. Lith. vabalas, ‘beetle.’

Wieche, m., ‘wick,’ from MidHG. wieche, m. and f., ‘twisted yarn as wick or lint,’ OHG. wiohha (wioh?), ‘wick’; also MidHG. and ModHG. (dial.) wicke, with the same signification. The latter is connected with Wickel, from which MidHG. wieche was orig. at all events quite distinct; comp. Du. wiek, ‘lamp wick,’ AS. weoca (but also wecca, equiv. to E. wick). There are apparently no other cognates, unless we include Wocken.

Wiedehopf, m., ‘hoopoe’ (bird), from the equiv. MidHG. witehopfe, m., OHG. wituhopfo (-hoffo), m., lit. ‘forest hopper.’ OHG. witu, ‘timber,’ equiv. to AS. wudu, E. wood (comp. Kramtsvogel), is primit. allied to OIr. fid, ‘tree’ (or Gr. φιτρός, ‘block of wood, log’). Comp. hüpfen.

wieder, adv., identical with wider.

Wiege, f., ‘cradle,’ from the equiv. MidHG. wige, wiege, OHG. wiga (*wiega?), and, with a different gradation, waga, f.; corresponding to Du. wieg, OIc. vagga, ‘cradle’ (in AS. cradol, E. cradle). It is evidently connected with the root weg in bewegen, wackeln; yet some difficulties still remain; the relation of OHG. and MidHG. ie, i, a, is not quite clear (see schief and Stiege).

wiegen, vb., ‘to weigh, rock,’ from the equiv. MidHG. wëgen, OHG. wëgan, str. vb.; identical with wegen, vb., which see.

wichern, vb., ‘to neigh, shout noisily,’ an intensive form of the equiv. MidHG. wihen (wihenen, wihelen), OHG. wihôn for *wĭjôn, *hwĭjôn; formed from the same root as MidHG. weijen, OHG. weiôn (hweiôn), ‘to neigh’ (E. dial. to wicker). With the onomatopoetic root hwī̆ are connected, though with a different evolution of meaning, AS. hwînan, E. to whine, OIc. hvîna, ‘to rustle, drink (of beasts).’

Wiemen, m., ‘pole for hanging meat

to be smoked above the hearth,’ ModHG. only, from LG.; comp. Du. wieme, ‘smoking-place.’

Wiese, f., ‘meadow, pasture-land,’ from the equiv. MidHG. wise, OHG. wisa, f. From the same root are derived with a different gradation OIc. veisa, ‘pool, pond with standing water,’ AS. wâs, ‘moisture,’ E. (dial.) woosy, ‘moist.’ LG. wische, ‘meadow,’ is based on LG. *wîska.

Wiesel, m. and n., ‘weasel,’ from the equiv. MidHG. wisel, wisele, OHG. wisala, f.; corresponding to Du. wezel, wezeltje, AS. wësle (weosulœ), E. weasel, Dan. väsel. It is frequently regarded as a derivative of Wiese, linking it with the place where the animal is usually found; others, on account of the keen scent of the animal, connect its name with Lat. virus, ‘poison’ (root wī̆s, see verwesen). Both derivations are very uncertain.

wild, adj., ‘wild, savage, fierce,’ from the equiv. MidHG. wilde, OHG. wildi, adj., corresponding to Goth. wilþeis, AS. wilde, E. wild, Du. wild, OSax. wildi; the corresponding OIc. villr usually signifies ‘going astray, confused.’ Fr. sauvage (from Lat. silvaticus), as a derivative of Lat. silva, has led to the assumption that the Teut. cognates are derived from Wald. This view is not probable, since wild seems to be used only of living beings (lit. ‘senseless, irrational’?); comp. the Scand. signification. Moreover, the subst. Wild, n. (‘wild animals, game, deer’), which cannot be derived from the adj., has a more original form; comp. MidHG. wilt (d), OHG. and AS. wild, n. (AS. also wildor, and later wildeór), ‘wild animals,’ from Teut. wilþiz, n. (hence pre-Teut. weltos-, n., ‘wild animals,’ but wéltjo-, ‘wild, savage’). Hence the connection with Wald is improbable, though a more certain origin has not yet been found.

Wildbret, n., ‘game, venison,’ from MidHG. wiltbrât, -brœte, n., ‘roasted (or boiled) game, game for roasting, venison’; see Braten. —

Wildfang, m., ‘deer-stalking,’ from MidHG. wiltvanc (g), m., ‘game preserving, preserves’; late MidHG. in the sense of ‘strange person’ (one entrapped, as it were, like game).

Wildschur, n., ‘wolfskin, fur pelisse,’ ModHG. only, from the equiv. Pol. vilczur.

Wille, m., ‘will, volition, design, wish,’ from the equiv. MidHG. wille, OHG. willo, m.; corresponding to Goth. wilja, OSax.