— wisher , n. — wishless , adj.
/wish/ , v.t.
1. to want; desire; long for (usually fol. by an infinitive or a clause): I wish to travel. I wish that it were morning.
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.
v.i.
6. to desire; long; yearn (often fol. by for ): Mother says I may go if I wish. I wished for a book.
7. to make a wish: She wished more than she worked.
8. wish on ,
a. to force or impose (usually used in the negative): I wouldn't wish that awful job on my worst enemy.
b. Also, wish upon . to make a wish using some object as a magical talisman: to wish on a star.
n.
9. an act or instance of wishing.
10. a request or command: I was never forgiven for disregarding my father's wishes.
11. an expression of a wish, often one of a kindly or courteous nature: to send one's best wishes.
12. something wished or desired: He got his wish - a new car.
[ bef. 900; (v.) ME wisshen, OE wyscan; c. G wünschen, ON aeskja; akin to OE wynn joy (see WINSOME), L venus charm (see VENUS); (n.) ME, deriv. of the v. ]
Syn. 1. crave. WISH, DESIRE, WANT indicate a longing for something. To WISH is to feel an impulse toward attainment or possession of something; the strength of the feeling may be of greater or lesser intensity: I wish I could go home. DESIRE, a more formal word, suggests a strong wish: They desire a new regime. WANT, usually colloquial in use, suggests a feeling of lack or need that imperatively demands fulfillment: People all over the world want peace. 5. direct, order. 8. will, want.