wish: Meaning and Definition of
wish
Pronunciation: (wish), [key]
— v.t.
- to want; desire; long for (usually fol. by an infinitive or a clause): I wish to travel. I wish that it were morning.
- to desire (a person or thing) to be (as specified): to wish the problem settled.
- to entertain wishes, favorably or otherwise, for: to wish someone well; to wish someone ill.
- to bid, as in greeting or leave-taking: to wish someone a good morning.
- to request or charge: I wish him to come.
—v.i.
- to desire; long; yearn (often fol. by for): Mother says I may go if I wish. I wished for a book.
- to make a wish: She wished more than she worked.
- I wouldn't wish that awful job on my worst enemy.
- to force or impose (usually used in the negative):I wouldn't wish that awful job on my worst enemy.
- Also,wish upon.to make a wish using some object as a magical talisman:to wish on a star.
—n.
- an act or instance of wishing.
- a request or command: I was never forgiven for disregarding my father's wishes.
- an expression of a wish, often one of a kindly or courteous nature: to send one's best wishes.
- something wished or desired: He got his wish--a new car.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.