waft

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)

CIDE DICTIONARY

waft, v. t. [Prob. originally imp. & p. p. of wave, v. t. See Wave to waver.].

•  To give notice to by waving something; to wave the hand to; to beckon.  [1913 Webster]

  "But soft: who wafts us yonder?"  [1913 Webster]
•  To cause to move or go in a wavy manner, or by the impulse of waves, as of water or air; to bear along on a buoyant medium; as, a balloon was wafted over the channel.  [1913 Webster]

  "A gentle wafting to immortal life."  [1913 Webster]

  "Speed the soft intercourse from soul to soul,
  And waft a sigh from Indus to the pole."  [1913 Webster]
•  To cause to float; to keep from sinking; to buoy.  Sir T. Browne.  [1913 Webster]

  " This verb is regular; but waft was formerly somwafted."  [1913 Webster]

waft, v. i. 

 To be moved, or to pass, on a buoyant medium; to float.  [1913 Webster]
"And now the shouts waft near the citadel."  [1913 Webster]

waft, n. 

•  A wave or current of wind.  Longfellow.  [1913 Webster]

  "In this dire season, oft the whirlwind's wing
  Sweeps up the burden of whole wintry plains
  In one wide waft."  [1913 Webster]
•  A signal made by waving something, as a flag, in the air.  [1913 Webster]
•  An unpleasant flavor.  [1913 Webster]
•  A knot, or stop, in the middle of a flag.  [1913 Webster]

  " A flag with a waft in it, when hoisted at the staff, or half way to the gaff, means, a man overboard; at the peak, a desire to communicate; at the masthead, “Recall boats.”"  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

waft, v. & n.
--v.tr. & intr. convey or travel easily as through air or over water; sweep smoothly and lightly along.
--n.
1 (usu. foll. by of) a whiff or scent.
2 a transient sensation of peace, joy, etc.
3 (also weft) Naut. a distress signal, e.g. an ensign rolled or knotted or a garment flown in the rigging.

Etymology

orig. 'convoy (ship etc.)', back-form. f. obs. waughter, wafter armed convoy-ship, f. Du. or LG wachter f. wachten to guard

THESAURUS

waft

air express, airfreight, airlift, asportation, bear, bear up, bearing, blast, blow, blow a hurricane, blow great guns, blow over, blow up, bluster, breath, breath of air, breeze, breeze up, brew, buoy, buoy up, capful of wind, carriage, carry, carrying, cartage, come up, conduct, convey, conveyance, drayage, expressage, ferriage, flatus, float, float high, fly, freight, freightage, freshen, gather, haulage, hauling, hold up, huff, lift, lighterage, lug, lugging, manhandle, pack, packing, pipe up, portage, porterage, puff, puff of air, puff of wind, rage, railway express, ride high, set in, shipment, shipping, squall, stir of air, storm, sustain, take, telpherage, tote, toting, transport, transportation, transshipment, truckage, upbear, uphold, uplift, upraise, waftage, wagonage, whiff, whiffet, whiffle, whisk, wing

ROGET THESAURUS

waft

Transference

VB transfer, transmit, transport, transplace, transplant, translocate, convey, carry, bear, fetch and carry, carry over, ferry over, hand pass, forward, shift, conduct, convoy, bring, fetch, reach, tote, port, import, export, send, delegate, consign, relegate, turn over to, deliver, ship, embark, waft, shunt, transpose, displace, throw, drag, mail, post, shovel, ladle, decant, draft off, transfuse, infuse, siphon.

Wind

VB blow, waft, blow hard, blow great guns, blow a hurricane, wuther, stream, issue, respire, breathe, puff, whiff, whiffle, gasp, wheeze, snuff, snuffle, sniff, sniffle, sneeze, cough, fan, ventilate, inflate, perflate, blow up.