wisp

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

wisp, n. [OE. wisp, wips; probably akin to D. & G. wisch, Icel. visk, and perhaps to L. virga a twig, rod. Cf. Verge a rod, Whisk, n.].

•  A small bundle, as of straw or other like substance.  [1913 Webster]

  "In a small basket, on a wisp of hay."  [1913 Webster]
•  A whisk, or small broom.  [1913 Webster]
•  A Will-o'-the-wisp; an ignis fatuus.  [1913 Webster]

  "The wisp that flickers where no foot can tread."  [1913 Webster]

wisp, v. t. 

•  To brush or dress, an with a wisp.  [1913 Webster]
•  To rumple.  Halliwell.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

wisp, n.
1 a small bundle or twist of straw etc.
2 a small separate quantity of smoke, hair, etc.
3 a small thin person etc.
4 a flock (of snipe).

Derivative

wispy adj. (wispier, wispiest). wispily adv. wispiness n.

Etymology

ME: orig. uncert.: cf. WFris. wisp, and WHISK

THESAURUS

wisp

autoluminescence, bantam, banty, batch, bioluminescence, bunch, button, cathode luminescence, chemicoluminescence, chemiluminescence, chit, clump, cluster, copse, corposant, crop, crystalloluminescence, diminutive, double corposant, electroluminescence, fata morgana, featherweight, fingerling, fluorescence, fox fire, group, grouping, groupment, grove, hassock, ignis fatuus, knot, lightweight, lot, luciferase, luciferin, luminescence, luminophor, marshfire, mess, mini, minikin, minnow, minny, mouse, noctiluscence, nubbin, peewee, phosphor, phosphorescence, photoluminescence, pony, radioluminescence, runt, shock, shrimp, slew, slip, small fry, snip, snippet, stook, thermoluminescence, thicket, tit, tribofluorescence, triboluminescence, tribophosphorescence, tuft, tussock, wart, witch fire

ROGET THESAURUS

wisp

Assemblage

N assemblage, collection, collocation, colligation, compilation, levy, gathering, ingathering, muster, attroupement, team, concourse, conflux, congregation, contesseration, convergence, meeting, levee, reunion, drawing room, at home, conversazione, assembly, congress, convention, conventicle, gemote, conclave, posse, posse comitatus, Noah's ark, miscellany, collectanea, museum, menagerie, museology, crowd, throng, group, flood, rush, deluge, rabble, mob, press, crush, cohue, horde, body, tribe, crew, gang, knot, squad, band, party, swarm, shoal, school, covey, flock, herd, drove, atajo, bunch, drive, force, mulada, remuda, roundup, array, bevy, galaxy, corps, company, troop, troupe, task force, army, regiment, host, populousness, clan, brotherhood, fraternity, sorority, association, volley, shower, storm, cloud, group, cluster, Pleiades, clump, pencil, set, batch, lot, pack, budget, assortment, bunch, parcel, packet, package, bundle, fascine, fasces, bale, seron, seroon, fagot, wisp, truss, tuft, shock, rick, fardel, stack, sheaf, haycock, fascicle, fascicule, fasciculus, gavel, hattock, stook, accumulation, congeries, heap, lump, pile, rouleau, tissue, mass, pyramid, bing, drift, snowball, snowdrift, acervation, cumulation, glomeration, agglomeration, conglobation, conglomeration, conglomerate, coacervate, coacervation, coagmentation, aggregation, concentration, congestion, omnium gaterum, spicilegium, black hole of Calcutta, quantity, collector, gatherer, whip, whipper in, assembled, closely packed, dense, serried, crowded to suffocation, teeming, swarming, populous, as thick as hops, all of a heap, fasciculated cumulative, the plot thickens, acervatim, tibi seris tibi metis.