waft
- waft
\ \ [16] A wafter was an ‘armed ship used for convoying others’ (the word was borrowed from Middle Dutch wachter ‘guard’, which came from the same prehistoric Germanic base as English wait, wake, and watch). The verb waft was derived from it by back-formation, and at first was used for ‘convey by water, convoy’ (‘Because certain pirates … were lurking at the Thames mouth … Thomas Lord Camoys with certain ships of war was appointed to waft over the king’, Edward Hall, Chronicle 1548). The change from ‘conveyance by water’ to ‘conveyance through the air’ began in the 17th century.
\ \ Cf.⇒ WAIT, WAKE, WATCH
Word origins - 2ed.
J. Ayto.
2005.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
waft — [wa:ft, wɔft US wa:ft, wæft] v [Date: 1600 1700; Origin: waft to guard a group of ships as they sail along (16 17 centuries), from Middle Dutch wachten to watch, guard ] 1.) [I,T always + adverb/preposition] if a smell, smoke, or a light wind… … Dictionary of contemporary English
Waft — Waft, n. 1. A wave or current of wind. Everywaft of the air. Longfellow. [1913 Webster] In this dire season, oft the whirlwind s wing Sweeps up the burden of whole wintry plains In one wide waft. Thomson. [1913 Webster] 2. A signal made by waving … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Waft — Waft, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Wafted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Wafting}.] [Prob. originally imp. & p. p. of wave, v. t. See {Wave} to waver.] 1. To give notice to by waving something; to wave the hand to; to beckon. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] But soft: who… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Waft — 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. Dryden. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
waft — [ waft ] verb intransitive if a smell or noise wafts, it floats through the air in a gentle way: The aroma of freshly made pancakes wafted through the air. ╾ waft noun count … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
waft — waft·age; waft·er; waft; … English syllables
waft — [wäft, waft] vt. [back form. < obs. wafter, convoy < LME waughter < Du wachter, lit., a watcher < wachten, to watch: for IE base see WAKE1] 1. a) to carry or propel (objects, sounds, odors, etc.) lightly through the air or over water… … English World dictionary
waft — (v.) 1510s, to carry over water, back formation from obsolete wafter convoy ship (late 15c.), from M.Du. or M.L.G. wachter a guard, from wachten to guard, related to waken rouse from sleep (see WAKE (Cf. wake) (1)). The meaning pass through air… … Etymology dictionary
waft — [v] carry bear, be carried, blow, convey, drift, float, ride, transmit, transport; concepts 147,217 … New thesaurus
waft — ► VERB ▪ pass easily or gently through the air. ► NOUN 1) a gentle movement of air. 2) a scent carried in the air. ORIGIN originally in the sense «escort (a ship)», later «convey by water»: from Low German, Dutch wachten to guard … English terms dictionary
waft|er — «WAF tuhr, WAHF », noun. 1. a person or thing that wafts. 2. a revolving fan or disk in a type of blower. ╂[< waft1 + er1] … Useful english dictionary
