Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

3 VERB If you wish to do something or to have it done for you, you want to do it or have it done. [FORMAL ] □ [V to-inf] Older children may not wish to spend all their time in adult company. □ [V ] We can dress as we wish now. □ [V + for ] There were the collaborators, who wished for a German victory.

4 VERB [no cont] If you wish something were true, you would like it to be true, even though you know that it is impossible or unlikely. □ [V that] I wish that I could do that. □ [V n to-inf] The world is not always what we wish it to be.

5 VERB If you wish for something, you express the desire for that thing silently to yourself. In fairy stories, when a person wishes for something, the thing they wish for often happens by magic. □ [V + for ] We have all wished for men who are more considerate. ● N‑COUNT Wish is also a noun. □  Blow out the candles and make a wish.

6 VERB [no cont] If you say that you would not wish a particular thing on someone, you mean that the thing is so unpleasant that you would not want them to be forced to experience it. □ [V n + on ] It's a horrid experience and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

7 VERB If you wish someone something such as luck or happiness, you express the hope that they will be lucky or happy. □ [V n n] I wish you both a very good journey. □ [V n adv] Goodbye, Hanu. I wish you well.

8 N‑PLURAL [adj N ] If you express your good wishes towards someone, you are politely expressing your friendly feelings towards them and your hope that they will be successful or happy. [POLITENESS ] □  I found George's story very sad. Please give him my best wishes. SYNONYMS wish NOUN 1

desire:I had a strong desire to help and care for people.

longing:Imelda spoke of her longing to return home.

aspiration:…the needs and aspirations of our pupils.

urge:He had an urge to open a shop of his own.

need:Charles has never felt the need to compete with anyone. USAGE wish

Don’t use ‘wish’ with a clause to say that you hope something good will happen to someone. Don’t say, for example, ‘ I wish you’ll have a nice time in Finland ’. Say ‘I hope you’ll have a nice time in Finland’ or ‘I hope you have a nice time in Finland’. □  I hope you like this village.

wish|bone /w I ʃboʊn/ (wishbones ) N‑COUNT A wishbone is a V-shaped bone in chickens, turkeys, and other birds.

wi sh|ful thi nk|ing N‑UNCOUNT If you say that an idea, wish, or hope is wishful thinking , you mean that it has failed to come true or is unlikely to come true. □  It is wishful thinking to expect deeper change under his leadership.

wi sh list (wish lists ) N‑COUNT [oft with poss] If you refer to someone's wish list , you mean all the things which they would like to happen or be given, although these things may be unlikely. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …one special toy that tops the wish list of every child.

wishy-washy /w I ʃi wɒʃi/ ADJ If you say that someone is wishy-washy , you are critical of them because their ideas are not firm or clear. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □  If there's anything I can't stand, it's an indecisive, wishy-washy customer.

wisp /w I sp/ (wisps )

1 N‑COUNT A wisp of hair is a small, thin, untidy bunch of it. □ [+ of ] She smoothed away a wisp of hair from her eyes.

2 N‑COUNT A wisp of something such as smoke or cloud is an amount of it in a long thin shape. □ [+ of ] A thin wisp of smoke straggled up through the trees.

wispy /w I spi/

1 ADJ If someone has wispy hair, their hair does not grow thickly on their head.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A wispy cloud is thin or faint.

wis|te|ria /w I st I ə riə/ N‑UNCOUNT Wisteria is a type of climbing plant which has pale purple or white flowers.