wishing

English

Etymology

From wish +‎ -ing.

Pronunciation

• enPR: wĭshʹĭng, IPA^(key): /ˈwɪʃɪŋ/
• Rhymes: -ɪʃɪŋ
• Homophone: whishing (in accents with the wine-whine merger)
• Hyphenation: wish‧ing

• Audio (US)

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Noun

wishing (plural wishings)

1. gerund of wish (“the act of making a wish”)
   • 1539, Publius [i.e., Publilius Syrus], “Mimi Publiani, that is to Saye, Quicke and Sentenciouse Verses or Meters of Publius. With the Interpretacion and Brief Scholyes of Richarde Tauerner.”, in Erasmus, translated by Richard Taverner, Proverbes or Adagies with Newe Addicions Gathered out of the Chiliades of Erasmus […], London: […] Ricardum Bances, →OCLC, signature A.j., recto:

     All that happeneth by wyſſhynge, is none of thine. As who ſhuld ſay what ſo euer cõmeth vnto the [thee] by thyne owne traueile and induſtrie that only counte thyne owne.

   • 1852, Chambers's Papers for the People, volumes 9-10, page 167:

     Discourse there was none; only exclamations and interjections, and wishings, wishings, wishings that Bessy were but his own for ever — his dear, dear little wife, as assuredly one day she should be!

Derived terms

• well-wishing
• wishing bone
• wishing cap
• wishing well

 

Verb

wishing

1. present participle and gerund of wish