English Dictionary
Definition of “wish”
wish (wɪʃ
)
Definitions
verb
- tr, takes a clause as object or an infinitive; when intr, often foll by for to want or desire (something, often that which cannot be or is not the case) ⇒
I wish I lived in Italy
to wish for peace
- (tr) to feel or express a desire or hope concerning the future or fortune of ⇒
I wish you well
- (tr) to desire or prefer to be as specified
- (tr) to greet as specified; bid ⇒
he wished us good afternoon
- (tr) formal to order politely ⇒
I wish you to come at three o'clock
noun
- the act of wishing; the expression of some desire or mental inclination ⇒
to make a wish
- something desired or wished for ⇒
he got his wish
- (usually plural) expressed hopes or desire, esp for someone's welfare, health, etc
- (often plural) formal a polite order or request
Alternative Forms
ˈwisher noun ˈwishless adjective Word Origin
Old English wӯscan; related to Old Norse öskja, German wünschen, Dutch wenschen
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
=
desire,
liking,
want,
longing,
hope,
urge,
intention,
fancy,
ambition,
yen,
hunger,
aspiration,
craving,
lust,
yearning,
inclination,
itch,
thirst,
whim,
hankering,
Quotations
"The wish is father to the thought"
"If wishes were horses, beggars would ride"
Translations
- British English:
wish
A wish is a desire for something.Her wish is to be in films.wɪʃ NOUN Her wish is to be in films.
- Spanish:
deseo
nm
- French:
souhait
nm
- German:
Wunsch
nm Wünsche
- Chinese: 愿望 n
- Arabic: أُمْنِيَّة n
- Portuguese: desejo nm
- Russian: желание nnt
- Croatian: želja nf
- Czech: přání nnt
- Danish: ønske nnt
- Dutch: wens nm
- Finnish: toive n
- Greek: ευχή nf
- Italian: desiderio nm
- Japanese: 願い n
- Korean: 소원 n
- Norwegian: ønske nnt
- Polish: życzenie nnt
- Brazilian Portuguese: desejo nm
- European Spanish:
deseo
nm
- Swedish: önskan nutr önskningar
- Thai: ความต้องการ n
- Turkish: dilek n
- Vietnamese: điều ước n
- British English:
wish
If you wish to do something, you want to do it.I wish to leave a message.wɪʃ VERB I wish to leave a message.
- Spanish:
desear
v
- French:
souhaiter
vt
- German:
wünschen
v
- Chinese: 希望 v
- Arabic: يَتَمَنَّى v
- Portuguese: desejar v
- Russian: желать v
- Croatian: željeti v
- Czech: přát (si) v
- Danish: ønske v
- Dutch: wensen v
- Finnish: toivoa v
- Greek: εύχομαι v
- Italian: desiderare v
- Japanese: 願う v
- Korean: 바라다 v
- Norwegian: ønske v
- Polish: zapragnąć v pragnąć
- Brazilian Portuguese: desejar v
- European Spanish:
desear
v
- Swedish: önska v
- Thai: ปราถนา v
- Turkish: dilemek v
- Vietnamese: chúc v
Usage examples
He did not wish to risk his own mounts on that dangerous terrain.
Jennifer Fallon, TREASON KEEP (2001)She was a mean old dragon, but you can't wish that on anyone.
Country Life (2004)In acknowledging our failures, I also wish to provide an account of some aspects of our response to Mrs Collins's complaint.
Irish Times (2002)The nearby railway station ensures that should they wish residents can get to a number of locations easily.
Glasgow Herald (2001)The effort of accepting each emotion as truth made me wish I could isolate them.
Dorothy Rowe, BEYOND FEAR (2002)
