wish meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

wish

noun

/ˈwɪʃ/ · [ˈwɪʃ]

Etymology

From Middle English wisshen, wischen, wüschen, from Old English wȳsċan (“to wish”), from Proto-West Germanic *wunskijan, from Proto-Germanic *wunskijaną (“to wish”), from Proto-Indo-European *wenh₁- (“to wish, love”). Cognate with Scots wis (“to wish”), Saterland Frisian wonskje (“to wish”), West Frisian winskje (“to wish”), Dutch wensen (“to wish”), German wünschen (“to wish”), Luxembourgish wënschen (“to wish”), Yiddish ווינטשן (vintshn, “to wish”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål ønske (“to wish”), Faroese ynskja (“to wish, to desire”), Icelandic æskja, óska (“to wish”), Norwegian Nynorsk ønskja, ønskje, ønska, ønske, ynskja, ynskje (“to wish, to desire”), Swedish önska (“to wish”). Via PIE cognate with Latin Venus, veneror (“venerate, honour, love”), English wonder.

A desire, hope, or longing for something or for something to happen.

It is my wish that the bequest (should) be given to an almshouse.
make someone's wish come true

1 more example

Send this message to six beings of your acquaintance, and your greatest wish shall come true!2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!:

An expression of such a desire, often connected with ideas of magic and supernatural power.

make a wish
LESTER: You believe in wishes? I mean, you believe they come true? CHESTER: Nah. I believe in wishes, but I don't believe they come true. Not unless it's a real easy wish, like "I wish I was at a birthday party." But you gotta blow out all the candles, or else the wish don't come true. If one candle stays lit, you don't get your wish.2004, George Carlin, When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?, New York: Hyperion Books, →ISBN, →OCLC, →OL, page 237:

The thing desired or longed for.

My dearest wish is to see them happily married.
You have my best wishes.

1 more example

"I suppose all old soldiers are the same," said Mrs White. "The idea of our listening to such nonsense! How could wishes be granted in these days? And if they could, how could two hundred pounds hurt you, father?" / "Might drop on his head from the sky," said the frivolous Herbert.1901, W. W. Jacobs, The Monkey's Paw:

A water meadow.

Derived terms: best wishes, death wish, fish one's wish, good wishes, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride, make a wish, wish away, wishbone, wish-cycling, wishful, wish list, wishlist, wish-list, your wish is my command
Related terms: precatory, velleity

wish

verb

Etymology

To desire; to want.

I'll come tomorrow, if you wish (it).
I wish it to be known that I wish them all to leave the company.

4 more examples

Anyone who wishes an aisle seat should see an attendant.
Showing the population what we wish them to be is the best way for them to change.2018 May 13, Justin King, “How to Fix the Storylines of Film and Television”, in Return of Kings:
I would not wish / Any companion in the world but you.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
Now John the butler must be sent To learn the road that Phyllis went: The groom was wished to saddle Crop; For John must neither light nor stop, But find her, wheresoe'er she fled, And bring her back alive or dead.1716, Jonathan Swift, Phyllis, or the Progress of Love:

Archaic To hope (+ object clause with may or in present subjunctive).

I wish he mean me well, that he takes so much pains!1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter LXXXIV”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by John Osborn, […], →OCLC:
She hears that Miss Bigg is to be married in a fortnight. I wish it may be so.1808, Jane Austen, letter, 1 October

Followed by for To hope (for a particular outcome), even if that outcome is unlikely to occur or cannot occur.

This is as good an argument as an antiquary could wish for.1727, John Arbuthnot, Tables of Ancient Coins, Weights and Measures:
Mr. White took the paw from his pocket and eyed it dubiously. "I don't know what to wish for, and that's a fact," he said slowly. "It seems to me I've got all I want."1901, W. W. Jacobs, The Monkey's Paw:

2 more examples

I wish I could go back in time and teach myself what I know now.
I wished (that) it would rain.

To bestow (a thought or gesture) towards (someone or something).

We wish you a merry Christmas.
I would not wish them to a fairer death.c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene viii]:

1 more example

Let them be driven backward, and put to shame, that wish me evil.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 40:14:

To request or desire to do an activity.

Followed by to and an infinitive

Anyone who wishes to may leave now.
Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal.2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4:

To recommend; to seek confidence or favour on behalf of.

I was wished to your worship by a gentleman.1610 (first performance), Ben[jamin] Jonson, The Alchemist, London: […] Thomas Snodham, for Walter Burre, and are to be sold by Iohn Stepneth, […], published 1612, →OCLC, (please specify the Internet Archive page), (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
Farewell: yet for the loue I beare my sweet Bianca, if I can by any meanes light on a fit man to teach her that wherein she delights, I will wish him to her father.c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:

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