TOUCAN n.
Any one of numerous species of fruit-eating birds of tropical America belonging to Ramphastos, Pteroglossus, and allied genera of the family Ramphastidæ. They have a very large, but light and thin, beak, often nearly as long as the body itself. Most of the species are brilliantly colored with red, yellow, white, and bl…
WALL n.
A defense; a rampart; a means of protection; in the plural, fortifications, in general; works for defense. The waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. Ex. xiv. 22. In such a night, Troilus, methinks, mounted the Troyan walls. Shak. To rush undaunted to defend the walls. Dryden.…
WAY n.
(c). -- Way of the rounds (Fort.), a space left for the passage of the rounds between a rampart and the wall of a fortified town. -- Way pane, a pane for cartage in irrigated land. See Pane, n., 4. [Prov. Eng.] -- Way passenger, a passenger taken up, or set down, at some intermediate place between the principal stat…
WHEEL n.
ng to the common vicissitude and wheel of things, the proud and the insolent, after long trampling upon others, come at length to be trampled upon themselves. South. [He] throws his steep flight in many an aëry wheel. Milton. A wheel within a wheel, or Wheels within wheels, a complication of circumstances, motives, etc…
WRITER n.
The use of tallies in the exchequer has been abolished. Wharton (Law. Dict.) -- Writer's cramp, palsy, or spasm (Med.), a painful spasmodic affection of the muscles of the fingers, brought on by excessive use, as in writing, violin playing, telegraphing, etc. Called also scrivener's palsy. -- Writer to the signet. See…