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wisp Definition

wisp (wisp)

noun

  1. a small bundle or bunch, as of straw
  2. a thin, slight, or filmy piece, strand, etc. a wisp of smoke
  3. something delicate, frail, etc. a wisp of a girl
  4. will-o'-the-wisp

Etymology: ME, prob. < Scand, as in Swed visp, a bundle of rushes or twigs, akin to ON visk: see whisk

transitive verb

to roll into a wisp

wisp Related Forms
wispy adjective wispi·er, wispi·est
wisp Synonyms

wisp

n.

tuft, cluster, shred, a few strands, lock, bit, shock, cowlick, stray lock, scolding locks.

wisp Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • smoke: A wisp of smoke curled in the air, carrying a burnt smell.
  • mist: Spirits circled at a distance, wisps of mist rose from the ground.
  • cloud: At night, dew begins to settle, lifting softly with the wisps of morning cloud.
  • grass: Why shouldn't she get the chance to sip Pimms with wisps of grass in her hair?
  • vapor: Wisps of vapor showed that the fuel tanks were being filled.
  • air: Jack had felt it too, but he'd known it wasn't a simple wisp of air.

Converse of object

  • o'the: Influence is a will o'the wisp but this may be Chris's greatest contribution.
  • see: If they see a wisp of smoke, they hurry over with an oil can.
  • catch: Who knows, you may see the occasional enthusiasts brake van tour round the works to catch the last wisps of Industrial Steam.
  • have: Both had curly wisps of brown hair, and both, as babies do, looked identical.
  • notice: Then he noticed a wisp of smoke in the distance.
  • curl: From his lips drooped a cigarette, curling a wisp of thin pale smoke.

Adjective modifier

  • faint: Toward the horizon, there were the faintest wisps of early morning ghost clouds.
  • thin: A thin wisp of blue smoke curled up from the tube.
  • few: A few gray wisps remain to break pears of sweat that roll down from the wrinkled neck.
  • little: When out to get a meal I suddenly noticed a little wisp of gray cloud.
  • last: Who knows, you may see the occasional enthusiasts brake van tour round the works to catch the last wisps of Industrial Steam.
  • white: Further up were white wisps, looking clean against the pale baby blue.

Noun used with modifier

  • merest: Takeo escaped the sacking of his village by the merest wisp of good fortune.
  • smoke: The December wind made the black smoke wisp up from the burial piles.

Browse dictionary entries near wisp

  1. Wisła
  2. wishy-washy
  3. wishing
  4. wishful thinking
  5. wishful
  6. wishbone
  7. wish list
  8. wish fulfillment
  9. wish
  10. wisent
  1. wist
  2. Wister
  3. wisteria
  4. wistful
  5. wit
  6. witan
  7. witch
  8. witch doctor
  9. witch elm
  10. witch grass