waft

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Definitions (17)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (7)

  1. transitive verb To cause to go gently and smoothly through the air or over water.
  2. transitive verb To convey or send floating through the air or over water.
  3. intransitive verb To float easily and gently, as on the air; drift: "It was a heat that wafted from streets, rolled between buildings and settled over sidewalks” (Sarah Lyall).

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (4)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (3)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (3)

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Examples

  • I fully intended to write you from Switzerland, that my letter might come to you like a waft of cool air from a glacier in the heat of summer. —  Louis Agassiz His Life and Correspondence
  • It wasn't the usual ancient, but another idiot - they're all alike, fast asleep when you want a cool waft, and freezing you with a nor'easter in the small hours. —  Flashman And The Mountain Of Light
  • From the handkerchief there came a subtle waft, an effluvium of sweetness. —  Another Roadside Attraction
  • Not till the destroying angel of tempest had achieved his perfect work, would he fold the wings whose waft was thunder — the tremor of whose plumes was storm.” —  The Three Brontes
  • "You came in at the door so like a waft of wind through your eaves, I was back there with that oil I had to abandon. —  The Raven In The Foregate
 

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Waft has been looked up 280 times, favorited 0 times, listed 26 times, and commented on twice.

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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Back-formation from wafter, convoy ship, alteration of Middle English waughter, from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German wachter, a guard, from wachten, to guard; see weg- in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from waft, v.
 

Pronunciations
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/wæft/
by American Heritage
by Mary Mark Ockerbloom

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