Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Nautical, an erroneous form of waft, 4.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Naut.) See waft, n., 4.
  • noun (Naut.) A kind of streamer or flag used either as a signal, or at the masthead for ornament or to indicate the direction of the wind to aid in steering.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun nautical A waft (flag)

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word wheft.

Examples

  • The "wheft" was waved thrice as an urgent signal to the ship to come to our assistance with all speed, but in the meantime our interest lay in the surviving Black Fish keeping alive.

    The Cruise of the Cachalot Round the World After Sperm Whales Frank T. Bullen 1886

  • They had the red wheft flying, for they were bound on the account, to raid the Main.

    On the Spanish Main Or, Some English forays on the Isthmus of Darien. John Masefield 1922

  • While Barack Obama is President, we should consider flying the flag in the international symbols for distress - I believe that means upside down, or in a wheft; with a knot tied in the center.

    Latest Articles newsmax 2010

  • Plutarch, wheft he lerfirnt the Rooiu language, which was not till he was somewhat advanced in life, observed, that he got the knowledge of words from his knowledge of things.

    Plutarch's Lives, tr. by J. and W. Langhorne 1812

  • He dri«es. i | i« SaJop mail — Pan Hebcrt, well ktown for hit YJicelleaGC ia, hitting his oetr-Jkte leader* trotters, or having gfOwn oiugbt fur a confine rabje time, and were en - cof raged very nwh by the. per - foa wheft were pre&nt; ana 1 at nine o'clock in the morning Mr. fyecd expired of the, bruifes he received* Mr. Proctor docs not feeooL to be much hart.

    Sporting Magazine 1796

  • * Though, in this experiment the refulc is difierent, yet, wheft. the caufe of this difierence is afeertained and ej4laiiied, we fhall find it will in no wife contradiA the condufion drawn from our former experiment. —

    The Monthly Review 1776

  • French, but cannot find one; so I hoist a wheft over it, -- that will do. "

    Mr. Midshipman Easy Frederick Marryat 1820

  • I have been looking for an English ensign to hoist over the French, but cannot find one; so I hoist a wheft over it -- that will do. "

    Mr. Midshipman Easy Frederick Marryat 1820

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.