Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A whiff or waft; a breath; a snatch.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • "whift," was not the only evidence of the manner in which the _cachalot_ had met its death.

    The Ocean Waifs A Story of Adventure on Land and Sea Mayne Reid 1850

  • The "letter" had been carefully wrapped in a strip of oilskin, and then tied around the whift pole by a piece of sail twine.

    John Frewen, South Sea Whaler 1904 Louis Becke 1884

  • Five minutes later the two boats pushed off, and then, as they sped over the glassy surface of the ocean and the huge carcass of the whale was more clearly revealed, Bock called out to his superior officer that he could see a whift {*} on it.

    John Frewen, South Sea Whaler 1904 Louis Becke 1884

  • They pulled up alongside, and the mate's boatsteerer stepped out on to the body of Leviathan and pulled out the whift pole, which was firmly embedded in the blubber.

    John Frewen, South Sea Whaler 1904 Louis Becke 1884

  • "There's a letter tied round the pole, sir," he said to his officer, as he got back to the boat again and passed the whift aft.

    John Frewen, South Sea Whaler 1904 Louis Becke 1884

  • Then they lay alongside of the floating carcase, spelled half an hour, had something to eat, and then Cheyne, who had a sense of humour, wrote the scrawl to Keller and tied it round the whift pole.

    John Frewen, South Sea Whaler 1904 Louis Becke 1884

  • You see the whift be stickin 'a'most straight up, an' how could that a 'been done by them in the boats?

    The Ocean Waifs A Story of Adventure on Land and Sea Mayne Reid 1850

  • I kept an eye constantly towards the boats, and soon saw a whift planted on the back of the last whale attacked, which showed that it was dead.

    Peter Trawl The Adventures of a Whaler William Henry Giles Kingston 1847

  • It took some time before the whale was killed, and we could scarcely perceive the whift planted on its back before darkness came on.

    Peter Trawl The Adventures of a Whaler William Henry Giles Kingston 1847

  • Jack showed us a way up to the top of the cliff, and here Mr Griffiths erected a flagstaff with a whift, which we had in the boat, increased in size by a couple of handkerchiefs.

    Peter Trawl The Adventures of a Whaler William Henry Giles Kingston 1847

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