wish
pronunciation
How to pronounce wish in British English:
UK [wɪʃ]
How to pronounce wish in American English:
US [wɪʃ]
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- Noun:
- a specific feeling of desire
- an expression of some desire or inclination
- (usually plural) a polite expression of desire for someone's welfare
- the particular preference that you have
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- Verb:
- hope for; have a wish
- prefer or wish to do something
- have in mind
- make or express a wish
- feel or express a desire or hope concerning the future or fortune of
- order politely; express a wish for
- invoke upon
Word Origin
- wish
- wish: [OE] Wish comes from a prehistoric Germanic *wunskjan, which also produced German wünschen, Swedish önska, and Danish ønske. Its ultimate ancestor is the Indo-European base *wun-, *wen-, *won-, source also of English wean, ween ‘think, suppose’ [OE] (now archaic except in the derivative overweening [14]), the win- of winsome [OE], and wont ‘accustomed’, and of German wonne ‘joy’.=> overweening, wean, winsome, wont
- wish (v.)
- Old English wyscan "to wish, cherish a desire," from Proto-Germanic *wunsk- (cognates: Old Norse œskja, Danish ønske, Swedish önska, Middle Dutch wonscen, Dutch wensen, Old High German wunsken, German wunschen "to wish"), from PIE *wen- (1) "to strive after, wish, desire, be satisfied" (cognates: Sanskrit vanati "he desires, loves, wins," Latin venus "love, sexual desire, loveliness," venerari "to worship;" see Venus). Related: Wished; wishing. Wishing well as an enchanted water hole attested by 1819.
- wish (n.)
- early 14c., "act of wishing," also "what one wishes for," from wish (v.). Cognate with Old Norse osk, Middle Dutch wonsc, Dutch wens, Old High German wunsc, German Wunsch "a wish." Wish fulfillment (1901) translates German wunscherfüllung (Freud, "Die Traumdeutung," 1900).
Example
- 1. I wish jane could meet her .
- 2. That wish has now been granted .
- 3. I wish you all a fabulous new year .
- 4. Wish you every success with your experiment .
- 5. You can even lift your parent if you wish .