Whiteback to Whittle
Whiteback
(White"back`) n. (Zoöl.) The canvasback.
Whitebait
(White"bait`) n. (Zoöl.) (a) The young of several species of herrings, especially of the common
herring, esteemed a great delicacy by epicures in England. (b) A small translucent fish (Salanx Chinensis)
abundant at certain seasons on the coasts of China and Japan, and used in the same manner as the
European whitebait.
Whitebeam
(White"beam`) n. (Bot.) The common beam tree of England (Pyrus Aria); — so called from
the white, woolly under surface of the leaves.
Whitebeard
(White"beard`) n. An old man; a graybeard.
Whitebelly
(White"bel`ly) n. (Zoöl.) (a) The American widgeon, or baldpate. (b) The prairie chicken.
Whitebill
(White"bill`) n. (Zoöl.) The American coot.
White-blaze
(White"-blaze`) n. See White- face.
Whiteblow
(White"blow`) n. (Bot.) Same as Whitlow grass, under Whitlow.
Whiteboy
(White"boy`) n.
1. A favorite. [Obs.] See White, a., 6. "One of God's whiteboys." Bunyan.
2. One of an association of poor Roman catholics which arose in Ireland about 1760, ostensibly to resist
the collection of tithes, the members of which were so called from the white shirts they wore in their
nocturnal raids.
Whiteboyism
(White"boy`ism) n. The conduct or principle of the Whiteboys.
Whitecap
(White"cap`) n.
1. (Zoöl.) (a) The European redstart; — so called from its white forehead. (b) The whitethroat; — so
called from its gray head. (c) The European tree sparrow.
2. A wave whose crest breaks into white foam, as when the wind is freshening.
Whitecoat
(White"coat`) n. The skin of a newborn seal; also, the seal itself. [Sealers' Cant]
White-ear
(White"-ear`) n. (Zoöl.) The wheatear.
White-eye
(White"-eye`) n. (Zoöl.) Any one of several species of small Old World singing of the genus
Zosterops, as Zosterops palpebrosus of India, and Z. cœrulescens of Australia. The eyes are encircled
by a ring of white feathers, whence the name. Called also bush creeper, and white-eyed tit.
White-face
(White"-face`) n. A white mark in the forehead of a horse, descending almost to the nose; —
called also white-blaze.
Whitefish
(White"fish`) n. (Zoöl.) (a) Any one of several species of Coregonus, a genus of excellent
food fishes allied to the salmons. They inhabit the lakes of the colder parts of North America, Asia, and
Europe. The largest and most important American species (C. clupeiformis) is abundant in the Great
Lakes, and in other lakes farther north. Called also lake whitefish, and Oswego bass. (b) The menhaden.
(c) The beluga, or white whale.
Various other fishes are locally called whitefish, as the silver salmon, the whiting (a), the yellowtail, and
the young of the bluefish
