wish

plural wishes

1. A desire, hope, or longing for something or for something to happen.

   make someone's wish come true

   2 more examples

   It is my wish that the bequest (should) be given to an almshouse.

   Send this message to six beings of your acquaintance, and your greatest wish shall come true!

   2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!

2. An expression of such a desire, often connected with ideas of magic and supernatural power.

   make a wish

   1 more example

   LESTER: You believe in wishes? I mean, you believe they come true? CHESTER: Nah. I believe in wishes, but I don't believe they come true. Not unless it's a real easy wish, like "I wish I was at a birthday party." But you gotta blow out all the candles, or else the wish don't come true. If one candle stays lit, you don't get your wish.

   2004, George Carlin, When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?, New York: Hyperion Books, →ISBN, →OCLC, →OL, page 237

3. The thing desired or longed for.

   You have my best wishes.

   2 more examples

   My dearest wish is to see them happily married.

   "I suppose all old soldiers are the same," said Mrs White. "The idea of our listening to such nonsense! How could wishes be granted in these days? And if they could, how could two hundred pounds hurt you, father?" / "Might drop on his head from the sky," said the frivolous Herbert.

   1901, W. W. Jacobs, The Monkey's Paw

4. SussexA water meadow.

present singular third person wishes · participle present wishing · participle past wished · past wished · first person past singular wished · archaic present second person singular wishest · past second person singular wished · archaic past second person singular wishedst · present singular third person wishes · archaic present singular third person wisheth · past singular third person wished · past plural wished · past subjunctive wished · participle present wishing · participle past wished

1. transitiveTo desire; to want.

   I'll come tomorrow, if you wish (it).

   5 more examples

   I wish it to be known that I wish them all to leave the company.

   Anyone who wishes an aisle seat should see an attendant.

   Oh, (I wish) that I'd never been born.

   Showing the population what we wish them to be is the best way for them to change.

   2018 May 13, Justin King, “How to Fix the Storylines of Film and Television”, in Return of Kings

   I would not wish / Any companion in the world but you.

   1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]

2. archaictransitiveTo hope (+ object clause with may or in present subjunctive).

   I wish he mean me well, that he takes so much pains!

   1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter LXXXIV”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by John Osborn, […], →OCLC

   1 more example

   She hears that Miss Bigg is to be married in a fortnight. I wish it may be so.

   1808, Jane Austen, letter, 1 October

3. intransitiveTo hope (for a particular outcome), even if that outcome is unlikely to occur or cannot occur.

   I wished (that) it would rain.

   3 more examples

   This is as good an argument as an antiquary could wish for.

   1727, John Arbuthnot, Tables of Ancient Coins, Weights and Measures

   Mr. White took the paw from his pocket and eyed it dubiously. "I don't know what to wish for, and that's a fact," he said slowly. "It seems to me I've got all I want."

   1901, W. W. Jacobs, The Monkey's Paw

   I wish I could go back in time and teach myself what I know now.

4. ditransitiveTo bestow (a thought or gesture) towards (someone or something).

   We wish you a merry Christmas.

   3 more examples

   I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

   I would not wish them to a fairer death.

   c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene viii]

   Let them be driven backward, and put to shame, that wish me evil.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 40:14

5. intransitivefollowed by to and an infinitiveTo request or desire to do an activity.

   Anyone who wishes to may leave now.

   1 more example

   Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal.

   2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4

6. transitiveTo recommend; to seek confidence or favour on behalf of.

   I was wished to your worship by a gentleman.

   1610 (first performance), Ben[jamin] Jonson, The Alchemist, London: […] Thomas Snodham, for Walter Burre, and are to be sold by Iohn Stepneth, […], published 1612, →OCLC, (please specify the Internet Archive page), (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)

   1 more example

   Farewell: yet for the loue I beare my sweet Bianca, if I can by any meanes light on a fit man to teach her that wherein she delights, I will wish him to her father.

   c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]

1. A surname.

   There was Evans, and that marvel among actors, Wish, who is also a modest man. We had all come down to the Mermaid Club that Saturday morning, except Clayton, who had slept there overnight […]

   1902, H. G. Wells, The Story of the Inexperienced Ghost