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wisp

   Also found in: Medical, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.06 sec.
wisp  (wsp)
n.
1. A small bunch or bundle, as of straw, hair, or grass.
2.
a. One that is thin, frail, or slight.
b. A thin or faint streak or fragment, as of smoke or clouds.
3. A fleeting trace or indication; a hint: a wisp of a smile.
4. A flock of birds, especially snipe. See Synonyms at flock1.
5. See ignis fatuus.
v. wisped, wisp·ing, wisps
v.tr.
To twist into wisps or a wisp.
v.intr.
To drift in wisps: smoke wisping from chimneys.

[Middle English.]

wispi·ly adv.
wispi·ness (wsp-ns) n.
wispy adj.

wisp
Noun
1. a thin, delicate, or filmy piece or streak: little wisps of cloud
2. a small untidy bundle, tuft, or strand: a wisp of hair
3. a slight trace: a wisp of a smile [origin unknown]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.wispwisp - a small tuft or lock; "wisps of hair"
tuft, tussock - a bunch of hair or feathers or growing grass
2.wisp - a small person; "a mere wisp of a girl"
small person - a person of below average size
3.wisp - a small bundle of straw or hay
bundle, package, packet, parcel - a collection of things wrapped or boxed together
4.wisp - a flock of snipe
snipe - Old or New World straight-billed game bird of the sandpiper family; of marshy areas; similar to the woodcocks
flock - a group of birds

wisp
Translations
Spanish wisp [wɪsp] nmechón m [of smoke] → voluta
French wisp [wɪsp] nfine mèche (de cheveux) [of smoke]; mince volute f;
a wisp of straw → un fétu de paille

German wisp [wɪsp] n [of grass] → Büschel nt [of hair] → Strähne f [of smoke] → Fahne f
Italian wisp [wɪsp] nciuffo, ciocca; [of smoke, straw] → filo

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His father was quite otherwise; of a sunny, jovial disposition, but with a quick temper like a sudden flame kindled in a wisp of straw, which consumes it in a flash and is no more.
He had a vast quantity of dark hair which fell constantly over his eyes, and his most frequent gesture was to throw back his head dramatically to get some long wisp out of the way.
" cries Briggs, dropping her comb, the thin wisp of faded hair falling over her shoulders; "an elopement
 
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