Waft vs Wast - What's the difference?
waft | wast |
(ergative) To (cause to) float easily or gently through the air.
* A breeze came in through the open window and wafted her sensuous perfume into my eager nostrils.
* 1922 , (James Joyce), Chapter 13
* 1914 , Hugh G. Evelyn-White’s translation of Hymn to Aphrodite from the .[http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0138%3Ahymn%3D6]
To be moved, or to pass, on a buoyant medium; to float.
* Dryden
To give notice to by waving something; to wave the hand to; to beckon.
* Shakespeare
A light breeze.
Something (a scent or odor), such as a perfume, that is carried through the air.
* 1908 ,
* 2010 September, "The SLM'' Calendar", , ISSN 1090-5723, volume 16, issue 9, page 170:
(nautical) A flag, (also called a waif or wheft), used to indicate wind direction or, with a knot tied in the center, as a signal.
(archaic)
* 1600 , William Shakespeare, As You Like It , Act 4, Scene 2, (a hunting song),
* 1611 , The Bible, King James (Authorised) Version , (first & last usages),
* 1850 , , The Blessed Damozel , lines 97-99
As verbs the difference between waft and wast
is that waft is (ergative) to (cause to) float easily or gently through the air while wast is (archaic).As a noun waft
is a light breeze.waft
English
Verb
(en verb)- Through the open window of the church the fragrant incense was wafted and with it the fragrant names of her who was conceived without stain of original sin…
- There the moist breath of the western wind wafted her over the waves of the loud-moaning sea in soft foam, and there the gold-filleted Hours welcomed her joyously.
- And now the shouts waft near the citadel.
- But soft: who wafts us yonder?
Noun
(en noun)- Meanwhile, the wafts from his old home pleaded, whispered, conjured, and finally claimed him imperiously.
- Patrol Magazine says of this Oxford, Miss., band: "Guitars are responsible for every noise in Colour Revolt's mix—not a single note of piano, waft of synthesizer, or evidence of electronic tampering are to be found."
wast
English
Verb
- "Take thou no scorn to wear the horn, It was a crest ere thou wast born ..."
- Genesis 3:11 "And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?"
- Revelation 16:5 "And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast , and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus."
- Alas! We two, we two, thou say'st!
- Yea, one wast thou with me
- That once of old.
