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Whither vs Waver - What's the difference?

whither | waver |

As verbs the difference between whither and waver

is that whither is (intransitive|obsolete|dialectal) to wuther while waver is to sway back and forth; to totter or reel.

As an adverb whither

is (literary|or|archaic) to which place.

As a noun waver is

an act of wavering, vacillating, etc.

whither

English

Adverb

(-)
  • (literary, or, archaic) To which place.
  • * 1918 , , Mirado Modern Classics, paperback edition, page 8
  • The wagon jolted on, carrying me I knew not whither .
  • *
  • *
  • * 1885 , , Penguin Red Classics, paperback edition, page 24
  • And with the same grave countenance he hurried through his breakfast and drove to the police station, whither the body had been carried.

    Usage notes

    * This word is unusual in modern usage; where is much more common. It is more often encountered in older works, or when used poetically. * Do not confuse with whether'' or ''wither .

    Derived terms

    * anywhither * nowhither * whitherward * whitherever

    Synonyms

    * whereto

    Antonyms

    * whence

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (intransitive, obsolete, dialectal) To wuther.
  • English interrogative adverbs

    waver

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To sway back and forth; to totter or reel.
  • Flowers wavered in the breeze.
  • * Ld. Berners
  • With banners and pennons wavering with the wind.
  • * Sir Walter Scott
  • Thou wouldst waver on one of these trees as a terror to all evil speakers against dignities.
  • To flicker, glimmer, quiver, as a weak light.
  • To fluctuate or vary, as commodity prices or a poorly sustained musical pitch.
  • To shake or tremble, as the hands or voice.
  • His voice wavered when the reporter brought up the controversial topic.
  • To falter; become unsteady; begin to fail or give way.
  • * 1903 , Bill Arp, From the Uncivil War to Date
  • ...and that when a man was in the wrong his courage wavered , and his nerves became unsteady, and so he couldn't fight to advantage and was easily overcome.
  • * 2014 , Jacob Steinberg, " Wigan shock Manchester City in FA Cup again to reach semi-finals", The Guardian , 9 March 2014:
  • Although they believe they can overhaul their 2-0 deficit, they cannot afford to be as lethargic as this at Camp Nou, and the time is surely approaching when Manuel Pellegrini's faith in Martín Demichelis wavers .
  • To be indecisive between choices; to feel or show doubt or indecision; to vacillate.
  • Noun

    (en noun)
  • An act of wavering, vacillating, etc.
  • Someone who waves, enjoys waving, etc.
  • I felt encouraged by all the enthusiastic wavers in the crowd.
    The Fourth of July brings out all the flag wavers .
    Johnny is such a little waver ; everyone who passes by receives his preferred greeting.
  • Someone who specializes in waving (hair treatment).
  • A tool that accomplishes hair waving.
  • (UK, dialect, dated) A sapling left standing in a fallen wood.
  • (Halliwell)

    See also

    * waiver