Why then; used very much in the South to begin a sentence, especially a reply, much as _indeed_ is used in English:--'When did you see John Dunn?' 'Why then I met him yesterday at the fair': 'Which do you like best, tea or coffee?' 'Why then I much prefer tea.' 'Why then Pat is that you; and how is _every rope's length_ of you?'
Wicked; used in the South in the sense of severe or cross. 'Mr. Manning our schoolmaster is very wicked.'
Widow-woman and widow-man; are used for _widow_ and _widower_, especially in Ulster: but _widow-woman_ is heard everywhere.
Wigs on the green; a fight: so called for an obvious reason:--'There will be wigs on the green in the fair to-day.'
_Will you_ was never a good fellow, 18, 114.
Wine or wynd of hay; a small temporary stack of hay, made up on the meadow. All the small wynds are ultimately made up into one large rick or stack in the farmyard. { 351}
Wipe, a blow: all over Ireland: he gave him a wipe on the face. In Ulster, a goaly-wipe is a great blow on the ball with the _camaun_ or hurley: such as will send it to the goal.
Wire. To _wire in_ is to begin work vigorously: to join in a fight.
Wirra; an exclamation generally indicating surprise, sorrow, or vexation: it is the vocative of 'Muire' (_A Mhuire_), Mary, that is, the Blessed Virgin.
Wirrasthru, a term of pity; alas. It is the phonetic form of _A Mhuire is truaigh_, 'O Mary it is a pity (or a sorrow),' implying the connexion of the Blessed Virgin with sorrow.
Wit; sense, which is the original meaning. But this meaning is nearly lost in England while it is extant everywhere in Ireland:--A sharp Ulster woman, entering her little boy in a Dublin Infant School, begged of the mistress to teach him a little _wut_.
Witch: black witches are bad; white witches good. (West Donegal.)
Wish; esteem, friendship:--'Your father had a great wish for me,' i.e. held me in particular esteem, had a strong friendship. (General.) In this application it is merely the translation of the Irish _meas_, respect:--_Tá meás mór agum ort_; I have great esteem for you, I have a great _wish_ for you, I hold you in great respect.
Wisha; a softening down of _mossa_, which see.
With that; thereupon: used all over Ireland. Irish _leis sin_, which is often used, has the same exact meaning; but still I think _with that_ is of old { 352} English origin, though the Irish equivalent may have contributed to its popularity.