Meaning & Definition of word "Wishing"

Wishing

/ˈwɪʃɪŋ/

noun:

  • 1. The act of desiring or hoping for something.
    • Example: Her wishing for peace in her life was evident in her daily meditation.
  • 2. A desire or longing for something, often expressed positively.
    • Example: His wishing for wealth and success drove him to work tirelessly.

verb:

  • 1. To express a desire or hope for something to happen.
    • Example: She is wishing for a sunny day for her birthday party.
  • 2. To want something to be the case or to have a certain outcome.
    • Example: He was wishing he had studied harder for the exam.
  • 3. To experience feelings of regret or longing for something that is not attainable.
    • Example: After the argument, he found himself wishing he could take back his harsh words.

Etymology

Middle English: from the verb 'wish' + '-ing' suffix.

Common Phrases and Expressions

wishing well:

A place to express good wishes or hopes.

wish upon a star:

To make a wish with the hope that it will come true.

wish you were here:

An expression of longing for someone's presence.

Related Words

wish:

To have a desire or hope for something.

desire:

A strong feeling of wanting to have something.

hope:

A feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.

Slang Meanings of wishing

Meaning: Wishing for something unattainable.

Example Sentence: He's just wishing for a life that doesn't exist.

Meaning: Casually wanting something without much intent.

Example Sentence: I'm just wishing I had a million bucks.