white

white
white O.E. hwit, from P.Gmc. *khwitaz (Cf. O.S., O.Fris. hwit, O.N. hvitr, Du. wit, O.H.G. hwiz, Ger. weiß, Goth. hveits), from PIE *kwintos/*kwindos "bright" (Cf. Skt. svetah "white;" O.C.S. sviteti "to shine," svetu "light;" Lith. sviesti "to shine," svaityti "to brighten"). As a surname, originally with reference to fair hair or complexion, it is one of the oldest in English, being well-established before the Conquest. Meaning "morally pure" was in O.E. Association with royalist causes is late 18c. Slang sense of "honorable, fair" is 1877, Amer.Eng. The racial sense (adj.) of "of those races (chiefly European or of European extraction) characterized by light complexion" is first recorded c.1600. The noun in this sense ("white man, person of a race distinguished by light complexion") is from 1670s; whitey in this sense is recorded from 1828. White supremacy attested from 1902; white flight is from 1967. White heat "state of intense or extreme emotion" first recorded 1839. White lie is attested from 1741. White Christmas is attested from 1857. White House at the U.S. presidential residence is recorded from 1811. White water "river rapids" is recorded from 1580s. White Russian "language of Byelorussia" is recorded from 1850; the mixed drink is from c.1978. White collar as an adj. is from 1921; white-collar crime attested by 1964 (there is a white-collar criminaloids from 1934). Astronomical white dwarf is from 1924.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • White — (hw[imac]t), a. [Compar. {Whiter} (hw[imac]t [ e]r); superl. {Whitest}.] [OE. whit, AS. hw[imac]t; akin to OFries. and OS. hw[=i]t, D. wit, G. weiss, OHG. w[=i]z, hw[=i]z, Icel. hv[=i]tr, Sw. hvit, Dan. hvid, Goth. hweits, Lith. szveisti, to make …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • White — White, n. [1913 Webster] 1. The color of pure snow; one of the natural colors of bodies, yet not strictly a color, but a composition of all colors; the opposite of black; whiteness. See the Note under {Color}, n., 1. [1913 Webster] Finely attired …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • White- — (бело ), a prefix used by Bolsheviks to designate their real and alleged enemies of all sorts, by analogy with the White Army.*White Guardist ( белогвардеец ): a member of the White Guard . The members of the White movement never applied the term …   Wikipedia

  • White — bezeichnet: einen Familiennamen, siehe White (Familienname) White Airways, eine portugiesische Charterfluggesellschaft White Hand Gang, irische Bande in Brooklyn von etwa 1900–1925 White Motor Company, US Hersteller von LKW, Automobilen,… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • White's — is a London gentlemen s club, established at 4 Chesterfield Street in 1693 by Italian immigrant Francesco Bianco (AKA Francis White ). Originally it was established to sell hot chocolate, a rare and expensive commodity at the time (and the source …   Wikipedia

  • White Ox — rolling tobacco, like Winfield, Drum, or Champion is a product catering for the roll your own market. White Ox is often regarded as a poor tasting product but is referred to as gold by seasoned smokers. White Ox in Prison White Ox has a higher… …   Wikipedia

  • White — hace referencia a: Jack White, un músico estadounidense. Patrick White, un escritor australiano, premio Nobel de Literatura en 1973. Hayden White, un filosofo estadounidense. Guillermo White, un ingeniero argentino. Ingeniero White, localidad… …   Wikipedia Español

  • White — White, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Whited}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Whiting}.] [AS. hw[=i]tan.] To make white; to whiten; to whitewash; to bleach. [1913 Webster] Whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of . . . uncleanness …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • White [2] — White (spr. Ueiht), 1) Grafschaft im Staate Arkansas (Nordamerika), ungefähr 50 QM., durchflossen von Little Red River u. Bayon des Arc, Nebenflüssen des White River, welcher die Ostgrenze der Grafschaft bildet; große Waldungen; Producte: Mais u …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • White [1] — White (spr. Ueit), Weiß …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • White [3] — White (spr. Ueit), 1) Jos. Blanko, geb. um 1775 in Sevilla; stammt aus einer irländischen Familie, wurde Prediger an der Hofkapelle in Sevilla[153] u. bald darauf Synodalexaminator des Cadixer Sprengels. Er stieß schon früh auf Zweifel an den… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

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