wisp

Examples

• All

• We see these wisps because light from bright stars in the group is reflected off the surface of tiny grains of dust in a dense interstellar cloud.

  Academic text (1992)

• A flock of snipe is often referred to as a wisp during hunting seasons.

• Thus, these little beasts go along laboriously carrying the little wisps that they find and finally build their house with them.

  Academic text (2007)

• A couple of kids came running along her stretch of beach, laughing and calling out, their flashlights bobbing like will-o'-the-wisps.

  Fiction book (1998)

• Hooper crept across Turvyland, dodging the wisps of paper that tumbled across his path.

  Fiction book (1999)

• As the sun set, a wisp of snipe took flight from the wetlands.

• Birdwatchers were thrilled to spot a wisp of snipe in the marshland.

Synonyms

F

flock

vswisp

82 1.0

A group of animals like birds or sheep that move together

is a specific collective name used for a group of snipe

C

covey

vswisp

2 8.3

A small group of birds like quail or partridges

refers to groups of snipe rather than to small groups of game birds

Compounds

W

will-o'-the-wisp

• Literature

1 9.9

A pale flickering light that appears at night over marshes

W

will o' the wisp

• Literature

9.9

A thing that seems close but cannot be reached

W

will-o'-the-wisp

• Literature

9.9

A hope that leads people on but cannot be reached

Surface Forms

Etymology