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Definition of "wick" []

  • A cord or strand of loosely woven, twisted, or braided fibers, as on a candle or oil lamp, that draws up fuel to the flame by capillary action. (noun)
  • A piece of material that conveys liquid by capillary action. (noun)
  • To convey or be conveyed by capillary action: water gradually wicking up through the bricks. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "wick" in a sentence
  • "Then he lifts up his head and utters that long April call, _Wick, wick, wick, wick_."
  • "She could not do anything ungracefully, but that did not prevent her improving upon nature a bit, when she reached forth and deftly snuffed the red wick from the midst of the yellow flame."
  • "Candles are made from a mixture of wax and paraffin, melted into liquid, and into this mixture a wick is dipped into the waxy bath, cooled and dipped over and over until the desired thickness is reached."