Wistfully

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Wistful \Wist"ful\, a. [For wishful; perhaps influenced by
     wistly, which is probably corrupted from OE. wisly certainly
     (from Icel. viss certain, akin to E. wit). See {Wish}.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. Longing; wishful; desirous.
        [1913 Webster]


  
              Lifting up one of my sashes, I cast many a wistful,
              melancholy look towards the sea.      --Swift.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Full of thought; eagerly attentive; meditative; musing;
        pensive; contemplative.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              That he who there at such an hour hath been,
              Will wistful linger on that hallowed spot. --Byron.
        [1913 Webster] -- {Wist"ful*ly}, adv. -- {Wist"ful*ness},
        n.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  wistfully
       adv : in a wistful manner; "his sister would have looked beautiful
             in that dress, he thought wistfully, just like an
             angel"