wain.
/wʌɪ/ In Thailand, a gesture of greeting made by bringing one's palms together and in some cases (depending on the social status of the person greeted) bowing. Cf. namaste v.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > courtesy > courteous act or expression > [noun] > greeting or salutation > gesture > oriental or Indian
salaam1613
salaaming1816
pranam1845
namaskar1887
namaste1948
wai1966
1966 ‘A. Hall’ 9th Directive i. 7 He..made me the wai greeting with his hands, gently as a priest.
1972 Times 10 Nov. 16/2 A large statue of Queen Victoria..was boxed up for protection, but the authorities had to leave holes for her eyes so that her devotees could..make their wai (obeisance) under her approving gaze.
1981 J. Brennan Thai Cooking 14 She bows her head to her fingertips, placed together in the formal Thai greeting, wai.
1990 T. Ward What Buddha never Taught iv. 62 I..knelt in my best Thai posture, resting my buttocks on my heels, hands raised to my nose in a polite wai.
Derivatives
wai v. rare (intransitive) to make this gesture.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > courtesy > courteous act or expression > use formal courtesy in act or expression [verb (intransitive)] > greet > use other specific gestures
move1594
nod1600
bow1651
salaam1698
to rub noses1819
hongi1853
heil1939
namaste1969
wai1972
1972 Voice of Nation (Bangkok) 22 Nov. 2/2 So Miss Thailand will have to be a very cultured lady, well-polished and intelligent... She is expected to do more than just smile broadly and ‘wai’ or just perform bits and pieces of national dances.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1993; most recently modified version published online September 2018).
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n.1966