Definition of "wish"

Send this message to six beings of your acquaintance, and your greatest wish shall come true!

2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, PC, scene: IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!

LESTER: You believe in wishes? I mean, you believe they come true?CHESTER: Nah. I believe in wishes, but I don't believe they come true. Not unless it's a real easy wish, like "I wish I was at a birthday party." But you gotta blow out all the candles, or else the wish don't come true. If one candle stays lit, you don't get your wish.

2004, George Carlin, When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?‎, New York: Hyperion Books, page 237

"I suppose all old soldiers are the same," said Mrs White. "The idea of our listening to such nonsense! How could wishes be granted in these days? And if they could, how could two hundred pounds hurt you, father?" / "Might drop on his head from the sky," said the frivolous Herbert.

1901, W. W. Jacobs, The Monkey's Paw

Showing the population what we wish them to be is the best way for them to change.

2018 May 13, Justin King, “How to Fix the Storylines of Film and Television”, in Return of Kings

I would not wish / Any companion in the world but you.

1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene i]

Now John the butler must be sentTo learn the road that Phyllis went:The groom was wished to saddle Crop;For John must neither light nor stop,But find her, wheresoe'er she fled,And bring her back alive or dead.

1716, Jonathan Swift, Phyllis, or the Progress of Love

Yesterday, upon the stair / I met a man who wasn’t there / He wasn’t there again today / I wish, I wish he’d go away …

1899, Hughes Mearns, Antigonish

I wish he mean me well, that he takes so much pains!

1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter LXXXIV”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; […]

She hears that Miss Bigg is to be married in a fortnight. I wish it may be so.

1808, Jane Austen, letter, 1 October

This is as good an argument as an antiquary could wish for.

1727, John Arbuthnot, Tables of Ancient Coins, Weights and Measures

Mr. White took the paw from his pocket and eyed it dubiously. "I don't know what to wish for, and that's a fact," he said slowly. "It seems to me I've got all I want."

1901, W. W. Jacobs, The Monkey's Paw

I would not wish them to a fairer death.

c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene viii]

Let them be driven backward, and put to shame, that wish me evil.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Psalms 40:14

Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal.

2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4

I was wished to your worship by a gentleman.

1610 (first performance), Ben[jamin] Jonson, The Alchemist, London: […] Thomas Snodham, for Walter Burre, and are to be sold by Iohn Stepneth, […], published 1612; reprinted Menston, Yorkshire: The Scolar Press, 1970, (please specify the GB page), (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)

Farewell: yet for the loue I beare my sweet Bianca, if I can by any meanes light on a fit man to teach her that wherein she delights, I will wish him to her father.

c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene i]