- wishes[plural] used especially in a letter, email or card to say that you hope that somebody will be happy, well or successful
- Give my good wishes to the family.
- wish for something We all send our best wishes for the future.
- With best wishes (= for example, at the end of a letter)
Extra Examples- Give my best wishes to Alison.
- Thanks to all those who sent well wishes.
- With best wishes for a happy birthday.
- I send best wishes for a speedy recovery.
- Thanks for all the birthday wishes.
- I would like to extend my warmest wishes to all of the staff.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- best
- good
- well
- …
- give somebody
- send (somebody)
- with… wishes
- wish for
- [countable] an attempt to make something happen by thinking hard about it, especially in stories when it often happens by magic
- Throw some money in the fountain and make a wish.
- The genie granted him three wishes.
- The prince's wish came true.
Extra Examples- If you're the one who finds the hidden box, you get a wish.
- Lo and behold, on Christmas Day their wishes came true.
- The good fairy granted her three wishes.
- When you see a black cat, you have to make a wish.
- I hope all your birthday wishes come true.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + wish- have
- make
- get
- …
- come true
- [countable] a desire or a feeling that you want to do something or have something
- wish to do something She expressed a wish to be alone.
- He had no wish to start a fight.
- His dearest wish (= what he wants most of all) is to see his grandchildren again.
- wish for something I can understand her wish for secrecy.
- wish that… It was her dying wish that I should have it.
Extra Examples- He was denied his dying wish to be reconciled with his son.
- I have no wish to cause any trouble among them.
- In his wish to be as helpful as possible, he was forever asking her what she wanted.
- She fulfilled her deepest wish when she flew solo for the first time.
- She has expressed a wish to seek asylum here.
- She has expressed a wish to visit the Houses of Parliament.
- a wish for peace
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- dearest
- deepest
- desperate
- …
- have
- express
- make known
- …
- fulfilment/fulfillment
- list
- against somebody’s wishes
- in somebody’s wish
- in accordance with somebody’s wishs
- …
- [countable] a thing that you want to have or to happen
- He refused to carry out her wishes.
- I'm sure that you will get your wish.
- against somebody's wishes She married against her parents' wishes.
Extra Examples- Her father will not speak to her, because she married against his wishes.
- In accordance with his wishes, his ashes were scattered at sea.
- We need to update our equipment if we are to meet customers' wishes.
- It is vital for schools to respect the wishes of parents.
- She eventually went against her family's wishes and published her autobiography.
- The committee rode roughshod over the wishes of union members.
- She flew into a rage if the staff didn't obey her wishes.
- She's always wanted to be an actress, and I'm sure she'll get her wish.
- The Government blatantly ignored the wishes of the public.
- The change to the constitution reflects the wishes of the people who voted in the referendum.
- the child's detention against parental wishes
- The department will definitely try to fulfil your wishes.
- I create my design according to the wishes of the client.
- They had entered the war against the wishes of the majority of the population.
- Most of the stories in the book represent childhood wish fulfilment.
- It was her expressed wish not to be kept alive by a machine.
- It is my sincere wish that the council act on the decision.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- dearest
- deepest
- desperate
- …
- have
- express
- make known
- …
- fulfilment/fulfillment
- list
- against somebody’s wishes
- in somebody’s wish
- in accordance with somebody’s wishs
- …
Word OriginOld English wȳscan, of Germanic origin; related to German wünschen, also to wont.
Idioms
See wish in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee wish in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishif wishes were horses, beggars would/might ride
- (saying) wishing for something does not make it happen
your wish is my command
- (humorous) used to say that you are ready to do whatever somebody asks you to do
the wish is father to the thought
- (saying) we believe a thing because we want it to be true
Check pronunciation:
wish