a. [app. f. WISTLY adv. (where cf. quot. 1613–16) + -FUL, with reminiscence of wishful. In early use mainly poetical.]
† 1. Closely attentive, intent. Obs.
1613–6. W. Browne, Brit. Past., II. ii. 544. A Christall Riuer … chid The artlesse Songsters, that their Musicke still Should charme the sweet Dale, and the wistfull Hill.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 113, ¶ 3. [She] bore the Whispers of all around the Court with such a pretty Uneasiness,… and then recovered her self from one Eye to another, ’till she was perfectly confused by meeting something so wistful in all she encountered.
2. Expectantly or yearningly eager, watchful or intent; mournfully expectant or longing. (Chiefly in reference to the look.)
1714. Gay, Sheph. Week, V. 1. Why, Grubbinol, dost thou so wistful seem? There’s Sorrow in thy Look, if right I deem.
1725. Pope, Odyss., X. 484. My sad companions on the beach I found, Their wistful eyes in floods of sorrow drown’d.
1726. Swift, Gulliver, II. viii. I … lifting up one of my Sashes, cast many a wistful melancholy Look towards the Sea.
1799. Campbell, Pleas. Hope, I. 88. His faithful dog … Points to his master’s eyes (where’er they roam) His wistful face, and whines a welcome home.
1878. Black, Green Past., xxi. For a moment she hesitated, eager, disappointed and wistful.
Comb. 1873. Black, Pr. Thule, iii. This fair-haired, wistful-eyed girl.
1889. Conan Doyle, Micah Clarke, xxiii. The wistful-eyed red Somerset kine.
advb. 1795. Southey, Joan of Arc, I. 258. His eyes gazed wistful round.
1848. Lytton, Harold, I. i. The terror that seized the girl as she gazed long and wistful upon the knight.
