waif
Plural
waifs
1
a person, often a child, who is homeless, neglected, or abandoned
- The charity organization provided shelter and support for waifs who had nowhere else to turn.
- In Dickens' novel, "Oliver Twist," the protagonist begins as a waif, living in poverty and seeking a better life.
- She couldn't bear to see the waif standing alone on the street corner and offered to buy him a warm meal.
- The orphanage was overcrowded with waifs rescued from the streets, each one in need of care and protection.
- Despite his own struggles, he dedicated his time to helping waifs find safety and security in a world that had forgotten them.
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