English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms - W, page 2
from: 'walking on air'
to: 'same wavelength'
- walking on air
- When you are happy and excited because of a pleasant event that makes you
feel as if you are floating, you are walking on air.
"Sophie has been walking on air since her painting won the first prize."
- When you are happy and excited because of a pleasant event that makes you
feel as if you are floating, you are walking on air.
- walking encyclopaedia
- This term refers to a person who is very knowledgeable about a lot of subjects.
"The origin of Halloween? Ask Jill - she's a walking encyclopaedia!"
- This term refers to a person who is very knowledgeable about a lot of subjects.
- walking papers
- If you are given your walking papers, your contract or a relationship has ended.
"After causing a diplomatic incident, Carter got his walking papers."
- If you are given your walking papers, your contract or a relationship has ended.
- want someone's head on a platter
- If someone makes you so angry that you want them to be punished, you want their head on a platter.
"He was so angry when he read the article about his family that he wanted the journalist's head on a platter."
- If someone makes you so angry that you want them to be punished, you want their head on a platter.
- in/through the wars
- If a person or thing has been in (or through) the wars, they show signs of rough treatment, injury or damage.
"He arrived in a car that looked as if it had been in the wars."
- If a person or thing has been in (or through) the wars, they show signs of rough treatment, injury or damage.
- watch your step
- If you tell someone to watch their step, you are advising them to be careful how they behave in order to avoid getting into trouble.
"There is zero tolerance in this school for bad behaviour, so watch your step!"
- If you tell someone to watch their step, you are advising them to be careful how they behave in order to avoid getting into trouble.
- watch like a hawk
- If you watch someone like a hawk, you keep your eyes on them or watch them very carefully.
"Sarah watches the children like a hawk when she takes them swimming."
- If you watch someone like a hawk, you keep your eyes on them or watch them very carefully.
- of the first water
- Something that isof the first water is of the finest
or most exceptional quality (like being compared to a diamond).
"The violinist gave a performance that was of the first water."
- Something that isof the first water is of the finest
or most exceptional quality (like being compared to a diamond).
- in hot water
- To say that somebody is in hot water means that
they have done something wrong and people are angry with them.
"Simon has been in hot water since his boss discovered that he had been using the internet for personal purposes."
- To say that somebody is in hot water means that
they have done something wrong and people are angry with them.
- not hold water
- If an explanation or argument does not hold water, it
does not stand up to critical examination and can be shown to be unfounded.
"The reasons given for the government's new measures just do not hold water."
- If an explanation or argument does not hold water, it
does not stand up to critical examination and can be shown to be unfounded.
- water down
- If you water down something such as a report,
declaration or proposal, you try to make it weaker or less likely to cause anger.
"When announcing the rejection of the proposal, he tried to water down the committee's negative comments."
- If you water down something such as a report,
declaration or proposal, you try to make it weaker or less likely to cause anger.
- water off a duck's back
- Criticism, comments or warnings that have no effect on someone is referred to as being 'like water off a duck's back'.
"He's been warned of the dangers of smoking but it's like water off a duck's back."
- Criticism, comments or warnings that have no effect on someone is referred to as being 'like water off a duck's back'.
- water under the bridge
- If something difficult or unpleasant took place in the past but is no longer important, it is referred to as water under the bridge.
"They had a serious disagreement in the past, but that's water under the bridge today."
- If something difficult or unpleasant took place in the past but is no longer important, it is referred to as water under the bridge.
- test the waters(s)
- If you test the water(s), you try to find out how acceptable or successful something is before becoming involved in it.
"You should go to a gym class to test the water before enrolling."
- If you test the water(s), you try to find out how acceptable or successful something is before becoming involved in it.
- tread water
- If you are treading water, your unsatisfactory situation remains stationary in spite of your efforts, with no sign of any progress.
"I've been treading water for the past year hoping to find a better job."
- If you are treading water, your unsatisfactory situation remains stationary in spite of your efforts, with no sign of any progress.
- wave a dead chicken
- When faced with a serious problem, if you take steps that you know in
advance will be futile, to show that you made an effort, you wave a dead chicken.
"The TV set was permanently damaged, but the technician decided to wave a dead chicken to satisfy the old lady before announcing the bad news."
- When faced with a serious problem, if you take steps that you know in
advance will be futile, to show that you made an effort, you wave a dead chicken.
- (on the) same wavelength
- If you are on the same wavelength as someone else, you both feel or think the same way about something.
"We rarely argue. We're generally on the same wavelength."
- If you are on the same wavelength as someone else, you both feel or think the same way about something.
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