English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms W, page 3
Idioms W, page 3: from: 'wax lyrical' to: 'wet blanket'
- wax lyrical
- When you wax lyrical about something, you speak
enthusiastically about it in a poetic or sentimental way.
"My grandfather and his friends started to wax lyrical about the 'good old days'."
- When you wax lyrical about something, you speak
enthusiastically about it in a poetic or sentimental way.
- ways and means
- The expression ways and means refers to the methods
and resources available to do something.
"How will you manage to do that?" "Don't worry, there are ways and means."
- The expression ways and means refers to the methods
and resources available to do something.
- weak as a kitten
- Someone who is as weak as a kitten is
very feeble or has no strength.
"During her illness she felt as weak as a kitten."
- Someone who is as weak as a kitten is
very feeble or has no strength.
- weak at the knees
- Someone who is weak at the knees is (temporarily)
barely able to stand because of emotion, fear or illness.
"The shock of the announcement make me go weak at the knees!"
- Someone who is weak at the knees is (temporarily)
barely able to stand because of emotion, fear or illness.
- weal and woe
- This expression refers to the good and bad times, the joys
and sorrows, or prosperity and misfortune.
"We all get our share of weal and woe in life."
- This expression refers to the good and bad times, the joys
and sorrows, or prosperity and misfortune.
- wear thin
- Something that is wearing thin is decreasing or losing
its interest.
"You've used that excuse so many times, it's beginning to wear thin - as in my patience!"
- Something that is wearing thin is decreasing or losing
its interest.
- wear many hats
- Someone who wears many hats has to do many
different types of tasks or play a variety of roles.
"Our company is small so the employees need to be flexible and accept to wear many hats."
- Someone who wears many hats has to do many
different types of tasks or play a variety of roles.
- wear your heart on your sleeve
- If you wear your heart on your sleeve, you allow
others to see your emotions or feelings.
"You could see that she was hurt - she wears her heart on her sleeve!"
- If you wear your heart on your sleeve, you allow
others to see your emotions or feelings.
- wear the trousers
- The partner in a couple who wears the trousers is
the one who makes all the important
decisions.
"The salesman hesitated before the couple. It was difficult to see who wore the trousers."
- The partner in a couple who wears the trousers is
the one who makes all the important
decisions.
- wear out one's welcome
- If someone wears out their welcome, they stay too
long as a guest, causing inconvenience to their host.
"Alan and Sue invited us to stay on for a few days but we didn't want to wear out our welcome."
- If someone wears out their welcome, they stay too
long as a guest, causing inconvenience to their host.
- weather the storm
- If you weather the storm, you succeed in surviving a
difficult period or situation.
"Given the current recession, the company is weathering the storm better than most."
- If you weather the storm, you succeed in surviving a
difficult period or situation.
- under the weather
- If you are under the weather, you are not feeling very well.
"You look a bit under the weather. What's the matter?"
- If you are under the weather, you are not feeling very well.
- weigh pros and cons
- If you weigh the pros and cons, you consider the
advantages and disadvantages, the arguments for or against something.
"They weighed the pros and cons of the agreement before signing. "
- If you weigh the pros and cons, you consider the
advantages and disadvantages, the arguments for or against something.
- weigh your words
- If you weigh your words, you choose your words
carefully in order to express exactly what you mean and avoid any misunderstanding.
"At the press conference he spoke very clearly, weighing his words."
- If you weigh your words, you choose your words
carefully in order to express exactly what you mean and avoid any misunderstanding.
- wet behind the ears
- Somebody who is wet behind the ears is inexperienced or
immature.
"Scott shouldn't be given that job. He's still a bit wet behind the ears."
- Somebody who is wet behind the ears is inexperienced or
immature.
- wet the baby's head
- This expression means to have drink to celebrate the birth of a baby.
"When his first child was born, Tom invited his colleagues to a local bar to wet the baby's head."
- This expression means to have drink to celebrate the birth of a baby.
- wet blanket
- A person who is a wet blanket is so boring or
unenthusiastic that they prevent others from enjoying themselves.
"Come on! Relax ! Don't be such a wet blanket!"
- A person who is a wet blanket is so boring or
unenthusiastic that they prevent others from enjoying themselves.
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