English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms - W, page 5
from: 'white lie'
to: 'get wind of'
- white lie
- If you tell a white lie, you say something which is not true
in order to protect someone or to avoid hurting their feelings.
"Some parents prefer to tell their children a white lie rather than announce bad news."
- If you tell a white lie, you say something which is not true
in order to protect someone or to avoid hurting their feelings.
- weird and wonderful
- Something referred to as weird and wonderful is considered strange or unusual but also ingenious.
“A collection of weird and wonderfulinventions was on display.”
- Something referred to as weird and wonderful is considered strange or unusual but also ingenious.
- whiz kid
- The term 'whiz kid' refers to a very talented person, usually young,
who is innovatively clever and/or successful at doing something.
"Apparently the new engineer knows what he's doing - a real whiz-kid from what I've heard."
- The term 'whiz kid' refers to a very talented person, usually young,
who is innovatively clever and/or successful at doing something.
- whole caboodle / whole kit and caboodle
- This expression means 'everything'.
"They provided everything we needed, tables, chairs, cutlery ... the whole caboodle."
- This expression means 'everything'.
- why buy a cow when you can get milk for free
- This refers to not paying for something that you can obtain for free.
"Rent is high, so Bobby is still living with his parents. He says : why buy a cow when you can get milk for free?"
- This refers to not paying for something that you can obtain for free.
- why keep a dog and bark yourself
- This expression means that there's no reason to do something yourself if someone or something can do the task for you.
"My grandmother has an electric mixer but she continues to make her cakes by hand. Why keep a dog and bark yourself?"
- This expression means that there's no reason to do something yourself if someone or something can do the task for you.
- whys and wherefores
- To talk about the whys and wherefores means to discuss the reasons.
"We need to discuss the whys and wherefores of our failure."
- To talk about the whys and wherefores means to discuss the reasons.
- wide berth
- If you give someone or something a wide berth,
you stay at a prudent distance from them in order to avoid unwanted consequences.
"The only way to avoid traffic jams is to give the town centre a wide berth."
- If you give someone or something a wide berth,
you stay at a prudent distance from them in order to avoid unwanted consequences.
- wide off the mark
- If something is (or falls) wide off the mark, it is incorrect or inadequate, or it is not what was expected.
"The price offered was wide off the mark; it was sold for ten times more!"
- If something is (or falls) wide off the mark, it is incorrect or inadequate, or it is not what was expected.
- widow's peak
- A V-shaped point formed by the hair in the centre of the forehead is called a widow's peak.
(It was believed to be a sign of early widowhood.)
- A V-shaped point formed by the hair in the centre of the forehead is called a widow's peak.
(It was believed to be a sign of early widowhood.)
- wild goose chase
- If someone is sent on a wild goose chase, they waste
their time looking for something that there is little chance of finding.
"They tried to find out who sent the anonymous complaint, but it turned out to be a wild goose chase."
- If someone is sent on a wild goose chase, they waste
their time looking for something that there is little chance of finding.
- at will
- When it is possible to do something at will, you can
do it as and when you please, wherever and whenever you wish, without limit or restriction.
"He's so rich, he travel the world at will."
- When it is possible to do something at will, you can
do it as and when you please, wherever and whenever you wish, without limit or restriction.
- win by a nose
- When there is a very slight difference between the winner and the other competitors, victory is won by a nose.
"One second ahead of the others, he won by a nose."
- When there is a very slight difference between the winner and the other competitors, victory is won by a nose.
- win-win
- The term win-win refers to a situation or proposition where both or all parties benefit from the outcome.
"There were smiles all round when the contract was signed - it was a win-win situation."
- The term win-win refers to a situation or proposition where both or all parties benefit from the outcome.
- wind up in the wrong hands
- If something winds up in the wrong hands, it comes into the possession of someone undesirable, for example an opponent or a competitor.
"Put the plans away carefully. We don't want them to wind up in the wrong hands."
- If something winds up in the wrong hands, it comes into the possession of someone undesirable, for example an opponent or a competitor.
- get wind of something
- If you get wind of something, you hear about something you were unaware of, usually a private or secret matter.
"The chairman didn't want the press to get wind of the takeover before the agreement was signed."
- If you get wind of something, you hear about something you were unaware of, usually a private or secret matter.
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