961

walk out

- go on strike
More than half of the workers at the factory decided to walk out on strike this
morning.
walk out of (something)

- leave suddenly
Three people walked out of the meeting yesterday.
walk the floor

- walk back and forth across the floor
He spent the night walking the hospital floor while waiting for his wife to have a
baby.
walk the plank

- be forced to resign from a job
The vice-president was forced to walk the plank when the new president joined the
company.
walk the plank

- be forced by pirates to walk a long plank from the ship out over the water to your
death
The pirates captured the small ship and forced the captain to walk the plank.
walking papers

- a statement saying that one is fired from his or her job
He was given his walking papers from his company last week.

waltz off with (something)

- to take, get or win easily
My favorite team waltzed off with the championship last night.




962

want for nothing

- have everything one needs or wishes
My sister and her husband both have good jobs and they want for nothing.
warm one`s blood/heart

- make one feel warm or excited
The sight of the small boy helping the old woman warmed the heart of the people on
the street.
warm the bench

- sit on a bench and not play during a game
The young player spent most of the game warming the bench.
warm the cockles of one's heart

- make someone feel warm and happy
Her care and attention when I was sick warmed the cockles of my heart.
warm up

- get ready for a game or other event with exercise or practice

We spent two hours warming up for the game on Saturday.
warm up to (someone or something)

- become friendly or interested (in someone or something)
His wife finally warmed up to the idea of going to Italy for a holiday.
warts and all

- including one's bad points
He likes to be able to relax, warts and all, with his friends.
wash one's dirty linen in public

- talk about private or embarassing matters in public
The man began to wash his best friend's dirty linen in public after he became angry.

963

wash one`s hands of (someone or something)

- abandon, refuse responsibility for (someone or something)
He washed his hands of the problem after the others refused to deal with it.
washed up

- no longer successful or needed
The boxer was all washed up and had to retire last year.
waste one`s breath

- speak pointlessly without the desired results
He is very stubborn and you are wasting your breath to argue with him.
Watch it!


- be careful (usually used as a command)
"Watch it! That truck is going very fast and may hit you."
watch one`s P`s and Q`s

- be well-behaved, be careful
The boy was told to watch his P`s and Q`s by his teacher after he caused many
problems at school.
watch one's step

- act cautiously so you don't make a mistake or anger someone
You should watch your step when you complain to the manager.
watch out for (someone or something)

- watch over and care for someone, watch for the arrival or approach of someone
Please watch out for my friend when you go downtown.
watch over (someone or something)

- monitor or guard (someone or something)
I watched over the class while the teacher went to a meeting.

964

watch (someone or something) like a hawk

- watch very carefully
The mother always watches her daughter like a hawk when they go to the park.
water down

- make weak, dilute
The new policy was a watered down version of the old one.

water under the bridge

- something that happened in the past and can`t be changed
It was terrible that your house was robbed but it is water under the bridge now and
you must move forward.
wax and wane

- increase and decrease (like the moon)
The boy's interest in soccer is always waxing and waning.
way the wind blows

- direction something may go, what may happen
We will have to see which way the wind blows with our plans to go to London or not.
ways and means

- the raising of money to pay for something
The woman doesn't have the ways and means to give her children a good education.

wear Idioms
wear and tear

- damage as a result of ordinary use
They put a lot of wear and tear on their car during their long holiday.



965

wear down


- make something become less useful or smaller or weaker by wearing or aging
Little by little the water wore down the beach at the edge of the river.
wear down

- exhaust or tire someone out
He was worn down from the many questions in the meeting.
wear more than one hat

- have more than one set of responsibilities
Our teacher wears more than one hat and is the head of the school board as well as the
coach of the swim team.
wear off/away

- remove or disappear little by little by use, time or weather
The name on the front of my passport wore off from using it too much.
wear on (someone)

- anger or annoy (someone)
His constant complaining is beginning to wear on me.
wear one`s heart on one`s sleeve

- show one`s feelings openly
He was wearing his heart on his sleeve after the meeting with his boss.
wear out

- use or wear something until it becomes useless
My shoes wore out during my trip to Paris.
wear out one`s welcome

- visit someone too long or come back too often so that one is not welcome anymore

My friend has worn out his welcome at our house because he always visits without
calling first.

966

wear the pants in a family

- be the boss in a family
She is very strong and is the one who wears the pants in her family.
wear thin

- become thin from use or the passing of time
The silver dollar began to wear thin after it was in use for many years.
wear thin

- grow less interesting or believable
His excuses began to wear thin after he kept using them again and again.
weasel out of (something)

- decide not to do something in a sneaky way
My friend weaseled out of helping us clean up the yard.
weather permitting

- if the weather allows
Weather permitting, we will go to the lake on Saturday.
weave in and out (of something)

- move, drive, or walk in and out of something such as traffic
The man was driving very fast and was weaving in and out of the traffic.
weed out (someone or something)


- remove what is unwanted, get rid of
I spent the morning weeding out the clothes that I don't wear anymore.
week in, week out

- week after week
Week in, week out the man takes his children to the lake to swim.


967

weigh down on (someone)

- something worries or depresses someone
The man's problems at work seem to be weighing down on him.
weigh on/upon (someone)

- to be a weight or pressure on someone or something, to worry or upset someone
The pressure of her exams has begun to weigh upon my sister.

weigh on/upon (someone's) mind

- to be a weight or pressure on someone or something, to worry or upset someone
My mother's illness was weighing on my mind.

weigh one`s words

- be careful of what one says
You should weigh your words carefully before you tell your boss what you want.
welcome to do something


- be free to do something
The apartment manager said we were welcome to park our car anywhere.
well and good

- good, satisfactory
It is well and good that he will go and talk to his supervisor about the problem.
well-heeled

- rich
He seems rather well-heeled and is always wearing expensive clothes and driving a
nice car.





968

well-off

- wealthy
Her parents are quite well-off and don`t need to worry about money during their
retirement.
well-to-do

- have lots of money
He comes from a rather well-to-do family.
well up in years


- old
My father is well up in years but he is very healthy.
wet behind the ears

- inexperienced, immature
He is a little wet behind the ears and doesn`t know much about his job yet.
wet blanket

- person who discourages others from having fun
He is a wet blanket so we never invite him to our parties.
wet one`s whistle

- have a drink (especially alcohol)
They decided to stop at a bar on their way home from work to wet their whistle.













969

what Idioms

what about

- about or concerning something
I know that he wants to borrow my tent but what about my sleeping bag.
What are you driving at?

- What do you mean?
I really didn't understand what my friend was driving at.
What can I say?

- I am at a loss for words
"What can I say? I made a mistake and I'm sorry."
What have you been up to?

- What have you been doing?
"What have you been up to?", I asked my sister when I saw her.
(have) what it takes

- (have) ability for a job, (have) courage
He really has what it takes to be a success at his job.
what makes (someone) tick

- what motivates or makes someone behave in a certain way
I really don't know what makes that woman tick. She is very strange.
What one doesn't know won't hurt one.

- something that you don't know won't worry or harm you
What she doesn't know won't hurt her and we don't need to tell her about the broken
dishes.





970

what with

- because, as a result of
We wanted to go away for a holiday but what with moving to a new house we are too
busy to go anywhere.
What`s cooking?

- What is happening?, What is wrong?
"What`s cooking ", he asked his friend.
What's done is done.

- something is final and in the past
What's done is done and now that he has quit his job he must find a new one.
What's keeping you?

- What is taking you so long?
"What's keeping you?", the man asked his wife as he waited to go out.
What's new?

- What have you been doing?
"What's new?", I asked my friend after I hadn't seen him for three months.
What`s the big idea?

- Why did you do that?, What are you doing?
"What`s the big idea? Why are you using my bicycle?"

What`s up?

- What is happening?, What is wrong?
"What`s up ", he said as he entered the room.
what`s (up) with (someone)

- what is happening/wrong, how is everything
"What`s up with the new supervisor? He seems very angry this morning."