Idiom alphabetical list

English idioms & idiomatic expressions

List of idioms with their meaning and an example of use.

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Alphabetical list of idioms - W-Z

on the wagon

Someone who is on the wagon is no longer drinking alcohol.

No wine for me please. I'm on the wagon.

wait for the cat to jump

If you wait for the cat to jump, or to see which way the cat jumps, you delay

taking action until you see how events will turn out.

Let's wait for the cat to jump before we decide.

wait for a raindrop in the drought

When someone is waiting for a raindrop in the drought, they are waiting or hoping

for something that has little chance of happening.

For many people finding a job these days is like waiting for a raindrop in the drought!

waiting in the wings

If someone is waiting in the wings, they are waiting for an opportunity to take

action, especially to replace someone else in their job or position.

There are many young actors waiting in the wings, ready to show their talent.

walk 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.

walk and chew gum (at the same time)

If you can walk and chew gum, you are able to do more than one thing at a time.

This expression is often used negatively to indicate incompetence.

Why did you hire that guy? He can't walk and chew gum at the same time!

walk on eggshells

If you walk on eggshells with someone, you are careful not to hurt or offend them.

She's so sensitive, you have to walk on eggshells with her all the time.

walk into the lion's den

If you walk into the lion's den, you find yourself in a difficult situation in which you

have to face unfriendly or aggressive people.

After the failure of the negotiations, he had to walk into the lion's den and face

the Press.

walking encyclopaedia

This term refers to a person who is very knowledgeable about a particular subject.

The origin of Halloween? Ask Jill - she's a walking encyclopaedia!

walking papers

If you are given your walking papers, your contract or a relationship is ended.

After causing a diplomatic incident, Carter got his walking papers.

good walls make good neighbours

This expression means that respecting one another's privacy helps create a good

relationship between neighbours.

We're on friendly terms with our neighbours but we try to be as discreet as possible.

Good walls make good neighbours.

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.

been in (or 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.

watch one's step

If you tell someone to watch their step, you are advising them to be careful how

they behave or speak in order to avoid getting into trouble.

There is zero tolerance in this school for bad behaviour so watch your step!

watch someone 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.

be in hot water

to say that somebody is in hot water means that they have done something wrong

and people are angry with them.

John has been in hot water since his boss discovered that he had been using the Internet

for personal purposes.

water under the bridge

This expression refers to a past event or situation which is already forgotten or is

no longer important.

We were rivals when we were students, but that's water under the bridge now.

wave a dead chicken

When faced with a serious problem, if you take steps that you know in advance will

be futile, but will 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.

on the same wavelength

To say that two people are on the same wavelength means that they understand

each other well because they share the same interests and opinions.

I get on very well with Alice. We're always on the same wavelength.

ways and means

To say that there are ways and means of obtaining or achieving something means

that there are several methods which will produce the result you want.

All ways and means will be used to provide assistance to the survivors.

weak at the knees

If a person is weak at the knees, they are temporarily barely able to stand because

of emotion, fear or illness.

The shock of the announcement made me go weak at the knees.

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.

wear the trousers

The partner in a couple who wears the trousers is the one who makes the important

decisions.

The salesman hesitated. It was difficult to see who wore the trousers

in the couple.

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 she was hurt - she wears her heart on her sleeve.

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

some others.

weigh the pros and cons

If you weigh the pros and cons, you consider the advantages and disadvantages,

the arguments for or against something.

We'd better weigh the pros and cons before deciding.

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.

wet behind the ears

To say that somebody is wet behind the ears means that they are immature or

inexperienced.

Scott shouldn't be given that job. He's still a bit wet behind the ears.

wet the baby's head

This expression means to have to 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.

a wet blanket

A person who is a wet blanket is so boring or unenthusiastic that they prevent

other people from enjoying themselves.

Come on! Don't be such a wet blanket!

have a whale of a time

When people have a whale of a time, they enjoy themselves very much.

We had a whale of a time at the party last night.

what goes around comes around

This expression means that if you do something bad, something bad will happen

to you eventually.

He felt guilty about what he did, with a feeling that what goes around comes

around.

whatever floats your boat

This expression means that although you don't quite agree with the other person,

it's their choice, and you think they should do whatever makes them happy.

You're going to spend your honeymoon in Siberia? Well, whatever floats your boat!

wheeling and dealing

Someone accused of wheeling and dealing is thought to be involved in complicated,

if not dishonest, deals in business or politics.

Since the beginning of the election campaign, there's been a lot of wheeling and

dealing going on.

the wheels fall off

When a situation gets out of control and everything starts to go wrong, the wheels

fall off.

The wheels fell off her career when she started taking drugs and cancelling concerts.

when the going gets tough, the tough get going

This expression means that when faced with a difficult or dangerous situation,

strong people take action in order to solve the problem.

Tom has a positive attitude. He often says "when the going gets tough, the tough

get going".

when the rubber hits the road

This expression refers to the moment when you put a theory into practice or

actually apply what you have learned.

The plan sounds good. I'd like to be there when the rubber hits the road.

while the going is good

If you take an action while the going is good, you do something before the situation

changes and it becomes impossible.

There's a 50% discount on subscriptions this month. I think I'll subscribe while the

going is good.

whistle in the dark

If you whistle in the dark, you try to hide your fear in a frightening or dangerous

situation.

Tom looks confident but he's just whistling in the dark; he knows he's going to lose

his job.

a white Christmas

A white Christmas is when it snows at Christmas and the ground is white.

We haven't had a white Christmas in twenty years.

a white elephant

To refer to something as a white elephant means that you consider it useless,

although it may have cost a lot of money.

The new cultural centre is a real white elephant. It's so isolated that nobody goes

there!

a whiz-kid

A whiz kid is someone, usually young, who is very talented and successful at doing

something.

Apparently the new engineer knows what he's doing - a real whiz-kid from what I've

heard.

the whole caboodle/the whole kit and caboodle

This expression means 'everything'.

They provided everything we needed, tables, chairs, cutlery, tableware ... the whole

caboodle!

why keep a dog and bark yourself?

This expression means that if someone can do a task for you, there's no reason

to do it yourself.

The shuttle stops in front of our house but my father continues to drive to the

airport. Why keep a dog and bark yourself!

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."

wide of the mark

If something is (or falls) wide of the mark, it is incorrect or inadequate, or it is not

what is required or expected.

The price offered was wide of the mark - it was sold for ten times more!

a wild goose chase

If you say that you were sent on a wild goose chase, you mean that you wasted a

lot of time looking for something that there was little chance of finding.

They tried to discover who sent the anonymous complaint, but it turned out to

be a wild goose chase.

at will

When it is possible to do something at will, you can do it as and when you please,

wherever or whenever you wish, without restriction or limit.

He's so rich, he can travel the world at will.

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 the race 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.

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.

wind someone up/be wound up

When someone is so excited that they talk non-stop, they are wound up.

Claire had so much to tell us after her trip that she was wound up.

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.

know which way the wind blows

This expression means that it is advisable to know how a situation is developing in

order to be prepared for the changes that are likely to happen.

Before we decide on anything, we need to know which way the wind is blowing.

window on the world

When something provides an opportunity to observe and learn about people and

life in other countries, it is called a window on the world.

The Internet has become a window on the world.

go out the window

If a quality, principle or opportunity goes out the window, it disappears, is lost or

abandoned.

When the plant closed down, all hopes of finding a job went out the window.

(you can't put) new wine in old bottles

This expression means that you should not try to combine new concepts or

innovations with an old or long-established framework or system.

You'll never get that program to work on your father's old computer- you can't

put new wine in old bottles!

wing it

To wing it means to improvise or to deal with a situation without any preparation.

She didn't expect to be interviewed so she just had to wing it.

take someone under your wing

If you offer protection and guidance to someone younger or less experienced,

you take them under your wing.

I owe a lot to Tom who took me under his wing when I first arrived.

not get a wink of sleep/not sleep a wink

If someone doesn't get a wink of sleep, they don't sleep at all.

It was so noisy in the hotel, I didn't get a wink of sleep.

wipe the slate clean

If you wipe the slate clean, you make a fresh start and forget all past offences,

disagreements or mistakes.

When their father died, Bob and his brother decided to wipe the slate clean

and forget the old family quarrels.

wipe that smile off your face!

This expression is often used by parents, or people in authority, to indicate that

the situation is not considered amusing at all.

This is a very serious matter, so wipe that smile off your face!

get one's wires crossed

If people get their wires crossed, they misunderstand each other or are confused

about what was said.

We must have got our wires crossed. I thought we were to meet in front of the

station.

wise up/get wise to something

If you wise up or get wise to something, you become fully aware of a situation,

finally accept the facts and are no longer fooled.

When Mike finally wised up to the methods being used, he resigned from the company.

wish the ground would swallow you up

When you are so embarrassed by something that you would like to disappear, you

wish the ground would swallow you up.

When I realized I was reading the wrong report, I stood there in front of the group

wishing the ground would swallow me up.

your wish is my command!

This is a humoristic way of saying that you are willing to do whatever the other person

asks.

Breakfast in bed? Your wish is my command!

wishful thinking

Wishful thinking means believing that something that you want to happen is

happening or will happen, even though it is neither true nor likely.

I think his health is improving a little, but perhaps that's just wishful thinking on

my part.

wither on the vine

If something withers on the vine, it comes to an end or dies because people do

nothing to support or encourage it.

Let's hope that the recent efforts towards peace will not wither on the vine.

without a hitch

If something happens without a hitch, it takes place exactly as planned, without

any difficulties.

The ceremony went off without a hitch, to our great relief!.

be at your wits' end

If you are at your wits' end, you are very worried about something and do not know

what to do.

When her son dropped out of school for the second time, Susan was at her wits' end.

a wolf in sheep's clothing

To describe someone as a wolf in sheep's clothing means that although the person

looks harmless, they are really very dangerous.

Be careful. He looks kind but in fact he's a wolf in sheep's clothing.

cry wolf

To cry wolf is to call for help when you are not really in danger. As a result,

nobody believes you when you really need help.

There's Mary screaming again! Does she really have a problem or is she just crying

wolf again?

keep the wolf from the door

In order to keep the wolf from the door, you need to have enough money to buy

food and other essentials.

My grandparents earned barely enough to keep the wolf from the door.

wonders will never cease!

This saying is used to express pleasure or surprise at something.

Idioms are increasingly popular with learners of English. Wonders will never cease!

can't see the wood for the trees

If someone can't see the wood for the trees, they are so concentrated on the

details that they can't see the situation as a whole.

The new manager found the situation so complicated that he couldn't see the wood

for the trees.

touch wood/knock on wood

This humorous expression, based on superstition, is used to avoid bad luck, often

while touching something made of wood.

The order will be confirmed shortly - touch wood!

wooden spoon

The person who finishes last in a race or competition receives an imaginary prize

called the wooden spoon.

Our team got the wooden spoon in this year's tournament.

come out of the woodwork

When things, or people, come out of the woodwork, they appear or emerge

unexpectedly, as if from nowhere, and usually in large numbers.

As soon as we added the swimming pool, our children had "friends" coming out of

the woodwork.

by word of mouth

Information passed on through conversation is transmitted by word of mouth.

No announcement was necessary - the news had already spread by word of mouth.

from the word go

This expression means from the very beginning of an activity.

Right from the word go he was rejected by the rest of the group.

(not) get a word in edgeways

During a discussion, if you can't get a word in edgeways, you can't say something

because someone else is talking so much.

I tried to give my opinion, but I couldn't get a word in edgeways!

put in a good word (for someone)

If you put in a good word for someone, you say positive things in support of that

person in order to help them.

If you want to apply for the job, I'll put in a good word for you.

words fail me

This expression is often used when someone is so shocked, surprised or touched

by something that they don't know what to say.

"What do you think of Bob's attitude?" "Words fail me!"

in words of one syllable

If you explain something in words of one syllable, you use very simple language.

No so fast! Tell me in words of one syllable.

work one's fingers to the bone

A person who works their fingers to the bone is extremely hardworking.

He deserves his success; he worked his fingers to the bone when he started the

business.

work like a charm

If something, such as a product or a method, works like a charm, it functions very

well or has the desired effect.

I tried cleaning it with vinegar and it worked like a charm.

work to rule

During a conflict, when employees decide to do only the minimum amount of work

required by company rules, and refuse any overtime etc., they work to rule.

In protest against the new measures, the employees decided to work to rule.

work the system

People who work the system learn how a state or public organization works in

order to benefit as much as possible from the system.

He hasn't changed his lifestyle since he lost his job - he must know how to work

the system!

a world of difference

When comparing two things or situations, the expression a world of difference

means that there is a vast difference between them.

A swimming pool would make a world of difference in this hot climate.

be/mean all the world to somebody

When you are or mean all the world to someone, you are very important or

precious to them.

His daughter means all the world to Mr. Jones. He says he couldn't live

without her.

come up in the world

A person who has come up in the world is richer than before and has a higher

social status.

My old school friend has bought an apartment overlooking Central Park. She has

certainly come up in the world!

do a world of good

If something does you a world of good, it is beneficial and makes you feel you

a lot better.

Why don't you go away for a few days? It'll do you a world of good to get a break.

have the world at your feet

If you have the world at your feet, you are extremely successful and greatly

admired.

The talented young actress has the world at her feet.

not for (all) the world

If you say that you would not do something for (all) the world, you mean that

you would never do it, not matter what you were offered.

I wouldn't live in that building for the world.

the world is your oyster.

This expression means that you are free and able to enjoy the pleasures and

opportunities that life has to offer.

She left college feeling that the world was her oyster.

worlds apart

When two people are very different, they are said to be worlds apart.

As regards our political opinions, we're worlds apart.

worm's-eye view

To offer a worm's-eye view of a situation is to give your opinion based on what

you see at close range from an inferior position, so it is therefore not a general view.

I'm not sure I can be of much help. I can only offer you a worm's-eye view of the

situation.

even a worm will turn

This expression means that even someone who never complains will react in an

intolerable situation.

Don't treat him so severely. He never protests, but even a worm will turn!

worm one's way into/out of something

If a person worms their way into or out of something, they use artful or devious

means in order to participate or avoid participating in something.

You're not going to worm yourself out of this. You must do your share!

the worse for wear

If someone or something is the worse for wear, they are in poor condition,

either worn, damaged or tired.

He came back from New York rather the worse for wear.

worth one's salt

This expression is used to say that a person who does their job well would or

would not do certain things.

Any inspector worth his salt would have the checked the papers carefully.

worth one's/its weight in gold

Someone or something that is worth its weight in gold is considered to be

extremely helpful or useful and therefore of great value.

We couldn't run the farm without Tom. He's worth his weight in gold.

wouldn't be caught/seen dead

If someone says that they wouldn't be caught or seen dead in a particular place

or doing something, they mean that they would be too ashamed or embarrassed.

My seven-year-old son thinks he's a big boy; he wouldn't be caught dead holding

my hand!

wrap brain/head/mind around something

If you concentrate on something so as to try to understand it, you wrap your

brain around it.

I need a translation of that report urgently, so wrap you brain round it fast!

wrapped up (in something)

If you are wrapped up in an activity, you are totally concentrated on it.

Emma was so wrapped up in her work that she didn't realize her colleagues had

all left.

wrapped up in cotton wool

To say that someone is wrapped up in cotton wool means that they are

over-protected from dangers and risks.

Their children are kept wrapped up in cotton wool.

writing/handwriting on the wall

This refers to a situation in which there are signs showing that a problem is going

to occur.

We all knew that Tom was going to lose his job, but Tom refused to see the

writing on the wall.

written all over (someone's) face

When someone's feelings or thoughts are very clear, you can say that they are

written all over their face.

Her affection for her grandson was written all over the old lady's face.

a xerox subsidy

This term refers to the habit of using the photocopier at work for personal use.

A certain percentage of photocopies are in fact 'xerox subsidies'.

you don't know the half of it

This expression is used to tell someone that they know some of the facts but

they don't know how bad the situation is.

You don't know the half of it. He was beating her and terrorizing the children.

That's why she left him.

your guess is as good as mine

When talking to another person, your guess is as good as mine means that

neither of you knows the answer.

"What happened between Bill and Harry?" "Your guess is as good as mine!"

your wish is my command

This is a humoristic way of saying that you are willing to do whatever the other

person asks.

"Breakfast in bed? Your wish is my command!"

zero in on something

If you zero in on something, you focus all your attention on that particular thing.

The boss immediately zeroed in on the sales figures.

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