[without] See: DO WITHOUT or GO WITHOUT, MAKE BRICKS WITHOUT STRAW, RECKON WITHOUT.
[without a paddle] See: UP THE CREEK or UP THE CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE.
[without batting an eye] or [without batting an eyelash] See: BAT AN EYE.
[without fail]{adv. phr.} Without failing to do it or failing in the doing of it; certainly, surely. •/Be here at 8 o’clock sharp, without fail./ •/Ben promised to return the bike at a certain time without fail./
[without number] See: BEYOND NUMBER.
[without rhyme or reason] See: RHYME OR REASON.
[with reference to] See: IN REFERENCE TO.
[with regard to] See: IN REFERENCE TO.
[with relation to] See: IN RELATION TO.
[with respect to] See: IN RESPECT TO.
[with the best] or [with the best of them] {adv. phr.} As well as anyone. •/Bob could horseback ride with the best of them, but he never boasted about it./ •/John can bowl with the best of them./
[with the Joneses] See: KEEP UP WITH THE JONESES.
[wolf] See: CRY WOLF, KEEP THE WOLF FROM THE DOOR, LONE WOLF, THROW TO THE WOLVES.
[wolf in sheep’s clothing]{n. phr.} A person who pretends to be good but really is bad. •/Mrs. Martin trusted the lawyer until she realized that he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing./ •/Mr. Black was fooled by the salesman’s manners until he showed that he was really a wolf in sheep’s clothing by selling Mr. Black a car that was falling apart./
[wonder] See: NO WONDER also SMALL WONDER.
[woo] See: PITCH WOO.
[wood] See: CAN’T SEE THE WOOD FOR THE TREES, KNOCK ON WOOD, SAW WOOD.
[woodpile] See: NIGGER IN THE WOODPILE.
[woods] See: BABE IN THE WOODS, CROW BEFORE ONE IS OUT OF THE WOODS, NECK OF THE WOODS, TAKE TO THE WOODS.
[wool] See: ALL WOOL AND A YARD WIDE, PULL THE WOOL OVER ONE’S EYES.
[word] See: ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS, AS GOOD AS ONE’S WORD, BY WORD OF MOUTH, EAT ONE’S WORDS, FROM THE WORD "GO", GET A WORD IN, GET THE MESSAGE or GET THE WORD, HANG ON THE WORDS OF, IN BRIEF or IN A WORD, IN SO MANY WORDS, LAST WORD, MAN OF FEW WORDS, MAN OF HIS WORD, MUM IS THE WORD, PLAY ON WORDS, PUT WORDS INTO ONE’S MOUTH, SAY THE WORD, SWALLOW ONE’S WORDS, TAKE AT ONE’S WORD, TAKE THE WORDS OUT OF ONE’S MOUTH, WEASEL WORD, WEIGH ONE’S WORDS.
[word for word]{adv. phr.} In exactly the same words. •/Mary copied Sally’s composition word for word./ •/Joan repeated the conversation word for word./ •/She learned the poem many years ago but she recited it word for word./
[word of mouth]{n. phr.} Communication by oral rather than written means. •/The merchant told us that the best customers he had were recommended to him by word of mouth./
[words of one syllable]{n. phr.} Language that makes the meaning very clear; simple, or frank language. — Usually used after "in". •/Mary explained the job to Ann in words of one syllable so that she would be sure to understand./ •/Some people say that John is cute and mischievous, but in words of one syllable, he’s just a brat./ Compare: IN SO MANY WORDS, SPELL OUT.
[word to the wise]{n. phr.} A word of warning or advice which the intelligent person is expected to follow. — A proverb. •/I had once spoken to him about being late all the time, and thought that a word to the wise was enough./
[work] See: ALL IN A DAY’S WORK, ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY, AT WORK, BUSY WORK, IN THE WORKS, MAKE SHORT WORK OF, MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK, SHOOT THE WORKS, THE WORKS, IN THE WORKS.
[work cut out] See: CUT OUT(2).
[worked up] also [wrought up] {adj.}, {literary} Feeling strongly; excited; angry; worried. •/Mary was all worked up about the exam./ •/John got worked up when they blamed him for losing the game./ Compare: ON EDGE.
[work in]{v.} 1. To rub in. •/The nurse told Mary to put some cream on her skin and to work it in gently with her fingers./ 2. To slip in; mix in; put in; •/When Mary was planning the show, she worked a part in for her friend Susan./
[working girl]{n.}, {slang} 1. ({vulgar}, {avoidable}) A prostitute. •/I didn’t know Roxanne was a working girl./ 2. A girl, usually single, who supports herself by working in an honest job, such as in an office, etc. •/The average working girl can’t afford such a fancy car./
[work into]{v.} 1. Force into little by little. •/John worked his foot into the boot by pushing and pulling./ 2. Put into; mix into. •/Mary worked some blue into the rug she was weaving./
[work off]{v.} To make (something) go away, especially by working. •/John worked off the fat around his waist by doing exercise every morning./ •/Mr. Smith worked off his anger by chopping wood./
[work on] also [work upon] {v.} 1. Have an effect on; influence. •/Some pills work on the nerves and make people feel more relaxed./ 2. To try to influence or convince. •/Senator Smith worked on the other committee members to vote for the bill./
[work one’s fingers to the bone]{v. phr.} To work very hard. •/"I have to work my fingers to the bone for a measly pittance of a salary," Fred complained./
[workout]{n.} A physical exercise session. •/My morning workout consists of sit-ups and push-ups./
[work out]{v. phr.} 1. To find an answer to. •/John worked out his math problems all by himself./ •/Mary had trouble getting along with her roommate, but they worked it out./ Compare: FIGURE OUT. 2. To plan; develop. •/Mary worked out a beautiful design for a sweater./ •/Alice worked out a new hair-do./ 3. To accomplish; arrange. •/The engineers worked out a system for getting electricity to the factory./ 4. To be efficient; get results. •/If the traffic plan works out, it will be used in other cities too./ 5. To exercise. •/John works out in the gym two hours every day./
[work over]{v. phr.}, {slang} To beat someone up very roughly in order to intimidate him or extort payment, etc. •/Matthew was worked over by the hoodlums in the park right after midnight./
[work through channels]{v. phr.} To go through the proper procedures and officials. •/At a state university everybody must work through channels to get things done./
[work up]{v.} 1. To stir up; arouse; excite. •/I can’t work up any interest in this book./ •/He worked up a sweat weeding the garden./ 2. To develop; originate. •/He worked up an interesting plot for a play./
[work upon] See: WORK ON.
[world] See: COME UP IN THE WORLD or RISE IN THE WORLD, DEAD TO THE WORLD, FOR ALL THE WORLD, IN A WORLD OF ONE’S OWN or IN A WORLD BY ONESELF, IN THE WORLD, LOOK AT THE WORLD THROUGH ROSE-COLORED GLASSES, NOT FOR THE WORLD, ON TOP OF THE WORLD or SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD, OUT OF THIS WORLD, SET THE WORLD ON FIRE, THIRD WORLD.
[world is one’s oyster] Everything is possible for you; the world belongs to you; you can get anything you want. •/When John won the scholarship, he felt as though the world was his oyster./ •/The rich girl acts as though the world is her oyster./
[world on one’s shoulders] See: WEIGHT OF THE WORLD ON ONE’S SHOULDERS.
[world on one’s back] See: WEIGHT OF THE WORLD ON ONE’S SHOULDERS.
[world without end]{adv. phr.}, {literary} Endlessly; forever; eternally. •/Each human being has to die, but mankind goes on world without end./
[worlds apart]{adj. phr.} Completely different; in total disagreement. •/Jack and Al never agree on anything; they are worlds apart in their thinking./
[worm] See: EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM or EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM.
[worm in]{v. phr.} To insinuate oneself; penetrate gradually. •/By cultivating the friendship of a few of the prominent merchants, Peter hoped to worm his way into that exclusive elite of export magnates./
[worm may turn] Even the meek will ultimately rebel if always maltreated. •/Sam may think that he can continue to mistreat his wife, but, knowing her, I think that some day the worm may turn./
[warm out]{v. phr.} To learn through persistent questioning; draw out from. •/I finally wormed out of her the reason she broke off her engagement to Larry./
[worn to a frazzle]{adj. phr.} To be fatigued; be exhausted. •/I’m worn to a frazzle cooking for all these guests./
[worrywart]{n. phr.} A person who always worries. •/"Stop being such a worrywart," Bob said to Alice, who was constantly weighing herself on the bathroom scale./
[worse] See: BARK WORSE THAN ONE’S BITE, FOR BETTER OR WORSE or FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, FOR THE WORSE, GO FROM BAD TO WORSE.
[worse for wear]{adj. phr.} Not as good as new; worn out; damaged by use. — Used with "the". •/Her favorite tablecloth was beginning to look the worse for wear./ — Often used with "none" to mean: as good as new. •/The doll was Mary’s favorite toy but it was none the worse for wear./
[worst] See: GET THE WORST OF also HAVE THE WORST OF, IF WORST COMES TO WORST.
[worth] See: BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH, FOR ALL ONE IS WORTH, GAME IS NOT WORTH THE CANDLE, NOT WORTH A TINKER’S DAMN, WORTH A CENT.
[worth a cent]{adj. phr.} Worth anything; of any value. — Used in negative, interrogative, and conditional sentences. •/The book was old and it was not worth a cent./
[worth one’s salt]{adj. phr.} Being a good worker, or a productive person; worth what you cost. •/Mr. Brown showed that he was worth his salt as a salesman when he got the highest sales record for the year./ — Often used with "not" or "hardly". •/When the basketball team did so poorly, people felt that the coach was hardly worth his salt./ Compare: PAY ONE’S WAY(2).
[would-be]{adj.} Aspiring. •/The Broadway casting offices are always full of would-be actors./
[would that] or [I would that] or [would God] or [would heaven] {literary} I wish that. — Used at the beginning of a sentence expressing a wish; followed by a verb in the subjunctive; found mostly in poetry and older literature. •/Would that I could only drop everything and join you./ •/Would that my mother were alive to see me married./ Syn.: IF ONLY.
[wouldn’t put it past one]{v. phr.} To think that someone is quite capable or likely to have done something undesirable or illegal. •/Congressman Alfonso is insisting that he didn’t violate congressional ethics, but knowing both his expensive habits and his amorous escapades, many of us wouldn’t put it past him that he might have helped himself to funds illegally./
[wrack] See: GO TO WRACK AND RUIN.
[wrap] See: UNDER WRAPS.
[wrap one around one’s finger] See: TWIST ONE AROUND ONE’S LITTLE FINGER.
[wrapped up in]{adj. phr.} Thinking only of; interested only in. •/John has no time for sports because he is all wrapped up in his work./ •/Mary was so wrapped up in her book she didn’t hear her mother calling her./ •/Jean is so wrapped up in herself, she never thinks of helping others./ •/Mrs. Brown gave up her career because her life was all wrapped up in her children./ Compare: IN A WORLD OF ONE’S OWN (2b).
[wrap up] or [bundle up] {v. phr.} 1. To put on warm clothes; dress warmly. •/Mother told Mary to wrap up before going out into the cold./ 2. {informal} To finish (a job). •/Let’s wrap up the job and go home./ 3. {informal} To win a game. •/The Mets wrapped up the baseball game in the seventh inning./
[wreak havoc with]{v. phr.} To cause damage; ruin something. •/His rebellious attitude is bound to wreak havoc at the company./
[wrench] See: THROW A MONKEY WRENCH.
[wringing wet] adj. Wet through and through; soaked; dripping. •/He was wringing wet because he was caught in the rain without an umbrella./ •/He was wringing wet after working in the fields in the hot sun./
