Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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." . 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. 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. 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