Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 971 what`s what - distinguish one thing from another It is hard to tell what`s what at an auction of old furniture. Whatever will be, will be. - things will just happen and there is little that we can do about it Whatever will be will be and it is not possible to predict what will happen in the future. wheel and deal - take part in political or business dealing There was a lot of wheeling and dealing going on before they built the new convention center. when Idioms when hell freezes over - never The man said that he would come to the office party when hell freezes over. when it comes right down to it - when one really thinks about something When it comes right down to it, I don't think that you should quit your job. when it comes to (something) - speaking about something When it comes to sports, my friend is a very knowledgeable person. when least expected - when one does not expect something When least expected the secretary always asks for time off from work. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 972 when one is good and ready - when one is completely ready I decided not to go and see the supervisor until I was good and ready. when push comes to shove - when a situation becomes more difficult When push comes to shove my friend's daughter is always able to find a job. when the chips are down - at the final and critical moment, when things really get difficult When the chips are down he will always come and help his friends. when the going gets tough (the tough get going) - when things become difficult, strong people begin to work harder When the going gets tough our teacher is always there to support and help us. when the time is ripe - at exactly the right time When the time was ripe we decided to sell our house. where one is coming from - one's point of view I don't understand where the man was coming from when he began to complain about the noise. whet someone's appetite - interest someone in something and make them want to have or know more about it The presentation by the mountain climber began to whet my appetite for more outdoors activities. while away the time - spend or waste time pleasantly We spent the afternoon whiling away the time by the river. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 973 whip up - make active, stir to action The union leader whipped up the crowd with his speech. whip up (something) - make or do something quickly or easily It was very late when we got home so we whipped up something to eat very quickly. whistle a different tune - change one`s attitude, contradict previous ideas He is whistling a different tune now that he has been promoted and has more responsibility at his job. whistle in the dark - try to stay brave and forget one`s fear Although he felt very frightened he began to whistle in the dark which helped to calm him down. white elephant - a useless possession that is a nuisance or expensive to keep They are having a white elephant sale at the school next week. white elephant - a waste of money The new airport was a white elephant which nobody liked to use. white lie - a harmless lie often told to be polite I told the woman a white lie when I said that I would be too busy to meet her. white sale - selling towels, linens, etc. at reduced prices We went to the white sale at the department store last Saturday. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 974 whole ball of wax/shooting match - the whole thing or matter I want to finish the redecorating project and be finished with the whole ball of wax. whole new ball game - a new set of circumstances The situation became a whole new ball game when the owners decided to sell the team. whole show - everything Our new boss always tries to run the whole show. whoop it up - enjoy oneself in a lively and noisy manner The fans were whooping it up after they won the basketball game. wide of the mark - far from the target, incorrect His ideas for the company are wide of the mark from what everybody expected. wild about (someone or something) - enthusiastic about someone or something The boys were wild about the new movie. wild goose chase - absurd or hopeless search The man led the police on a wild goose chase when he ran away from them downtown. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 975 wildcat strike - a strike not ordered by a labor union but done without planning by a group of workers There was a wildcat strike at the factory last night. will not hear of (something) - will not allow or consider something My aunt said that she will not hear of us staying at a hotel when we come to visit her. will power - strength of mind He has very strong will power and was able to quit smoking easily. win by a nose - win by a small amount The candidate won by a nose so they had to count the votes again. win out (over someone or something) - be victorious or successful after hard work or difficulty We finally won out over our boss and he agreed to listen to our complaints. win (someone) over - gain the support and sympathy of someone We finally won the apartment manager over and she will let us have a pet in our apartment. wind down - decrease or diminish At the end of the summer all of the shops at the beach resort began to wind down their business. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 976 wind up - end, finish, settle Let`s wind things up now and then we can all go home. wind up - tighten the spring of a machine to make it work Every night before he goes to bed my grandfather winds up his alarm clock. wind up - make very excited, nervous or upset I was really wound up yesterday after work and I couldn`t get to sleep easily. wing it - act without preparation He wasn`t prepared for the examination so he had to wing it. wink at (something) - allow and pretend not to know about something (a law or rule being broken) The school librarian sometimes winks at the rule about borrowing a maximum of three books. winning streak - a series of several wins one after the other Our baseball team has been on a winning streak for several weeks now. wipe off (something) - to remove something by wiping or rubbing, to clean the surface of something We always wipe off the table before we have dinner. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 977 wipe out - remove, kill or destroy completely The city spends a lot of money every year trying to wipe out the rats near the river. wipe-out - a disaster, a calamity My exams were a total wipe-out. I think that I failed all of them. wipe (someone's) slate clean - erase someone's (bad) record The man had a bad performance record at work but he was able to wipe his slate clean and start over. wipe the floor with (someone) - physically beat someone The ex-boxer wiped the floor with the man who insulted him. wise guy - a person who acts as if he were smarter than other people He always acts like a wise guy when he is in a big group. wise up to - begin to understand the truth about someone or something He finally wised up to the fact that he was never going to get a promotion in his company. wisecrack - sarcastic or witty remark She made a funny wisecrack during the speech which caused the audience to start laughing. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 978 wishful thinking - believe that something is true because you wish it to be true The manager planned to evict the family with the young child and it was wishful thinking to think that he wouldn't. wishy-washy - unable to decide, have no definite opinion He is very wishy-washy and can never make up his mind about what he wants to do. with Idioms with a heavy heart - sadly It was with a heavy heart that the citizens of the small country said goodbye to their dead president. with a vengeance - with determination and eagerness The basketball team came out with a vengeance after the break and won the game easily. with all one's heart and soul - very sincerely With all his heart and soul, the young man wished his friend good luck on his new adventure. with all the fixings - all the extra things that come with some meals We ordered the meal with all the fixings. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 979 with an eye/view to (doing something) - with the intention of doing something We bought the small truck with an eye to using it for our home business. with each passing day - after each day With each passing day the price of gasoline was increasing. with ease - without effort We were able to find a parking spot with ease before the game. with everything (on it) - a sandwich or hamburger ordered with everything available on it We ordered a hamburger with everything on it. with flying colors - with great or total success I was able to pass my final exams with flying colors. with hat in hand - with humility The man came to his boss with hat in hand to ask for a raise in pay. with impunity - without risk of punishment The young boy was able to do anything that he wanted with impunity. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 980 with it - alert and knowledgeable My grandmother was not really with it just before she passed away. with no strings attached - with no obligations attached I was given the car to use with no strings attached. with one/both hand(s) tied behind one's back - easily I can look after the computer system with both hands tied behind my back. with one's tail between one's legs - appearing frightened or cowardly (like a frightened dog) The man left the store with his tail between his legs after he had been accused of trying to steal something. with open arms - greet someone warmly or eagerly My aunt and uncle were at the airport to greet us with open arms. with relish - with pleasure or enjoyment I began my new job and started doing my work with relish. with respect to (something) - referring to something, concerning something I do not know what the company will do with respect to the old computer system. . - gain the support and sympathy of someone We finally won the apartment manager over and she will let us have a pet in our apartment. wind down - decrease or diminish At the end of the. when Idioms when hell freezes over - never The man said that he would come to the office party when hell freezes over. when it comes right down to it - when one really thinks about something. white sale - selling towels, linens, etc. at reduced prices We went to the white sale at the department store last Saturday. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 974 whole ball of wax/shooting match