Commonly-Used Idioms, Sayings and phrasal verbs - "V-Z" Idioms potx

V vanish into thin air - disappear without leaving a trace The university student vanished into thin air and was never seen again variety is the spice of life - life is made more interesting by doing new or different things My grandmother believed that variety is the spice of life and is always starting new projects vent one's spleen - get rid of one's angry feelings I was able to vent my spleen at the manager of our apartment for the problems that she was causing verge on (something) - come close or approach something The accident verged on becoming a major disaster but luckily it was not very last - the end of something We were able to buy the very last tickets to the concert very thing - the exact thing that is required The new sofa was the very thing that we needed to make our house comfortable very well - agreed, all right "Very well, if you want me to go I will go with you." 957 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com vicious circle - unbroken sequence of cause and effect with bad results He had fallen into a vicious circle of drinking too much and then losing his job and then drinking even more vim and vigor - energy and enthusiasm Our great aunt is always full of vim and vigor when we see her vote down - defeat in a vote The proposal to extend the opening hours of nightclubs was voted down in the election vote of confidence - a vote to see if a person or political party still has the majority's support The government received a vote of confidence when everyone supported their new proposal vote of thanks - a speech expressing appreciation and thanks to a speaker or organizer The speaker received a vote of thanks from the audience vote with one's feet - show that you don't like something by leaving Many of the citizens voted with their feet and began to move to another city 958 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com W wade into - attack, join in The football player waded into the fight to help his teammate wait-and-see attitude - an uncertain attitude where you wait and see what will happen We decided to take a wait-and-see attitude regarding what our new boss was going to wait on (someone) hand and foot - serve someone in every possible way, everything for someone He always waits on his wife hand and foot wait tables - serve food (in a restaurant etc.) He spent the summer waiting tables at the resort wait up (for someone) - not go to bed until someone arrives or something happens The woman always waits up for her daughter to come home wait with bated breath - feel excited or anxious while waiting I waited with bated breath for the results of my exams waiting in the wings - ready to something such as take over someone's job The vice-president was waiting in the wings to help the president 959 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com wake the dead - be very loud and able to wake even those who have died Our neighbors told us that our stereo was so loud that it would wake the dead walk Idioms walk a tightrope - be in a situation where you must be very cautious The Prime Minister is walking a tightrope regarding the international trade deal walk all over (an opponent) - win a game easily They walked all over the other team at the soccer tournament walk all over (someone) - treat someone badly He tried to walk all over me when I began working but after I became used to the job he stopped walk away/off with (something) - take and go away with something, steal Somebody walked away with the computer from the library last night walk of life - social rank, occupation People from every walk of life came to the concert in the park walk on air - feel happy and excited She has been walking on air since she heard that she passed her exams 960 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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 961 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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 962 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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 963 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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 964 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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 965 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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 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 966 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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 974 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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 975 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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 976 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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 977 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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 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 978 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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 anything that he wanted with impunity 979 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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 not know what the company will with respect to the old computer system 980 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com with the best of them - as well as anyone He can play soccer with the best of them when he makes the effort within a stone's throw of something - very close (to something) We could not find the house even though I knew we were within a stone's throw of it within an inch of one`s life - almost dead The elderly man was beaten to within an inch of his life within calling distance - close enough to hear someone call We were within calling distance of the men in the boat within reason - sensible, reasonable Within reason, you should be able to take as much time off from work as you want in order to go to school without batting an eye - casually The criminal kept changing his story without batting an eye without fail - absolutely, for certain The postman came at noon everyday without fail without further ado - without further talk Without further ado they ended the meeting and began to serve coffee 981 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com without question - absolutely, certainly Without question, the boy was the fastest runner on the team without rhyme or reason - without purpose or reason It seemed that the dispute between the two men was without rhyme or reason (be at one's) wit`s end - not know what to I have been at my wit`s end all week trying to decide what to wear to the party wolf in sheep`s clothing - a person who pretends to be good but is not He is a wolf in sheep`s clothing and you should be very careful when you deal with him word for word - in exactly the same words I described word for word exactly what had happened before the accident word of mouth - passing information orally from one person to another I heard about the new restaurant by word of mouth (a) word to the wise - a good piece of advice I gave my friend a word to the wise before he started on his journey 982 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com work Idioms work in - rub in We spent a long time trying to work the softening cream into the leather work in (someone or something) - insert someone or something (into a schedule) My doctor was very busy but she was able to work me into her schedule work into (something) - force into something little by little He was able to work his foot into his boot but it was still very tight work off - make something go away (especially by working or exercise) He was able to work off much weight and is now feeling better work on/upon - have an effect on, try to influence I am working on my boss to let me have some time off this summer work one`s fingers to the bone - work very hard She has been working her fingers to the bone raising her three children work out - solve a problem I was unable to work out the math problem on the final examination 983 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com work out - accomplish, arrange Recently we worked out a unique system for filling out our expenses at work work out - exercise He spends most weekends working out at the health club work out (for the best) - to end successfully I hope that everything will work out for my friend when she moves to London next week work over - threaten or beat someone The gang worked over the storeowner in order to get some money from him work up - stir up, excite He really likes to work up a sweat when he does his exercises work wonders (with someone or something) - be very beneficial to someone or something The vacation in Egypt worked wonders on the mental health of our boss worked up - feeling excited, angry, worried He is all worked up because he wasn`t invited to the party 984 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com world is one`s oyster - everything is possible for one The world is her oyster now that she has received her MBA from Harvard University worm one's way out of something - wiggle out of a problem or a responsibility I was able to worm my way out of working on my friend's house repairs worse for wear - not as good as new, worn out I borrowed my friend`s canoe for a month and it is now beginning to look the worse for wear (not) worth a cent - not worth anything (usually negative) His old car broke down and is not worth a cent now worth its weight in gold - very valuable The advice of my supervisor is always worth its weight in gold worth one`s salt - worth what one is paid The man is definitely worth his salt and is one of our best employees worth one's while - worth one's time and trouble It is not worth my while to go back and get my hat which I left at the restaurant worthy of the name - good enough to enjoy a specific name The restaurant is fantastic and more than worthy of the great chef's name 985 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com would give one's right arm (for something) - be willing to give something valuable for something I would give my right arm to meet my favorite musician would just as soon - prefer to one thing rather than another I would just as soon stay at home as go to a movie wouldn't touch (someone or something) with a ten-foot pole - would not get involved with something for any reason I wouldn't touch that used car salesman with a ten-foot pole wrap around one`s finger - have complete control over someone and be able to make them anything you want She has her boss wrapped around her finger and can anything that she wants wrap up - put on warm clothes, dress warmly She wrapped herself up in her warm clothes and went out wrap (something) up - bring something to an end We wrapped up the meeting before dinner and went home wrapped up in - thinking about or interested only in one thing He is always wrapped up in playing with his computer wreak havoc with/on (something) - cause a lot of trouble or damage to something The hurricane wreaked havoc on the small town 986 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com write off - remove (an amount) from a business record, cancel (a debt) The bank was forced to write off a large amount of its debt write off - accept (a loss or trouble) and not worry any more about it He decided to write off his bad experience at his old job write out (something) - to write something on a piece of paper I plan to write out the recipe that I saw on television write up (something) - to write or describe something in writing (you usually write up something by using your thoughts or some notes that you have written somewhere) After our trip to Vietnam I spent a couple of weeks writing up our story for a travel magazine wrong side of the tracks - the poor side of town He married a girl who was from the wrong side of the tracks because he loved her 987 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com X X marks the spot - this is the exact spot We looked at the map and saw that X marked the spot where the accident had taken place 988 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com ... 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 967 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 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... circle - unbroken sequence of cause and effect with bad results He had fallen into a vicious circle of drinking too much and then losing his job and then drinking even more vim and vigor - energy and