EASIER ENGLISH BASIC DICTIONARY 20 pot

weather 358 welcome weather weather /weðə/ noun conditions out- side, e.g. if it is raining, hot, cold or sun- ny ć What’s the weather going to be like today? ć If the weather gets any better, then we can go out in the boat. weave weave /wiv/ verb 1. to make cloth by twisting fibres over and under each oth- er ć The cloth is woven from the wool of local sheep. ć The new weaving ma- chines were installed last week. 2. to make something by a similar method, but using things such as very thin pieces of wood or the dried stems of plants ć She learnt how to weave baskets. (NOTE: weaves – weaving – wove / wəυv/ – woven / wəυvən/) web web /web/ noun 1. a net spun by spiders ć The garden is full of spiders’ webs in autumn. 2. ˽ the web the thousands of websites and webpages within the Inter- net, which users can visit webpage webpage /webped/ noun a single file of text and graphics, forming part of a website website website /websat/ noun a collection of pages on the Web which have been pro- duced by one person or organisation and are linked together wedding wedding /wedŋ/ noun a marriage cer- emony, when two people are officially made husband and wife ć This Saturday I’m going to John and Mary’s wedding. wedge wedge /wed/ noun a solid piece of something such as wood, metal or rub- ber in the shape of a V ć Put a wedge under the door to hold it open. Wednesday Wednesday /wenzde/ noun the day between Tuesday and Thursday, the third day of the week ć She came for tea last Wednesday. ć Wednesdays are al- ways busy days for us. ć Can we meet next Wednesday afternoon? ć Wednes- day the 24th would be a good date for a meeting. ć The 15th is a Tuesday, so the 16th must be a Wednesday. weed weed /wid/ noun a wild plant that you do not want in a garden or crop week week /wik/ noun a period of seven days, usually from Monday to Sunday ć There are 52 weeks in the year. ć The firm gives us two weeks’ holiday at Easter. ć It’s my aunt’s 80th birthday next week. ć I go to the cinema at least once a week. (NOTE: Do not confuse with weak.) weekend weekend /wik  end/ noun Saturday and Sunday, or the period from Friday evening to Sunday evening ć We’re go- ing to the coast for the weekend. ć Why don’t you come to spend next weekend with us in the country? ć At weekends, we try to spend time in the garden. weekly weekly /wikli/ adjective , adverb which happens or is published once a week ć We have a weekly paper which tells us all the local news. ć The weekly rate for the job is £250. ć Are you paid weekly or monthly? weigh weigh /we/ verb 1. to measure how heavy something or someone is ć Can you weigh this parcel for me? ć They weighed his suitcase at the check-in desk. ć I weighed myself this morning. 2. to have a particular weight ć This piece of meat weighs 100 grams. ć How much do you weigh? ć She only weighs 40 kilos. weight weight /wet/ noun 1. how heavy some- thing is ć What’s the maximum weight of parcel the post office will accept? 2. how heavy a person is ć His weight is less than it was a year ago. 3. something which is heavy ć If you lift heavy weights like paving stones, you may hurt your back. (NOTE: Do not confuse with wait.) weird weird /wəd/ adjective strange in a way that makes you feel nervous or fright- ened welcome welcome /welkəm/ verb 1. to greet someone in a friendly way ć The staff welcomed the new assistant to the office. ć When we arrived at the hotel we were welcomed by a couple of barking guard dogs. 2. to be pleased to hear news ć I warmly welcome the result of the elec- tion. ć I would welcome any sugges- tions as to how to stop the water seeping into the basement. (NOTE: welcomes – welcoming – welcomed) í noun the action of greeting someone ć There was not much of a welcome from the staff when we arrived at the hotel. í adjec- tive met or greeted with pleasure ć They made me very welcome. ȣ you’re wel- Basic.fm Page 358 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM welfare 359 what come! a reply to ‘thank you’ ć Thanks for carrying the bags for me – you’re welcome! welfare welfare /welfeə/ noun the act or prac- tice of providing the things which peo- ple need and which help them to be healthy ć The club looks after the wel- fare of the old people in the town. ć The government has taken measures to re- form the welfare system. well well /wel/ adverb 1. in a way that is satis- factory ć He doesn’t speak Russian very well. ć Our business is small, but it’s doing well. ć Is the new computer work- ing well? 2. very much ć He got back from the office late – well after eight o’clock. ć You should go to the Tower of London – it’s well worth a visit. ć There were well over sixty people at the meet- ing. ć She’s well over eighty. í adjec- tive healthy ć She’s looking well after her holiday! ć The secretary’s not very well today – she’s had to stay off work. ć It took him some weeks to get well af- ter his flu. í interjection used for start- ing a sentence ć Well, I’ll show you round the house first. ć Well now, we’ve done the washing up so we can sit and watch TV. í noun a very deep hole dug in the ground with water or oil at the bottom ȣ as well also ć When my aunt comes to stay she brings her two cats and the dog as well. ć You can’t eat fish and chips and a meat pie as well! ȣ as well as in addition to ć Some newsa- gents sell groceries as well as newspa- pers. ć She ate a slice of cheesecake as well as two scoops of ice cream. ȣ well done used for praising someone for their success ć Well done, the England team! ć Well done to all of you who passed the exam! well-known well-known /wel nəυn/ adjective known by a lot of people well-paid well-paid /wel ped/ adjective earning a good salary Welsh Welsh /welʃ/ adjective relating to Wales ć We will be going climbing in the Welsh mountains at Easter. í noun 1. ˽ the Welsh the people of Wales ć The Welsh are proud of their heritage. ć The Welsh are magnificent singers. 2. the language spoken in Wales ć Welsh is used in schools in many parts of Wales. went went /went/ past tense of go were were /wə, w/ 1st person plural past of be. 2nd person plural past of be. 3rd person plural past of be west west /west/ noun the direction in which the sun sets ć The sun sets in the west and rises in the east. ć We live in a vil- lage to the west of the town. ć Their house has a garden that faces west or a west-facing garden. í adjective in or to the west ć She lives on the west coast of the United States. ć The west part of the town is near the river. í adverb towards the west ć Go west for about ten kilo- metres, and then you’ll come to the na- tional park. ć The river flows west into the ocean. western western /westən/ adjective from or in the west ć Great Britain is part of West- ern Europe. ć The Western part of Can- ada has wonderful scenery. wet wet /wet/ adjective 1. covered in water or other liquid ć She forgot her umbrella and got wet walking back from the shops. ć The chair’s all wet where he knocked over his beer. ć The baby is wet – can you change her nappy? 2. raining ć The summer months are the wettest part of the year. ć There’s nothing I like better than a wet Sunday in London. 3. not yet dry ć Watch out! – the paint’s still wet. (NOTE: wetter – wettest) whale whale /wel/ noun a very large creature that lives in the sea ć You can take a boat into the mouth of the river to see the whales. what what /wɒt/ adjective asking a question ć What kind of music do you like? ć What type of food does he like best? í pro- noun 1. the thing which ć Did you see what was in the box? ć What we like to do most on holiday is just to visit old churches. 2. asking a question ć What’s the correct time? ć What did he give you for your birthday? ć What hap- pened to his car? (NOTE: When what used to ask a direct question, the verb is put before the subject: What’s the time? but not when it is used in a state- ment: They don’t know what the time is .) í adverb showing surprise ć What Basic.fm Page 359 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM whatever 360 whether a huge meal! ć What beautiful weather! í interjection showing surprise ć What! did you hear what he said? ć I won the lottery! – What! whatever whatever /wɒt  evə/ pronoun 1. it does not matter what ( form of ‘what’ used for emphasis; in questions ) ć You can have whatever you like for Christmas. ć She always does whatever she feels like doing. ć I want that car whatever the price. 2. used instead of ‘what’ for em- phasis in questions ć ‘I’ve sold the car.’ ‘Whatever for?’ ć Whatever made him do that? ć Whatever does that red light mean? wheat wheat /wit/ noun a plant of which the grain is used to make flour (NOTE: no plural) wheel wheel /wil/ noun 1. a round object on which a vehicle such as a bicycle, a car or a train runs ć The front wheel and the back wheel of the motorbike were both damaged in the accident. ć We got a flat tyre so I had to get out to change the wheel. 2. any similar round object which turns ć a steering wheel ć gear wheels í verb to push something along which has wheels ć He wheeled his mo- torbike into the garage. ć She was wheeling her bike along the pavement. ć The waiter wheeled in a sweet trolley. wheelbarrow wheelbarrow /wilbrəυ/ noun a large container with one wheel at the front and two handles, used by people such as builders and gardeners for push- ing heavy loads around wheelchair wheelchair /wiltʃeə/ noun a chair on wheels which people who cannot walk use to move around ć a special entrance for wheelchair users when when /wen/ adverb at what time ( asking a question ) ć When is the last train for Paris? ć When did you last go to the dentist? ć When are we going to get paid? ć Since when has he been wear- ing glasses? ć I asked her when her friend was leaving. (NOTE: After when used to ask a direct question, the verb is put before the subject: When does the film start? ; When is he coming? but not when it is used in a statement: He doesn’t know when the film starts. ; They can’t tell me when he is coming .) í conjunction 1. at the time that ć When he was young, the family was liv- ing in London. ć When you go on holi- day, leave your key with the neighbours so they can feed the cat. ć Do you re- member the day when we all went for a picnic in the park? ć Let me know when you’re ready to go. 2. after ć When the speaker had finished, he sat down. ć Wash up the plates when you’ve finished your breakfast. 3. even if ć The sales- man said the car was worth £5,000 when he really knew it was worth only half that. whenever whenever /wen  evə/ adverb at any time that ć Come for tea whenever you like. ć We try to see my mother whenever we can or whenever possible. where where /weə/ adverb 1. ( asking a ques- tion ) in what place, to what place ć Where did I put my glasses? ć Do you know where the restaurant is? ć Where are the knives and forks? ć Where are you going for your holiday? 2. in a place in which ć Stay where you are and don’t move. ć They still live in the same house where they were living twenty years ago. ć Here’s where the wire has been cut. (NOTE: After where used to ask a direct question, the verb is put before the subject: Where is the bottle? but not when it is used in a statement: He doesn’t know where the bottle is .) whereas whereas /weər  z/ conjunction if you compare this with the fact that ć He likes tea whereas she prefers coffee. wherever wherever /weər  evə/ adverb 1. to or in any place ć You can sit wherever you want. ć Wherever we go on holiday, we never make hotel reservations. ć The police want to ask her questions, wher- ever she may be. 2. used instead of ‘where’ for emphasis ć Wherever did you get that hat? whether whether /weðə/ conjunction 1. used to mean ‘if’ for showing doubt, or for showing that you have not decided something ć Do you know whether they’re coming? ć I can’t make up my mind whether to go on holiday now or later. 2. used for referring to either of two things or people ć All employees, whether managers or ordinary staff, Basic.fm Page 360 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM which 361 who must take a medical test. (NOTE: Do not confuse with weather.) which which /wtʃ/ adjective , pronoun 1. ( ask- ing a question ) what person or thing ć Which dress are you wearing to the wedding? ć Which boy threw that stone? 2. ( only used with things, not people ) that ć The French restaurant which is next door to the office. ć They’ve eaten all the bread which you bought yesterday. while while /wal/ conjunction 1. at the time that ć He tried to cut my hair while he was watching TV. ć While we were on holiday someone broke into our house. ć Shall I clean the kitchen while you’re having a bath? 2. showing difference ć He likes meat, while his sister is a vege- tarian. ć Everyone is watching TV, while I’m in the kitchen making the din- ner. 3. although ( formal ) ć While there may still be delays, the service is much better than it used to be. í noun a short time ć It’s a while since I’ve seen him. ȣ in a while in a short time, soon ć I’ll be ready in a while. whine whine /wan/ verb 1. to make a loud high noise ć You can hear the engines of the racing cars whining in the background. ć The dogs whined when we locked them up in the kitchen. 2. to complain in a loud high voice that annoys other peo- ple ć She’s always whining about how little money she has. (NOTE: Do not con- fuse with wine. Note also: whines – whining – whined.) whip whip /wp/ noun a long, thin piece of leather with a handle, used to hit ani- mals to make them do what you want ć The rider used her whip to make the horse run faster. í verb to hit someone or an animal with a whip ć He whipped the horse to make it go faster. (NOTE: whips – whipping – whipped) whirl whirl /wl/ verb to turn round quickly ć She put on her new skirt and whirled around for every one to see. ć The chil- dren’s paper windmills whirled in the wind. whiskey whiskey /wski/ noun Irish or Ameri- can whisky whisky whisky /wski/ noun an alcoholic drink, made in Scotland from barley ć The company produces thousands of bottles of whisky every year. (NOTE: The plural is whiskies.) whisper whisper /wspə/ verb to speak very qui- etly, so that only the person you are talk- ing to can hear ć He whispered instruc- tions to the other members of the gang. ć She whispered to the nurse that she wanted something to drink. í noun a quiet voice, or words spoken very quiet- ly ć She spoke in a whisper. whistle whistle /ws(ə)l/ noun 1. a high sound made by blowing through your lips when they are almost closed ć She gave a whistle of surprise. ć We heard a whistle and saw a dog running across the field. 2. a simple instrument which makes a high sound, played by blowing ć He blew on his whistle to stop the match. í verb 1. to blow through your lips to make a high sound ć They marched along, whistling an Irish song. ć He whistled for a taxi. 2. to make a high sound using a small metal instru- ment ć The referee whistled to stop the match. white white /wat/ adjective of a colour like snow or milk ć A white shirt is part of the uniform. ć A white car will always look dirty. ć Her hair is now completely white. ć Do you take your coffee black or white? í noun 1. a person whose skin is pale ć Whites are in the minority in African countries. 2. a white part of something ć the white of an egg ć The whites of his eyes were slightly red. 3. a white wine ć A glass of house white, please. white lie white lie /wat la/ noun a lie about something unimportant, especially a lie told in order not to upset someone ( informal ) who who /hu/ pronoun 1. ( asking a ques- tion ) which person or persons ć Who phoned? ć Who are you talking to? ć Who spoke at the meeting? 2. the person or the people that ć The men who came yesterday morning work for the electric- ity company. ć Anyone who didn’t get tickets early won’t be able to get in. ć There’s the taxi driver who took us home last night. (NOTE: After an object, who can be left out: There’s the man I Basic.fm Page 361 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM whoever 362 will saw at the pub . When who is used to ask a direct question, the verb is put after ‘who’ and before the subject: Who is that man over there? , but not when it is used in a statement: I don’t know who that man is over there . When who is used as an object, it is sometimes written whom / hum/ but this is formal and not common: the man whom I met in the office ; Whom do you want to see? ) whoever whoever /hu  evə/ pronoun ( emphatic form of ‘who’ ) no matter who, anyone who ć Whoever finds the umbrella can keep it. ć Go home with whoever you like. whole whole /həυl/ adjective all of something ć She must have been hungry – she ate a whole apple pie. ć We spent the whole winter in the south. ć A whole lot of people went down with flu. í noun all of something ć She stayed in bed the whole of Sunday morning and read the newspapers. ć The whole of the north of the country was covered with snow. ć Did you watch the whole of the pro- gramme? (NOTE: Do not confuse with hole.) í adverb in one piece ć The birds catch small fish and swallow them whole. whom whom /hum/  who whose whose /huz/ pronoun 1. ( asking a question ) which belongs to which per- son ć Whose is that car? ć Whose book is this? ć Whose money was stolen? 2. of whom ć the family whose house was burgled ć the man whose hat you bor- rowed ć the girl whose foot you trod on (NOTE: Do not confuse with who’s.) why why /wa/ adverb 1. for what reason ć Why did he have to phone me in the mid- dle of the TV film? ć I asked the ticket collector why the train was late. 2. giv- ing a reason ć She told me why she couldn’t go to the party. 3. agreeing with a suggestion ć ‘Would you like some lunch?’ ‘Why not?’ wicked wicked /wkd/ adjective very bad ć What a wicked thing to say! ć It was wicked of them to steal the birds’ eggs. wide wide /wad/ adjective 1. which measures from side to side ć The table is three foot or three feet wide. ć The river is not very wide at this point. 2. including many things ć The shop carries a wide range of imported goods. ć She has a wide knowledge of French painting. ı width í adverb as far as possible, as much as possible ć She opened her eyes wide. ć The door was wide open so we just walked in. widely widely /wadli/ adverb 1. by a wide range of people ć It is widely expected that he will resign. 2. over a wide area ć Contamination spread widely over the area round the factory. ć She has trav- elled widely in Greece. widow widow /wdəυ/ noun a woman whose husband has died and who has not mar- ried again width width /wdθ/ noun 1. a measurement of something from one side to another ć I need to know the width of the sofa. ć The width of the garden is at least forty feet or the garden is at least forty feet in width. 2. the distance from one side to another of a swimming pool ć She swam three widths easily. wife wife /waf/ noun a woman who is mar- ried to a man ć I know Mr Jones quite well but I’ve never met his wife. ć They both came with their wives. (NOTE: The plural is wives / wavz/.) wig wig /w/ noun false hair worn on the head wild wild /wald/ adjective 1. living naturally, not with people as a pet 2. very angry or very excited ć He will be wild when he sees what I have done to the car. ć The fans went wild at the end of the match. 3. not thinking carefully ć She made a few wild guesses, but didn’t find the right answer. ć They had the wild idea of walking across the Sahara. í adverb without any control ć The crowds were running wild through the centre of the town. wildlife wildlife /waldlaf/ noun birds, plants and animals in their natural conditions will will /wl/ modal verb 1. used to form the future tense ć The party will start soon. ć Will they be staying a long time? ć We won’t be able to come to tea. ć If you ask her to play the piano, she’ll say ‘no’. 2. used as a polite way of asking Basic.fm Page 362 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM willing 363 winter someone to do something ć Will every- one please sit down? ć Will someone close the curtains? ć (formal) Won’t you sit down? 3. used for showing that you are keen to do something ć Don’t call a taxi – I’ll take you home. ć The car will never start when we want it to. ć Don’t worry – I will do it. (NOTE: the negative: will not is usually written won’t / wəυnt/. The past is: would, negative: would not, usually written wouldn’t. Note also that will is often shortened to ’ll: he’ll = he will) í noun 1. someone’s desire that something will happen ˽ against your will without your agreement ć He was forced to pay the money against his will. 2. a legal document by which a person gives in- structions about what should happen to his or her property after he or she dies ć He wrote his will in 1984. ć According to her will, all her property is left to her children. ć Has she made a will yet? ȣ at will whenever someone wants to ć Visitors can wander around the gardens at will. willing willing /wlŋ/ adjective keen to help ć Is there anyone who is willing to drive the jeep? ć I need two willing helpers to wash the car. win win /wn/ verb 1. to beat someone in a game, or be first in a race or competition ć I expect our team will win tomorrow. ć The local team won their match yes- terday. ć She won the race easily. 2. to get something as a prize ć She won first prize in the art competition. ć He won two million pounds on the lottery. ć She’s hoping to win a new car in a com- petition in the paper. (NOTE: wins – winning – won / wn/) í noun the act of winning a game, race or competition ć The local team has only had two wins so far this year. ć We’re disappointed, we expected a win. wind wind 1 /wnd/ noun air moving outdoors ć The wind blew two trees down in the park. ć There’s no point trying to use an umbrella in this wind. ć There’s not a breath of wind – the sailing boats aren’t moving at all. wind wind 2 /wand/ verb to twist round and round ć He wound the towel round his waist. ć She wound the string into a ball. (NOTE: winds – winding – wound / waυnd/) wind up phrasal verb 1. to turn a key to make a machine work ć When did you wind up the clock or wind the clock up? 2. to turn a key to make something go up ć Wind up your window if it starts to rain. 3. to be in a situation at the end of a period ( informal ) ć They wound up owing the bank thousands of pounds. window window /wndəυ/ noun 1. an opening in a surface such as a wall or door, which is filled with glass ć a seat by the window ć I looked out of the kitchen window and saw a fox. ć It’s dangerous to lean out of car windows. ć The bur- glar must have got in through the bath- room window. 2. any of several sections of a computer screen on which informa- tion is shown ć Open the command win- dow to see the range of possible com- mands. windy windy /wndi/ adjective when a strong wind is blowing ( informal ) (NOTE: windier – windiest) wine wine /wan/ noun an alcoholic drink made from grapes ć We had a glass of French red wine. ć Two glasses of white wine, please. ć Should we have some white wine with the fish? wing wing /wŋ/ noun 1. one of the two parts of the body, which a bird or butterfly etc. uses to fly ć The little birds were flapping their wings, trying to fly. ć Which part of the chicken do you prefer: a leg or a wing? 2. one of the two flat parts sticking from the side of an air- craft, which hold the aircraft in the air ć He had a seat by the wing, so could not see much out of the window. wink wink /wŋk/ verb to shut and open one eye quickly, as a signal ć She winked at him to try to tell him that everything was going well. winner winner /wnə/ noun 1. a person who wins something ć The winner of the race gets a silver cup. 2. something which is successful ć His latest book is a winner. winter winter /wntə/ noun the coldest season of the year, the season between autumn Basic.fm Page 363 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM wipe 364 woman and spring ć It’s too cold to do any gar- dening in the winter. ć We’re taking a winter holiday in Mexico. wipe wipe /wap/ verb to clean or dry some- thing with a cloth ć Wipe your shoes with a cloth before you polish them. ć Use the blue towel to wipe your hands. wire wire /waə/ noun 1. a thin piece of metal or metal thread ć He used bits of wire to attach the apple tree to the wall. ć The chip basket is made of woven wire. 2. ˽ (electric) wire thin metal thread along which electricity flows, usually covered with coloured plastic ć The wires seem to be all right, so there must be a prob- lem with the computer itself. wisdom wisdom /wzdəm/ noun general com- mon sense and the ability to make good decisions wise wise /waz/ adjective having intelligence and being sensible ć It was a wise deci- sion to cancel the trip. ć I don’t think it’s wise to keep all that money in the house. wish wish /wʃ/ noun 1. what you want to hap- pen 2. a greeting ć Best wishes for the New Year! ć Please give my good wish- es to your family. (NOTE: The plural is wishes.) í verb 1. to want something to happen ć She sometimes wished she could live in the country. ć I wish you wouldn’t be so unkind! 2. to hope some- thing good will happen ć She wished him good luck in his interview. ć He wished me a Happy New Year. ć Wish me luck – it’s my exam tomorrow. witch witch /wtʃ/ noun a woman believed to have magic powers (NOTE: The plural is witches.) with with /wð, wθ/ preposition 1. showing that things or people are together ć She came here with her mother. ć My sister is staying with us for a few days. (NOTE: with is used with many adjectives and verbs: to agree with , to be pleased with .) 2. something which you have ć The girl with fair hair. ć They live in the house with the pink door. 3. showing something which is used ć He was chopping up wood with an axe. ć Since his accident he walks with a stick. ć The crowd attacked the police with stones and bottles. 4. because of ć Her little hands were blue with cold. ć Half the people in the office are ill with flu. within within /w  ðn/ preposition inside an area or period of time ć The house is within easy reach of the station. ć We are within walking distance of the shop. ć I must go back for a another check within three months. ć They promised to deliver the sofa within a week. without without /w  ðaυt/ preposition 1. not with ć They came on a walking holiday without any boots. ć She managed to live for a few days without any food. ć He was stuck in Germany without any money. ć They were fined for travelling without tickets. 2. not doing something ć She sang for an hour without stop- ping. ć They lived in the hut in the forest without seeing anybody for weeks. witness witness /wtnəs/ noun 1. a person who sees something happen or who is present when something happens ć The witness happened to be outside the house when it was burgled. 2. a person who is present when someone signs a document ć The contract has to be signed in front of two witnesses. ć His sister signed as a witness. í verb to be present when something happens, and see it happening ć Did anyone witness the accident? witty witty /wti/ adjective clever and funny ć She gave a witty and entertaining speech. (NOTE: wittier – wittiest) wives wives /wavz/ plural of wife wobble wobble /wɒb(ə)l/ verb to move from side to side in a way that is not smooth or steady ć The children made the jelly wobble in their bowls. ć Don’t wobble the table when I’m pouring coffee. woke woke /wəυk/ past tense of wake woken woken /wəυk(ə)n/ past participle of wake wolf wolf /wυlf/ noun a wild animal like a large dog, which usually lives in groups in the forest ć At night the wolves came and howled outside the hut. (NOTE: The plural is wolves.) woman woman /wυmən/ noun an adult female person ć The manager is an extremely experienced woman. ć There are very few women in government. ć There are Basic.fm Page 364 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM won 365 work more and more women bus drivers. (NOTE: The plural is women /wmn/.) won won /wn/ past tense and past participle of win wonder wonder /wndə/ verb 1. to want to know something ć I wonder why the room has gone quiet. ć If you don’t ring home, your parents will start wondering what has happened. 2. to think about something ć I wonder how I can earn more money. ć He’s wondering what to do next. 3. asking a question politely ć We were wondering if you would like to come for dinner on Saturday. wonderful wonderful /wndəf(ə)l/ adjective ex- tremely good or enjoyable ć They had a wonderful holiday by a lake in Sweden. ć The weather was wonderful for the whole holiday. ć You passed your driv- ing test first time? – Wonderful! wood wood /wυd/ noun 1. a hard material which comes from a tree ć The kitchen table is made of wood. ć She picked up a piece of wood and put it on the fire. ć A wood floor would be just right for this room. (NOTE: no plural: some wood , a piece of wood ) 2. an area in which many trees are growing together ć The path goes straight through the wood. ć Their house is on the edge of a wood. (NOTE: The plural is woods. Do not confuse with would.) wooden wooden /wυd(ə)n/ adjective made out of wood ć In the market we bought little wooden dolls for the children. wool wool /wυl/ noun 1. long threads of twist- ed animal hair, used to make clothes or carpets etc. ć The carpet is made of wool. ć I need an extra ball of wool to finish this pullover. 2. the hair growing on a sheep ć The sheep are sheared and the wool sent to market in early summer. woolly woolly /wυli/ adjective made out of wool ć She wore a woolly hat. word word /wd/ noun 1. a separate piece of language, either written or spoken ć This sentence has five words. ć He al- ways spells some words wrongly, such as ‘though’. 2. something spoken ć She passed me in the street but didn’t say a word. ć I’d like to say a few words about Mr Smith who is retiring today. 3. a promise which you have made ˽ to give your word to promise ć He gave his word that the matter would remain con- fidential. ˽ to keep your word to do what you promised to do ć He kept his word, and the cheque arrived the next day. ˽ to take someone’s word for it to accept what someone says as being true ć OK, I’ll take your word for it. ȣ to have a word with someone to speak to someone ć I must have a word with the manager about the service. ć The salesgirl had made so many mistakes, I had to have a word with her. ȣ without a word without saying anything ć She went out of the room without a word. ȣ word for word exactly as it is said or written ć Tell me what he said word for word. ć A word-for-word translation of- ten doesn’t make any sense. word processing word processing /wd prəυsesŋ/ noun using a computer to produce, check and change texts, reports and let- ters etc. word processor word processor /wd prəυsesə/ noun 1. a small computer which is used to produce texts, reports and letters etc. ć She offered to write the letter for me on her word processor. ć You can use my word processor to type your letter if you like. 2. a word-processing program which allows you to create texts, edit them and print them wore wore /wɔ/ past tense of wear work work /wk/ noun 1. things that you do using your strength or your brain ć There’s a great deal of work still to be done on the project. ć There’s too much work for one person. ć If you’ve fin- ished that piece of work, there’s plenty more to be done. ć Cooking for two hundred people every day is hard work. 2. a job done regularly to earn money ć He goes to work every day on his bicy- cle. ć Work starts at 9 a.m. and finishes at 5 p.m. ć Her work involves a lot of travelling. ć He is still looking for work. 3. something which has been made, painted or written by someone ć the complete works of Shakespeare ć An exhibition of the work of local artists. í verb 1. to use your strength or brain to do something ć I can’t work in the gar- Basic.fm Page 365 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM worker 366 worse den if it’s raining. ć He’s working well at school, we’re very pleased with his progress. ć Work hard and you’ll soon get a better job. 2. to have a job ć She works in an office in London. ć He used to work in his father’s shop. ć She had to stop working when her mother was ill. 3. ( of a machine ) to run ć The com- puters aren’t working. ć The machine works by electricity. 4. to make a ma- chine run ć She works the biggest print- ing machine in the factory. ć Do you know how to work the microwave? 5. to be successful ć His plan worked well. ć Will the plan work? ć If the cough med- icine doesn’t work, you’ll have to see a doctor. work out phrasal verb 1. to solve a problem by looking at information or calculating figures ć I’m trying to work out if we’ve sold more this year than last. ˽ to work out at something to amount to an amount ć The total works out at £10.50 per person. 2. to succeed ć Everything worked out quite well in the end. ˽ to work something out to find a successful way of solving a prob- lem 3. to do exercises ć He works out every morning in the gym. worker worker /wkə/ noun 1. a person who works ć She’s a good worker. ć He’s a fast worker. 2. a person who works in a particular job ć The factory closed when the workers went on strike. ć Of- fice workers usually work from 9.30 to 5.30. working working /wkŋ/ adjective relating to a job or to work ć the working population of a country ć The unions have com- plained about working conditions in the factory. ć He came to the party in his working clothes. í noun a way or ways in which something works ć The work- ings of a car engine are a complete mys- tery to him. ć I wish I could understand the workings of local government! working class working class /wkŋ klɑs/ noun a group in society consisting of people who work with their hands, usually earning wages not salaries workman workman /wkmən/ noun a man who works with his hands (NOTE: The plural is workmen.) works works plural noun 1. the moving parts of a machine ć I looked inside the clock and there seems to be dust in the works. 2. a factory ć The steel works will be closed next week for the Christmas hol- idays. í the works everything ( informal ) ć They built a conservatory with a fountain, automatic lighting, a barbecue – the works! workshop workshop /wkʃɒp/ noun a very small factory where things are made or repaired world world /wld/ noun the earth on which we live ć Here is a map of the world. ć She flew round the world twice last year. ć He has to travel all over the world on business. ć A round-the-world ticket al- lows several stopovers. worm worm /wm/ noun a small thin animal which has no arms or legs and lives in the soil ć Birds were pecking at the soil for worms. worn worn /wɔn/ past participle of wear worn out worn out /wɔn aυt/ adjective very tired ć He was worn out after the game of rugby. ć She comes home every evening, worn out after a busy day at the office. worried worried /wrid/ adjective unhappy be- cause you think something bad will hap- pen or because something bad has hap- pened ć He had a worried look on his face. ć She’s looking worried. ć I’m worried that we may run out of petrol. worry worry /wri/ verb to make someone feel anxious ć She’s always looks so tired, and that worries me. (NOTE: worries – worrying – worried) í noun 1. some- thing that makes you anxious ć Go on holiday and try to forget your worries. (NOTE: The plural is worries.) 2. the state of being anxious ć She is a great source of worry for her family. (NOTE: no plural) worse worse /ws/ adjective 1. less good than something else ć It rained for the first week of our holidays, and the second week was even worse. ć I think this film is worse than the one I saw last week. ć Both children are naughty – but the little girl is worse than her brother. 2. more ill ć He’s much worse since he started tak- Basic.fm Page 366 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM worship 367 wrestle ing his medicine. í adverb not as well ć He drives badly enough but his sister drives even worse. worship worship /wʃp/ verb 1. to praise and respect God ć The ancient peoples wor- shipped stone statues of their gods. 2. to take part in a church service ć They worship regularly in the local church. (NOTE: worships – worshipping – worshipped) worst worst /wst/ adjective worse than any- thing else ć I think this is the worst film he’s ever made. í adverb less well than anything or anyone else or than at any other time ć It’s difficult to say which team played worst. ć She works worst when she’s tired. í noun a very bad thing ć This summer is the worst for fif- ty years. worth worth /wθ/ adjective 1. ˽ to be worth to have a certain value or price ć This ring’s worth a lot of money. ć Gold is worth more than silver. ć The house is worth more than £250,000. 2. ˽ to be worth doing something to find some- thing good or helpful to do ć It’s worth taking a map with you, as you may get lost in the little streets. ć His latest film is well worth seeing. ć The old castle is well worth visiting or is well worth a visit. í noun a value ć Its worth will in- crease each year. ć She lost jewellery of great worth in the fire. ć Can you give me twenty pounds’ worth of petrol? would would /wυd/ modal verb 1. used as a po- lite way of asking someone to do some- thing ć Would you please stop talking? ć Would someone please tell me where the library is? ć Would you like some more tea? 2. used as the past of ‘will’ ć He said he would be here for lunch. ć She hoped she would be well enough to come. ć He wouldn’t go even if I paid him. 3. used as the past of ‘will’, show- ing something which often happens ć He would bring his dog with him, even though we asked him not to. ć My hus- band forgot my birthday again this year – he would! 4. used for showing some- thing which often happened in the past ć Every morning she would go and feed the chickens. ć He would always be there waiting outside the station. ć They would often bring us flowers. 5. used following a condition ć I’m sure that if they could come, they would. ć I would’ve done it if you had asked me to. ć If she were alive, she would or she’d be a hundred years old today. ć If it snowed we would or we’d go skiing. (NOTE: The negative would not is usu- ally written wouldn’t. Note also that would is often shortened to ’d she’d be a hundred, he’d stay at home. Note also that would is only used with other verbs and is not followed by to) would rather phrasal verb to prefer wound wound 1 /wund/ noun a cut made on someone’s body, usually in fighting í verb 1. to hurt someone badly by cutting into their flesh ć Two of the gang were wounded in the bank robbery. 2. to hurt someone’s feelings ć She was deeply wounded by what he said. wound wound 2 /waυnd/ past tense and past par- ticiple of wind wove wove /wəυv/ past tense of weave woven woven /wəυv(ə)n/ past participle of weave wrap wrap /rp/ verb to cover something by putting something over it ć She wrapped the parcel in paper. (NOTE: wraps -wrapping – wrapped) í noun 1. a type of shawl that is put round the shoulders or the top part of the body ć She pulled her wrap closer around her. 2. a piece of material used to cover something ć Remove the wrap before putting the dish in the microwave. wrapping wrapping /rpŋ/ noun the paper or plastic used to wrap something up wreck wreck /rek/ noun 1. a ship which has been sunk or badly damaged ć Divers have discovered the wreck on the sea- bed. ć The wreck of the ‘Mary Rose’ was found in the sea near Southampton. 2. anything which has been damaged and cannot be used ć The police towed away the wreck of the car. ć Their house is now a total wreck. í verb to damage something very badly ć The ship was wrecked on the rocks in the storm. ć The bank was wrecked by the explosion. wrestle wrestle /res(ə)l/ verb to fight with someone to try to throw him to the Basic.fm Page 367 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM [...]... sworn swept swelled, swollen swum swung taken taught torn told thought thrown thrust trodden understood undone upset woken worn woven won wound wrung written BasicBlank.fm Page 1 Friday, January 16, 200 4 3:18 PM BasicBlank.fm Page 1 Friday, January 16, 200 4 3:18 PM ... wrong yesterday ć She spelt my name wrong wrongly / rɒŋli/ adverb not correctly wrote /rəυt/ past tense of write wrung /r ŋ/ past tense and past participle of wring wrongly wrote wrung Basic. fm Page 369 Friday, January 16, 200 4 3:10 PM XYZ x /eks/, X noun the twenty-fourth letter of when you are tired or bored ć He went on speaking for so long that half the people at the meeting started yawning or started... her if she wanted to come and she said ‘yes’ ć Anyone want more coffee? – Yes, please ć You don’t like living in London? – Yes I do! ć Didn’t you work in Scotland at one time? – Yes, Basic. fm Page 370 Friday, January 16, 200 4 3:10 PM yesterday 370 I did ć I need a clear answer – is it ‘yes’ or ‘no’? yesterday / jestəde/ adverb, noun the day before today ć Yesterday was March 1st so today must be the.. .Basic. fm Page 368 Friday, January 16, 200 4 3:10 PM wriggle 368 ground ć The President’s guards wrestled with the demonstrators wriggle / r (ə)l/ verb to twist from side to side ć The baby wriggled in her father’s arms ć... yes year /jə/ noun 1 a period of time lasting yeah year twelve months, from January 1st to December 31st ć Columbus discovered America in the year 1492 ć Great celebrations which took place in the year 200 0 ć Last year we did not have any holiday ć Next year she’s going on holiday in Australia ć The weather was very bad for most of the year ˽ all year round working or open for the whole year ć The museum . wound wound wring wrung wrung write wrote written BasicBlank.fm Page 1 Friday, January 16, 200 4 3:18 PM BasicBlank.fm Page 1 Friday, January 16, 200 4 3:18 PM . state- ment: They don’t know what the time is .) í adverb showing surprise ć What Basic. fm Page 359 Friday, January 16, 200 4 3:10 PM whatever 360 whether a huge meal! ć What beautiful weather! í interjection . of two things or people ć All employees, whether managers or ordinary staff, Basic. fm Page 360 Friday, January 16, 200 4 3:10 PM which 361 who must take a medical test. (NOTE: Do not confuse with