# dict

Words: walk away
Meaning:
walk away\n  If you walk away from a problem or a difficult situation, you do nothing about it or do not face any bad consequences from it.\nThe most appropriate strategy may simply be to walk away from the problem...\nNo one knows you’re a part of this. You can just walk away.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P from n, V P


Words: walk away with
Meaning:
walk away with\n  If you walk away with something such as a prize, you win it or get it very easily. (JOURNALISM)\nEnter our competition and you could walk away with .10,000.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P P n\n  = walk off with


Words: walk in on
Meaning:
walk in on\n  If you walk in on someone, you enter the room that they are in while they are doing something private, and this creates an embarrassing situation.\nHis wife walked in on him making love.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P P n


Words: walk into
Meaning:
walk into\n1. If you walk into an unpleasant situation, you become involved in it without expecting to, especially because you have been careless.\nHe’s walking into a situation that he absolutely can’t control.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n\n\n2. If you walk into a job, you manage to get it very easily. (INFORMAL)\nWhen I left school, I could walk into any job.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n


Words: walk of life
Meaning:
walk of life  walks of life\n  The walk of life that you come from is the position that you have in society and the kind of job you have.\nOne of the greatest pleasures of this job is meeting people from all walks of life.\n  N-COUNT: usu pl\n  = background


Words: walk off with
Meaning:
walk off with\n  If you walk off with something such as a prize, you win it or get it very easily. (JOURNALISM)\nThe delighted pensioner walked off with a .2,000 prize.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P P n\n  = walk away with


Words: walk out
Meaning:
walk out\n1. If you walk out of a meeting, a performance, or an unpleasant situation, you leave it suddenly, usually in order to show that you are angry or bored.\nSeveral dozen councillors walked out of the meeting in protest...\nMr. Mason walked out during the performance.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P of n, V P\n\n2. If someone walks out on their family or their partner, they leave them suddenly and go to live somewhere else.\nHer husband walked out on her...\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P on n\n\n3. If workers walk out, they stop doing their work for a period of time, usually in order to try to get better pay or conditions for themselves.\nNationwide industrial action began earlier this week, when staff at most banks walked out.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P


Words: walk over
Meaning:
walk over\n  If someone walks over you, they treat you very badly. (INFORMAL)\nDo you think you can walk over me? Well, you won’t, ever!...\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n


Words: walk-on
Meaning:
walk-on\n  A walk-on part in a play or film is a very small part which usually does not involve any speaking.\nHe and his family have walk-on parts in the latest film.\n  ADJ: ADJ n


Words: walk-up
Meaning:
walk-up  walk-ups\n  A walk-up is a tall apartment block which has no lift. You can also refer to an apartment in such a block as a walk-up. (AM)\nShe lives in a tiny fifth floor walk-up in New York’s East Village.\n  N-COUNT


Words: walkabout
Meaning:
walk.about\n   walkabout  walkabouts\n  A walkabout is a walk by a king, queen, or other important person through a public place in order to meet people in an informal way. (mainly BRIT)\nHe was ambushed by angry protesters during a walkabout in Bolton.\n  N-COUNT\n\n  If a king, queen, or other important person goes walkabout or goes on a walkabout, he or she walks through crowds in a public place in order to meet people in an informal way.\nThe Prime Minister insisted on going walkabout in Belfast.\n  PHRASE: V inflects


Words: walker
Meaning:
walk.er\n   walker  walkers\n1. A walker is a person who walks, especially in the countryside for pleasure or in order to keep healthy.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. A walker is a special kind of frame which is designed to help babies or disabled or ill people to walk.\nShe eventually used a cane, then a walker, and finally was confined to the house.\n  N-COUNT: oft supp N


Words: walkie-talkie
Meaning:
walkie-talkie  walkie-talkies\n  A walkie-talkie is a small portable radio which you can talk into and hear messages through so that you can communicate with someone far away.\n  N-COUNT


Words: walking
Meaning:
walk.ing\n   walking\n1. Walking is the activity of taking walks for exercise or pleasure, especially in the country.\nRecently I’ve started to do a lot of walking and cycling.\n...a walking holiday.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n2. You can use walking in expressions like a walking disaster or a walking dictionary in order to emphasize, for example, that someone causes a lot of disasters, or knows a lot of difficult words. (HUMOROUS)\nHe was a walking encyclopaedia...\n  ADJ: ADJ n  emphasis


Words: walking stick
Meaning:
walk.ing stick\n   walking stick  walking sticks\n  A walking stick is a long wooden stick which a person can lean on while walking.\n  N-COUNT


Words: Walkman
Meaning:
Walk.man\n   Walkman  Walkmans\n  A Walkman is a small cassette player with light headphones which people carry around so that they can listen to music, for example while they are travelling. (TRADEMARK)\n  N-COUNT\n  = personal stereo


Words: walkout
Meaning:
walk.out\n   walkout  walkouts\n1. A walkout is a strike.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. If there is a walkout during a meeting, some or all of the people attending it leave in order to show their disapproval of something that has happened at the meeting.\nThe commission’s proceedings have been wrecked by tantrums and walkouts.\n  N-COUNT


Words: walkover
Meaning:
walk.over\n   walkover  walkovers\n  If you say that a competition or contest is a walkover, you mean that it is won very easily.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing


Words: walkway
Meaning:
walk.way\n   walkway  walkways\n  A walkway is a passage or path for people to walk along. Walkways are often raised above the ground.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wall
Meaning:
wall  walls\n1. A wall is one of the vertical sides of a building or room.\nKathryn leaned against the wall of the church...\nThe bedroom walls would be painted light blue...\nShe checked the wall clock.\n  N-COUNT\n\n=>  -walled\n...a glass-walled elevator...\n  COMB in ADJ\n\n2. A wall is a long narrow vertical structure made of stone or brick that surrounds or divides an area of land.\nHe sat on the wall in the sun...\n  N-COUNT\n\n3. The wall of something that is hollow is its side.\nHe ran his fingers along the inside walls of the box.\n  N-COUNT: with supp\n\n4. A wall of something is a large amount of it forming a high vertical barrier.\nShe gazed at the wall of books...\nI was just hit by a wall of water.\n  N-COUNT: with supp, usu N of n\n\n5. You can describe something as a wall of a particular kind when it acts as a barrier and prevents people from understanding something.\nThe police say they met the usual wall of silence...\n  N-COUNT: with supp, usu N of n\n\n6.\n  see also cavity wall, dry-stone wall, fly-on-the-wall, hole-in-the-wall, off-the-wall, retaining wall, sea wall, stonewall, wall-to-wall\n7. If you say that you are banging your head against a wall, you are emphasizing that you are frustrated because someone is stopping you from making progress in something. (INFORMAL)\nI appealed for help but felt I was always banging my head against a wall...\nI wondered if I was banging my head against a brick wall.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, usu cont  emphasis\n\n8. If you have your back to the wall, you are in a very difficult situation and can see no way out of it. (INFORMAL)\nTheir threat to hire replacement workers has the union with its back to the wall.\n  PHRASE: back inflects\n\n9. If you say that something or someone is driving you up the wall, you are emphasizing that they annoy and irritate you. (INFORMAL)\nThe heat is driving me up the wall...\nI sang in the bath and drove my parents up the wall.\n  PHRASE: V inflects  emphasis\n\n10. If a person or company goes to the wall, they lose all their money and their business fails. (INFORMAL)\nEven quite big companies are going to the wall these days.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n11.\nfly on the wall: see fly\nthe writing is on the wall: see writing


Words: wall in
Meaning:
wall in\n  If someone or something is walled in, they are surrounded or enclosed by a wall or barrier.\nHe is walled in by a mountain of papers in his cluttered Broadway office.\n  PHRASAL VERB: usu passive, be V-ed P


Words: Wall Street
Meaning:
Wall Street\n  Wall Street is a street in New York where the Stock Exchange and important banks are. Wall Street is often used to refer to the financial business carried out there and to the people who work there. (BUSINESS)\nOn Wall Street, stocks closed at their second highest level today...\nWall Street seems to be ignoring other indications that consumers are spending less.\n  N-PROPER


Words: wall-to-wall
Meaning:
wall-to-wall\n1. A wall-to-wall carpet covers the floor of a room completely.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n2. You can use wall-to-wall to describe something that fills or seems to fill all the available space.\n...television’s wall-to-wall soccer coverage...\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: wallaby
Meaning:
wal.la.by\n   wallaby  wallabies\n  A wallaby is an animal similar to a small kangaroo. Wallabies live in Australia and New Guinea.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wallcovering
Meaning:
wall.covering\n   wallcovering  wallcoverings   also wall covering\n  A wallcovering is a material such as wallpaper that is used to decorate the walls on the inside of a building.\n  N-VAR


Words: walled
Meaning:
walled\n  If an area of land or a city is walled, it is surrounded or enclosed by a wall.\n...a walled rose garden.\n  ADJ


Words: wallet
Meaning:
wal.let\n   wallet  wallets\n  A wallet is a small flat folded case, usually made of leather or plastic, in which you can keep banknotes and credit cards.\n  N-COUNT: oft poss N


Words: wallflower
Meaning:
wall.flower\n   wallflower  wallflowers\n1. A wallflower is a plant that is grown in gardens and has sweet-smelling yellow, red, orange, or purple flowers.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. If you say that someone is a wallflower, you mean that they are shy and do not get involved in dancing or talking to people at social events.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wallop
Meaning:
wal.lop\n   wallop  wallops  walloping  walloped\n  If you wallop someone or something, you hit them very hard, often causing a dull sound. (INFORMAL)\nOnce, she walloped me over the head with a frying pan.\n  VERB: V n prep\n  = whack\n  Wallop is also a noun.\nWith one brutal wallop, Clarke flattened him.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing; SOUND


Words: wallow
Meaning:
wal.low\n   wallow  wallows  wallowing  wallowed\n1. If you say that someone is wallowing in an unpleasant situation, you are criticizing them for being deliberately unhappy.\nHis tired mind continued to wallow in self-pity...\n  VERB: V in n  disapproval\n\n2. If a person or animal wallows in water or mud, they lie or roll about in it slowly for pleasure.\nNever have I had such a good excuse for wallowing in deep warm baths...\n  VERB: V in n


Words: wallpaper
Meaning:
wall.paper\n   wallpaper  wallpapers  wallpapering  wallpapered\n1. Wallpaper is thick coloured or patterned paper that is used for covering and decorating the walls of rooms.\n...the wallpaper in the bedroom.\n  N-MASS\n\n2. If someone wallpapers a room, they cover the walls with wallpaper.\nWe were going to wallpaper that room anyway.\n  VERB: V n\n\n3. Wallpaper is the background on a computer screen. (COMPUTING)\n... pre-installed wallpaper images.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wally
Meaning:
wal.ly\n   wally  wallies\n  If you refer to someone as a wally, you think that they are stupid or foolish. (BRIT INFORMAL)\n  N-COUNT  disapproval


Words: walnut
Meaning:
wal.nut\n   walnut  walnuts\n1. Walnuts are edible nuts which have a wrinkled shape and a hard round shell that is light brown in colour.\n...chopped walnuts.\n  N-VAR\n\n2. A walnut tree or a walnut is a tree on which walnuts grow.\n  N-VAR\n\n  Walnut is the wood of this tree.\n...a handsome walnut desk.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: walrus
Meaning:
wal.rus\n   walrus  walruses\n  A walrus is a large, fat animal which lives in the sea. It has two long teeth called tusks that point downwards.\n  N-COUNT


Words: waltz
Meaning:
waltz  waltzes  waltzing  waltzed\n1. A waltz is a piece of music with a rhythm of three beats in each bar, which people can dance to.\n...Tchaikovsky’s `Waltz of the Flowers’.\n  N-COUNT; N-IN-NAMES: oft in names\n\n2. A waltz is a dance in which two people hold each other and move around the floor doing special steps in time to waltz music.\nArthur Murray taught the foxtrot, the tango and the waltz.\n  N-COUNT\n\n3. If you waltz with someone, you dance a waltz with them.\n`Waltz with me,’ he said, taking her hand...\nCouples are waltzing round the wooden floor...\n  V-RECIP: V with n, pl-n V adv/prep\n\n4. If you say that someone waltzes somewhere, you mean that they do something in a relaxed and confident way. (INFORMAL)\nShe’s probably got herself a new man and gone waltzing off with him...\n  VERB: V adv/prep


Words: wan
Meaning:
wan\n  If you describe someone as wan, you mean that they look pale and tired. (LITERARY)\nHe looked wan and tired...\n  ADJ\n  = washed-out


Words: wand
Meaning:
wand  wands\n  A wand is the same as a magic wand.\nYou can’t simply wave a wand and get rid of nuclear weapons.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wander
Meaning:
wan.der\n   wander  wanders  wandering  wandered\n1. If you wander in a place, you walk around there in a casual way, often without intending to go in any particular direction.\nThey wandered off in the direction of the nearest store...\nThose who do not have relatives to return to are left to wander the streets and sleep rough.\n  VERB: V prep/adv, V n\n\n  Wander is also a noun.\nA wander around any market will reveal stalls piled high with vegetables.\n  N-SING: a N\n  = stroll\n2. If a person or animal wanders from a place where they are supposed to stay, they move away from the place without going in a particular direction.\nBecause Mother is afraid we’ll get lost, we aren’t allowed to wander far...\nTo keep their bees from wandering, beekeepers feed them sugar solutions.\n  VERB: V adv/prep, V\n  = stray\n3. If your mind wanders or your thoughts wander, you stop concentrating on something and start thinking about other things.\nHis mind would wander, and he would lose track of what he was doing...\n  VERB: V\n  = stray\n4. If your eyes wander, you stop looking at one thing and start looking around at other things.\nHis eyes wandered restlessly around the room...\n  VERB: V prep/adv


Words: wanderer
Meaning:
wan.der.er\n   wanderer  wanderers\n  A wanderer is a person who travels around rather than settling in one place.\n  N-COUNT\n  = drifter


Words: wandering
Meaning:
wan.der.ing\n   wandering\n  Wandering is used to describe people who travel around rather than staying in one place for a long time. (LITERARY)\n...a band of wandering musicians.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n  = itinerant


Words: wanderings
Meaning:
wan.der.ings\n   wanderings\n  Someone’s wanderings are journeys that they make from place to place without staying in one place for a long time.\nOn his wanderings he’s picked up Spanish, Italian, French and a smattering of Russian.\n  N-PLURAL: usu with poss


Words: wanderlust
Meaning:
wan.der.lust\n   wanderlust\n  Someone who has wanderlust has a strong desire to travel.\nHis wanderlust would not allow him to stay long in one spot.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wane
Meaning:
wane  wanes  waning  waned\n1. If something wanes, it becomes gradually weaker or less, often so that it eventually disappears.\nWhile his interest in these sports began to wane, a passion for rugby developed.\n...her mother’s waning strength.\n  VERB: V, V-ing\n  = fade\nwax and wane: see wax\n2. If something is on the wane, it is becoming weaker or less.\nIn 1982, with his career prospects on the wane, he sold a script for .5,000.\n  PHRASE: v-link PHR\n  = diminishing\n3. When the moon is waning, it is showing a smaller area of brightness each day as it changes from a full moon to a new moon.\nThe moon was waning, and each day it rose later.\n  VERB: usu cont, V


Words: wangle
Meaning:
wan.gle\n   wangle  wangles  wangling  wangled\n  If you wangle something that you want, you manage to get it by being clever or persuading someone. (INFORMAL)\nWe managed to wangle a few days’ leave...\nHe had wangled his way into the country without a visa...\nI asked the Captain to wangle us three tickets to Athens...\nAmanda had wangled a job for Robyn with the council.\n  VERB: V n, V way prep/adv, V n n, V n for n


Words: wank
Meaning:
wank  wanks  wanking  wanked\n  To wank means to masturbate. (BRIT  VERY RUDE)\n  VERB\n\n  Wank is also a noun.\n  N-SING


Words: wanker
Meaning:
wank.er\n   wanker  wankers\n  If someone calls a man a wanker, they do not like him and they think he is very stupid or unpleasant. (BRIT  VERY RUDE)\n  N-COUNT  disapproval


Words: wanna
Meaning:
wan.na\n   wanna\n  Wanna is used in written English to represent the words `want to’ when they are pronounced informally.\nI wanna be married to you. Do you wanna be married to me?


Words: wannabe
Meaning:
wanna.be\n   wannabe  wannabes   also wannabee\n  If you call someone a wannabe, you are saying in an unkind way that they are trying very hard to be like another person or group of people. (INFORMAL)\n...a feeble James Dean wannabe.\n  N-COUNT: usu n N, N n  disapproval


Words: want
Meaning:
want  wants  wanting  wanted\n1. If you want something, you feel a desire or a need for it.\nI want a drink...\nIan knows exactly what he wants in life...\nPeople wanted to know who this talented designer was...\nThey began to want their father to be the same as other daddies...\nThey didn’t want people staring at them as they sat on the lawn, so they put up high walls...\nHe wanted his power recognised...\nI want my car this colour...\nAnd remember, we want him alive.\n  VERB: no cont, no passive, V n, V n, V to-inf, V n to-inf, V n -ing, V n -ed, V n n, V n adj/prep\n\n2. You can say that you want to say something to indicate that you are about to say it.\nLook, I wanted to apologize for today. I think I was a little hard on you.\n  VERB: no cont, no passive, V to-inf\n\n3. You use want in questions as a way of making an offer or inviting someone to do something.\nDo you want another cup of coffee?...\nDo you want to leave your bike here?\n  VERB: no cont, no passive, V n, V to-inf\n\n4. If you say to someone that you want something, or ask them if they want to do it, you are firmly telling them what you want or what you want them to do.\nI want an explanation from you, Jeremy...\nIf you have a problem with that, I want you to tell me right now...\nDo you want to tell me what all this is about?...\nI want my money back!\n  VERB: no cont, no passive, V n, V n to-inf, V to-inf, V n adv/prep\n\n5. If you say that something wants doing, you think that it needs to be done. (mainly BRIT INFORMAL)\nHer hair wants cutting.\n  VERB: no cont, no passive, V -ing\n  = need\n6. If you tell someone that they want to do a particular thing, you are advising them to do it. (INFORMAL)\nYou want to be very careful not to have a man like Crevecoeur for an enemy...\n  VERB: no cont, no passive, V to-inf\n  = ought\n7. If someone is wanted by the police, the police are searching for them because they are thought to have committed a crime.\nHe was wanted for the murder of a magistrate.\n  VERB: usu passive, be V-ed for n\n\n=>  want.ed\nHe is one of the most wanted criminals in Europe.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n8. If you want someone, you have a great desire to have sex with them.\nCome on, darling. I want you.\n  VERB: V n\n\n9. If a child is wanted, its mother or another person loves it and is willing to look after it.\nChildren should be wanted and planned...\nI want this baby very much, because it certainly will be the last.\n  VERB: be V-ed, V n\n\n10. A want of something is a lack of it. (FORMAL)\n...a want of manners and charm...\n  N-SING: also no det, N of n\n  = lack\n11. Your wants are the things that you want.\nSupermarkets often claim that they are responding to the wants of consumers by providing packaged foods.\n  N-PLURAL: usu with poss\n\n12. If you do something for want of something else, you do it because the other thing is not available or not possible.\nMany of them had gone into teaching for want of anything better to do...\n  PHRASE: PHR n, PHR with v


Words: want ad
Meaning:
want ad  want ads\n  The want ads in a newspaper or magazine are small advertisements, usually offering things for sale or offering jobs. (mainly AM)\n  N-COUNT: usu pl\n  = classified ads


Words: want out
Meaning:
want out\n  If you want out, you no longer want to be involved in a plan, project, or situation that you are part of. (INFORMAL)\nWe’ve had enough, John. We want out...\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P


Words: wanting
Meaning:
want.ing\n   wanting\n  If you find something or someone wanting, they are not of as high a standard as you think they should be.\nHe analysed his game and found it wanting...\n  ADJ: v-link ADJ, oft ADJ in n


Words: wanton
Meaning:
wan.ton\n   wanton\n1. A wanton action deliberately causes harm, damage, or waste without having any reason to.\n...this unnecessary and wanton destruction of our environment...\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n2. If someone describes a woman as wanton, they disapprove of her because she clearly enjoys sex or has sex with a lot of men.\n...the idea that only wanton women have sexual passions.\n  ADJ  disapproval


Words: WAP
Meaning:
WAP\n  WAP is a system which allows devices such as mobile phones to connect to the Internet. WAP is an abbreviation for `Wireless Application Protocol’.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: war
Meaning:
war  wars\n1. A war is a period of fighting or conflict between countries or states.\nHe spent part of the war in the National Guard...\nThey’ve been at war for the last fifteen years.\n  N-VAR\n  !=peace\n2. War is intense economic competition between countries or organizations.\nThe most important thing is to reach an agreement and to avoid a trade war.\n  N-VAR: usu with supp\n\n3. If you make war on someone or something that you are opposed to, you do things to stop them succeeding.\nShe has been involved in the war against organised crime.\n...if the United States is to be successful in its war on drugs.\n  N-VAR: oft N against/on n\n\n4.\n  see also warring, civil war, Cold War, council of war\n5. If a country goes to war, it starts fighting a war.\nDo you think this crisis can be settled without going to war?\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n6. If two people, countries, or organizations have a war of words, they criticize each other because they strongly disagree about something. (JOURNALISM)\nAnimal rights activists have been engaged in an increasingly bitter war of words with many of the nation’s zoos.\n  PHRASE: oft PHR between/with n\n\n7.\nto lose the battle but win the war: see battle


Words: war chest
Meaning:
war chest  war chests\n  A war chest is a fund to finance a project such as a political campaign.\nGovernor Caperton has the largest campaign war chest.\n  N-COUNT


Words: war game
Meaning:
war game  war games\n1. War games are military exercises that are carried out for the purpose of training, and that are designed to imitate a real war as closely as possible.\n  N-COUNT: usu pl\n\n2. A war game is a game in which model soldiers are used to recreate battles that happened in the past. War games can also be played on computers.\n  N-COUNT


Words: war of nerves
Meaning:
war of nerves\n  A war of nerves is a conflict in which the opposing sides try to make each other feel less confident.\n...the continuing war of nerves between the army and the leadership.\n  N-SING


Words: war paint
Meaning:
war paint   also warpaint\n  War paint is the paint which some groups of people used to decorate their faces and bodies before they fought a battle.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: war widow
Meaning:
war wid.ow\n   war widow  war widows\n  A war widow is a woman whose husband was killed while he was in the armed forces during a war.\n  N-COUNT


Words: warble
Meaning:
war.ble\n   warble  warbles  warbling  warbled\n1. When a bird warbles, it sings pleasantly.\nThe bird continued to warble...\nA flock of birds was already warbling a cheerful morning chorus.\n  VERB: V, V n\n\n2. If someone warbles, they sing in a high-pitched, rather unsteady voice.\nShe warbled as she worked.\n...singers warbling `Over the Rainbow’.\n  VERB: V, V n


Words: warbler
Meaning:
war.bler\n   warbler  warblers\n  Warblers are a family of small birds that have a pleasant song.\n  N-COUNT: usu supp N


Words: ward
Meaning:
ward  wards  warding  warded\n1. A ward is a room in a hospital which has beds for many people, often people who need similar treatment.\nA toddler was admitted to the emergency ward with a wound in his chest.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. A ward is a district which forms part of a political constituency or local council.\n...the marginal wards of Reading Kentwood and Tilehurst West.\n  N-COUNT\n\n3. A ward or a ward of court is a child who is the responsibility of a person called a guardian, or of a court of law, because their parents are dead or because they are believed to be in need of protection.\nAlex was made a ward of court.\n  N-COUNT


Words: ward off
Meaning:
ward off\n  To ward off a danger or illness means to prevent it from affecting you or harming you.\nShe may have put up a fight to try to ward off her assailant...\nMass burials are now under way in an effort to ward off an outbreak of cholera.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V P n (not pron), also V n P


Words: warden
Meaning:
war.den\n   warden  wardens\n1. A warden is a person who is responsible for a particular place or thing, and for making sure that the laws or regulations that relate to it are obeyed.\nHe was a warden at the local parish church...\nGame wardens were appointed to enforce hunting laws in New Hampshire.\n  N-COUNT: usu with supp\n\n  see also traffic warden\n2. The warden of a prison is the person in charge of it. (AM; in BRIT, use governor)\nA new warden took over the prison.\n  N-COUNT


Words: warder
Meaning:
war.der\n   warder  warders\n  A warder is someone who works in a prison supervising the prisoners. (BRIT; in AM, use guard)\n  N-COUNT


Words: wardrobe
Meaning:
ward.robe\n   wardrobe  wardrobes\n1. A wardrobe is a tall cupboard or cabinet in which you can hang your clothes.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. Someone’s wardrobe is the total collection of clothes that they have.\nHer wardrobe consists primarily of huge cashmere sweaters and tiny Italian sandals.\n  N-COUNT: oft poss N\n\n3. The wardrobe in a theatre company is the actors’ and actresses’ costumes.\nIn the wardrobe department were rows of costumes.\n  N-UNCOUNT: also the N


Words: warehouse
Meaning:
ware.house\n   warehouse  warehouses\n  A warehouse is a large building where raw materials or manufactured goods are stored until they are exported to other countries or distributed to shops to be sold.\n  N-COUNT


Words: warehouse club
Meaning:
ware.house club\n   warehouse club  warehouse clubs\n  A warehouse club is a large shop which sells goods at reduced prices to people who pay each year to become members of the organization that runs the shop.\n  N-COUNT


Words: warehousing
Meaning:
ware.hous.ing\n   warehousing\n  Warehousing is the act or process of storing large quantities of goods so that they can be sold or used at a later date.\nAll donations go towards the cost of warehousing.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wares
Meaning:
wares\n  Someone’s wares are the things that they sell, usually in the street or in a market. (OLD-FASHIONED)\nVendors displayed their wares in baskets or on the ground.\n  N-PLURAL


Words: warfare
Meaning:
war.fare\n   warfare\n1. Warfare is the activity of fighting a war.\n...the threat of chemical warfare.\n  N-UNCOUNT: oft supp N\n\n2. Warfare is sometimes used to refer to any violent struggle or conflict.\nMuch of the violence is related to drugs and gang warfare...\nAt times party rivalries have broken out into open warfare.\n  N-UNCOUNT: oft supp N


Words: warhead
Meaning:
war.head\n   warhead  warheads\n  A warhead is the front part of a bomb or missile where the explosives are carried.\n...nuclear warheads.\n  N-COUNT


Words: warhorse
Meaning:
war.horse\n   warhorse  warhorses   also war-horse, war horse\n  You can refer to someone such as an old soldier or politician who is still active and aggressive as a warhorse.\n  N-COUNT


Words: warlike
Meaning:
war.like\n   warlike\n  Warlike people seem aggressive and eager to start a war.\nThe Scythians were a fiercely warlike people.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: warlord
Meaning:
war.lord\n   warlord  warlords\n  If you describe a leader of a country or organization as a warlord, you are critical of them because they have achieved power by behaving in an aggressive and violent way.\nHe had been a dictator and a warlord who had oppressed and degraded the people of the South.\n...a drug warlord.\n  N-COUNT  disapproval


Words: warm
Meaning:
warm  warmer  warmest  warms  warming  warmed\n1. Something that is warm has some heat but not enough to be hot.\nBecause it was warm, David wore only a white cotton shirt...\nDissolve the salt in the warm water.\n  ADJ: oft it v-link ADJ\n  !=cool\n2. Warm clothes and blankets are made of a material such as wool which protects you from the cold.\nThey have been forced to sleep in the open without food or warm clothing...\n  ADJ\n  !=cool\n=>  warm.ly\nRemember to wrap up warmly on cold days...\n  ADV: ADV after v, ADV -ed\n\n3. Warm colours have red or yellow in them rather than blue or green, and make you feel comfortable and relaxed.\nThe basement hallway is painted a warm yellow.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n4. A warm person is friendly and shows a lot of affection or enthusiasm in their behaviour.\nShe was a warm and loving mother...\nI would like to express my warmest thanks to the doctors.\n  ADJ\n\n=>  warm.ly\nNew members are warmly welcomed...\nHe greeted me warmly.\n  ADV: ADV with v\n\n5. If you warm a part of your body or if something hot warms it, it stops feeling cold and starts to feel hotter.\nThe sun had come out to warm his back...\nShe went to warm her hands by the log fire.\n  VERB: V n, V n\n\n6. If you warm to a person or an idea, you become fonder of the person or more interested in the idea.\nThose who got to know him better warmed to his openness and honesty...\n  VERB: V to n


Words: warm down
Meaning:
warm down\n  If you warm down after doing a physical activity, you do special exercises to help relax your muscles and joints.\nHe always warms down after training.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P\n\n  see also warm-down


Words: warm up
Meaning:
warm up\n1. If you warm something up or if it warms up, it gets hotter.\nHe blew on his hands to warm them up...\nAll that she would have to do was warm up the pudding...\nThe weather had warmed up.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V n P, V P n (not pron), V P\n\n2. If you warm up for an event such as a race, you prepare yourself for it by doing exercises or by practising just before it starts.\nIn an hour the drivers will be warming up for the main event...\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P\n\n  see also warm-up\n3. When a machine or engine warms up or someone warms it up, it becomes ready for use a little while after being switched on or started.\nHe waited for his car to warm up...\nWe spent a frustrating five minutes while the pilot warmed up the engines.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P, V P n (not pron), also V n P\n\n4. If a comedian or speaker warms up an audience or the audience warms up, the audience is prepared for the main show or speaker by being told jokes, so that they are in a good mood.\nThey would always come out and warm up the audience...\nThe crowd began to warm up.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V P


Words: warm-blooded
Meaning:
warm-blooded\n  A warm-blooded animal, for example a bird or a mammal, has a fairly high body temperature which does not change much and is not affected by the surrounding temperature.\n  ADJ\n  !=cold-blooded


Words: warm-down
Meaning:
warm-down  warm-downs\n  A warm-down is a series of special exercises that you do after doing a physical activity to help relax your muscles and joints.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing


Words: warm-up
Meaning:
warm-up  warm-ups\n  A warm-up is something that prepares you for an activity or event, usually because it is a short practice or example of what the activity or event will involve.\nThe exercises can be fun and a good warm-up for the latter part of the programme...\nThe criticism was merely a warm-up for what is being prepared for the finance minister...\n  N-COUNT: usu sing, oft N for n, N n


Words: warmonger
Meaning:
war.monger\n   warmonger  warmongers\n  If you describe a politician or leader as a warmonger, you disapprove of them because you think they are encouraging people to start or join a war.\n  N-COUNT  disapproval


Words: warmth
Meaning:
warmth\n1. The warmth of something is the heat that it has or produces.\nShe went further into the room, drawn by the warmth of the fire...\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n2. The warmth of something such as a garment or blanket is the protection that it gives you against the cold.\nThe blanket will provide additional warmth and comfort in bed.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n3. Someone who has warmth is friendly and enthusiastic in their behaviour towards other people.\nHe greeted us both with warmth and affection.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: warn
Meaning:
warn  warns  warning  warned\n1. If you warn someone about something such as a possible danger or problem, you tell them about it so that they are aware of it.\nWhen I had my first baby friends warned me that children were expensive...\nThey warned him of the dangers of sailing alone...\nAnalysts warned that Europe’s most powerful economy may be facing trouble...\nHe also warned of a possible anti-Western backlash.\n  VERB: V n that, V n of/about n, V that, V of n\n\n2. If you warn someone not to do something, you advise them not to do it so that they can avoid possible danger or punishment.\nMrs. Blount warned me not to interfere...\n`Don’t do anything yet,’ he warned. `Too risky.’...\n`Keep quiet, or they’ll all come out,’ they warned him...\nI wish I’d listened to the people who warned me against having the operation...\n  VERB: V n to-inf, V with quote, V n with quote, V n against n/-ing


Words: warn off
Meaning:
warn off\n  If you warn someone off, you tell them to go away or to stop doing something because of possible danger or punishment.\nThe police warned the intruder off...\nHe spends his spare time visiting schools to warn pupils off drugs.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V n P, V n P n/-ing, also V P n (not pron)


Words: warning
Meaning:
warn.ing\n   warning  warnings\n1. A warning is something which is said or written to tell people of a possible danger, problem, or other unpleasant thing that might happen.\nThe minister gave a warning that if war broke out, it would be catastrophic...\nThe government has unveiled new health warnings for cigarette packets.\n  N-COUNT: oft N that, N to-inf\n\n2. A warning is an advance notice of something that will happen, often something unpleasant or dangerous.\nThe soldiers opened fire without warning...\nWith no warning, he was fired from his job...\n  N-VAR: oft without N\n\n3. Warning actions or signs give a warning.\nShe ignored the warning signals...\nSome fog warning signs had been put up with flashing yellow lights.\n  ADJ: ADJ n


Words: warp
Meaning:
warp  warps  warping  warped\n1. If something warps or is warped, it becomes damaged by bending or curving, often because of the effect of heat or water.\nLeft out in the heat of the sun, tapes easily warp or get stuck in their cases...\nIt should have prevented rain water warping the door trim...\n  VERB: V, V n\n\n2. If something warps someone’s character, it damages them or it influences them in a bad way.\nI never had any toys, my father thought that they would warp my personal values...\nTheir lives have been warped by war.\n  VERB: V n, V n\n\n3. A warp in time or space is an imaginary break or sudden change in the normal experience of time or space.\nWhen a divorced woman re-enters the world of dating and romance, she’s likely to feel as though she has entered a time warp.\n  N-COUNT: n N\n\n4. In weaving, the warp is the threads which are held in a frame or machine called a loom while another thread is passed across through them. Compare weft.\n  N-SING: the N


Words: warpath
Meaning:
war.path\n   warpath\n  If you say that someone is or has gone on the warpath, you mean that they are angry and getting ready for a fight or conflict. (INFORMAL)\nI had warned the children that daddy was on the warpath.\n  PHRASE: PHR after v, oft v-link PHR


Words: warplane
Meaning:
war.plane\n   warplane  warplanes   also war plane\n  A warplane is an aircraft that is designed to be used for fighting, for example to attack other aircraft or to drop bombs.\n  N-COUNT


Words: warrant
Meaning:
war.rant\n   warrant  warrants  warranting  warranted\n1. If something warrants a particular action, it makes the action seem necessary or appropriate for the circumstances.\nThe allegations are serious enough to warrant an investigation...\n  VERB: V n\n  = merit\n=>  war.rant.ed\nDo you think this fear is warranted?\n  ADJ\n\n2. A warrant is a legal document that allows someone to do something, especially one that is signed by a judge or magistrate and gives the police permission to arrest someone or search their house.\nPolice confirmed that they had issued a warrant for his arrest.\n...a search warrant...\n  N-COUNT: oft N for n, also by N\n\n3.\n  see also death warrant


Words: warrant officer
Meaning:
war.rant of.fic.er\n   warrant officer  warrant officers\n  A warrant officer is a person in the army, the air force, or the marines who is above the rank of sergeant and below the rank of lieutenant. In the United States Navy, a warrant officer is above the rank of petty officer and below the rank of ensign.\n  N-COUNT


Words: warranty
Meaning:
war.ran.ty\n   warranty  warranties\n  A warranty is a written promise by a company that, if you find a fault in something they have sold you within a certain time, they will repair it or replace it free of charge.\n...a twelve month warranty...\nThe equipment is still under warranty.\n  N-COUNT: also under N\n  = guarantee


Words: warren
Meaning:
war.ren\n   warren  warrens\n1. A warren is a group of holes in the ground which are connected by tunnels and which rabbits live in.\n  N-COUNT: oft n N\n\n2. If you describe a building or an area of a city as a warren, you mean that there are many narrow passages or streets.\n...a warren of narrow streets.\n  N-COUNT: usu with supp, oft N of n\n  = maze


Words: warring
Meaning:
war.ring\n   warring\n  Warring is used to describe groups of people who are involved in a conflict or quarrel with each other.\nThe warring factions have not yet turned in all their heavy weapons.\n...warring husbands and wives.\n  ADJ: ADJ n


Words: warrior
Meaning:
war.ri.or\n   warrior  warriors\n  A warrior is a fighter or soldier, especially one in former times who was very brave and experienced in fighting.\n  N-COUNT


Words: warship
Meaning:
war.ship\n   warship  warships\n  A warship is a ship with guns that is used for fighting in wars.\n  N-COUNT


Words: warthog
Meaning:
wart.hog\n   warthog  warthogs\n  A warthog is a wild pig with two large teeth that curve upwards at the sides of its mouth. Warthogs live in Africa.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wartime
Meaning:
war.time\n   wartime   also war-time\n  Wartime is a period of time when a war is being fought.\n...his wartime experiences in France.\n  N-UNCOUNT: oft in N, N n


Words: wary
Meaning:
wary  warier  wariest\n  If you are wary of something or someone, you are cautious because you do not know much about them and you believe they may be dangerous or cause problems.\nPeople did not teach their children to be wary of strangers...\nThey were very wary about giving him a contract.\n  ADJ: usu v-link ADJ, oft ADJ of/about n/-ing\n\n=>  wari.ly\nShe studied me warily, as if I might turn violent.\n  ADV: usu ADV with v


Words: wash
Meaning:
wash  washes  washing  washed\n1. If you wash something, you clean it using water and usually a substance such as soap or detergent.\nHe got a job washing dishes in a pizza parlour...\nIt took a long time to wash the mud out of his hair...\nRub down the door and wash off the dust before applying the varnish.\n  VERB: V n, V n prep, V n with adv\n\n  Wash is also a noun.\nThat coat could do with a wash...\nThe treatment leaves hair glossy and lasts 10 to 16 washes.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. If you wash or if you wash part of your body, especially your hands and face, you clean part of your body using soap and water.\nThey looked as if they hadn’t washed in days...\nShe washed her face with cold water...\nYou are going to have your dinner, get washed, and go to bed.\n  VERB: V, V n, get V-ed\n\n  Wash is also a noun.\nShe had a wash and changed her clothes.\n  N-COUNT: usu a N in sing\n\n3. If a sea or river washes somewhere, it flows there gently. You can also say that something carried by a sea or river washes or is washed somewhere.\nThe sea washed against the shore...\nThe force of the water washed him back into the cave.\n  VERB: V prep/adv, V n with adv, also V n prep\n\n4. The wash of a boat is the wave that it causes on either side as it moves through the water.\n...the wash from large ships.\n  N-SING: the N\n\n5. If a feeling washes over you, you suddenly feel it very strongly and cannot control it. (WRITTEN)\nA wave of self-consciousness can wash over her when someone new enters the room...\n  VERB: V over/through n\n\n6. If you say that an excuse or idea will not wash, you mean that people will not accept or believe it. (INFORMAL)\nHe said her policies didn’t work and the excuses didn’t wash...\nIf they believe that solution would wash with the Haitian people, they are making a dramatic error.\n  VERB: usu with brd-neg, V, V with n\n\n7.\n  see also washing\n8. If you say that something such as an item of clothing is in the wash, you mean that it is being washed, is waiting to be washed, or has just been washed and should therefore not be worn or used. (INFORMAL)\nYour jeans are in the wash.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n9.\nto wash your dirty linen in public: see dirty\nto wash your hands of something: see hand


Words: wash away
Meaning:
wash away\n  If rain or floods wash away something, they destroy it and carry it away.\nFlood waters washed away one of the main bridges in Pusan...\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), also V n P


Words: wash down
Meaning:
wash down\n1. If you wash something, especially food, down with a drink, you drink the drink after eating the food, especially to make the food easier to swallow or digest.\nHe took two aspirin immediately and washed them down with three cups of water.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V n P, also V P n (not pron)\n\n2. If you wash down an object, you wash it all, from top to bottom.\nThe prisoner started to wash down the walls of his cell.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), also V n P


Words: wash out
Meaning:
wash out\n1. If you wash out a container, you wash the inside of it.\nIt was my job to wash out the fish tank.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron)\n  = clean out\n2. If dye or dirt washes out, it can be removed by washing.\nWith permanent tints, the result won’t wash out.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P\n\n3. If rain washes out a sports game or other event, it spoils it or prevents it from continuing.\nRain washed out five of the last seven games.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron)\n\n4.\n  see also washed-out, washout


Words: wash over
Meaning:
wash over\n  If something someone does or says washes over you, you do not notice it or it does not affect you in any way.\nThe television headlines seemed to wash over her without meaning anything.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n


Words: wash up
Meaning:
wash up\n1. If you wash up, you wash the plates, cups, cutlery, and pans which have been used for cooking and eating a meal. (BRIT; in AM, use wash the dishes)\nI ran some hot water and washed up...\nI bet you make breakfast and wash up their plates, too.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P, V P n (not pron), also V n P\n\n2. If you wash up, you clean part of your body with soap and water, especially your hands and face. (AM; in BRIT, use wash)\nHe headed to the bathroom to wash up.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P\n\n3. If something is washed up on a piece of land, it is carried by a river or sea and left there.\nThousands of herring and crab are washed up on the beaches during every storm...\nThe fossils appear to be an early form of seaweed washed up on a beach.\n  PHRASAL VERB: usu passive, be V-ed P prep/adv, V-ed P\n\n4.\n  see also washed up, washing-up


Words: washable
Meaning:
wash.able\n   washable\n  Washable clothes or materials can be washed in water without being damaged.\nChoose washable curtains.\n  ADJ


Words: washbasin
Meaning:
wash.basin\n   washbasin  washbasins   also wash basin\n  A washbasin is a large bowl, usually with taps for hot and cold water, for washing your hands and face. (mainly BRIT; in AM, usually use sink)\n  N-COUNT\n  = basin, sink


Words: washcloth
Meaning:
wash.cloth\n   washcloth  washcloths\n  A washcloth is a small cloth that you use for washing yourself. (AM; in BRIT, use flannel, facecloth)\n  N-COUNT


Words: washed up
Meaning:
washed up   also washed-up\n  If you say that someone is washed up, you mean that their career or success has ended. (INFORMAL)\nHe’s all washed up, but he still yells at everyone.\n  ADJ


Words: washed-out
Meaning:
washed-out   also washed out\n1. Washed-out colours are very pale.\nHe stared at me out of those washed-out blue eyes.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n  !=bright\n2. If someone looks washed-out, they look very tired and lacking in energy.\nShe looked washed out and listless.\n  ADJ: usu v-link ADJ


Words: washer
Meaning:
wash.er\n   washer  washers\n1. A washer is a thin flat ring of metal or rubber which is placed over a bolt before the nut is screwed on.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. A washer is the same as a washing machine. (INFORMAL)\n  N-COUNT


Words: washing
Meaning:
wash.ing\n   washing\n  Washing is a collection of clothes, sheets, and other things which are waiting to be washed, are being washed, or have just been washed.\n...plastic bags full of dirty washing...\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: washing line
Meaning:
wash.ing line\n   washing line  washing lines\n  A washing line is a strong cord which you can hang wet clothes on while they dry.\n  N-COUNT


Words: washing machine
Meaning:
wash.ing ma.chine\n   washing machine  washing machines\n  A washing machine is a machine that you use to wash clothes in.\n  N-COUNT


Words: washing powder
Meaning:
wash.ing pow.der\n   washing powder  washing powders\n  Washing powder is a powder that you use with water to wash clothes. (BRIT; in AM, usually use soap powder, laundry detergent)\n  N-MASS


Words: washing-up
Meaning:
washing-up\n1. To do the washing-up means to wash the plates, cups, cutlery, and pans which have been used for cooking and eating a meal. (BRIT; in AM, use wash the dishes)\nMartha volunteered to do the washing-up.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n2. Washing-up is the plates, cups, cutlery, and pans which you have to wash after a meal. (BRIT; in AM, use dirty dishes, the dishes)\n...a brimming bowl of washing-up.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: washing-up liquid
Meaning:
washing-up liq.uid\n   washing-up liquid  washing-up liquids\n  Washing-up liquid is a thick soapy liquid which you add to hot water to clean dirty dishes. (BRIT; in AM, use dishwashing liquid, dish soap)\n  N-MASS


Words: washout
Meaning:
wash.out\n   washout  washouts\n  If an event or plan is a washout, it fails completely. (INFORMAL)\nThe mission was a washout.\n  N-COUNT


Words: washroom
Meaning:
wash.room\n   washroom  washrooms\n  A washroom is a room with toilets and washing facilities, situated in a large building such as a factory or an office block.\n  N-COUNT


Words: washstand
Meaning:
wash.stand\n   washstand  washstands\n  A washstand is a piece of furniture designed to hold a bowl for washing your hands and face in, which was used in former times before washbasins had taps on them.\n  N-COUNT


Words: WASP
Meaning:
WASP  WASPs\n  WASP is used to refer to the people in American society whose ancestors came from northern Europe, especially England, and who are considered to have a lot of power and influence. WASP is an abbreviation for `White Anglo-Saxon Protestant’. (AM)\n...a WASP with a Yale degree.\n  N-COUNT: also N n  disapproval


Words: wasp
Meaning:
wasp  wasps\n  A wasp is an insect with wings and yellow and black stripes across its body. Wasps have a painful sting like a bee but do not produce honey.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wastage
Meaning:
wast.age\n   wastage\n1. Wastage of something is the act of wasting it or the amount of it that is wasted.\n...a series of measures to prevent the wastage of water...\nThere was a lot of wastage and many wrong decisions were hastily taken.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n2. Wastage is the process by which part of someone’s body gets weaker or smaller because they are very ill or have not eaten enough.\nThis can lead to bodily weakness and muscle wastage.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n3. Wastage refers to the number of people who leave a company, college, or other organization, especially before they have completed their education or training. (BRIT)\nBritish universities have very little wastage and their graduates are good...\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n  see also natural wastage


Words: waste
Meaning:
waste  wastes  wasting  wasted\n1. If you waste something such as time, money, or energy, you use too much of it doing something that is not important or necessary, or is unlikely to succeed.\nThere could be many reasons and he was not going to waste time speculating on them...\nI resolved not to waste money on a hotel...\nThe system wastes a large amount of water.\n  VERB: V n -ing, V n on n, V n\n\n  Waste is also a noun.\nIt is a waste of time going to the doctor with most mild complaints...\nI think that is a total waste of money.\n  N-SING: a N of n\n\n2. Waste is the use of money or other resources on things that do not need it.\nThe packets are measured to reduce waste...\nI hate waste.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n3. Waste is material which has been used and is no longer wanted, for example because the valuable or useful part of it has been taken out.\nCongress passed a law that regulates the disposal of waste...\nUp to 10 million tonnes of toxic wastes are produced every year in the UK.\n...the process of eliminating body waste.\n  N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl\n\n4. If you waste an opportunity for something, you do not take advantage of it when it is available.\nLet’s not waste an opportunity to see the children...\nIt was a wasted opportunity.\n  VERB: V n, V-ed\n\n5. Waste land is land, especially in or near a city, which is not used or looked after by anyone, and so is covered by wild plants and rubbish.\nYarrow can be found growing wild in fields and on waste ground.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n6. Wastes are a large area of land, for example a desert, in which there are very few people, plants, or animals.\n...the barren wastes of the Sahara.\n  N-PLURAL: adj N, N of n\n\n7.\n  see also wasted\n8. If something goes to waste, it remains unused or has to be thrown away.\nMexican cookery is economical, she says. Nothing goes to waste.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n9.\nto waste no time: see time


Words: waste away
Meaning:
waste away\n  If someone wastes away, they become extremely thin or weak because they are ill or worried and they are not eating properly.\nPersons dying from cancer grow thin and visibly waste away.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P


Words: waste disposal
Meaning:
waste dis.pos.al\n   waste disposal  waste disposals\n  A waste disposal or a waste disposal unit is a small machine in a kitchen sink that chops up vegetable waste. (BRIT; in AM, use garbage disposal)\n  N-COUNT


Words: wastebasket
Meaning:
waste.basket\n   wastebasket  wastebaskets\n  A wastebasket is the same as a wastepaper basket. (AM)\n  N-COUNT


Words: wasted
Meaning:
wast.ed\n   wasted\n1. A wasted action is one that is unnecessary.\nI’m sorry you had a wasted journey.\n  ADJ\n\n2. Someone who is wasted is very tired and weak, often because of an illness.\nThey look too wasted to care about much.\n  ADJ


Words: wasteful
Meaning:
waste.ful\n   wasteful\n  Action that is wasteful uses too much of something valuable such as time, money, or energy.\nThis kind of training is ineffective, and wasteful of scarce resources...\nTry to avoid wasteful duplication of effort.\n  ADJ


Words: wasteland
Meaning:
waste.land\n   wasteland  wastelands\n1. A wasteland is an area of land on which not much can grow or which has been spoiled in some way.\nThe pollution has already turned vast areas into a wasteland.\n  N-VAR: oft adj N, N of n\n\n2. If you refer to a place, situation, or period in time as a wasteland, you are criticizing it because you think there is nothing interesting or exciting in it.\n...the cultural wasteland of Franco’s repressive rule...\n  N-COUNT: oft adj N, N of n  disapproval\n  = desert


Words: wastepaper basket
Meaning:
waste.paper bas.ket\n   wastepaper basket  wastepaper baskets\n  A wastepaper basket is a container for rubbish, especially paper, which is usually placed on the floor in the corner of a room or next to a desk.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wasting
Meaning:
wast.ing\n   wasting\n  A wasting disease is one which makes you gradually become thinner and weaker.\n  ADJ: ADJ n


Words: wastrel
Meaning:
wast.rel\n   wastrel  wastrels\n  If you describe someone as a wastrel you mean that they are lazy and spend their time and money on foolish things. (LITERARY)\n  N-COUNT


Words: watch
Meaning:
LOOKING AND PAYING ATTENTION\n   watch  watches  watching  watched\n\nPlease look at category 15 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.\n1. If you watch someone or something, you look at them, usually for a period of time, and pay attention to what is happening.\nThe man was standing in his doorway watching him...\nHe watched the barman prepare the beer he had ordered...\nChris watched him sipping his brandy...\nI watched as Amy ate a few nuts.\n  VERB: V n, V n inf, V n -ing, V\n\n2. If you watch something on television or an event such as a sports match, you spend time looking at it, especially when you see it from the beginning to the end.\nI’d stayed up late to watch the film...\nThey spent a great deal of time watching television.\n  VERB: V n, V n\n\n3. If you watch a situation or event, you pay attention to it or you are aware of it, but you do not influence it.\nHuman rights groups have been closely watching the case...\nAnnoyed commuters could only watch as the departure time ticked by.\n  VERB: V n, V\n\n4. If you watch people, especially children or animals, you are responsible for them, and make sure that they are not in danger.\nParents can’t be expected to watch their children 24 hours a day.\n  VERB: V n\n\n5. If you watch someone, you follow them secretly or spy on them.\nElla was scared that someone was watching her...\n  VERB: V n\n\n6. If you tell someone to watch a particular person or thing, you are warning them to be careful that the person or thing does not get out of control or do something unpleasant.\nYou really ought to watch these quiet types...\nIf you’re watching the calories, don’t have mayonnaise.\n  VERB: V n, V n\n\n7. A watch is a period of carefully looking and listening, often while other people are asleep and often as a military duty, so that you can warn them of danger or an attack.\nI had the first watch that May evening.\n  N-COUNT\n\n8. If someone keeps watch, they look and listen all the time, while other people are asleep or doing something else, so that they can warn them of danger or an attack.\nJose, as usual, had climbed a tree to keep watch.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n9. If you keep watch on events or a situation, you pay attention to what is happening, so that you can take action at the right moment.\nUS officials have been keeping close watch on the situation.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR on n\n\n10. You say `watch it’ in order to warn someone to be careful, especially when you want to threaten them about what will happen if they are not careful.\n`Now watch it, Patsy,’ the Sergeant told her.\n  PHRASE\n\n11. If someone is on watch, they have the job of carefully looking and listening, often while other people are asleep and often as a military duty, so that they can warn them of danger or an attack.\nApart from two men on watch in the engine-room, everyone was asleep.\n  PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v\n\n12. If you are on the watch for something, you are expecting it to happen and you therefore pay attention to events so that you will notice it when it does happen.\nEnvironmentalists will be on the watch for damage to wildlife.\n  PHRASE: v-link PHR, oft PHR for n\n  = on the lookout\n13. If someone is being kept under watch, they are being guarded or observed all the time.\n  PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR\n\n14. You say to someone `you watch’ or `just watch’ when you are predicting that something will happen, and you are very confident that it will happen as you say.\nYou watch. Things will get worse before they get better.\n  PHRASE\n\n15.\nto watch your step: see step\n\nINSTRUMENT THAT TELLS THE TIME\n   watch  watches\n  A watch is a small clock which you wear on a strap on your wrist, or on a chain.\n  N-COUNT


Words: watch for
Meaning:
watch for   or watch out for\n  If you watch for something or watch out for it, you pay attention so that you notice it, either because you do not want to miss it or because you want to avoid it.\nWe’ll be watching for any developments...\nHe called out to them to watch out for the unexploded mine.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n, V P P n\n  = look out for


Words: watch out
Meaning:
watch out\n  If you tell someone to watch out, you are warning them to be careful, because something unpleasant might happen to them or they might get into difficulties.\nYou have to watch out because there are land mines all over the place...\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P\n  = look out


Words: watch over
Meaning:
watch over\n  If you watch over someone or something, you pay attention to them to make sure that nothing bad happens to them.\nThe guards were originally hired to watch over the houses as they were being built.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n\n  = watch


Words: watchdog
Meaning:
watch.dog\n   watchdog  watchdogs\n  A watchdog is a person or committee whose job is to make sure that companies do not act illegally or irresponsibly.\n...an anti-crime watchdog group funded by New York businesses.\n  N-COUNT: oft supp N, N n


Words: watchful
Meaning:
watch.ful\n   watchful\n  Someone who is watchful notices everything that is happening.\nThe best thing is to be watchful and see the family doctor for any change in your normal health...\n  ADJ


Words: watchman
Meaning:
watch.man\n   watchman  watchmen\n  A watchman is a person whose job is to guard a building or area.\n  N-COUNT\n\n  see also nightwatchman


Words: watchtower
Meaning:
watch.tower\n   watchtower  watchtowers\n  A watchtower is a high building which gives a person a good view of the area around the place that they are guarding.\n  N-COUNT


Words: watchword
Meaning:
watch.word\n   watchword  watchwords\n  Someone’s watchword is a word or phrase that sums up their attitude or approach to a particular subject or to things in general.\nCaution has been one of Mr Allan’s watchwords...\n  N-COUNT: oft with poss


Words: water
Meaning:
wa.ter\n   water  waters  watering  watered\n1. Water is a clear thin liquid that has no colour or taste when it is pure. It falls from clouds as rain and enters rivers and seas. All animals and people need water in order to live.\nGet me a glass of water.\n...the sound of water hammering on the metal roof.\n...a trio of children playing along the water’s edge.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n2. You use waters to refer to a large area of sea, especially the area of sea which is near to a country and which is regarded as belonging to it.\nThe ship will remain outside Chinese territorial waters.\n...the open waters of the Arctic Ocean.\n  N-PLURAL: with supp\n\n3. You sometimes use waters to refer to a situation which is very complex or difficult.\n...the man brought in to guide him through troubled waters...\nThe British Government may be in stormy economic waters.\n  N-PLURAL: adj N\n\n4. If you water plants, you pour water over them in order to help them to grow.\nHe went out to water the plants.\n  VERB: V n\n\n5. If your eyes water, tears build up in them because they are hurting or because you are upset.\nHis eyes watered from cigarette smoke.\n  VERB: V\n\n6. If you say that your mouth is watering, you mean that you can smell or see some nice food and you might mean that your mouth is producing a liquid.\n...cookies to make your mouth water.\n  VERB: V\n\n  see also mouth-watering\n7. When a pregnant woman’s waters break, the fluid in her womb that surrounds the baby passes out of her body, showing that the baby is ready to be born. A doctor or midwife can break a woman’s waters so that the birth can begin.\nMy waters broke at six in the morning and within four hours Jamie was born.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n8. If you say that an event or incident is water under the bridge, you mean that it has happened and cannot now be changed, so there is no point in worrying about it any more.\nHe was relieved his time in jail was over and regarded it as water under the bridge.\n  PHRASE: v-link PHR\n\n9. If you are in deep water, you are in a difficult or awkward situation.\nI could tell that we were getting off the subject and into deep water.\n  PHRASE\n\n10. If an argument or theory does not hold water, it does not seem to be reasonable or be in accordance with the facts.\nThis argument simply cannot hold water in Europe.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, usu with brd-neg\n\n11. If you are in hot water, you are in trouble. (INFORMAL)\nThe company has already been in hot water over high prices this year.\n  PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v\n\n12. If you pour cold water on an idea or suggestion, you show that you have a low opinion of it.\nCity economists pour cold water on the idea that the economic recovery has begun.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n\n\n13. If you test the water or test the waters, you try to find out what reaction an action or idea will get before you do it or tell it to people.\nYou should be cautious when getting involved and test the water before committing yourself.\n  PHRASE: V and N inflect\n\n14.\nlike water off a duck’s back: see duck\nto take to something like a duck to water: see duck\nto keep your head above water: see head


Words: water bird
Meaning:
wa.ter bird\n   water bird  water birds\n  A water bird is a bird that swims or walks in water, especially lakes and rivers. There are many kinds of water bird.\n  N-COUNT


Words: water bottle
Meaning:
wa.ter bot.tle\n   water bottle  water bottles\n  A water bottle is a small container for carrying water to drink on a long journey.\n  N-COUNT\n\n  see also hot-water bottle


Words: water buffalo
Meaning:
wa.ter buf.fa.lo\n   water buffalo  water buffaloes  or water buffalo\n  A water buffalo is an animal like a large cow with long horns that curve upwards. In some countries water buffalo are kept for their milk and are used to draw ploughs.\n  N-COUNT\n  = buffalo


Words: water butt
Meaning:
wa.ter butt\n   water butt  water butts\n  A water butt is a large barrel for collecting rain as it flows off a roof. (BRIT; in AM, use rain barrel)\n  N-COUNT


Words: water cannon
Meaning:
wa.ter can.non\n   water cannon  water cannons  or water cannon\n  A water cannon is a machine which shoots out a large, powerful stream of water. It is used by police to break up crowds of people who are protesting or fighting.\n  N-COUNT


Words: water chestnut
Meaning:
wa.ter chest.nut\n   water chestnut  water chestnuts\n  A water chestnut is the thick bottom part of the stem of a plant which grows in China. It is used in Chinese cookery.\n  N-COUNT


Words: water cooler
Meaning:
wa.ter cool.er\n   water cooler water coolers\n1. A water cooler is a machine that dispenses drinking water, especially in an office. (mainly AM)\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. Water cooler is used in expressions that refer to the informal conversations that people have in their office or workplace.\nThree out of four Americans watched Roots, and then the next day could talk about race relations at the water cooler.\n  N-SING


Words: water down
Meaning:
water down\n1. If you water down a substance, for example food or drink, you add water to it to make it weaker.\nYou can water down a glass of wine and make it last twice as long...\nI bought a water-based paint, then decided to water it down even more.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P\n  = dilute\n2. If something such as a proposal, speech, or statement is watered down, it is made much weaker and less forceful, or less likely to make people angry.\nProposed legislation affecting bird-keepers has been watered down.\n  VERB: be V-ed P\n  = tone down\n  see also watered-down


Words: water feature
Meaning:
wa.ter fea.ture\n   water feature water features\n  A water feature is something such as an artificial pond or waterfall, usually in a garden.\n  N-COUNT


Words: water hole
Meaning:
wa.ter hole\n   water hole  water holes   also waterhole\n  In a desert or other dry area, a water hole is a pool of water where animals can drink.\n  N-COUNT


Words: water jump
Meaning:
wa.ter jump\n   water jump  water jumps\n  A water jump is a fence with a pool of water on the far side of it, which people or horses jump over as part of a race or competition.\n  N-COUNT


Words: water lily
Meaning:
wa.ter lily\n   water lily  water lilies   also waterlily\n  A water lily is a plant with large flat leaves and colourful flowers which floats on the surface of lakes and rivers.\n  N-COUNT


Words: water main
Meaning:
wa.ter main\n   water main  water mains\n  A water main is a very large underground pipe used for supplying water to houses and factories.\n  N-COUNT


Words: water meadow
Meaning:
wa.ter mead.ow\n   water meadow  water meadows\n  Water meadows are wet fields of grass near a river, which are often flooded. (mainly BRIT)\n  N-COUNT: usu pl


Words: water pistol
Meaning:
wa.ter pis.tol\n   water pistol  water pistols\n  A water pistol is a small toy gun which shoots out water.\n  N-COUNT


Words: water polo
Meaning:
wa.ter polo\n   water polo\n  Water polo is a game played in a swimming pool in which two teams of swimmers try to score goals with a ball.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: water rate
Meaning:
wa.ter rate\n   water rate  water rates\n  In Britain, the charges made for the use of water from the public water supply are known as the water rates.\n  N-COUNT: usu pl


Words: water supply
Meaning:
wa.ter sup.ply\n   water supply  water supplies\n  The water supply in an area is the water which is collected and passed through pipes to buildings for people to use.\nThe town is without electricity and the water supply has been cut off.\n  N-COUNT


Words: water table
Meaning:
wa.ter ta.ble\n   water table  water tables\n  The water table is the level below the surface of the ground where water can be found.\nEnvironmentalists say that diverting water from the river will lower the water table and dry out wells.\n  N-COUNT: usu the N


Words: water tower
Meaning:
wa.ter tow.er\n   water tower  water towers\n  A water tower is a large tank of water which is placed on a high metal structure so that water can be supplied at a steady pressure to surrounding buildings.\n  N-COUNT


Words: water vole
Meaning:
wa.ter vole\n   water vole  water voles\n  A water vole is a small furry animal that can swim. Water voles live in holes in the banks of rivers. (mainly BRIT)\n  N-COUNT


Words: water wheel
Meaning:
wa.ter wheel\n   water wheel  water wheels   also waterwheel\n  A water wheel is a large wheel which is turned by water flowing through it. Water wheels are used to provide power to drive machinery.\n  N-COUNT


Words: water-borne
Meaning:
water-borne   also waterborne\n1. A water-borne disease or infection is one that people can catch from infected water.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n2. Something that is water-borne travels or is transported on water.\n...a waterborne safari down the Nile...\nEnvironmental pressures are strengthening the case for waterborne freight.\n  ADJ: ADJ n


Words: water-resistant
Meaning:
water-resistant\n  Something that is water-resistant does not allow water to pass through it easily, or is not easily damaged by water.\nMicrofibre fabrics are both water resistant and windproof...\n  ADJ


Words: water-ski
Meaning:
water-ski  water-skis  water-skiing  water-skied   also waterski\n  If you water-ski, you stand on skis in the water while being pulled along by a boat.\nThe staff will be happy to help arrange for you to swim, sail, or water-ski.\n  VERB: V\n\n=>  water-skiing\nHe offered to teach them water-skiing.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: water-soluble
Meaning:
water-soluble   also water soluble\n  Something that is water-soluble dissolves in water.\nVitamin C is water soluble.\n...oat bran and other water-soluble fibres.\n  ADJ


Words: waterbed
Meaning:
water.bed\n   waterbed  waterbeds   also water bed\n  A waterbed is a bed which consists of a plastic case filled with water.\n  N-COUNT


Words: watercolour
Meaning:
water.colour\n   watercolour  watercolours\nin AM, use watercolor\n1. Watercolours are coloured paints, used for painting pictures, which you apply with a wet brush or dissolve in water first.\n...a collection of rich paintings in watercolour, acrylic and oil.\n  N-VAR\n\n2. A watercolour is a picture which has been painted with watercolours.\n...a lovely watercolour by J. M. W. Turner.\n  N-COUNT


Words: watercourse
Meaning:
water.course\n   watercourse  watercourses   also water course\n  A watercourse is a stream or river, or the channel that it flows along. (FORMAL)\n  N-COUNT


Words: watercress
Meaning:
water.cress\n   watercress\n  Watercress is a small plant with white flowers which grows in streams and pools. Its leaves taste hot and are eaten raw in salads.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: watered-down
Meaning:
watered-down   also watered down\n  If you describe something such as a proposal, speech, or statement as watered-down, you mean that it is weaker or less forceful than its original form.\nThe British government introduced a watered-down version of the proposals.\n  ADJ\n\n  see also water down


Words: waterfall
Meaning:
water.fall\n   waterfall  waterfalls\n  A waterfall is a place where water flows over the edge of a steep, high cliff in hills or mountains, and falls into a pool below.\n...Angel Falls, the world’s highest waterfall.\n  N-COUNT


Words: waterfowl
Meaning:
water.fowl\n   waterfowl  waterfowl\n  Waterfowl are birds that swim in water, especially ducks, geese, and swans.\n  N-COUNT


Words: waterfront
Meaning:
water.front\n   waterfront  waterfronts\n  A waterfront is a street or piece of land which is next to an area of water, for example a harbour or the sea.\nThey went for a stroll along the waterfront.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing


Words: watering can
Meaning:
wa.ter.ing can\n   watering can  watering cans\n  A watering can is a container with a long spout which is used to water plants.\n  N-COUNT


Words: watering hole
Meaning:
wa.ter.ing hole\n   watering hole  watering holes\n  You can refer to a pub or bar where people go to drink and meet their friends as a watering hole.\nI was in my favorite watering hole, waiting for the game to start.\n  N-COUNT


Words: waterline
Meaning:
water.line\n   waterline  waterlines   also water line\n  The waterline is a line, either real or imaginary, on the side of a ship representing the level the water reaches when the ship is at sea.\nRay painted below the waterline with a special anti-rust paint.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing


Words: waterlogged
Meaning:
water.logged\n   waterlogged   also water-logged\n  Something such as soil or land that is waterlogged is so wet that it cannot absorb any more water, so that a layer of water remains on its surface.\nThe match is off because of a waterlogged pitch.\n  ADJ


Words: watermark
Meaning:
water.mark\n   watermark  watermarks\n  A watermark is a design which is put into paper when it is made, and which you can only see if you hold the paper up to the light. Banknotes often have a watermark, to make them harder to copy illegally.\n  N-COUNT\n\n  see also high-water mark


Words: watermelon
Meaning:
water.melon\n   watermelon  watermelons\n  A watermelon is a large round fruit with green skin, pink flesh, and black seeds.\n  N-VAR


Words: watermill
Meaning:
water.mill\n   watermill  watermills   also water mill\n  A watermill is a mill powered by a water wheel.\n  N-COUNT


Words: waterproof
Meaning:
water.proof\n   waterproof  waterproofs  waterproofing  waterproofed\n1. Something which is waterproof does not let water pass through it.\nTake waterproof clothing.Orkney weather is unpredictable...\n  ADJ\n\n2. Waterproofs are items of clothing which do not let water in. (mainly BRIT)\nFor staying dry you’ll want nice lightweight waterproofs to wear over your leathers.\n  N-COUNT: usu pl\n\n3. If something is waterproofed, it is treated so that water cannot pass through it or damage it.\nThe whole boat has been totally waterproofed...\n  VERB: usu passive, be V-ed


Words: watershed
Meaning:
water.shed\n   watershed  watersheds\n1. If something such as an event is a watershed in the history or development of something, it is very important because it represents the beginning of a new stage in it.\nThe election of Mary Robinson in 1990 was a watershed in Irish politics...\n  N-COUNT: usu sing, oft N in n\n  = turning point\n2. The watershed is a time before which television broadcasters have agreed not to show programmes unsuitable for children, for example programmes that contain scenes of sex or violence. (BRIT)\nThe advert should only be shown after the 9pm watershed.\n  N-COUNT: usu the N in sing


Words: waterside
Meaning:
water.side\n   waterside\n  The waterside is the area beside a stretch of water such as a river or lake.\nHer garden stretches down to the waterside.\n  N-SING: oft N n\n  = waterfront


Words: watertight
Meaning:
water.tight\n   watertight   also water-tight\n1. Something that is watertight does not allow water to pass through it, for example because it is tightly sealed.\nThe flask is completely watertight, even when laid on its side...\n  ADJ\n\n2. A watertight case, argument, or agreement is one that has been so carefully put together that nobody will be able to find a fault in it.\nThe police had a watertight case. They even got his fingerprints from that glass cabinet.\n  ADJ


Words: waterway
Meaning:
water.way\n   waterway  waterways\n  A waterway is a canal, river, or narrow channel of sea which ships or boats can sail along.\n  N-COUNT


Words: waterworks
Meaning:
water.works\n   waterworks  waterworks\n  A waterworks is a building where a supply of water is stored and cleaned before being distributed to the public.\n  N-COUNT


Words: watery
Meaning:
wa.tery\n   watery\n1. Something that is watery is weak or pale.\nA watery light began to show through the branches...\nMartha managed to produce a dim, watery smile.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n2. If you describe food or drink as watery, you dislike it because it contains too much water, or has no flavour.\n...watery beer.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n  disapproval\n\n3. Something that is watery contains, resembles, or consists of water.\nEmma’s eyes went red and watery.\n  ADJ


Words: watt
Meaning:
watt  watts\n  A watt is a unit of measurement of electrical power.\nUse a 3 amp fuse for equipment up to 720 watts.\n...a 100-watt lightbulb.\n  N-COUNT: usu num N


Words: wattage
Meaning:
watt.age\n   wattage\n  The wattage of a piece of electrical equipment is the amount of electrical power which it produces or uses, expressed in watts.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wattle
Meaning:
wat.tle\n   wattle\n  Wattle is a framework made by weaving thin sticks through thick sticks which is used for making fences and walls. (BRIT)\n...the native huts of mud and wattle.\n...wattle fencing.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wave
Meaning:
wave  waves  waving  waved\n1. If you wave or wave your hand, you move your hand from side to side in the air, usually in order to say hello or goodbye to someone.\nHe waved at the waiter, who rushed to the table...\nHe grinned, waved, and said, `Hi!’...\nElaine turned and waved her hand lazily and left.\n  VERB: V to/at n, V, V n, also V n prep\n\n  Wave is also a noun.\nSteve stopped him with a wave of the hand...\nPaddy spotted Mary Ann and gave her a cheery wave.\n  N-COUNT: usu with supp\n\n2. If you wave someone away or wave them on, you make a movement with your hand to indicate that they should move in a particular direction.\nLeshka waved him away with a show of irritation...\n  VERB: V n adv/prep\n\n3. If you wave something, you hold it up and move it rapidly from side to side.\nHospital staff were outside to welcome him, waving flags and applauding...\nShe was apt to raise her voice and wave her hands about.\n  VERB: V n, V n adv/prep\n\n=>  -waving\nHundreds of banner-waving demonstrators took to the streets.\n...a flag-waving crowd.\n  COMB in ADJ\n\n=>  -waving\nThere will be marching bands and plenty of flag-waving.\n  COMB in N-UNCOUNT\n\n4. If something waves, it moves gently from side to side or up and down.\n...grass and flowers waving in the wind.\n  VERB: V\n  = sway\n5. A wave is a raised mass of water on the surface of water, especially the sea, which is caused by the wind or by tides making the surface of the water rise and fall.\n...the sound of the waves breaking on the shore.\n  N-COUNT\n\n6. If someone’s hair has waves, it curves slightly instead of being straight.\n  N-COUNT\n\n7. A wave is a sudden increase in heat or energy that spreads out from an earthquake or explosion.\nThe shock waves of the earthquake were felt in Teheran...\n  N-COUNT: with supp\n\n8. Waves are the form in which things such as sound, light, and radio signals travel.\nSound waves, light waves, and radio waves have a certain frequency, or number of waves per second.\n  N-COUNT: usu pl, oft supp N\n\n9. If you refer to a wave of a particular feeling, you mean that it increases quickly and becomes very intense, and then often decreases again.\nShe felt a wave of panic, but forced herself to leave the room calmly...\n  N-COUNT: usu N of n\n\n10. A wave is a sudden increase in a particular activity or type of behaviour, especially an undesirable or unpleasant one.\n...the current wave of violence.\n...an even newer crime wave.\n  N-COUNT: usu N of n\n\n11.\n  see also long wave, medium wave, Mexican wave, new wave, short-wave, tidal wave


Words: waveband
Meaning:
wave.band\n   waveband  wavebands\n  A waveband is a group of radio waves of similar length which are used for particular types of radio communication.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wavelength
Meaning:
wave.length\n   wavelength  wavelengths\n1. A wavelength is the distance between a part of a wave of energy such as light or sound and the next similar part.\nSunlight consists of different wavelengths of radiation...\n  N-COUNT: usu with supp\n\n2. A wavelength is the size of radio wave which a particular radio station uses to broadcast its programmes.\nShe found the wavelength of their broadcasts, and left the radio tuned to their station.\n  N-COUNT: with supp\n\n3. If two people are on the same wavelength, they find it easy to understand each other and they tend to agree, because they share similar interests or opinions.\nIt’s great to work with people who are on the same wavelength.\n  PHRASE: v-link PHR


Words: wavelet
Meaning:
wave.let\n   wavelet  wavelets\n  Wavelets are small waves on the surface of a sea or lake. (LITERARY)\n  N-COUNT: usu pl


Words: waver
Meaning:
wa.ver\n   waver  wavers  wavering  wavered\n1. If you waver, you cannot decide about something or you consider changing your mind about something.\nSome military commanders wavered over whether to support the coup...\nColeman has never wavered in his claim that he is innocent...\n  VERB: V, V\n\n2. If something wavers, it shakes with very slight movements or changes.\nThe shadows of the dancers wavered continually...\n  VERB: V


Words: wavy
Meaning:
wavy  wavier  waviest\n1. Wavy hair is not straight or curly, but curves slightly.\nShe had short, wavy brown hair.\n  ADJ\n\n2. A wavy line has a series of regular curves along it.\nThe boxes were decorated with a wavy gold line.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: wax
Meaning:
wax  waxes  waxing  waxed\n1. Wax is a solid, slightly shiny substance made of fat or oil which is used to make candles and polish. It melts when it is heated.\nThere were coloured candles which had spread pools of wax on the furniture...\nShe loved the scent in the house of wax polish.\n  N-MASS\n\n2. If you wax a surface, you put a thin layer of wax onto it, especially in order to polish it.\nWe’d have long talks while she helped me wax the floor.\n  VERB: V n\n\n3. If you have your legs waxed, you have the hair removed from your legs by having wax put on them and then pulled off quickly.\nShe has just had her legs waxed at the local beauty parlour...\nShe could go shopping, and wax her legs.\n  VERB: have n V-ed, V n\n\n4. Wax is the sticky yellow substance found in your ears.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n5. If you say that someone, for example, waxes lyrical or waxes indignant about a subject, you mean that they talk about it in an enthusiastic or indignant way.\nHe waxed lyrical about the skills and commitment of his employees...\nMy mother waxed eloquent on the theme of wifely duty.\n  VERB: V adj, V adj\n\n6. If something waxes and wanes, it first increases and then decreases over a period of time.\nPortugal and Spain had possessed vast empires that waxed and waned.\n  PHRASE: Vs inflect


Words: wax paper
Meaning:
wax pa.per\n   wax paper\n  Wax paper is paper that has been covered with a thin layer of wax. It is used mainly in cooking or to wrap food. (AM; in BRIT, use greaseproof paper)\n  N-UNCOUNT\n  = waxed paper


Words: waxwork
Meaning:
wax.work\n   waxwork  waxworks\n1. A waxwork is a model of a person, especially a famous person, made out of wax.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. A waxworks is a place where waxworks are displayed for the public to look at. Waxworks is both the singular and the plural form.\n  N-COUNT


Words: waxy
Meaning:
waxy\n  Something that is waxy looks or feels like wax.\nChoose small waxy potatoes for the salad.\n...the waxy coating on the insect’s body.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: way
Meaning:
way  ways\n1. If you refer to a way of doing something, you are referring to how you can do it, for example the action you can take or the method you can use to achieve it.\nAnother way of making new friends is to go to an evening class...\nI worked myself into a frenzy plotting ways to make him jealous...\nI can’t think of a worse way to spend my time...\nThere just might be a way...\n`All right, Mrs Bates,’ she said. `We’ll do it your way’.\n  N-COUNT: oft N of -ing, N to-inf\n\n2. If you talk about the way someone does something, you are talking about the qualities their action has.\nShe smiled in a friendly way...\nHe had a strange way of talking...\n  N-COUNT: usu sing, usu adj N\n\n3. If a general statement or description is true in a particular way, this is the form of it that is true in a particular case.\nComputerized reservation systems help airline profits in several ways...\nShe was afraid in a way that was quite new to her...\n  N-COUNT: with supp, oft in N\n\n4. You use way in expressions such as in some ways, in many ways, and in every way to indicate the degree or extent to which a statement is true.\nIn some ways, the official opening is a formality...\nShe described her lover as `perfect in every way’.\n  N-COUNT: in N with supp\n  = respect\n5. The ways of a particular person or group of people are their customs or their usual behaviour.\nHe denounces people who urge him to alter his ways...\nHe said he was against returning to old authoritarian ways.\n  N-PLURAL: with supp\n\n6. If you refer to someone’s way, you are referring to their usual or preferred type of behaviour.\nShe is now divorced and, in her usual resourceful way, has started her own business...\nDirect confrontation was not his way.\n  N-SING: with poss\n\n7. You use way to refer to one particular opinion or interpretation of something, when others are possible.\nI suppose that’s one way of looking at it...\nWith most of Dylan’s lyrics, however, there are other ways of interpreting the words...\nSometimes, the bank manager just doesn’t see it your way.\n  N-COUNT: with supp\n\n8. You use way when mentioning one of a number of possible, alternative results or decisions.\nThere is no indication which way the vote could go...\nThe judge could have decided either way.\n  N-COUNT: with supp\n\n9. The way you feel about something is your attitude to it or your opinion about it.\nI’m terribly sorry.I had no idea you felt that way.\n  N-SING: with supp\n\n10. If you mention the way that something happens, you are mentioning the fact that it happens.\nI hate the way he manipulates people...\nYou may remember the way each scene ended with someone looking pensive or significant.\n  N-SING: the N that\n\n11. You use way in expressions such as push your way, work your way, or eat your way, followed by a prepositional phrase or adverb, in order to indicate movement, progress, or force as well as the action described by the verb.\nShe thrust her way into the crowd...\nHe thought we were trying to buy our way into his company...\n  N-SING: poss N\n\n12. The way somewhere consists of the different places that you go through or the route that you take in order to get there.\nDoes anybody know the way to the bathroom?...\nI’m afraid I can’t remember the way...\nWe’re not even a third of the way there...\n  N-COUNT: usu the N in sing, oft N to n\n\n13. If you go or look a particular way, you go or look in that direction.\nAs he strode into the kitchen, he passed Pop coming the other way...\nThey paused at the top of the stairs, doubtful as to which way to go next...\nCould you look this way?\n  N-SING: with supp\n\n14. You can refer to the direction you are travelling in as your way. (SPOKEN)\nShe would say she was going my way and offer me a lift.\n  N-SING: poss N\n\n15. If you lose your way, you take a wrong or unfamiliar route, so that you do not know how to get to the place that you want to go to. If you find your way, you manage to get to the place that you want to go to.\n(next)


Words: way .1
Meaning:
The men lost their way in a sandstorm and crossed the border by mistake...\n  N-SING: poss N\n\n16. You talk about people going their different ways in order to say that their lives develop differently and they have less contact with each other.\nIt wasn’t until we each went our separate ways that I began to learn how to do things for myself...\nYou go your way and I’ll go mine.\n  N-COUNT: poss N\n\n17. If something comes your way, you get it or receive it.\nTake advantage of the opportunities coming your way in a couple of months...\nIf I run into anything that might interest you, I’ll send it your way.\n  N-SING: poss N\n\n18. If someone or something is in the way, they prevent you from moving forward or seeing clearly.\n`You’re standing in the way,’ she said. `Would you mind moving aside’...\nGet out of my way!\n  N-SING: the/poss N, in/out of N\n\n19. You use way in expressions such as the right way up and the other way around to refer to one of two or more possible positions or arrangements that something can have.\nThe flag was held the wrong way up by some spectators...\nIt’s important to fit it the right way round.\n  N-SING: with supp\n\n20. You can use way to emphasize, for example, that something is a great distance away or is very much below or above a particular level or amount.\nWay down in the valley to the west is the town of Freiburg...\nThese exam results are way above average...\n  ADV: ADV adv/prep  emphasis\n\n21. If you split something a number of ways, you divide it into a number of different parts or quantities, usually fairly equal in size.\nThe region was split three ways, between Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria...\nSplitting the price six ways had still cost them each a bundle.\n  N-PLURAL: num N\n\n  Way is also a combining form.\n...a simple three-way division.\n  COMB in ADJ: ADJ n\n\n22. Way is used in expressions such as a long way, a little way, and quite a way, to say how far away something is or how far you have travelled.\nSome of them live in places quite a long way from here...\nA little way further down the lane we passed the driveway to a house...\n  N-SING: a N, usu supp N\n\n23. Way is used in expressions such as a long way, a little way, and quite a way, to say how far away in time something is.\nSuccess is still a long way off...\nAugust is still an awfully long way away.\n  N-SING: a N, usu supp N\n\n24. You use way in expressions such as all the way, most of the way and half the way to refer to the extent to which an action has been completed.\nHe had unscrewed the caps most of the way...\nWhen was the last time you listened to an album all the way through?\n  N-SING: predet/quant the N\n\n25. You use all the way to emphasize how long a distance is.\nHe had to walk all the way home...\n  PHRASE: usu PHR after v, oft PHR adv/prep  emphasis\n\n26. You can use all the way to emphasize that your remark applies to every part of a situation, activity, or period of time.\nHaving started a revolution we must go all the way...\n  PHRASE: PHR after v  emphasis\n\n27. If someone says that you can’t have it both ways, they are telling you that you have to choose between two things and cannot do or have them both.\nCountries cannot have it both ways: the cost of a cleaner environment may sometimes be fewer jobs in dirty industries...\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n28. You say by the way when you add something to what you are saying, especially something that you have just thought of. (SPOKEN)\nThe name Latifah, by the way, means `delicate’...\nBy the way, how did your seminar go?\n  PHRASE: PHR with cl\n  = incidentally\n29. You use by way of when you are explaining the purpose of something that you have said or are about to say. For example, if you say something by way of an introduction, you say it as an introduction.\n`I get very superstitious about things like that,’ she said by way of explanation.\n  PREP-PHRASE: PREP n\n\n30. If someone changes their ways or mends their ways, they permanently improve their behaviour or their way of doing something.\n(next)


Words: way .2
Meaning:
What can be done to encourage convicted offenders to change their ways?\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n  = reform\n31. If you clear the way, open the way, or prepare the way for something, you create an opportunity for it to happen.\nThe talks are meant to clear the way for formal negotiations on a new constitution...\nThe decision could open the way for other children to sue their parents.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR for n\n\n32. If you say that someone takes the easy way out, you disapprove of them because they do what is easiest for them in a difficult situation, rather than dealing with it properly.\nIt is the easy way out to blame others for our failure.\n  PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR  disapproval\n\n33. You use either way in order to introduce a statement which is true in each of the two possible or alternative cases that you have just mentioned.\nThe sea may rise or the land may fall; either way the sand dunes will be gone in a short time.\n  PHRASE: PHR with cl\n\n34. If you say that a particular type of action or development is the way forward, you approve of it because it is likely to lead to success.\n...people who genuinely believe that anarchy is the way forward...\n  PHRASE: usu v-link PHR  approval\n\n35. If someone gets their way or has their way, nobody stops them doing what they want to do. You can also say that someone gets their own way or has their own way.\nShe is very good at using her charm to get her way.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n36. If one thing gives way to another, the first thing is replaced by the second.\nFirst he had been numb. Then the numbness gave way to anger...\n  PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n\n\n37. If an object that is supporting something gives way, it breaks or collapses, so that it can no longer support that thing.\nThe hook in the ceiling had given way and the lamp had fallen blazing on to the table.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n38. If you give way to someone or something that you have been resisting, you stop resisting and allow yourself to be persuaded or controlled by them. (WRITTEN)\nIt seems the President has given way to pressure from the hardliners...\n  PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR to n\n  = give in, yield\n39. If a moving person, a vehicle, or its driver gives way, they slow down or stop in order to allow other people or vehicles to pass in front of them. (BRIT; in AM, use yield)\nGive way to traffic coming from the left.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR to n\n\n40. If you say that someone or something has a way of doing a particular thing, you mean that they often do it.\nBosses have a way of always finding out about such things.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, PHR -ing\n\n41. If you say that a person has a way with something or someone, you mean that that person seems to have a natural skill or instinct for dealing with them. (mainly SPOKEN)\nConstance doesn’t have a way with words like you do...\n  PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n  approval\n\n42. You use in no way or not in any way to emphasize that a statement is not at all true.\nA spokesman insisted the two events were `in no way related’...\n  PHRASE  emphasis\n\n43. If you say that something is true in a way, you mean that although it is not completely true, it is true to a limited extent or in certain respects. You use in a way to reduce the force of a statement.\nIn a way, I suppose I’m frightened of failing...\nIt made things very unpleasant in a way.\n  PHRASE: PHR with cl  vagueness\n\n44. If you say that someone gets in the way or is in the way, you are annoyed because their presence or their actions stop you doing something properly.\n`We wouldn’t get in the way,’ Suzanne promised. `We’d just stand quietly in a corner.’\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n45. To get in the way of something means to make it difficult for it to happen, continue, or be appreciated properly.\nShe had a job which never got in the way of her leisure interests.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR of n\n\n(next)


Words: way .3
Meaning:
46. If you know your way around a particular subject, system, or job, or if you know your way about it, you know all the procedures and facts about it.\nHe knows his way around the intricate maze of European law...\n  PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n\n\n47. If you lead the way along a particular route, you go along it in front of someone in order to show them where to go.\nShe grabbed his suitcase and led the way.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n48. If a person or group leads the way in a particular activity, they are the first person or group to do it or they make the most new developments in it.\nSony has also led the way in shrinking the size of compact-disc players.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR in -ing\n\n49. If you say that someone or something has come a long way, you mean that they have developed, progressed, or become very successful.\nHe has come a long way since the days he could only afford one meal a day.\n  PHRASE: have inflects, oft PHR since n\n\n50. You can use by a long way to emphasize that something is, for example, much better, worse, or bigger than any other thing of that kind.\nIt was, by a long way, the worst meeting I have ever attended...\n  PHRASE: PHR with cl, compar/superl PHR  emphasis\n\n51. If you say that something is a long way from being true, you are emphasizing that it is definitely not true.\nShe is a long way from being the richest person in Britain...\n  PHRASE: v-link PHR n/-ing  emphasis\n\n52. If you say that something goes a long way towards doing a particular thing, you mean that it is an important factor in achieving that thing.\nAlthough by no means a cure, it goes a long way towards making the patient’s life more tolerable.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR towards/to -ing\n\n53. If you say that someone has lost their way, you are criticizing them because they do not have any good ideas any more, or seem to have become unsure about what to do.\nWhy has the White House lost its way on tax and budget policy?\n  PHRASE: V inflects  disapproval\n\n54. When you make your way somewhere, you walk or travel there.\nHe made his way home at last.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, PHR prep/adv\n\n55. If one person or thing makes way for another, the first is replaced by the second.\nHe said he was prepared to make way for younger people in the party...\n  PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR for n\n\n56. If you say there’s no way that something will happen, you are emphasizing that you think it will definitely not happen.\nThere was absolutely no way that we were going to be able to retrieve it.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR that  emphasis\n\n57. You can say no way as an emphatic way of saying no. (INFORMAL)\nMike, no way am I playing cards with you for money...\n  PHRASE  emphasis\n\n58. You use in the way of or by way of in order to specify the kind of thing you are talking about.\nLatvia is a country without much in the way of natural resources...\nMeetings held today produced little in the way of an agreement...\nThe man with whom she maintains a relationship provides nothing by way of support.\n  PHRASE: PHR n, usu amount PHR n\n\n59. If you are on your way, you have started your journey somewhere.\nHe has been allowed to leave the country and is on his way to Britain...\nBy sunrise tomorrow we’ll be on our way.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR prep/adv\n\n60. If something happens on the way or along the way, it happens during the course of a particular event or process.\nYou may have to learn a few new skills along the way.\n  PHRASE\n\n61. If you are on your way or well on your way to something, you have made so much progress that you are almost certain to achieve that thing.\nI am now out of hospital and well on the way to recovery.\n  PHRASE: usu v-link PHR to n/-ing\n\n62. If something is on the way, it will arrive soon.\nThe forecasters say more snow is on the way...\nShe is married with twin sons and a third child on the way.\n  PHRASE: v-link PHR, with/have n PHR\n\n(next)


Words: way .4
Meaning:
63. You can use one way or another or one way or the other when you want to say that something definitely happens, but without giving any details about how it happens.\nYou know pretty well everyone here, one way or the other.\n  PHRASE: PHR after v, PHR with cl  vagueness\n\n64. You use one way or the other or one way or another to refer to two possible decisions or conclusions that have previously been mentioned, without stating which one is reached or preferred.\nWe’ve got to make our decision one way or the other...\nI didn’t really care one way or another.\n  PHRASE: PHR after v\n\n65. You use the other way around or the other way round to refer to the opposite of what you have just said.\nYou’d think you were the one who did me the favor, and not the other way around.\n  PHRASE\n\n66. If something or someone is on the way out or on their way out, they are likely to disappear or to be replaced very soon.\nThere are encouraging signs that cold war attitudes are on the way out...\n  PHRASE: usu v-link PHR\n\n67. If you go out of your way to do something, for example to help someone, you make a special effort to do it.\nHe was very kind to me and seemed to go out of his way to help me.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR to-inf\n\n68. If you keep out of someone’s way or stay out of their way, you avoid them or do not get involved with them.\nI’d kept out of his way as much as I could...\nHe warned the army to stay out of the way of the relief effort.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n69. When something is out of the way, it has finished or you have dealt with it, so that it is no longer a problem or needs no more time spent on it.\nThe plan has to remain confidential at least until the local elections are out of the way...\n  PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v\n\n70. If you go your own way, you do what you want rather than what everyone else does or expects.\nIn school I was a loner. I went my own way.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n71. You use in the same way to introduce a situation that you are comparing with one that you have just mentioned, because there is a strong similarity between them.\nThere is no reason why a gifted aircraft designer should also be a capable pilot. In the same way, a brilliant pilot can be a menace behind the wheel of a car.\n  PHRASE: PHR with cl\n  = likewise\n72. You can use that way and this way to refer to a statement or comment that you have just made.\nSome of us have habits few people know about and we keep it this way...\nWe have a beautiful city and we pray it stays that way...\n  PHRASE: PHR after v, adj PHR\n\n73. You can use that way or this way to refer to an action or situation that you have just mentioned, when you go on to mention the likely consequence or effect of it.\nKeep the soil moist. That way, the seedling will flourish...\n  PHRASE: PHR with cl\n\n74. If an activity or plan is under way, it has begun and is now taking place.\nA full-scale security operation is now under way...\nThe court case got under way last autumn.\n  PHRASE: usu v-link PHR\n\n75. Every which way and any which way are used to emphasize that something happens, or might happen, in a lot of different ways, or using a lot of different methods. (AM; also BRIT INFORMAL)\nHe re-ran the experiment every which way he could...\n  PHRASE: PHR after v, oft PHR cl  emphasis\n\n76. Every which way is used to emphasize that things move in a lot of different directions or are arranged in a lot of different positions. (AM; also BRIT INFORMAL)\n...cars parked every which way.\n  PHRASE: PHR after v  emphasis\n\n77.\nto see the error of your ways: see error


Words: way of life
Meaning:
way of life  ways of life\n1. A way of life is the behaviour and habits that are typical of a particular person or group, or that are chosen by them.\nMining activities have totally disrupted the traditional way of life of the Yanomami Indians.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing, oft poss N, adj N\n\n2. If you describe a particular activity as a way of life for someone, you mean that it has become a very important and regular thing in their life, rather than something they do or experience occasionally.\nShe likes it so much it’s become a way of life for her.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing


Words: way station
Meaning:
way sta.tion\n   way station  way stations\n1. A way station is a place where people stop to eat and rest when they are on a long journey.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. A way station is a small station between two large stations on a railway. (AM)\n  N-COUNT


Words: way-out
Meaning:
way-out\n  If you describe someone or something as way-out, you are critical of them because they are very unusual, often in a way that is very modern or fashionable. (INFORMAL)\nThey will not allow your more way-out ideas to pass unchallenged...\n  ADJ  disapproval\n  = weird


Words: waylay
Meaning:
way.lay\n   waylay  waylays  waylaying  waylaid\n  If someone waylays you, they stop you when you are going somewhere, for example in order to talk to you, to steal something from you, or to attack you.\nThe trucks are being waylaid by bandits...\nI’m sorry, Nick, I got waylaid.\n  VERB: V n, get V-ed


Words: wayside
Meaning:
way.side\n   wayside  waysides\n1. The wayside is the side of the road. (LITERARY)\n  N-COUNT: usu the N in sing\n\n2. If a person or plan falls by the wayside, they fail or stop before they complete what they set out to do.\nAmateurs fall by the wayside when the going gets tough...\n  PHRASE: V inflects


Words: wayward
Meaning:
way.ward\n   wayward\n  If you describe a person or their behaviour as wayward, you mean that they behave in a selfish, bad, or unpredictable way, and are difficult to control.\n...wayward children with a history of severe emotional problems.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: WC
Meaning:
WC  WCs\n  A toilet is sometimes referred to as a WC, especially on signs or in advertisements for houses, flats, or hotels. WC is an abbreviation for `water closet’. (BRIT)\n  N-COUNT\n  = toilet


Words: we
Meaning:
we  WEAK   STRONG\n\n  We is the first person plural pronoun. We is used as the subject of a verb.\n\n1. A speaker or writer uses we to refer both to himself or herself and to one or more other people as a group. You can use we before a noun to make it clear which group of people you are referring to.\nWe ordered another bottle of champagne...\nWe students outnumbered our teachers.\n  PRON\n\n2. We is sometimes used to refer to people in general.\nWe need to take care of our bodies.\n  PRON\n\n3. A speaker or writer may use we instead of `I’ in order to include the audience or reader in what they are saying, especially when discussing how a talk or book is organized. (FORMAL)\nWe will now consider the raw materials from which the body derives energy.\n  PRON


Words: we’d
Meaning:
we’d  WEAK   STRONG\n1. We’d is the usual spoken form of `we had’, especially when `had’ is an auxiliary verb.\nCome on, George, we’d better get back now...\nAt the time we’d really nothing to tell the police.\n\n2. We’d is the usual spoken form of `we would’.\nI don’t know how we’d have managed without her!


Words: we’ll
Meaning:
we’ll  WEAK   STRONG\n  We’ll is the usual spoken form of `we shall’ or `we will’.\nWhatever you want to chat about, we’ll do it tonight...\nWill there be anything else?.If there is, we’ll let you know.


Words: we’ve
Meaning:
we’ve  WEAK   STRONG\n  We’ve is the usual spoken form of `we have’, especially when `have’ is an auxiliary verb.\nIt’s the first time we’ve been to the cinema together as a family.


Words: weak
Meaning:
weak  weaker  weakest\n1. If someone is weak, they are not healthy or do not have good muscles, so that they cannot move quickly or carry heavy things.\nI was too weak to move or think or speak...\nHis arms and legs were weak.\n  ADJ\n  !=strong\n=>  weak.ly\n`I’m all right,’ Max said weakly, but his breathing came in jagged gasps...\n  ADV: ADV with v\n\n=>  weak.ness\nSymptoms of anaemia include weakness, fatigue and iron deficiency.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n2. If someone has an organ or sense that is weak, it is not very effective or powerful, or is likely to fail.\nUntil the beating, Cantanco’s eyesight had been weak, but adequate...\nShe tired easily and had a weak heart.\n  ADJ\n\n3. If you describe someone as weak, you mean that they are not very confident or determined, so that they are often frightened or worried, or easily influenced by other people.\nYou have been conditioned to believe that it is weak to be scared.\n  ADJ\n  !=strong\n=>  weak.ness\nMany people felt that admitting to stress was a sign of weakness.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n4. If you describe someone’s voice or smile as weak, you mean that it not very loud or big, suggesting that the person lacks confidence, enthusiasm, or physical strength.\nHis weak voice was almost inaudible...\n  ADJ\n  = feeble\n=>  weak.ly\nHe smiled weakly at reporters.\n  ADV: ADV after v\n\n5. If an object or surface is weak, it breaks easily and cannot support a lot of weight or resist a lot of strain.\nThe owner said the bird may have escaped through a weak spot in the aviary...\nSwimming is helpful for bones that are porous and weak.\n  ADJ\n  !=strong\n6. A weak physical force does not have much power or intensity.\nThe molecules in regular liquids are held together by relatively weak bonds...\n  ADV\n  !=strong\n=>  weak.ly\nThe mineral is weakly magnetic...\n  ADV: ADV adj/-ed, ADV after v\n\n7. If individuals or groups are weak, they do not have any power or influence.\nThe council was too weak to do anything about it.\n  ADJ\n  = powerless\n  The weak are people who are weak.\nHe voiced his solidarity with the weak and defenceless.\n  N-PLURAL: the N\n\n=>  weak.ness\nIt made me feel patronised, in a position of weakness.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n  = impotence\n8. A weak government or leader does not have much control, and is not prepared or able to act firmly or severely.\nThe changes come after mounting criticism that the government is weak and indecisive...\nThe chief editorial writer also blames weak leadership for the current crisis.\n  ADJ\n  !=strong\n=>  weak.ly\n...the weakly-led movement for reform.\n  ADV\n\n=>  weak.ness\nOfficials fear that he might interpret the emphasis on diplomacy as a sign of weakness.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n9. If you describe something such a country’s currency, economy, industry, or government as weak, you mean that it is not successful, and may be likely to fail or collapse.\nThe weak dollar means American goods are relative bargains for foreigners...\n  ADJ\n  !=strong\n=>  weak.ness\nThe weakness of his regime is showing more and more...\n  N-UNCOUNT: usu with poss\n\n10. If something such as an argument or case is weak, it is not convincing or there is little evidence to support it.\nDo you think the prosecution made any particular errors, or did they just have a weak case?...\n  ADJ\n  !=strong\n=>  weak.ly\nThe doctor weakly puts the case that the mother-to-be has many relatives, so needs less support from the hospital.\n  ADV: ADV before v\n\n=>  weak.ness      weaknesses\n...the strengths and weaknesses of the government’s case...\n  N-VAR\n\n11. A weak drink, chemical, or drug contains very little of a particular substance, for example because a lot of water has been added to it.\n...a cup of weak tea...\n...a very weak bleach solution.\n  ADJ\n  !=strong\n12. Your weak points are the qualities or talents you do not possess, or the things you are not very good at.\nGeography was my weak subject...\nHis short stories tend to be weak on plot.\n  ADJ: oft ADJ on n\n  !=strong\n=>  weak.ness\n(next)


Words: weak-kneed
Meaning:
weak-kneed\n  If you describe someone as weak-kneed, you mean that they are unable or unwilling to do anything because they are influenced by a strong emotion such as fear. (INFORMAL)\nHe would need all his authority to keep the weak-kneed volunteers from bolting.\n  ADJ


Words: weaken
Meaning:
weak.en\n   weaken  weakens  weakening  weakened\n1. If you weaken something or if it weakens, it becomes less strong or less powerful.\nThe recession has weakened so many firms that many can no longer survive...\nFamily structures are weakening and breaking up.\n  VERB: V n, V\n  !=strengthen\n2. If your resolve weakens or if something weakens it, you become less determined or less certain about taking a particular course of action that you had previously decided to take.\nJennie weakened, and finally relented...\nThe verdict hasn’t weakened his resolve to fight the charges against him.\n  VERB: V, V n\n\n3. If something weakens you, it causes you to lose some of your physical strength.\nMalnutrition obviously weakens the patient.\n  VERB: V n\n\n4. If something weakens an object, it does something to it which causes it to become less firm and more likely to break.\nA bomb blast had weakened an area of brick on the back wall...\n  VERB: V n


Words: weakling
Meaning:
weak.ling\n   weakling  weaklings\n  If you describe a person or an animal as a weakling, you mean that they are physically weak.\n  N-COUNT  disapproval


Words: weakness
Meaning:
weak.ness\n   weakness  weaknesses\n  If you have a weakness for something, you like it very much, although this is perhaps surprising or undesirable.\nStephen himself had a weakness for cats...\nHis one weakness, apart from aeroplanes, is ice cream.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing, oft N for n\n\n  see also weak


Words: weal
Meaning:
weal  weals\n  A weal is a swelling made on someone’s skin by a blow, especially from something sharp or thin such as a sword or whip. (BRIT; in AM, use welt)\n  N-COUNT\n  = welt


Words: wealth
Meaning:
wealth\n1. Wealth is the possession of a large amount of money, property, or other valuable things. You can also refer to a particular person’s money or property as their wealth.\nEconomic reform has brought relative wealth to peasant farmers...\n  N-UNCOUNT\n  = affluence\n2. If you say that someone or something has a wealth of good qualities or things, you are emphasizing that they have a very large number or amount of them. (FORMAL)\n...such a wealth of creative expertise...\n  N-SING: a N of n  emphasis\n  = abundance


Words: wealthy
Meaning:
wealthy  wealthier  wealthiest\n  Someone who is wealthy has a large amount of money, property, or valuable possessions.\n...a wealthy international businessman.\n  ADJ\n  = affluent, rich\n  The wealthy are people who are wealthy.\n...a measure to raise income taxes on the wealthy.\n  N-PLURAL: the N\n  = the rich


Words: wean
Meaning:
wean  weans  weaning  weaned\n1. When a baby or baby animal is weaned, its mother stops feeding it milk and starts giving it other food, especially solid food.\nWhen would be the best time to start weaning my baby?...\nPhil took the labrador home and is weaning him off milk on to meat...\n  VERB: V n, V n off/from n\n\n2. If you wean someone off a habit or something they like, you gradually make them stop doing it or liking it, especially when you think is bad for them.\nYou are given pills with small quantities of nicotine to wean you from cigarettes...\n  VERB: V n off/from n


Words: weapon
Meaning:
weap.on\n   weapon  weapons\n1. A weapon is an object such as a gun, a knife, or a missile, which is used to kill or hurt people in a fight or a war.\n...nuclear weapons.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. A weapon is something such as knowledge about a particular subject, which you can use to protect yourself or to get what you want in a difficult situation.\nI attack politicians with the one weapon they don’t have, a sense of humor.\n  N-COUNT


Words: weaponize
Meaning:
weap.on.ize\n   weaponize weaponizes weaponizing weaponized\nin BRIT, also use weaponise\n  If a substance or material is weaponized, it is used as a weapon or made into a weapon. If an area is weaponized, it is used as a location for weapons.\nThey were close to weaponizing ricin - a lethal plant toxin.\n...the plan to weaponize outer space.\n  VERB: V n, V n


Words: weaponry
Meaning:
wea.pon.ry\n   weaponry\n  Weaponry is all the weapons that a group or country has or that are available to it.\n...rich nations, armed with superior weaponry.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: weapons-grade
Meaning:
weapons-grade\n  Weapons-grade substances such as uranium or plutonium are of a quality which makes them suitable for use in the manufacture of nuclear weapons.\n...equipment which can produce weapons-grade uranium.\n  ADJ: ADJ n


Words: wear
Meaning:
wear  wears  wearing  wore  worn\n1. When you wear something such as clothes, shoes, or jewellery, you have them on your body or on part of your body.\nHe was wearing a brown uniform...\nI sometimes wear contact lenses...\nShe can’t make her mind up what to wear.\n  VERB: V n, V n, V n\n\n2. If you wear your hair or beard in a particular way, you have it cut or styled in that way.\nShe wore her hair in a long braid...\nHe wore a full moustache.\n  VERB: V n prep/adv, V n\n\n3. If you wear a particular expression, that expression is on your face and shows the emotions that you are feeling.\nWhen we drove through the gates, she wore a look of amazement...\n  VERB: V n\n\n4. You use wear to refer to clothes that are suitable for a certain time or place. For example, evening wear is clothes suitable for the evening.\nThe shop stocks an extensive range of beach wear...\n  N-UNCOUNT: supp N\n\n5. Wear is the amount or type of use that something has over a period of time.\nYou’ll get more wear out of a hat if you choose one in a neutral colour...\n  N-UNCOUNT\n  = use\n6. Wear is the damage or change that is caused by something being used a lot or for a long time.\n...a large, well-upholstered armchair which showed signs of wear.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n7. If something wears, it becomes thinner or weaker because it is constantly being used over a long period of time.\nThe stone steps, dating back to 1855, are beginning to wear...\nYour horse needs new shoes if the shoe has worn thin or smooth.\n  VERB: V, V adj\n\n8. You can use wear to talk about how well something lasts over a period of time. For example, if something wears well, it still seems quite new or useful after a long time or a lot of use.\nTen years on, the original concept was wearing well.\n  VERB: V adv\n\n9. If one person in a couple, especially the woman, wears the pants, or in British English wears the trousers, they are the one who makes all the decisions. (INFORMAL)\nShe may give the impression that she wears the trousers but it’s Tim who makes the final decisions.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n10. If your patience or temper is wearing thin, you are becoming annoyed and are likely to get angry soon.\nHer husband was sympathetic at first but his patience soon wore thin.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, usu cont\n\n11. If you say that something is wearing thin, you mean that people do not find it funny or interesting any more and are becoming annoyed with it, because they have seen or heard it so many times.\nSome of Wilson’s eccentricities are beginning to wear thin.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, usu cont\n\n12. If you say that someone is the worse for wear, you mean that they are tired, ill, or in a bad state because they have been very active, been through a difficult experience, or been drinking alcohol. (INFORMAL)\nHe arrived on January 9, disheveled and much the worse for wear.\n  PHRASE: v-link PHR


Words: wear and tear
Meaning:
wear and tear\n  Wear and tear is the damage or change that is caused to something when it is being used normally.\n...the problem of wear and tear on the equipment in the harsh desert conditions.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wear away
Meaning:
wear away\n  If you wear something away or if it wears away, it becomes thin and eventually disappears because it is used a lot or rubbed a lot.\nIt had a saddle with springs sticking out, which wore away the seat of my pants...\nThe softer rock wears away.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V P, also V n P


Words: wear down
Meaning:
wear down\n1. If you wear something down or if it wears down, it becomes flatter or smoother as a result of constantly rubbing against something else.\nPipe smokers sometimes wear down the tips of their teeth where they grip their pipes...\nThe machines start to wear down, they don’t make as many nuts and bolts as they used to...\nElephants wear the tusk down faster than they can grow it.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V P, V n P\n\n2. If you wear someone down, you make them gradually weaker or less determined until they eventually do what you want.\nThey hoped the waiting and the uncertainty would wear down my resistance...\nHe believed that he could wear her down if he only asked often enough.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P


Words: wear off
Meaning:
wear off\n  If a sensation or feeling wears off, it disappears slowly until it no longer exists or has any effect.\nFor many the philosophy was merely a fashion, and the novelty soon wore off...\nNow that the initial shock was wearing off, he was in considerable pain...\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P, V P


Words: wear on
Meaning:
wear on\n  If you say that time wears on, you mean that it passes, especially when it seems to pass slowly.\nAs the day wore on Brand found himself increasingly impressed...\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P\n  = go on


Words: wear out
Meaning:
wear out\n1. When something wears out or when you wear it out, it is used so much that it becomes thin or weak and unable to be used any more.\nEvery time she consulted her watch, she wondered if the batteries were wearing out...\nHorses used for long-distance riding tend to wear their shoes out more quickly...\nHe wore out his shoes wandering around Mexico City.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P, V n P, V P n (not pron)\n\n2. If something wears you out, it makes you feel extremely tired. (INFORMAL)\nThe past few days had really worn him out...\nThe young people run around kicking a ball, wearing themselves out...\nThe effect of the continuous attacks has been to wear out his troops.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V n P, V pron-refl P, V P n (not pron)\n\n3.\n  see also worn out


Words: wearable
Meaning:
wear.able\n   wearable\n  Wearable clothes are practical, comfortable, and suitable for ordinary people to wear, rather than being very unusual or extreme.\nIt’s fashionable but wearable, and it’s easy to look after.\n  ADJ


Words: wearer
Meaning:
wear.er\n   wearer  wearers\n  You can use wearer to indicate that someone is wearing a certain thing on a particular occasion or that they often wear a certain thing.\nThese suits are designed to protect the wearer from cold shock as they enter the water...\nThe mascara is suitable for contact lens wearers.\n  N-COUNT: oft N of n, n N


Words: wearing
Meaning:
wear.ing\n   wearing\n  If you say that a situation or activity is wearing, you mean that it requires a lot of energy and makes you feel mentally or physically tired.\nShe finds the continual confrontation very wearing...\n  ADJ: usu v-link ADJ\n  = tiring, exhausting


Words: wearisome
Meaning:
wea.ri.some\n   wearisome\n  If you describe something as wearisome, you mean that it is very tiring and boring or frustrating. (FORMAL)\n...a long and wearisome journey...\nSympathising with him eventually becomes somewhat wearisome.\n  ADJ\n  = tiresome


Words: weary
Meaning:
wea.ry\n   weary  wearies  wearying  wearied  wearier  weariest\n1. If you are weary, you are very tired.\nRachel looked pale and weary.\n...a weary traveller...\n  ADJ\n  = exhausted\n2. If you are weary of something, you have become tired of it and have lost your enthusiasm for it.\nThey’re getting awfully weary of this silly war...\n  ADJ: v-link ADJ of n/-ing\n  = tired\n3. If you weary of something or it wearies you, you become tired of it and lose your enthusiasm for it. (FORMAL)\nThe public had wearied of his repeated warnings of a revolution that never seemed to start...\nThe political hysteria soon wearied him and he dropped the newspaper to the floor.\n  VERB: V of n/-ing, V n\n  = tire


Words: weasel
Meaning:
wea.sel\n   weasel  weasels\n  A weasel is a small wild animal with a long thin body, a tail, short legs, and reddish-brown fur.\n  N-COUNT


Words: weather
Meaning:
weath.er\n   weather  weathers  weathering  weathered\n1. The weather is the condition of the atmosphere in one area at a particular time, for example if it is raining, hot, or windy.\nThe weather was bad...\nI like cold weather...\nFishing is possible in virtually any weather.\n...the weather conditions.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n2. If something such as wood or rock weathers or is weathered, it changes colour or shape as a result of the wind, sun, rain, or cold.\nUnpainted wooden furniture weathers to a grey colour...\nThis rock has been weathered and eroded.\n  VERB: V, be V-ed, also V n\n\n=>  weath.ered\nThe facade of the building was a little weathered...\nThe man had a worn, weathered face.\n  ADJ\n  = weather-beaten\n3. If you weather a difficult time or a difficult situation, you survive it and are able to continue normally after it has passed or ended.\nThe government has weathered its worst political crisis.\n  VERB: V n\n\nto weather the storm: see storm\n4. If you say that someone is making heavy weather of a task, you are critical of them because they are doing it in an inefficient way and are making it seem more difficult than it really is. (BRIT)\nSome of the riders in this section made heavy weather of the cross-country race.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n  disapproval\n\n5. If you say that you are under the weather, you mean that you feel slightly ill.\nI was still feeling a bit under the weather.\n  PHRASE: v-link PHR\n  = unwell


Words: weather forecast
Meaning:
weath.er fore.cast\n   weather forecast  weather forecasts\n  A weather forecast is a statement saying what the weather will be like the next day or for the next few days.\n  N-COUNT


Words: weather forecaster
Meaning:
weath.er fore.cast.er\n   weather forecaster  weather forecasters\n  A weather forecaster is a person whose job is to study weather conditions and make reports predicting what the weather will be like for the next few days.\n  N-COUNT


Words: weather girl
Meaning:
weath.er girl\n   weather girl  weather girls\n  A weather girl is a young woman who presents weather forecasts at regular times on television or radio.\n  N-COUNT


Words: weather station
Meaning:
weath.er sta.tion\n   weather station  weather stations\n  A weather station is a place where facts about the weather are recorded and studied.\n  N-COUNT


Words: weather vane
Meaning:
weath.er vane\n   weather vane  weather vanes\n  A weather vane is a metal object on the roof of a building which turns round as the wind blows. It is used to show the direction of the wind.\n  N-COUNT


Words: weather-beaten
Meaning:
weather-beaten   also weatherbeaten\n1. If your face or skin is weather-beaten, it is rough with deep lines because you have spent a lot of time outside in bad weather.\n...a stout man with a ruddy, weather-beaten face.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n  = weathered\n2. Something that is weather-beaten is rough and slightly damaged after being outside for a long time.\nThey would look out through the cracks of their weather-beaten door.\n  ADJ\n  = weathered


Words: weatherman
Meaning:
weather.man\n   weatherman  weathermen   also weather man\n  A weatherman is a man who presents weather forecasts at regular times on television or radio.\n  N-COUNT


Words: weatherproof
Meaning:
weather.proof\n   weatherproof\n  Something that is weatherproof is made of material which protects it from the weather or keeps out wind and rain.\nUse a weatherproof rucksack to carry your camera and lenses around in.\n  ADJ


Words: weatherwoman
Meaning:
weather.woman\n   weatherwoman  weatherwomen   also weather woman\n  A weatherwoman is a woman who presents weather forecasts at regular times on television or radio.\n  N-COUNT


Words: weave
Meaning:
weave  weaves  weaving  wove  woven\n\n  The form weaved is used for the past tense and past participle for meaning 4.\n\n1. If you weave cloth or a carpet, you make it by crossing threads over and under each other using a frame or machine called a loom.\nThey would spin and weave cloth, cook and attend to the domestic side of life...\nIn one room, young mothers weave while babies doze in their laps.\n  VERB: V n, V\n\n=>  wo.ven\n...woven cotton fabrics.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n=>  weav.ing\nWhen I studied weaving, I became intrigued with natural dyes.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n2. A particular weave is the way in which the threads are arranged in a cloth or carpet.\nFabrics with a close weave are ideal for painting.\n  N-COUNT: usu supp N\n\n3. If you weave something such as a basket, you make it by crossing long plant stems or fibres over and under each other.\nJenny weaves baskets from willow she grows herself.\n  VERB: V n\n\n=>  wo.ven\nThe floors are covered with woven straw mats.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n4. If you weave your way somewhere, you move between and around things as you go there.\nThe cars then weaved in and out of traffic at top speed...\nHe weaves his way through a crowd.\n  VERB: V prep, V way prep/adv\n\n5. If you weave details into a story or design, you include them, so that they are closely linked together or become an important part of the story or design. (WRITTEN)\nShe weaves imaginative elements into her poems...\nBragg weaves together the histories of his main characters.\n  VERB: V n into n, V pl-n with together


Words: weaver
Meaning:
weav.er\n   weaver  weavers\n  A weaver is a person who weaves cloth, carpets, or baskets.\n  N-COUNT


Words: web
Meaning:
web  webs\n1. A web is the thin net made by a spider from a sticky substance which it produces in its body.\n...the spider’s web in the window.\n  N-COUNT\n  = cobweb\n2. A web is a complicated pattern of connections or relationships, sometimes considered as an obstacle or a danger.\nHe’s forced to untangle a complex web of financial dealings...\nThey accused him of weaving a web of lies and deceit.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing, oft N of n\n\n3. The Web is the same as the World Wide Web. (COMPUTING)\n  N-PROPER


Words: web page
Meaning:
web page  web pages   also Web page\n  A web page is a set of data or information which is designed to be viewed as part of a website. (COMPUTING)\n  N-COUNT


Words: web ring
Meaning:
web ring web rings  also Web ring; webring\n  A web ring is a set of related websites that you can visit one after the other. (COMPUTING)\nLog on to the Hammer Web ring, with 12 more sites devoted to macabre movies.\n  N-COUNT


Words: webbed
Meaning:
webbed\n  Webbed feet or toes have a piece of skin between the toes. Water birds such as ducks have webbed feet.\n  ADJ: ADJ n


Words: webbing
Meaning:
web.bing\n   webbing\n  Webbing is strong material which is woven in strips and used to make belts or straps, or used in seats to support the springs.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: webcam
Meaning:
web.cam\n   webcam  webcams   also Webcam\n  A webcam is a video camera that takes pictures which can be viewed on a website. The pictures are often of something that is happening while you watch. (COMPUTING)\n  N-COUNT: usu sing


Words: webcast
Meaning:
web.cast\n   webcast   webcasts   also Webcast\n  A webcast is an event such as a musical performance which you can listen to or watch on the Internet. (COMPUTING)\n  N-COUNT


Words: webmaster
Meaning:
web.master\n   webmaster  webmasters   also Webmaster\n  A webmaster is someone who is in charge of a website, especially someone who does that as their job. (COMPUTING)\n  N-COUNT: usu sing


Words: website
Meaning:
web.site\n   website  websites   also Web site, web site\n  A website is a set of data and information about a particular subject which is available on the Internet. (COMPUTING)\n  N-COUNT


Words: webspace
Meaning:
web.space\n\n  Webspace is computer memory that you can use to create web pages. (COMPUTING)\nThere’s also 5Mb of webspace so that you can create your own personal web site.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: webzine
Meaning:
web.zine\n   webzine  webzines\n  A webzine is a website which contains the kind of articles, pictures, and advertisements that you would find in a magazine. (COMPUTING)\n  N-COUNT


Words: wed
Meaning:
wed  weds  wedded\n  If one person weds another or if two people wed or are wed, they get married. (JOURNALISM or OLD-FASHIONED)\nIn 1952 she wed film director Roger Vadim...\nThe couple wed late at night in front of just nine guests...\n  V-RECIP: no cont, V n, pl-n V\n  The form wed is used in the present tense and is the past tense. The past participle can be either wed or wedded.\n  = marry\n  see also newlywed, wedded


Words: Wed.
Meaning:
also Weds.\n  Wed. is a written abbreviation for Wednesday.\nOur big task for tomorrow (Wed.) is to get them exit visas.


Words: wedded
Meaning:
wed.ded\n   wedded\n1. If you are wedded to something such as an idea, you support it so strongly or like it so much that you are unable to give it up. (FORMAL)\nConservationists are mostly wedded to preserving diversity in nature.\n  ADJ: v-link ADJ to n\n  = committed\n2. Wedded means the same as married. (FORMAL)\nHe proposed she become his lawfully wedded wife...\n  ADJ: ADJ n


Words: wedding
Meaning:
wed.ding\n   wedding  weddings\n  A wedding is a marriage ceremony and the party or special meal that often takes place after the ceremony.\nMost Britons want a traditional wedding.\n...a wedding present.\n...the couple’s 22nd wedding anniversary.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wedding band
Meaning:
wed.ding band\n   wedding band  wedding bands\n  A wedding band is the same as a wedding ring.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wedding cake
Meaning:
wed.ding cake\n   wedding cake  wedding cakes\n  A wedding cake is a large cake, usually decorated with icing, that is served at a wedding reception.\n  N-VAR


Words: wedding dress
Meaning:
wed.ding dress\n   wedding dress  wedding dresses\n  A wedding dress is a special dress that a woman wears at her wedding.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wedding ring
Meaning:
wed.ding ring\n   wedding ring  wedding rings\n  A wedding ring is a ring that you wear to show that you are married.\n  N-COUNT\n  = wedding band


Words: wedge
Meaning:
wedge  wedges  wedging  wedged\n1. If you wedge something, you force it to remain in a particular position by holding it there tightly or by fixing something next to it to prevent it from moving.\nI shut the shed door and wedged it with a log of wood...\nWe slammed the gate after them, wedging it shut with planks.\n  VERB: V n, V n adj\n\n2. If you wedge something somewhere, you fit it there tightly.\nWedge the plug into the hole...\n  VERB: V n prep\n\n3. A wedge is an object with one pointed edge and one thick edge, which you put under a door to keep it firmly in position.\n  N-COUNT\n\n4. A wedge of something such as fruit or cheese is a piece of it that has a thick triangular shape.\n  N-COUNT: usu N of n\n\n5. If someone drives a wedge between two people who are close, they cause ill feelings between them in order to weaken their relationship.\nI started to feel Toby was driving a wedge between us.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR between pl-n\n\n6. If you say that something is the thin end of the wedge, you mean that it appears to be unimportant at the moment, but that it is the beginning of a bigger, more harmful development. (BRIT)\nI think it’s the thin end of the wedge when you have armed police permanently on patrol round a city.\n  PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v


Words: wedlock
Meaning:
wed.lock\n   wedlock\n1. Wedlock is the state of being married. (OLD-FASHIONED)\n  N-UNCOUNT\n  = marriage\n2. If a baby is born in wedlock, it is born while its parents are married. If it is born out of wedlock, it is born at a time when its parents are not married. (FORMAL)\n  PHRASE: PHR after v


Words: Wednesday
Meaning:
Wednes.day\n   Wednesday   Wednesdays\n  Wednesday is the day after Tuesday and before Thursday.\nCome and have supper with us on Wednesday, if you’re free...\nDid you happen to see her leave last Wednesday?...\nDavid always collects Alistair from school on Wednesdays.\n  N-VAR


Words: wee
Meaning:
wee  wees  weeing  weed\n1. Wee means small in size or extent. (SCOTTISH INFORMAL)\nHe just needs to calm down a wee bit.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n  = little\n2. To wee means to urinate. Wee is an informal word used especially by children. (BRIT)\nHe said he wanted to wee.\n  VERB: V\n\n  Wee is also a noun.\nThe baby has done a wee in his potty...\n  N-VAR\n  = pee


Words: weed
Meaning:
weed  weeds  weeding  weeded\n1. A weed is a wild plant that grows in gardens or fields of crops and prevents the plants that you want from growing properly.\n...a garden overgrown with weeds.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. Weed is a plant that grows in water and usually forms a thick floating mass. There are many different kinds of weed.\nLarge, clogging banks of weed are the only problem.\n  N-VAR\n\n3. If you weed an area, you remove the weeds from it.\nCaspar was weeding the garden...\nTry not to walk on the flower beds when weeding or hoeing.\n  VERB: V n, V\n\n=>  weed.ing\nShe taught me to do the weeding.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: weed out
Meaning:
weed out\n  If you weed out things or people that are useless or unwanted in a group, you find them and get rid of them.\nHe is keen to weed out the many applicants he believes may be frauds...\nA small group of neo-Nazis have infiltrated the ranks. We must weed them out as soon as possible.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P\n  = root out


Words: weedkiller
Meaning:
weed.killer\n   weedkiller  weedkillers\n  Weedkiller is a substance you put on your garden to kill weeds.\n  N-MASS


Words: weedy
Meaning:
weedy  weedier  weediest\n1. A weedy place is full of weeds.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n2. If you describe someone as weedy, you are criticizing them because they are thin and physically weak. (mainly BRIT INFORMAL)\n  ADJ  disapproval\n  = puny


Words: week
Meaning:
week  weeks\n1. A week is a period of seven days. Some people consider that a week starts on Monday and ends on Sunday.\nI had a letter from my mother last week...\nThis has been on my mind all week...\nI know a wonderful restaurant where we can have lunch next week.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. A week is a period of about seven days.\nHer mother stayed for another two weeks...\nOnly 12 weeks ago he underwent major heart transplant surgery...\nThree million people will visit theatres in the annual six-week season.\n  N-COUNT\n\n3. Your working week is the hours that you spend at work during a week.\nIt is not unusual for women to work a 40-hour week.\n...workers on a three-day week.\n  N-COUNT: usu supp N\n\n4. The week is the part of the week that does not include Saturday and Sunday.\n...the hard work of looking after the children during the week...\n  N-SING: the N\n\n5. You use week in expressions such as `a week on Monday’, `a week next Tuesday’, and `tomorrow week’ to mean exactly one week after the day that you mention.\nThe deadline to publish the document is a week tomorrow...\nThe 800 metre final is on Monday week.\n  N-COUNT\n\n6. You use week in expressions such as `a week last Monday’, `a week ago this Tuesday’, and `a week ago yesterday’ to mean exactly one week before the day that you mention.\n`That’s the time you weren’t well, wasn’t it?’.`Yes, that’s right, that was a week ago yesterday.’\n  N-COUNT\n\n7.\nweeks on end: see end


Words: weekday
Meaning:
week.day\n   weekday  weekdays\n  A weekday is any of the days of the week except Saturday and Sunday.\nIf you want to avoid the crowds, it’s best to come on a weekday...\n  N-COUNT


Words: weekend
Meaning:
week.end\n   weekend  weekends\n  A weekend is Saturday and Sunday.\nShe had agreed to have dinner with him in town the following weekend...\nHe told me to give you a call over the weekend.\n  N-COUNT


Words: weekender
Meaning:
week.end.er\n   weekender  weekenders\n  A weekender is someone who goes to a place or lives at a place only at weekends.\nHe converted his barns into cottages for weekenders.\n  N-COUNT: usu pl


Words: weekly
Meaning:
week.ly\n   weekly  weeklies\n1. A weekly event or publication happens or appears once a week or every week.\nEach course comprises 10-12 informal weekly meetings...\nWe go and do the weekly shopping every Thursday.\n...a weekly newspaper.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n  Weekly is also an adverb.\nThe group meets weekly.\n...a magazine published weekly since 2 January 1909.\n  ADV: ADV after v\n\n2. Weekly quantities or rates relate to a period of one week.\nIn addition to my weekly wage, I got a lot of tips.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n3. A weekly is a newspaper or magazine that is published once a week.\nTwo of the four national daily papers are to become weeklies.\n  N-COUNT


Words: weeknight
Meaning:
week.night\n   weeknight  weeknights\n  A weeknight is the evening or night of a weekday. (mainly AUSTRALIAN)\n...the half-hour weeknight show.\n  N-COUNT: oft N n


Words: weep
Meaning:
weep  weeps  weeping  wept\n1. If someone weeps, they cry. (LITERARY)\nShe wanted to laugh and weep all at once...\nThe weeping family hugged and comforted each other...\nShe wept tears of joy.\n  VERB: V, V-ing, V n\n\n  Weep is also a noun.\nThere are times when I sit down and have a good weep.\n  N-SING: a N\n\n2. If a wound weeps, liquid or blood comes from it because it is not healing properly.\nIn severe cases, the skin can crack and weep.\n...little blisters which develop into weeping sores.\n  VERB: V, V-ing


Words: weeping willow
Meaning:
weep.ing wil.low\n   weeping willow  weeping willows\n  A weeping willow is a type of willow tree. It has long thin branches that hang down to the ground.\n  N-COUNT


Words: weepy
Meaning:
weepy  weepies\n1. Someone who is weepy is sad and likely to cry easily.\nI suddenly felt very weepy.\n...weepy moods.\n  ADJ\n  = tearful\n2. A weepy is a film or a story which is sentimental and makes you cry. (INFORMAL)\n  N-COUNT


Words: weevil
Meaning:
wee.vil\n   weevil  weevils\n  A weevil is a small insect which feeds on grain and seeds, and destroys crops.\n  N-COUNT


Words: weft
Meaning:
weft\n  In weaving, the weft of a piece of cloth is the threads which are passed sideways across the other threads. Compare warp.\n  N-SING: usu the N


Words: weigh
Meaning:
weigh  weighs  weighing  weighed\n1. If someone or something weighs a particular amount, this amount is how heavy they are.\nIt weighs nearly 27 kilos (about 65 pounds)...\n  VERB: no cont, V amount\n\n2. If you weigh something or someone, you measure how heavy they are.\nThe scales can be used to weigh other items such as parcels.\n  VERB: V n\n\n3. If you weigh the facts about a situation, you consider them very carefully before you make a decision, especially by comparing the various facts involved.\nHe is weighing the possibility of filing criminal charges against the doctor...\nShe spoke very slowly, weighing what she would say.\n  VERB: V n, V wh\n  = consider\n  Weigh up means the same as weigh. (mainly BRIT)\nThe company will be able to weigh up the environmental pros and cons of each site...\nYou have to weigh up whether a human life is more important than an animal’s life.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V P wh, also V n P


Words: weigh down
Meaning:
weigh down\n  If something that you are wearing or carrying weighs you down, it stops you moving easily by making you heavier.\nHe took off his shoes. If they had to swim, he didn’t want anything weighing him down...\nThese nests increase in size each year, and can eventually weigh down the branch.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V n P, V P n (not pron)


Words: weigh up
Meaning:
weigh up\n1.\nsee weigh 3\n2. If you weigh someone up, you try and find out what they are like and form an opinion of them, especially when you are suspicious of them. (mainly BRIT)\nMy recruiting sergeant weighed me up when I first walked into his office.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V n P, also V P n (not pron)\n  = size up


Words: weigh-in
Meaning:
weigh-in  weigh-ins\n  When there is a weigh-in on the day of a boxing match, each competitor is weighed to check their weight before the match.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing


Words: weight
Meaning:
weight  weights  weighting  weighted\n1. The weight of a person or thing is how heavy they are, measured in units such as kilograms, pounds, or tons.\nWhat is your height and weight?...\nThis reduced the weight of the load...\nTurkeys can reach enormous weights of up to 50 pounds.\n  N-VAR: oft amount in N, with poss, N of amount\n\n  If someone loses weight, they become lighter. If they gain weight or put on weight, they become heavier.\nI’m lucky really as I never put on weight...\nHe lost two stone in weight during his time there.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n2. A person’s or thing’s weight is the fact that they are very heavy.\nDespite the vehicle’s size and weight it is not difficult to drive.\n  N-UNCOUNT: with poss\n\n3. If you move your weight, you change position so that most of the pressure of your body is on a particular part of your body.\nHe shifted his weight from one foot to the other...\nHe kept the weight from his left leg.\n  N-SING: poss/the N\n\n4. Weights are objects which weigh a known amount and which people lift as a form of exercise.\nI was in the gym lifting weights.\n  N-COUNT: usu pl\n\n5. Weights are metal objects which weigh a known amount and which are used on a set of scales to weigh other things.\n  N-COUNT\n\n6. You can refer to a heavy object as a weight, especially when you have to lift it.\nStraining to lift heavy weights can lead to a rise in blood pressure.\n  N-COUNT\n\n7. If you weight something, you make it heavier by adding something to it, for example in order to stop it from moving easily.\nIt can be sewn into curtain hems to weight the curtain and so allow it to hang better.\n  VERB: V n\n\n8. If you weight things, you give them different values according to how important or significant they are.\n...a computer program which weights the different transitions according to their likelihood...\nThis takes account of the number of countries in which a company wins approval for a new drug, weighted by the size of each country’s market.\n  VERB: V n, V-ed\n\n9. If something is given a particular weight, it is given a particular value according to how important or significant it is.\nThe scientists involved put different weight on the conclusions of different models...\n  N-VAR\n  = weighting\n10. If someone or something gives weight to what a person says, thinks, or does, they emphasize its significance.\nThe fact that he is gone has given more weight to fears that he may try to launch a civil war...\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n11. If you give something or someone weight, you consider them to be very important or influential in a particular situation.\nConsumers generally place more weight on negative information than on the positive when deciding what to buy.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n12.\n  see also weighting, dead weight\n13. If a person or their opinion carries weight, they are respected and are able to influence people.\nThat argument no longer carries as much weight...\nSenator Kerry carries considerable weight in Washington.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n14. If you say that someone or something is worth their weight in gold, you are emphasizing that they are so useful, helpful, or valuable that you feel you could not manage without them.\nAny successful manager is worth his weight in gold.\n  PHRASE: v-link PHR  emphasis\n\n15. If you pull your weight, you work as hard as everyone else who is involved in the same task or activity.\nHe accused the team of not pulling their weight.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n16.\na weight off your mind: see mind


Words: weight down
Meaning:
weight down\n  If you weight something down, you put something heavy on it or in it in order to prevent it from moving easily.\nPut some tins on top to weight it down.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V n P


Words: weight training
Meaning:
weight train.ing\n   weight training\n  Weight training is a kind of physical exercise in which people lift or push heavy weights with their arms and legs in order to strengthen their muscles.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: weighted
Meaning:
weight.ed\n   weighted\n  A system that is weighted in favour of a particular person or group is organized so that this person or group has an advantage.\nThe current electoral law is still heavily weighted in favour of the ruling party...\n  ADJ: usu v-link ADJ prep\n  = biased


Words: weighting
Meaning:
weight.ing\n   weighting  weightings\n1. A weighting is a value which is given to something according to how important or significant it is.\nThe tests and teacher assessments have equal weighting.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. A weighting is an advantage that a particular group of people receives in a system, especially an extra sum of money that people receive if they work in a city where the cost of living is very high.\nI get an extra .2,700-a-year London weighting.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing\n\n3.\n  see also weight


Words: weightless
Meaning:
weight.less\n   weightless\n1. Something that is weightless weighs nothing or seems to weigh nothing.\nPhotons have no mass.they are weightless.\n...weightless silk curtains.\n  ADJ\n\n2. A person or object is weightless when they are in space and the earth’s gravity does not affect them, so that they float around.\nHelen described life in a weightless environment during her period in space.\n  ADJ


Words: weightlifter
Meaning:
weight.lifter\n   weightlifter  weightlifters\n  A weightlifter is a person who does weightlifting.\n  N-COUNT


Words: weightlifting
Meaning:
weight.lifting\n   weightlifting   also weight-lifting\n  Weightlifting is a sport in which the competitor who can lift the heaviest weight wins.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: weighty
Meaning:
weighty  weightier  weightiest\n1. If you describe something such as an issue or a decision as weighty, you mean that it is serious or important. (FORMAL)\nSurely such weighty matters merit a higher level of debate?\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n  = serious, important\n2. You use weighty to describe something, especially a book, that is heavy or heavier than you would expect. (LITERARY)\nSimon lifted a weighty volume from the shelf.\n  ADJ\n  = hefty


Words: weir
Meaning:
weir  weirs\n1. A weir is a low barrier which is built across a river in order to control or direct the flow of water.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. A weir is a wooden fence which is built across a stream in order to create a pool for catching fish.\n  N-COUNT


Words: weird
Meaning:
weird  weirder  weirdest\n  If you describe something or someone as weird, you mean that they are strange. (INFORMAL)\nHe’s different. He’s weird...\nDrugs can make you do all kinds of weird things...\nIt must be really weird to be rich...\n  ADJ: oft it v-link ADJ to-inf/-ing


Words: weirdo
Meaning:
weir.do\n   weirdo  weirdos\n  If you describe someone as a weirdo, you disapprove of them because they behave in an unusual way which you find difficult to understand or accept. (INFORMAL, mainly SPOKEN)\n  N-COUNT  disapproval\n  = crackpot


Words: welch
Meaning:
welch  welches  welching  welched   also welsh\n  If someone welches on a deal or an agreement, they do not do the things they promised to do as part of that deal or agreement. (INFORMAL)\nHe welched on his agreement with the club that he would play for them in February.\n  VERB: V on n


Words: welcome
Meaning:
wel.come\n   welcome  welcomes  welcoming  welcomed\n1. If you welcome someone, you greet them in a friendly way when they arrive somewhere.\nSeveral people came by to welcome me...\nShe was there to welcome him home from war...\nThe delegates received a welcoming speech by the President.\n  VERB: V n, V n adv/prep, V-ing\n\n  Welcome is also a noun.\nThere would be a fantastic welcome awaiting him back here.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing\n\n2. You use welcome in expressions such as welcome home, welcome to London, and welcome back when you are greeting someone who has just arrived somewhere.\nWelcome to Washington...\nWelcome back, Deborah.It’s good to have you here.\n  CONVENTION  formulae\n\n3. If you welcome an action, decision, or situation, you approve of it and are pleased that it has occurred.\nShe welcomed this move but said that overall the changes didn’t go far enough...\n  VERB: V n\n\n  Welcome is also a noun.\nEnvironmental groups have given a guarded welcome to the Prime Minister’s proposal.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing\n\n4. If you describe something as welcome, you mean that people wanted it and are happy that it has occurred.\nThis was certainly a welcome change of fortune...\n  ADJ\n\n5. If you say that you welcome certain people or actions, you are inviting and encouraging people to do something, for example to come to a particular place.\nWe would welcome your views about the survey.\n  VERB: V n\n\n6. If you say that someone is welcome in a particular place, you are encouraging them to go there by telling them that they will be liked and accepted.\nNew members are always welcome...\nI told him he wasn’t welcome in my home.\n  ADJ: usu v-link ADJ\n\n7. If you tell someone that they are welcome to do something, you are encouraging them to do it by telling them that they are allowed to do it.\nYou are welcome to visit the hospital at any time.\n  ADJ: v-link ADJ, usu ADJ to-inf\n\n8. If you say that someone is welcome to something, you mean that you do not want it yourself because you do not like it and you are very willing for them to have it.\nIf women want to take on the business world they are welcome to it as far as I’m concerned.\n  ADJ: v-link ADJ to n\n\n9.\n  see also welcoming\n10. If you make someone welcome or make them feel welcome, you make them feel happy and accepted in a new place.\n  PHRASE: make inflects\n\n11. If you say that someone outstays their welcome or overstays their welcome, you mean that they stay somewhere longer than they are wanted or expected to.\nAfter the kindness that had been shown to him, he didn’t want to outstay his welcome.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n12. You say `You’re welcome’ to someone who has thanked you for something in order to acknowledge their thanks in a polite way.\n`Thank you for the information.’.`You’re welcome.’\n  CONVENTION  formulae


Words: welcoming
Meaning:
wel.com.ing\n   welcoming\n  If someone is welcoming or if they behave in a welcoming way, they are friendly to you when you arrive somewhere, so that you feel happy and accepted.\nWhen we arrived at her house Susan was very welcoming...\n  ADJ


Words: weld
Meaning:
weld  welds  welding  welded\n  To weld one piece of metal to another means to join them by heating the edges and putting them together so that they cool and harden into one piece.\nIt’s possible to weld stainless steel to ordinary steel...\nThey will also be used on factory floors to weld things together...\nWhere did you learn to weld?\n  VERB: V n to n, V n with together, V, also V n\n\n=>  weld.ing\nAll the welding had been done from inside the car...\n...welding equipment.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: welfare
Meaning:
wel.fare\n   welfare\n1. The welfare of a person or group is their health, comfort, and happiness.\nI do not think he is considering Emma’s welfare...\nHe was the head of a charity for the welfare of children.\n  N-UNCOUNT: usu with poss\n\n2. Welfare services are provided to help with people’s living conditions and financial problems.\nChild welfare services are well established and comprehensive...\nHe has urged complete reform of the welfare system.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n3. In the United States, welfare is money that is paid by the government to people who are unemployed, poor, or sick.\nStates such as Michigan and Massachusetts are making deep cuts in welfare...\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: welfare state
Meaning:
wel.fare state\n   welfare state\n  In Britain and some other countries, the welfare state is a system in which the government provides free social services such as health and education and gives money to people when they are unable to work, for example because they are old, unemployed, or sick.\n  N-SING


Words: well
Meaning:
ADJECTIVE USE\n   well\n  If you are well, you are healthy and not ill.\nI’m not very well today, I can’t come in...\nI hope you’re well.\n  ADJ: usu v-link ADJ\n  !=ill\n\nADVERB USES\n   well  better  best\n1. If you do something well, you do it to a high standard or to a great extent.\nAll the Indian batsmen played well...\nHe speaks English better than I do...\nIt is a formula that worked very well indeed...\nI don’t really know her very well.\n  ADV: ADV after v\n\n2. If you do something well, you do it thoroughly and completely.\nMix all the ingredients well...\nWash your hands well with soap.\n  ADV: ADV after v\n  = thoroughly\n3. If you speak or think well of someone, you say or think favourable things about them.\n`He speaks well of you.’.`I’m glad to hear that.’...\nIt might help people think better of him.\n  ADV: ADV after v\n\n4. Well is used in front of past participles to indicate that something is done to a high standard or to a great extent.\nHelen is a very well-known novelist in Australia...\nPeople live longer nowadays, and they are better educated...\nBritish nurses were among the best trained in Europe.\n  COMB in ADJ\n\n5. You use well to ask or talk about the extent or standard of something.\nHow well do you remember your mother, Franzi?...\nThis new career doesn’t pay nearly as well as the old one...\nHe wasn’t dressed any better than me.\n  ADV: how ADV, as ADV as, ADV-compar than\n\n6. You use well in front of a prepositional phrase to emphasize it. For example, if you say that one thing happened well before another, you mean that it happened a long time before it.\nFranklin did not turn up until well after midnight...\nThere are well over a million Muslims in Britain.\n  ADV: ADV prep  emphasis\n\n7. You use well before certain adjectives to emphasize them.\nShe has a close group of friends who are very well aware of what she has suffered...\nThe show is well worth a visit.\n  ADV: ADV adj  emphasis\n\n8. You use well after adverbs such as `perfectly’, `jolly’, or `damn’ in order to emphasize an opinion or the truth of what you are saying.\nYou know perfectly well I can’t be blamed for the failure of that mission...\nI’d got myself into this marriage and I jolly well had to get myself out of it.\n  ADV: adv ADV, ADV with v  emphasis\n\n9. You use well after verbs such as `may’ and `could’ when you are saying what you think is likely to happen.\nThe murderer may well come from the estate...\nOurs could well be the last generation for which moviegoing has a sense of magic.\n  ADV: modal ADV  emphasis\n\nPHRASES\n   well\n\nPlease look at category 7 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.\n1. You use as well when mentioning something which happens in the same way as something else already mentioned, or which should be considered at the same time as that thing.\nIt is most often diagnosed in women in their thirties and forties, although I’ve seen it in many younger women, as well...\n`What do you like about it then?’.`Erm, the history, the shops.people are quite friendly as well.’\n  PHRASE: cl PHR\n  = too\n2. You use as well as when you want to mention another item connected with the subject you are discussing.\nIt is in his best interests as well as yours...\nAs well as a good academic record I look for people who’ve climbed mountains or been captain of a team.\n  PREP-PHRASE\n\n3. If you say that something that has happened is just as well, you mean that it is fortunate that it happened in the way it did.\nJudging from everything you’ve said, it was just as well she wasn’t there.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, oft it PHR that\n\n4. You say it is as well to think or do something when you are advising someone to think in a particular way or to take a particular action.\nIt is as well to bear in mind that laughter is a great releaser of tension.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, PHR inf\n\n5. If you say that someone would do well to do something, you mean that you advise or recommend that they do it.\nHe would do well to remember that, sooner or later, everyone’s luck runs out...\nInvestors would do well to take a look at the Swiss economy.\n  PHRASE\n\n6. If you say that something, usually something bad, might as well be true or may as well be true, you mean that the situation is the same or almost the same as if it were true.\nThe couple might as well have been strangers...\nWe might just as well be in prison for all the quality our lives have at present.\n  PHRASE: PHR inf\n\n7. If you say that you might as well do something, or that you may as well do it, you mean that you will do it although you do not have a strong desire to do it and may even feel slightly unwilling to do it.\nIf I’ve got to go somewhere I may as well go to Birmingham...\nAnyway, you’re here; you might as well stay...\nI’ll come with you if you like. I might as well.\n  PHRASE: usu PHR inf\n\n8. If you say that something is all well and good, you are suggesting that it has faults or disadvantages, although it may appear to be correct or reasonable.\nIt’s all well and good for him to say he’s sorry for dropping you, but has he told you why he did it?\n  PHRASE: usu v-link PHR, oft PHR for n, PHR to-inf\n\n9. You say well and good or all well and good to indicate that you would be pleased if something happens but you are aware that it has some disadvantages.\nIf they arrive before I leave, well and good. If not, the responsibility will be mine...\nThis is all well and good, but we have to look at the situation in the long term.\n  PHRASE: usu PHR with cl, v-link PHR, it v-link PHR to-inf/-ing\n\n10. If you say that something is well and truly finished, gone, or done, you are emphasizing that it is completely finished or gone, or thoroughly done. (mainly BRIT)\nThe war is well and truly over.\n  PHRASE: PHR group  emphasis\n\n11.\nall very well: see all\nto know full well: see full\nto mean well: see mean\npretty well: see pretty\n\nNOUN USES\n   well  wells\n1. A well is a hole in the ground from which a supply of water is extracted.\nI had to fetch water from the well.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. A well is an oil well.\nAbout 650 wells are on fire.\n  N-COUNT\n\nVERB USES\n   well  wells  welling  welled\n1. If liquids, for example tears, well, they come to the surface and form a pool.\nTears welled in her eyes...\nHe fell back, blood welling from a gash in his thigh.\n  VERB: V, V from n\n\n  Well up means the same as well.\nTears welled up in Anni’s eyes.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P\n\n2. If an emotion wells in you, it suddenly becomes stronger, to the point where you have to express it.\nGratitude welled in Chryssa...\nHer love for him welled stronger than ever.\n  VERB: V in/inside n, V\n\n  Well up means the same as well.\nHe could feel the anger welling up inside him...\nHope welled up.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P in/inside n, V P\n  = rise up\n\nDISCOURSE USES\n   well\n\n  Well is used mainly in spoken English.\n\nPlease look at category 13 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.\n1. You say well to indicate that you are about to say something.\nWell, I don’t like the look of that.\n  ADV: ADV cl\n\n2. You say well to indicate that you intend or want to carry on speaking.\nThe trouble with City is that they do not have enough quality players. Well, that can easily be rectified.\n  ADV: ADV cl\n\n3. You say well to indicate that you are changing the topic, and are either going back to something that was being discussed earlier or are going on to something new.\nWell, let’s press on.\n  ADV: ADV cl\n  = anyway, so\n4. You say well to indicate that you have reached the end of a conversation.\n`I’m sure you will be an asset,’ she finally added. `Well, I see it’s just about time for lunch.’...\n  ADV: ADV cl\n\n5. You say well to make a suggestion, criticism, or correction seem less definite or rude.\nWell, maybe it would be easier to start with a smaller problem...\nWell, let’s wait and see...\n  ADV: ADV cl\n\n6. You say well just before or after you pause, especially to give yourself time to think about what you are going to say.\nLook, I’m really sorry I woke you, and, well, I just wanted to tell you I was all right.\n  ADV: ADV cl\n\n7. You say well when you are correcting something that you have just said.\nThe comet is going to come back in 2061 and we are all going to be able to see it. Well, our offspring are, anyway...\n  ADV: ADV cl/group\n\n8. You say well to express your doubt about something that someone has said.\n`But finance is far more serious.’.`Well I don’t know really.’\n  ADV: ADV cl  feelings\n\n9. You say well to express your surprise or anger at something that someone has just said or done.\nWell, honestly! They’re like an old married couple at times.\n  EXCLAM  feelings\n\n10. You say well to indicate that you are waiting for someone to say something and often to express your irritation with them.\n`Well?’ asked Barry, `what does it tell us?’...\n`Well, why don’t you ask me?’ he said finally.\n  CONVENTION  feelings\n  = so\n11. You use well to indicate that you are amused by something you have heard or seen, and often to introduce a comment on it.\nWell, well, well, look at you. Ethel, look at this little fat girl...\n  CONVENTION  feelings\n\n12. You say oh well to indicate that you accept a situation or that someone else should accept it, even though you or they are not very happy about it, because it is not too bad and cannot be changed.\nOh well, it could be worse...\n`I called her and she said no.’.`Oh well.’\n  CONVENTION  feelings\n\n13.\nvery well: see very


Words: well advised
Meaning:
well ad.vised\n   well advised   also well-advised\n  If someone says that you would be well advised to do a particular thing, they are advising you to do it.\nModerates believe the party would be well advised to talk to the government.\n  ADJ: v-link ADJ to-inf\n  = wise


Words: well disposed
Meaning:
well dis.posed\n   well disposed   also well-disposed\n  If you are well disposed to a person, plan, or activity, you are likely to agree with them or support them.\nThey are likely to be well disposed to an offer of a separate peace deal...\nHe felt well disposed towards her.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ to/towards n


Words: well done
Meaning:
well done\n1. You say `Well done’ to indicate that you are pleased that someone has done something good.\n`Daddy! I came second in history’.`Well done, sweetheart!’\n  CONVENTION  feelings\n\n2. If something that you have cooked, especially meat, is well done, it has been cooked thoroughly.\nAllow an extra 10-15 min if you prefer lamb well done.\n  ADJ


Words: well versed
Meaning:
well versed   also well-versed\n  If someone is well versed in a particular subject, they know a lot about it.\nPage is well versed in many styles of jazz.\n  ADJ: usu v-link ADJ in n


Words: well-adjusted
Meaning:
well-adjusted   also well adjusted\n  A well-adjusted person has a mature personality and can control their emotions and deal with problems without becoming anxious.\n...a happy, loving and well adjusted family.\n  ADJ\n  !=maladjusted


Words: well-appointed
Meaning:
well-appointed\n  A well-appointed room or building has furniture or equipment of a high standard. (FORMAL)\n  ADJ


Words: well-balanced
Meaning:
well-balanced   also well balanced\n1. If you describe someone as well-balanced, you mean that they are sensible and do not have many emotional problems.\n...a fun-loving, well-balanced individual.\n  ADJ\n  = stable\n2. If you describe something that is made up of several parts as well-balanced, you mean that the way that the different parts are put together is good, because there is not too much or too little of any one part.\n...a well balanced diet.\n  ADJ


Words: well-behaved
Meaning:
well-behaved   also well behaved\n  If you describe someone, especially a child, as well-behaved, you mean that they behave in a way that adults generally like and think is correct.\n...well-behaved little boys...\n  ADJ


Words: well-being
Meaning:
well-being   also wellbeing\n  Someone’s well-being is their health and happiness.\nSinging can create a sense of wellbeing...\nHis work emphasised the emotional as well as the physical well-being of children.\n  N-UNCOUNT: usu with supp


Words: well-bred
Meaning:
well-bred   also well bred\n  A well-bred person is very polite and has good manners.\nShe was too well bred to want to hurt the little boy’s feelings.\n  ADJ\n  = well-mannered


Words: well-brought-up
Meaning:
well-brought-up   also well brought up\n  If you say that someone, especially a child, is well-brought-up, you mean that they are very polite because they have been taught good manners.\n  ADJ


Words: well-built
Meaning:
well-built   also well built\n  A well-built person, especially a man, has quite a big body and quite large muscles.\nMitchell is well built, of medium height, with a dark complexion.\n  ADJ


Words: well-connected
Meaning:
well-connected   also well connected\n  Someone who is well-connected has important or influential relatives or friends.\n  ADJ


Words: well-defined
Meaning:
well-defined   also well defined\n  Something that is well-defined is clear and precise and therefore easy to recognize or understand.\nToday’s pawnbrokers operate within well-defined financial regulations.\n  ADJ


Words: well-dressed
Meaning:
well-dressed   also well dressed\n  Someone who is well-dressed is wearing smart or elegant clothes.\nShe’s always well dressed.\n  ADJ\n  = smart


Words: well-earned
Meaning:
well-earned   also well earned\n  You can use well-earned to indicate that you think something is deserved, usually because the person who gets it has been working very hard.\nTake a well-earned rest and go out and enjoy yourself.\n...his well-earned win in Sunday’s race.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: well-endowed
Meaning:
well-endowed\n1. If someone says that a woman is well-endowed, they mean that she has large breasts. If someone says that a man is well-endowed, they mean that he has a large penis. People often use this expression if they are trying to be polite.\nI spotted a well-endowed girl in the audience wearing a tight white T-shirt.\n...the chalk figure of a well-endowed warrior.\n  ADJ\n\n2. A well-endowed organization has a lot of money or resources.\nIn a large, well-endowed school, the opportunities for laboratory work are likely to be greater.\n  ADJ


Words: well-established
Meaning:
well-established   also well established\n  If you say that something is well-established, you mean that it has been in existence for quite a long time and is successful.\nThe University has a well-established tradition of welcoming postgraduate students from overseas.\n...well-established companies such as Compaq and Olivetti.\n  ADJ


Words: well-fed
Meaning:
well-fed   also well fed\n  If you say that someone is well-fed, you mean that they get good food regularly.\n...his well-fed children.\n  ADJ


Words: well-founded
Meaning:
well-founded   also well founded\n  If you say that a report, opinion, or feeling is well-founded, you mean that it is based on facts and can therefore be justified.\nIf the reports are well founded, the incident could seriously aggravate relations between the two nations...\n  ADJ


Words: well-groomed
Meaning:
well-groomed   also well groomed\n  A well-groomed person is very neat and tidy, and looks as if they have taken care over their appearance.\n  ADJ


Words: well-hung
Meaning:
well-hung\n  If someone says that a man is well-hung, they are saying in a polite or humorous way that he has a large penis.\n  ADJ


Words: well-informed
Meaning:
[`wl n`frmd;`wel in`f:md]\nwell-informed  better-informed   also well informed\n  If you say that someone is well-informed, you mean that they know a lot about many different subjects or about one particular subject.\n...a lending library to encourage members to become as well informed as possible...\n  ADJ


Words: well-intentioned
Meaning:
well-intentioned   also well intentioned\n  If you say that a person or their actions are well-intentioned, you mean that they intend to be helpful or kind but they are unsuccessful or cause problems.\nHe is well-intentioned but a poor administrator.\n...rules that, however well-intentioned, are often hopelessly impractical.\n  ADJ\n  = well-meaning


Words: well-kept
Meaning:
well-kept   also well kept\n1. A well-kept building, street, garden, or other place is always neat and tidy because it is carefully looked after.\n...two idyllic thatched cottages with well-kept gardens.\n  ADJ\n\n2. A well-kept secret has not been told or made known to anyone, or has been told or made known to only a small number of people.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: well-known
Meaning:
well-known   also well known\n1. A well-known person or thing is known about by a lot of people and is therefore famous or familiar. If someone is well-known for a particular activity, a lot of people know about them because of their involvement with that activity.\nHe surrounds himself with attractive, intelligent, or well-known people...\nHubbard was well known for his work in the field of drug rehabilitation.\n  ADJ\n\n2. A well-known fact is a fact that is known by people in general.\nIt is well known that bamboo shoots are a panda’s staple diet.\n  ADJ


Words: well-meaning
Meaning:
well-meaning   also well meaning\n  If you say that a person or their actions are well-meaning, you mean that they intend to be helpful or kind but they are unsuccessful or cause problems.\nHe is a well-meaning but ineffectual leader...\nEven well-meaning attempts at conservation can bring problems.\n  ADJ\n  = well-intentioned


Words: well-meant
Meaning:
well-meant   also well meant\n  A well-meant decision, action, or comment is intended to be helpful or kind but is unsuccessful or causes problems.\nAny decision taken by them now, however well meant, could complicate the peace process.\n...a well-meant experiment gone wrong.\n  ADJ\n  = well-intentioned


Words: well-nigh
Meaning:
well-nigh   also well nigh\n  Well-nigh means almost, but not completely or exactly.\nFinding a rug that’s just the colour, size and price you want can be well-nigh impossible.\n  ADV: ADV adj\n  = practically


Words: well-off
Meaning:
well-off   also well off\n  Someone who is well-off is rich enough to be able to do and buy most of the things that they want. (INFORMAL)\nMy grandparents were quite well off.\n  ADJ\n  = well-to-do\n  The well-off are people who are well-off.\n...higher tax rates on the well-off.\n  N-PLURAL: the N


Words: well-oiled
Meaning:
well-oiled\n  Journalists sometimes refer to a system or organization that is operating very efficiently as a well-oiled machine.\n...a well-oiled publicity machine...\n  ADJ: ADJ n


Words: well-paid
Meaning:
well-paid   also well paid\n  If you say that a person or their job is well-paid, you mean that they receive a lot of money for the work that they do.\nKate was well paid and enjoyed her job...\nI have an interesting, well-paid job, with opportunities to travel.\n  ADJ


Words: well-preserved
Meaning:
well-preserved   also well preserved\n1. If you describe a middle-aged or old person as well-preserved, you mean that they look good for their age.\nAnnie is a well-preserved 50-year-old.\n  ADJ\n\n2. A well-preserved object or building does not show any signs of its age.\n...well-preserved fossils...\n  ADJ


Words: well-read
Meaning:
well-read   also well read\n  A well-read person has read a lot of books and has learned a lot from them.\nHe was clever, well-read and interested in the arts.\n  ADJ


Words: well-spoken
Meaning:
well-spoken   also well spoken\n  A well-spoken person speaks in a polite correct way and with an accent which is considered socially acceptable.\nI remember her as a quiet, hard-working and well-spoken girl.\n  ADJ


Words: well-thumbed
Meaning:
well-thumbed\n  A book or magazine that is well-thumbed is creased and marked because it has been read so often.\n  ADJ


Words: well-timed
Meaning:
well-timed   also well timed\n  A well-timed action or comment is done or made at the most appropriate or suitable time.\nHe built the company through a string of well-timed acquisitions...\nOne well-timed word from you will be all it needs.\n  ADJ\n  = timely


Words: well-to-do
Meaning:
well-to-do\n  A well-to-do person is rich enough to be able to do and buy most of the things that they want.\n...a rather well-to-do family of diamond cutters.\n...two well educated girls from well-to-do homes.\n  ADJ\n  = well-off\n  The well-to-do are people who are well-to-do.\n...a firm that installed stereo equipment in homes of the well-to-do.\n  N-PLURAL: the N


Words: well-travelled
Meaning:
well-travelled\nin AM, use well-traveled\n  A well-travelled person has travelled a lot in foreign countries.\n  ADJ\n  = much-travelled


Words: well-tried
Meaning:
well-tried   also well tried\n  A well-tried treatment, product, or method is one that has been used many times before and so is known to work well or to be successful.\nThere are a number of well-tried remedies which are perfectly safe to take...\n  ADJ\n  = tried and tested


Words: well-trodden
Meaning:
well-trodden\n1. A well-trodden path is used regularly by a large number of people, and therefore looks worn and is easy to see.\nHe made his way along a well-trodden path towards the shed.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n2. You can use well-trodden, especially in expressions such as a well-trodden path and well-trodden ground, to indicate that a plan or course of action has been tried by a lot of people and so the result of it is easy to predict.\nPolitical power has long been a well-trodden path to personal wealth...\nThese working parties will be going over well-trodden ground.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: well-wisher
Meaning:
well-wisher  well-wishers   also wellwisher\n  Well-wishers are people who hope that a particular person or thing will be successful, and who show this by their behaviour.\nThe main street was lined with well-wishers.\n  N-COUNT: usu pl


Words: well-worn
Meaning:
well-worn   also well worn\n1. A well-worn expression, remark, or idea has been used so often that it no longer seems to have much meaning or to be interesting.\nTo use a well-worn cliche, it is packed with information.\n  ADJ\n  = hackneyed\n2. A well-worn object or piece of clothing has been worn or used so frequently that it looks rather old and untidy.\n...well-worn brown shoes.\n  ADJ


Words: wellington
Meaning:
wel.ling.ton\n   wellington  wellingtons\n  Wellingtons or wellington boots are long rubber boots which you wear to keep your feet dry. (mainly BRIT; in AM, usually use rubber boots)\n  N-COUNT: usu pl


Words: wellness
Meaning:
well.ness\n   wellness\n  Your wellness is how healthy you are, and how well and happy you feel.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: welly
Meaning:
wel.ly\n   welly  wellies\n  Wellies are long rubber boots which you wear to keep your feet dry. (BRIT INFORMAL)\n  N-COUNT: usu pl


Words: Welsh
Meaning:
Welsh\n1. Welsh means belonging or relating to Wales, or to its people, language, or culture.\n  ADJ\n\n  The Welsh are the people of Wales.\n  N-PLURAL: usu the N\n\n2. Welsh is the language that is spoken in some parts of Wales.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: Welshman
Meaning:
Welsh.man\n   Welshman  Welshmen\n  A Welshman is a man who was born in Wales and considers himself to be Welsh.\n  N-COUNT


Words: welt
Meaning:
welt  welts\n  A welt is a mark which is made on someone’s skin, usually by a blow from something such as a whip or sword.\n  N-COUNT\n  = weal


Words: welter
Meaning:
wel.ter\n   welter\n  A welter of something is a large quantity of it which occurs suddenly or in a confusing way. (WRITTEN)\n...patients with a welter of confusing symptoms.\n...the welter of publicity that followed his engagement.\n  QUANT: QUANT of pl-n-uncount


Words: wench
Meaning:
wench  wenches\n  A wench was a girl or young woman who worked as a servant or served people food or drink. (OLD-FASHIONED)\n  N-COUNT


Words: wend
Meaning:
wend  wends  wending  wended\n  If you wend your way in a particular direction, you walk, especially slowly, casually, or carefully, in that direction. (LITERARY)\nSleepy-eyed commuters were wending their way to work.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR prep/adv\n  = make your way


Words: Wendy house
Meaning:
Wendy house Wendy houses\n  A Wendy house is a small toy house for a child to play in. (BRIT; in AM, use playhouse)\n  N-COUNT


Words: were
Meaning:
were  WEAK   STRONG\n1. Were is the plural and the second person singular of the past tense of be.\n\n2. Were is sometimes used instead of `was’ in certain structures, for example in conditional clauses or after the verb `wish’. (FORMAL)\nHe told a diplomat that he might withdraw if he were allowed to keep part of a disputed oil field...\n\n3.\nas it were: see as


Words: werewolf
Meaning:
were.wolf\n   werewolf  werewolves\n  In stories and films, a werewolf is a person who changes into a wolf.\n  N-COUNT


Words: west
Meaning:
west   also West\n1. The west is the direction which you look towards in the evening in order to see the sun set.\nI pushed on towards Flagstaff, a hundred miles to the west...\nThe sun crosses the sky from east to west.\n  N-UNCOUNT: also the N\n\n2. The west of a place, country, or region is the part of it which is in the west.\n...physicists working at Bristol University in the west of England.\n  N-SING: usu the N, oft N of n\n\n3. If you go west, you travel towards the west.\nWe are going West to California.\n  ADV: ADV after v\n\n4. Something that is west of a place is positioned to the west of it.\n...their home town of Paisley, several miles west of Glasgow.\n  ADV: usu ADV of n\n\n5. The west part of a place, country, or region is the part which is towards the west.\n...a small island off the west coast of South Korea.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n6. West is used in the names of some countries, states, and regions in the west of a larger area.\nMark has been working in West Africa for about six months.\n...his West London home.\n...Charleston, West Virginia.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n7. A west wind blows from the west.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n8. The West is used to refer to the United States, Canada, and the countries of Western, Northern, and Southern Europe.\n...relations between Iran and the West.\n  N-SING: the N


Words: West German
Meaning:
West Ger.man\n   West German  West Germans\n1. West German means belonging or relating to the part of Germany that was known as the Federal Republic of Germany before the two parts of Germany were united in 1990. West German also means belonging or relating to the people or culture of this part of Germany.\n  ADJ\n\n2. A West German is someone who was a citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany, or a person of West German origin.\n  N-COUNT


Words: West Indian
Meaning:
West In.dian\n   West Indian  West Indians\n1. West Indian means belonging or relating to the West Indies, or to its people or culture.\n  ADJ\n\n2. A West Indian is a citizen of the West Indies or a person of West Indian origin.\n  N-COUNT


Words: westbound
Meaning:
west.bound\n   westbound\n  Westbound roads or vehicles lead to the west or are travelling towards the west.\nTraffic is slow on the westbound carriageway of the M4.\n...the last westbound train to leave Chicago.\n  ADJ: ADJ n


Words: westerly
Meaning:
west.er.ly\n   westerly\n1. A westerly point, area, or direction is to the west or towards the west.\n...Finisterre, Spain’s most westerly point...\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n2. A westerly wind blows from the west.\n...a prevailing westerly wind.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: western
Meaning:
west.ern\n   western  westerns   also Western\n1. Western means in or from the west of a region, state, or country.\n...hand-made rugs from Western and Central Asia.\n...Moi University, in western Kenya.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n2. Western is used to describe things, people, ideas, or ways of life that come from or are associated with the United States, Canada, and the countries of Western, Northern, and Southern Europe.\nMexico had the support of the big western governments...\nThose statements have never been reported in the Western media.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n3. A western is a book or film about life in the west of America in the nineteenth century, especially the lives of cowboys.\n  N-COUNT


Words: westerner
Meaning:
west.ern.er\n   westerner  westerners   also Westerner\n  A westerner is a person who was born in or lives in the United States, Canada, or Western, Northern, or Southern Europe.\nNo westerner could fly in without a visa.\n  N-COUNT


Words: westernization
Meaning:
west.erni.za.tion\n   westernization\nin BRIT, also use westernisation\n  The westernization of a country, place, or person is the process of them adopting ideas and behaviour that are typical of Europe and North America, rather than preserving the ideas and behaviour traditional in their culture.\n...fundamentalists unhappy with the westernization of Afghan culture...\nThe explosive growth in casinos is one of the most conspicuous signs of Westernisation.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: westernized
Meaning:
west.ern.ized\n   westernized\nin BRIT, also use westernised\n  A westernized country, place, or person has adopted ideas and behaviour typical of Europe and North America, rather than preserving the ideas and behaviour that are traditional in their culture.\n...Africans educated in Europe, and thoroughly Westernized in their thinking...\n  ADJ


Words: westernmost
Meaning:
west.ern.most\n   westernmost\n  The westernmost part of an area or the westernmost place is the one that is farthest towards the west.\n...the westernmost province of North Sudan.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: westward
Meaning:
west.ward\n   westward   also westwards\n  Westward means towards the west.\nHe sailed westward from Palos de la Frontera...\nWithin hours, she was free to resume her journey westward.\n  ADV: usu ADV after v, also n ADV\n\n  Westward is also an adjective.\n...the one-hour westward flight over the Andes to Lima.\n  ADJ: ADJ n


Words: wet
Meaning:
wet  wetter  wettest  wets  wetting  wetted\n\n  The forms wet and wetted are both used as the past tense and past participle of the verb.\n\n1. If something is wet, it is covered in water, rain, sweat, tears, or another liquid.\nHe towelled his wet hair...\nI lowered myself to the water’s edge, getting my feet wet...\nMy gloves were soaking wet...\nI saw his face was wet with tears.\n  ADJ\n  !=dry\n=>  wet.ly\nHer hair clung wetly to her head.\n  ADV: usu ADV after v\n\n=>  wet.ness\nAnti-perspirants stop wetness, deodorants stop odour.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n  !=dryness\n2. To wet something means to get water or some other liquid over it.\nWhen assembling the pie, wet the edges where the two crusts join...\nFielding nervously wet his lips and tried to smile.\n  VERB: V n, V n\n\n3. If the weather is wet, it is raining.\nIf the weather is wet or cold choose an indoor activity...\nIt was a miserable wet day.\n  ADJ\n  = rainy  !=dry\n  The wet is used to mean wet weather.\nThey had come in from the cold and the wet...\n  N-SING: the N\n\n4. If something such as paint, ink, or cement is wet, it is not yet dry or solid.\nI lay the painting flat to stop the wet paint running...\n  ADJ\n  !=dry\n5. If people, especially children, wet their beds or clothes or wet themselves, they urinate in their beds or in their clothes because they cannot stop themselves.\nA quarter of 4-year-olds frequently wet the bed...\nTo put it plainly, they wet themselves.\n  VERB: V n, V pron-refl\n\n6. If you say that someone is still wet behind the ears, you mean that they have only recently arrived in a new place or job, and are therefore still not experienced.\n  PHRASE: v-link PHR


Words: wet blanket
Meaning:
wet blan.ket\n   wet blanket  wet blankets\n  If you say that someone is a wet blanket, you are criticizing them because they refuse to join other people in an enjoyable activity or because they want to stop other people enjoying themselves. (INFORMAL)\n  N-COUNT  disapproval\n  = spoilsport


Words: wet dream
Meaning:
wet dream  wet dreams\n1. If a man has a wet dream, he has a dream about sex which causes him to have an orgasm while he is asleep.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. If someone says that a person or thing is a particular person’s wet dream, they are saying in an unkind and mocking way that this person or thing would give that person a lot of pleasure. (INFORMAL, RUDE)\n  N-COUNT: usu poss N


Words: wet nurse
Meaning:
wet nurse  wet nurses   also wet-nurse\n  In former times, a wet nurse was a woman who was paid to breast-feed another woman’s baby.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wet suit
Meaning:
wet suit  wet suits   also wetsuit\n  A wet suit is a close-fitting rubber suit which an underwater swimmer wears in order to keep their body warm.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wetback
Meaning:
wet.back\n   wetback  wetbacks\n  Wetback is sometimes used to refer to a Mexican or a Mexican-American who has entered the United States illegally in order to work or live there. (AM INFORMAL, OFFENSIVE)\n  N-COUNT


Words: wetland
Meaning:
wet.land\n   wetland  wetlands\n  A wetland is an area of very wet, muddy land with wild plants growing in it. You can also refer to an area like this as wetlands.\n...a scheme that aims to protect the wilderness of the wetlands...\nThere are some areas of wetland which are of ancient origin.\n  N-VAR: oft N n


Words: whack
Meaning:
whack  whacks  whacking  whacked\n1. If you whack someone or something, you hit them hard. (INFORMAL)\nYou really have to whack the ball...\nSomeone whacked him on the head.\n  VERB: V n, V n prep\n\n  Whack is also a noun.\nHe gave the donkey a whack across the back with his stick...\n  N-COUNT; SOUND\n\n2. Your whack of something is your share of it. (BRIT INFORMAL)\nThe majority of people in this country pay their whack...\nWe need to win a fair whack of the contracts.\n  N-SING: oft poss N\n  = share


Words: whacking
Meaning:
whack.ing\n   whacking\n  You can use whacking to emphasize how big something is. (BRIT INFORMAL)\nThe supermarkets may be making whacking profits.\n  ADJ: ADJ n  emphasis\n  = enormous\n  Whacking is also an adverb.\n...a whacking great hole.\n  ADV: ADV adj


Words: whale
Meaning:
whale  whales\n1. Whales are very large mammals that live in the sea.\n  N-COUNT\n\n  see also killer whale, sperm whale\n2. If you say that someone is having a whale of a time, you mean that they are enjoying themselves very much. (INFORMAL)\nI had a whale of a time in Birmingham.\n  PHRASE: V inflects


Words: whaler
Meaning:
whal.er\n   whaler  whalers\n1. A whaler is a ship which is used in hunting whales.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. A whaler is someone who works on a ship which is used in hunting whales.\n  N-COUNT


Words: whaling
Meaning:
whal.ing\n   whaling\n  Whaling is the activity of hunting and killing whales.\n...a ban on commercial whaling.\n...the whaling industry.\n  N-UNCOUNT: oft N n


Words: wham
Meaning:
wham\n  You use wham to indicate that something happens suddenly or forcefully. (INFORMAL)\nThen I met someone and wham, bam, I was completely in love...\n  EXCLAM


Words: whammy
Meaning:
wham.my\n   whammy\n  Whammy is used in expressions such as double whammy and triple whammy to indicate that two or three unpleasant or difficult situations occur at the same time, or occur one after the other. (mainly JOURNALISM)\nThis is a double whammy for public sector workers...\n  N-SING: adj N


Words: wharf
Meaning:
wharf  wharves  or wharfs\n  A wharf is a platform by a river or the sea where ships can be tied up.\n  N-COUNT\n  = jetty, quay


Words: what
Meaning:
what\n1. You use what in questions when you ask for specific information about something that you do not know.\nWhat do you want?...\n`Has something happened?’.`Indeed it has.’.`What?’...\nHey! What are you doing?\n  QUEST\n\n  What is also a determiner.\nWhat time is it?...\n`The heater works.’.`What heater?’...\nWhat kind of poetry does he like?\n  DET\n\n2. You use what after certain words, especially verbs and adjectives, when you are referring to a situation that is unknown or has not been specified.\nYou can imagine what it would be like driving a car into a brick wall at 30 miles an hour...\nI want to know what happened to Norman...\nDo you know what those idiots have done?...\nWe had never seen anything like it before and could not see what to do next...\nShe turned scarlet from embarrassment, once she realized what she had done.\n  CONJ\n\n  What is also a determiner.\nI didn’t know what college I wanted to go to...\nI didn’t know what else to say.\n...an inspection to ascertain to what extent colleges are responding to the needs of industry.\n  DET\n\n3. You use what at the beginning of a clause in structures where you are changing the order of the information to give special emphasis to something.\nWhat precisely triggered off yesterday’s riot is still unclear...\nWhat I wanted, more than anything, was a few days’ rest...\n  CONJ  emphasis\n\n4. You use what in expressions such as what is called and what amounts to when you are giving a description of something.\nShe had been in what doctors described as an irreversible vegetative state for five years...\n  CONJ\n\n5. You use what to indicate that you are talking about the whole of an amount that is available to you.\nHe drinks what is left in his glass as if it were water...\n  CONJ\n\n  What is also a determiner.\nThey had had to use what money they had.\n  DET\n  = whatever\n6. You say `What?’ to tell someone who has indicated that they want to speak to you that you have heard them and are inviting them to continue. (SPOKEN)\n`Dad?’.`What?’.`Can I have the car tonight?’\n  CONVENTION  formulae\n\n7. You say `What?’ when you ask someone to repeat the thing that they have just said because you did not hear or understand it properly. `What?’ is more informal and less polite than expressions such as `Pardon?’ and `Excuse me?’. (SPOKEN)\n`They could paint this place,’ she said. `What?’ he asked.\n  CONVENTION  formulae\n\n8. You say `What’ to express surprise.\n`Adolphus Kelling, I arrest you on a charge of trafficking in narcotics.’.`What?’\n  CONVENTION  feelings\n\n9. You use what in exclamations to emphasize an opinion or reaction.\nWhat a horrible thing to do...\nWhat a busy day.\n  PREDET  emphasis\n\n  What is also a determiner.\nWhat ugly things; throw them away, throw them away...\nWhat great news, Jakki.\n  DET\n\n10. You use what to indicate that you are making a guess about something such as an amount or value.\nIt’s, what, eleven years or more since he’s seen him...\n  ADV: ADV n\n\n11. You say guess what or do you know what to introduce a piece of information which is surprising, which is not generally known, or which you want to emphasize.\nGuess what? I’m going to dinner at Mrs. Combley’s tonight...\n  CONVENTION\n\n12. In conversation, you say or what? after a question as a way of stating an opinion forcefully and showing that you expect other people to agree.\nLook at that moon. Is that beautiful or what?...\nAm I wasting my time here, or what?\n  PHRASE: cl PHR  emphasis\n\n13. You say so what? or what of it? to indicate that the previous remark seems unimportant, uninteresting, or irrelevant to you.\n`I skipped off school today,’.`So what? What’s so special about that?’...\n`You’re talking to yourself.’.`Well, what of it?’\n  CONVENTION  feelings\n  = so\n14. You say `Tell you what’ to introduce a suggestion or offer.\nTell you what, let’s stay here another day.\n  PHRASE: PHR cl\n\n15. You use what about at the beginning of a question when you make a suggestion, offer, or request.\n(next)


Words: what .1
Meaning:
What about going out with me tomorrow?...\n  PHRASE: PHR n/-ing\n\n16. You use what about or what of when you introduce a new topic or a point which seems relevant to a previous remark.\nNow you’ve talked about work on daffodils, what about other commercially important flowers, like roses?...\n  PHRASE: PHR group/cl\n\n17. You say what about a particular person or thing when you ask someone to explain why they have asked you about that person or thing.\n`This thing with the Corbett woman.’.`Oh, yeah. What about her?’\n  PHRASE: PHR n\n\n18. You say what have you at the end of a list in order to refer generally to other things of the same kind.\nSo many things are unsafe these days.milk, cranberry sauce, what have you...\nMy great-grandfather made horseshoes and nails and what have you.\n  PHRASE: n PHR, n and/or PHR  vagueness\n\n19. You say what if at the beginning of a question when you ask about the consequences of something happening, especially something undesirable.\nWhat if this doesn’t work out?...\n  PHRASE: PHR cl\n\n20. If you know what’s what, you know the important things that need to be known about a situation.\nYou have to know what’s what and when to draw the line...\nYou should come across the river with us. Then you will really see what’s what.\n  PHRASE: PHR after v\n\n21.\nwhat’s more: see more


Words: what’s
Meaning:
what’s\n  What’s is the usual spoken form of `what is’ or `what has’, especially when `has’ is an auxiliary verb.


Words: whatever
Meaning:
what.ev.er\n   whatever\n1. You use whatever to refer to anything or everything of a particular type.\nFranklin was free to do pretty much whatever he pleased...\nWhen you’re older I think you’re better equipped mentally to cope with whatever happens...\nHe’s good at whatever he does.\n  CONJ\n\n  Whatever is also a determiner.\nWhatever doubts he might have had about Ingrid were all over now.\n  DET\n  = any\n2. You use whatever to say that something is the case in all circumstances.\nWe shall love you whatever happens, Diana...\nPeople will judge you whatever you do...\nShe runs about 15 miles a day every day, whatever the weather.\n  CONJ\n\n3. You use whatever after a noun group in order to emphasize a negative statement.\nThere is no evidence whatever that competition in broadcasting has ever reduced costs...\nI have nothing whatever to say.\n  ADV: with brd-neg, n ADV  emphasis\n  = whatsoever\n4. You use whatever to ask in an emphatic way about something which you are very surprised about.\nWhatever can you mean?...\n  QUEST  emphasis\n  = what\n5. You use whatever when you are indicating that you do not know the precise identity, meaning, or value of the thing just mentioned.\nI thought that my upbringing was `normal’, whatever that is...\n  CONJ  vagueness\n\n6. You say or whatever to refer generally to something else of the same kind as the thing or things that you have just mentioned. (INFORMAL)\nYou may like a Malt whisky that is peatier, or smokier, or sweeter, or whatever.\n  PHRASE: cl/group PHR\n\n7. You say `whatever you say’ to indicate that you accept what someone has said, even though you do not really believe them or do not think it is a good idea.\n`We’ll go in your car, Billy.’.`Whatever you say.’\n  CONVENTION  feelings\n\n8. You say whatever you do when giving advice or warning someone about something.\nWhatever you do, don’t look for a pay increase when you know the company is going through some difficulty...\n  PHRASE: PHR cl  emphasis


Words: whatnot
Meaning:
what.not\n   whatnot\n  People sometimes say `and whatnot’ or `or whatnot’ after mentioning one or more things, to refer in a vague way to other things which are similar. (INFORMAL, SPOKEN)\nThe women were there in their jeans and T-shirts and overalls and whatnot...\nThe council can send messages or letters or whatnot in Spanish to their constituents.\n  PHRASE: cl/group PHR  vagueness\n  = whatever


Words: whatshername
Meaning:
whats.her.name\n   whatshername   also whatsername\n  You say whatshername instead of a woman’s name when you cannot remember it or are trying to remember it. (SPOKEN)\nThat’s the thing that whatshername gave me.\n  PRON


Words: whatshisname
Meaning:
whats.his.name\n   whatshisname   also whatsisname\n  You say whatshisname instead of a man’s name when you cannot remember it or are trying to remember it. (SPOKEN)\n...the new junior minister, whatsisname, Donald Sinclair.\n  PRON


Words: whatsit
Meaning:
whats.it\n   whatsit  whatsits\n  You use whatsit instead of a noun or name which you cannot remember or which you do not want to say because it is rude. (SPOKEN)\nWe wanted to be here early in case the whatsit, maintenance supervisor had forgotten to deal with it...\n  N-VAR


Words: whatsoever
Meaning:
what.so.ev.er\n   whatsoever\n  You use whatsoever after a noun group in order to emphasize a negative statement.\nMy school did nothing whatsoever in the way of athletics...\nI don’t think they’ll have any idea how I’m feeling. None whatsoever...\n  ADV: usu with brd-neg, n ADV  emphasis


Words: wheat
Meaning:
wheat  wheats\n  Wheat is a cereal crop grown for food. Wheat is also used to refer to the grain of this crop, which is usually ground into flour and used to make bread.\n...farmers growing wheat, corn, or other crops.\n...wheat flour.\n  N-MASS\n\nto separate the wheat from the chaff: see chaff


Words: wheatgerm
Meaning:
wheat.germ\n   wheatgerm   also wheat germ\n  Wheatgerm is the middle part of a grain of wheat which is rich in vitamins and is often added to other food.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wheedle
Meaning:
whee.dle\n   wheedle  wheedles  wheedling  wheedled\n  If you say that someone wheedles, you mean that they try to persuade someone to do or give them what they want, for example by saying nice things that they do not mean.\nCross decided to beg and wheedle a bit...\nHe managed to wheedle his way into the offices.\n...an opportunity to wheedle more money out of Wilson...\n  VERB: V, V way prep, V n out of/from n  disapproval


Words: wheel
Meaning:
wheel  wheels  wheeling  wheeled\n1. The wheels of a vehicle are the circular objects which are fixed underneath it and which enable it to move along the ground.\nThe car wheels spun and slipped on some oil on the road.\n  N-COUNT\n\n  Something on wheels has wheels attached to the bottom, so that it can be moved easily.\n...a trolley on wheels...\nThe stove is on wheels so it can be shuffled around easily.\n  PHRASE: n PHR, v-link PHR\n\n2. A wheel is a circular object which forms a part of a machine, usually a moving part.\n...an eighteenth century mill with a water wheel.\n  N-COUNT\n\n3. The wheel of a car or other vehicle is the circular object that is used to steer it. The wheel is used in expressions to talk about who is driving a vehicle. For example, if someone is at the wheel of a car, they are driving it.\nMy co-pilot suddenly grabbed the wheel...\nCurtis got behind the wheel and they started back toward the cottage...\nRoberto handed Flynn the keys and let him take the wheel.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing, the N\n  = steering wheel\n4. If you wheel an object that has wheels somewhere, you push it along.\nHe wheeled his bike into the alley at the side of the house...\nThey wheeled her out on the stretcher.\n  VERB: V n prep/adv, V n prep/adv\n\n5. If something such as a group of animals or birds wheels, it moves in a circle. (LITERARY)\nA flock of crows wheeled overhead.\n  VERB: V\n\n6. If you wheel around, you turn around suddenly where you are standing, often because you are surprised, shocked, or angry.\nHe wheeled around to face her...\n  VERB: V adv\n\n7. People talk about the wheels of an organization or system to mean the way in which it operates.\nHe knows the wheels of administration turn slowly.\n  N-PLURAL: the N of n\n\nto oil the wheels: see oil\n8.\n  see also Catherine wheel, meals on wheels, potter’s wheel, spare wheel, spinning wheel, steering wheel, water wheel


Words: wheel and deal
Meaning:
wheel and deal  wheels and deals  wheeling and dealing  wheeled and dealed\n  If you say that someone wheels and deals, you mean that they use a lot of different methods and contacts to achieve what they want in business or politics, often in a way which you consider dishonest.\nHe still wheels and deals around the globe.\n  VERB: V\n\n=>  wheel.ing and deal.ing\nHe hates the wheeling and dealing associated with conventional political life.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wheel clamp
Meaning:
wheel clamp  wheel clamps  wheel clamping  wheel clamped\n1. A wheel clamp is a large metal device which is fitted to the wheel of an illegally parked car or other vehicle in order to prevent it from being driven away. The motorist has to pay to have the clamp removed. (BRIT; in AM, use Denver boot)\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. If a car is wheel clamped, a wheel clamp is fixed to one of its wheels so that it cannot be driven away. (BRIT; in AM, use boot)\nUnauthorized vehicles will be wheel clamped or towed away.\n  VERB: be V-ed\n\n=>  wheel-clamping\n...drivers forced to pay wheel-clamping charges.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wheelbarrow
Meaning:
wheel.barrow\n   wheelbarrow  wheelbarrows\n  A wheelbarrow is a small open cart with one wheel and handles that is used for carrying things, for example in the garden.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wheelbase
Meaning:
wheel.base\n   wheelbase  wheelbases\n  The wheelbase of a car or other vehicle is the distance between its front and back wheels.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing


Words: wheelchair
Meaning:
wheel.chair\n   wheelchair  wheelchairs\n  A wheelchair is a chair with wheels that you use in order to move about in if you cannot walk properly, for example because you are disabled or sick.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wheeler-dealer
Meaning:
wheeler-dealer  wheeler-dealers\n  If you refer to someone, especially in business or politics, as a wheeler-dealer, you disapprove of the way that they try to succeed or to get what they want, often by dishonest or unfair methods.\n  N-COUNT  disapproval


Words: wheelhouse
Meaning:
wheel.house\n   wheelhouse  wheelhouses\n  A wheelhouse is a small room or shelter on a ship or boat, where the wheel used for steering the boat is situated.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wheelie bin
Meaning:
wheelie bin  wheelie bins\n  A wheelie bin is a large, rectangular dustbin with a hinged lid and wheels on two of the corners. (BRIT, AUSTRALIAN)\n  N-COUNT


Words: wheelwright
Meaning:
wheel.wright\n   wheelwright  wheelwrights\n  A wheelwright is someone who makes and repairs wooden wheels and other wooden things such as carts, carriages, and gates.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wheeze
Meaning:
wheeze  wheezes  wheezing  wheezed\n  If someone wheezes, they breathe with difficulty and make a whistling sound.\nHe had quite serious problems with his chest and wheezed and coughed all the time...\n`Boy,’ wheezed old Pop Ryan.\n  VERB: V, V with quote


Words: wheezy
Meaning:
wheezy\n  A wheezy cough or laugh comes from someone who has difficulty breathing, so it makes a whistling sound.\n  ADJ


Words: whelk
Meaning:
whelk  whelks\n  A whelk is a creature like a snail that is found in the sea near the shore. Whelks have hard shells, and soft bodies which can be eaten.\n  N-COUNT


Words: whelp
Meaning:
whelp  whelps\n  A whelp is a young animal, especially a young dog or wolf. (OLD-FASHIONED)\n  N-COUNT


Words: when
Meaning:
when\n1. You use when to ask questions about the time at which things happen.\nWhen are you going home?...\nWhen is the press conference?...\nWhen were you in this house last?...\n`I’ll be there this afternoon.’.`When?’\n  QUEST\n\n2. If something happens when something else is happening, the two things are happening at the same time.\nWhen eating a whole cooked fish, you should never turn it over to get at the flesh on the other side...\nMustard is grown in the field when weeds are there, rather than when the growing crops are there.\n  CONJ\n\n3. You use when to introduce a clause in which you mention something which happens at some point during an activity, event, or situation.\nWhen I met the Gills, I had been gardening for nearly ten years.\n  CONJ\n\n4. You use when to introduce a clause where you mention the circumstances under which the event in the main clause happened or will happen.\nWhen he brought Imelda her drink she gave him a genuine, sweet smile of thanks...\nI’ll start to think about it when I have to write my report.\n  CONJ\n\n5. You use when after certain words, especially verbs and adjectives, to introduce a clause where you mention the time at which something happens.\nI asked him when he’d be back to pick me up...\nI don’t know when the decision was made...\n  CONJ\n\n6. You use when to introduce a clause which specifies or refers to the time at which something happens.\nHe could remember a time when he had worked like that himself...\nIn 1973, when he lived in Rome, his sixteen-year-old son was kidnapped.\n  PRON\n\n7. You use when to introduce the reason for an opinion, comment, or question.\nHow can I love myself when I look like this?...\n  CONJ\n\n8. You use when in order to introduce a fact or comment which makes the other part of the sentence rather surprising or unlikely.\nOur mothers sat us down to read and paint, when all we really wanted to do was to make a mess...\n  CONJ\n  = although


Words: whence
Meaning:
whence\n  Whence means from where. (LITERARY or OLD-FASHIONED)\nNo one ordered him back whence he came.\n  QUEST


Words: whenever
Meaning:
when.ever\n   whenever\n1. You use whenever to refer to any time or every time that something happens or is true.\nShe always called at the vicarage whenever she was in the area...\nYou can have my cottage whenever you like...\nI recommend that you avoid processed foods whenever possible.\n  CONJ\n\n2. You use whenever to refer to a time that you do not know or are not sure about.\nHe married Miss Vancouver in 1963, or whenever it was.\n  CONJ


Words: where
Meaning:
where\n1. You use where to ask questions about the place something is in, or is coming from or going to.\nWhere did you meet him?...\nWhere’s Anna?...\nWhere are we going?...\n`You’ll never believe where Julie and I are going.’.`Where?’\n  QUEST\n\n2. You use where after certain words, especially verbs and adjectives, to introduce a clause in which you mention the place in which something is situated or happens.\nHe knew where Henry Carter had gone...\nIf he’s got something on his mind he knows where to find me...\nErnest Brown lives about a dozen blocks from where the riots began.\n  CONJ\n\n  Where is also a relative pronoun.\n...available at the travel agency where you book your holiday...\nWanchai boasts the Academy of Performing Arts, where everything from Chinese Opera to Shakespeare is performed.\n  PRON\n\n3. You use where to ask questions about a situation, a stage in something, or an aspect of something.\nIf they get their way, where will it stop?...\nIt’s not so simple. They’ll have to let the draft board know, and then where will we be?\n  QUEST\n\n4. You use where after certain words, especially verbs and adjectives, to introduce a clause in which you mention a situation, a stage in something, or an aspect of something.\nIt’s not hard to see where she got her feelings about herself...\nShe had a feeling she already knew where this conversation was going to lead...\nI didn’t know where to start.\n  CONJ\n\n  Where is also a relative pronoun.\n...that delicate situation where a friend’s confidence can easily be betrayed...\nThe government is at a stage where it is willing to talk to almost anyone.\n  PRON\n\n5. You use where to introduce a clause that contrasts with the other parts of the sentence.\nSometimes a teacher will be listened to, where a parent might not.\n  CONJ\n  = whereas


Words: whereabouts
Meaning:
where.abouts\n\nPronounced   for meaning 1, and   for meaning 2.\n1. If you refer to the whereabouts of a particular person or thing, you mean the place where that person or thing may be found.\nThe police are anxious to hear from anyone who may know the whereabouts of the firearms...\n  N-SING-COLL: with poss\n\n2. You use whereabouts in questions when you are asking precisely where something is.\nWhereabouts in Liverpool are you from?...\n`I actually live near Chester.’.`Whereabouts?’\n  QUEST\n\n3. You use whereabouts after certain words, especially verbs and adjectives, to introduce a clause in which you mention precisely where something is situated or happens.\nI live in a village near to Germaine Greer and know whereabouts she lives.\n  CONJ


Words: whereas
Meaning:
where.as\n   whereas\n  You use whereas to introduce a comment which contrasts with what is said in the main clause.\nPensions are linked to inflation, whereas they should be linked to the cost of living...\n  CONJ\n  = while


Words: whereby
Meaning:
where.by\n   whereby\n  A system or action whereby something happens is one that makes that thing happen. (FORMAL)\n...the system whereby Britons choose their family doctors and the government pays those doctors...\nThey voted to accept a deal whereby the union will receive nearly three-quarters of a million pounds from the International Miners Organisation.\n  PRON


Words: wherefores
Meaning:
where.fores\n   wherefores\n  The whys and wherefores of something are the reasons for it.\nEven successful bosses need to be queried about the whys and wherefores of their actions.\n  PHRASE: usu PHR of n


Words: wherein
Meaning:
where.in\n   wherein\n1. Wherein means in which place or thing. (FORMAL, LITERARY or OLD-FASHIONED)\n...a riding school wherein we could learn the art of horsemanship...\n  PRON\n\n2. Wherein means in which part or respect. (FORMAL)\nWherein lies the truth?\n  QUEST


Words: whereupon
Meaning:
where.upon\n   whereupon\n  You use whereupon to say that one thing happens immediately after another thing, and usually as a result of it. (FORMAL)\nMr Muite refused to talk to them except in the company of his legal colleagues, whereupon the police officers departed...\n  CONJ


Words: wherever
Meaning:
wher.ever\n   wherever\n1. You use wherever to indicate that something happens or is true in any place or situation.\nSome people enjoy themselves wherever they are...\nJack believed in finding happiness wherever possible...\n  CONJ\n\n2. You use wherever when you indicate that you do not know where a person or place is.\nI’d like to leave as soon as possible and join my children, wherever they are...\n  CONJ\n\n3. You use wherever in questions as an emphatic form of `where’, usually when you are surprised about something.\nWherever did you get that idea?...\nWherever have you been?\n  QUEST  emphasis


Words: wherewithal
Meaning:
where.with.al\n   wherewithal\n  If you have the wherewithal for something, you have the means, especially the money, that you need for it.\nShe didn’t have the financial wherewithal to do it...\n  N-SING: the N, oft N to-inf, N for n/-ing\n  = means


Words: whet
Meaning:
whet  whets  whetting  whetted\n  If someone or something whets your appetite for a particular thing, they increase your desire to have it or know about it, especially by giving you an idea of what it is like.\nA really good catalogue can also whet customers’ appetites for merchandise.\n  PHRASE: V and N inflect, oft PHR for n


Words: whether
Meaning:
wheth.er\n   whether\n1. You use whether when you are talking about a choice or doubt between two or more alternatives.\nTo this day, it’s unclear whether he shot himself or was murdered...\nThey now have two weeks to decide whether or not to buy...\nI don’t know whether they’ve found anybody yet.\n  CONJ\n\n2. You use whether to say that something is true in any of the circumstances that you mention.\nWhether they say it aloud or not, most men expect their wives to be faithful.\n...beers and lagers of all kinds, whether bottled or draught.\n  CONJ


Words: whetstone
Meaning:
whet.stone\n   whetstone  whetstones\n  A whetstone is a stone which is used for sharpening knives or other tools that have a blade.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing


Words: whew
Meaning:
whew\n  Whew is used in writing to represent a sound that you make when you breathe out quickly, for example because you are very hot, very relieved, or very surprised.\n`Whew,’ he said. `It’s hot.’...\n  EXCLAM  feelings


Words: whey
Meaning:
whey\n  Whey is the watery part of sour milk that is separated from the thick part called curds, for example when you are making cheese.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: which
Meaning:
which\n1. You use which in questions when there are two or more possible answers or alternatives.\nWhich do they want me to do, declare war or surrender?...\nWhich are the ones you really like?...\n`You go down that passageway over there.’.`Which one?’...\nWhich vitamin supplements are good value?\n  QUEST\n\n2. You use which to refer to a choice between two or more possible answers or alternatives.\nI wanted to know which school it was you went to...\nScientists have long wondered which parts of the brain are involved in musical tasks.\n  DET\n\n  Which is also a conjunction.\nIn her panic she couldn’t remember which was Mr Grainger’s cabin...\nThere are so many diets on the market, how do you know which to choose?\n  CONJ\n\n3. You use which at the beginning of a relative clause when specifying the thing that you are talking about or when giving more information about it.\nSoldiers opened fire on a car which failed to stop at an army checkpoint...\nHe’s based in Banja Luka, which is the largest city in northern Bosnia...\nColic describes a whole variety of conditions in which a horse suffers abdominal pain...\n  PRON\n\n4. You use which to refer back to an idea or situation expressed in a previous sentence or sentences, especially when you want to give your opinion about it.\nSince we started in September we have raised fifty thousand pounds, which is pretty good going...\n  PRON\n\n  Which is also a determiner.\nThe chances are you haven’t fully decided what you want from your career at the moment, in which case you’re definitely not cut out to be a boss yet!\n  DET: DET sing-n\n\n5. If you cannot tell the difference between two things, you can say that you do not know which is which.\nThey all look so alike to me that I’m never sure which is which...\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n6.\nany which way: see way\nevery which way: see way


Words: whichever
Meaning:
which.ever\n   whichever\n1. You use whichever in order to indicate that it does not matter which of the possible alternatives happens or is chosen.\nIsrael offers automatic citizenship to all Jews who want it, whatever colour they are and whichever language they speak.\n  DET: DET sing-n\n  = whatever\n  Whichever is also a conjunction.\nWe will gladly exchange your goods, or refund your money, whichever you prefer.\n  CONJ\n  = whatever\n2. You use whichever to specify which of a number of possibilities is the right one or the one you mean.\n...learning to relax by whichever method suits you best.\n  DET\n\n  Whichever is also a conjunction.\nFishing is from 6 am to dusk or 10.30pm, whichever is sooner...\n  CONJ


Words: whiff
Meaning:
whiff  whiffs\n1. If there is a whiff of a particular smell, you smell it only slightly or only for a brief period of time, for example as you walk past someone or something.\nHe caught a whiff of her perfume.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing, usu N of n\n\n2. A whiff of something bad or harmful is a slight sign of it.\nNot a whiff of scandal has ever tainted his private life...\n  N-COUNT: usu sing, usu N of n


Words: Whig
Meaning:
Whig  Whigs\n1. A Whig was a member of a British political party in the 18th and 19th centuries that was in favour of political and social changes. (BRIT)\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. In the American Revolution, a Whig was an American who supported the revolution against the British. (AM)\n  N-COUNT\n\n3. A Whig was a member of an American political party in the 19th century that wanted to limit the powers of the President. (AM)\n  N-COUNT


Words: while
Meaning:
CONJUNCTION USES\n   while\n\n  The form whilst is also used in formal or literary English, especially British English.\n\n1. If something happens while something else is happening, the two things are happening at the same time.\nRacing was halted for an hour while the track was repaired...\nHer parents could help with child care while she works.\n  CONJ\n\n2. If something happens while something else happens, the first thing happens at some point during the time that the second thing is happening.\nThe two ministers have yet to meet, but may do so while in New York...\nNever apply water to a burn from an electric shock while the casualty is still in contact with the electric current.\n  CONJ\n\n3. You use while at the beginning of a clause to introduce information which contrasts with information in the main clause.\nThe first two services are free, while the third costs .35.00.\n  CONJ\n  = whereas\n4. You use while, before making a statement, in order to introduce information that partly conflicts with your statement.\nWhile the numbers of such developments are relatively small, the potential market is large...\nWhile the news, so far, has been good, there may be days ahead when it is bad.\n  CONJ\n  = although\n\nNOUN AND VERB USES\n   while  whiles  whiling  whiled\n\nPlease look at category 3 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.\n1. A while is a period of time.\nThey walked on in silence for a while...\nHe was married a little while ago...\nWorking at low intensity means that you can continue to perform the activity for a long while.\n  N-SING: a N, usu adj\n\n2. You use all the while in order to say that something happens continually or that it happens throughout the time when something else is happening.\nAll the while the people at the next table watched me eat.\n  PHRASE: PHR with cl\n\n3.\nonce in a while: see once\nworth your while: see worth


Words: while away
Meaning:
while away\n  If you while away the time in a particular way, you spend time in that way, because you are waiting for something else to happen, or because you have nothing else to do.\nMiss Bennett whiled away the hours playing old films on her video-recorder.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), also V n P


Words: whim
Meaning:
whim  whims\n  A whim is a wish to do or have something which seems to have no serious reason or purpose behind it, and often occurs suddenly.\nWe decided, more or less on a whim, to sail to Morocco...\nThe premium can increase at the whim of the insurers...\n  N-VAR: oft on/at N


Words: whimper
Meaning:
whim.per\n   whimper  whimpers  whimpering  whimpered\n1. If someone whimpers, they make quiet unhappy or frightened sounds, as if they are about to start crying.\nShe lay at the bottom of the stairs, whimpering in pain...\nHe made another pathetic whimpering sound.\n  VERB: V, V-ing\n\n  Whimper is also a noun.\nDavid’s crying subsided to a whimper.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. If someone whimpers something, they say it in an unhappy or frightened way.\n`Let me go,’ she whimpered. `You’re hurting me.’...\nShe whimpered something inaudible.\n  VERB: V with quote, V n


Words: whimsical
Meaning:
whim.si.cal\n   whimsical\n  A whimsical person or idea is unusual, playful, and unpredictable, rather than serious and practical.\nMcGrath remembers his offbeat sense of humor, his whimsical side...\n  ADJ


Words: whimsy
Meaning:
whim.sy\n   whimsy   also whimsey\n  Whimsy is behaviour which is unusual, playful, and unpredictable, rather than having any serious reason or purpose behind it.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: whine
Meaning:
whine  whines  whining  whined\n1. If something or someone whines, they make a long, high-pitched noise, especially one which sounds sad or unpleasant.\nHe could hear her dog barking and whining in the background...\nThe engines whined.\n  VERB: V, V\n\n  Whine is also a noun.\n...the whine of air-raid sirens.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing\n\n2. If you say that someone is whining, you mean that they are complaining in an annoying way about something unimportant.\nThey come to me to whine about their troubles.\n...children who whine that they are bored...\n`Why can’t you tell me?’ I whined...\n  VERB: V about n/-ing, V that, V with quote  disapproval


Words: whinge
Meaning:
whinge  whinges  whingeing  or whinging  whinged\n  If you say that someone is whingeing, you mean that they are complaining in an annoying way about something unimportant. (BRIT INFORMAL)\nAll she ever does is whinge and complain...\n  VERB: V  disapproval\n  = moan, whine


Words: whinger
Meaning:
whing.er\n   whinger  whingers\n  If you call someone a whinger, you are critical of them because they complain about unimportant things all the time. (BRIT INFORMAL)\n  N-COUNT  disapproval


Words: whinny
Meaning:
whin.ny\n   whinny  whinnies  whinnying  whinnied\n  When a horse whinnies, it makes a series of high-pitched sounds, usually not very loudly.\nThe girl’s horse whinnied.\n  VERB: V\n\n  Whinny is also a noun.\nWith a terrified whinny the horse shied.\n  N-COUNT


Words: whip
Meaning:
whip  whips  whipping  whipped\n1. A whip is a long thin piece of material such as leather or rope, fastened to a stiff handle. It is used for hitting people or animals.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. If someone whips a person or animal, they beat them or hit them with a whip or something like a whip.\nEye-witnesses claimed Mr Melton whipped the horse up to 16 times...\n  VERB: V n\n\n=>  whip.ping      whippings\nHe threatened to give her a whipping.\n  N-COUNT\n  = beating\n3. If something, for example the wind, whips something, it strikes it sharply. (LITERARY)\nA terrible wind whipped our faces...\n  VERB: V n\n\n4. If someone whips something out or whips it off, they take it out or take it off very quickly and suddenly.\nBob whipped out his notebook...\nPlayers were whipping their shirts off...\n  VERB: V n with adv, V n with adv\n\n5. When you whip something liquid such as cream or an egg, you stir it very fast until it is thick or stiff.\nWhip the cream until thick...\nWhip the eggs, oils and honey together.\n...strawberries and whipped cream.\n  VERB: V n, V n adv/prep, V-ed\n\n6. If you whip people into an emotional state, you deliberately cause and encourage them to be in that state.\nHe could whip a crowd into hysteria...\n  VERB: V n into n\n\n7. A whip is a member of a political party in a parliament or legislature who is responsible for making sure that party members are present to vote on important issues and that they vote in the appropriate way.\nThe Whips have the job of making sure MPs toe the line.\n  N-COUNT\n\n8. If you have the whip hand, you have power over someone else in a particular situation.\nThese days the shopper has the whip hand, and will not buy if stores fail to lower their prices.\n  PHRASE: PHR after v


Words: whip up
Meaning:
whip up\n  If someone whips up an emotion, especially a dangerous one such as hatred, or if they whip people up into an emotional state, they deliberately cause and encourage people to feel that emotion.\nHe accused politicians of whipping up anti-foreign sentiments in order to win right-wing votes...\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), also V n P into n\n  = stir up


Words: whip-round
Meaning:
whip-round\n  When a group of people have a whip-round, money is collected from each person so that it can be used to buy something for all of them or for someone they all know. (INFORMAL)\n  N-SING


Words: whiplash
Meaning:
whip.lash\n   whiplash\n  Whiplash is a neck injury caused by the head suddenly moving forwards and then back again, for example in a car accident.\nHis wife suffered whiplash and shock...\n  N-UNCOUNT: oft N n


Words: whippersnapper
Meaning:
whip.per.snap.per\n   whippersnapper  whippersnappers\n  If you refer to a young person as a whippersnapper, you disapprove of them because you think that they are behaving more confidently than they should. (INFORMAL, OLD-FASHIONED)\n  N-COUNT  disapproval


Words: whippet
Meaning:
whip.pet\n   whippet  whippets\n  A whippet is a small thin dog with long legs. Some whippets are used for racing.\n  N-COUNT


Words: whipping boy
Meaning:
whip.ping boy\n   whipping boy  whipping boys\n  If someone or something is a whipping boy for a particular situation, they get all the blame for it.\nHe has become a convenient whipping boy for the failures of the old regime.\n  N-COUNT\n  = scapegoat


Words: whipping cream
Meaning:
whip.ping cream\n   whipping cream\n  Whipping cream is cream that becomes stiff when it is stirred very fast.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: whippoorwill
Meaning:
whip.poor.will\n   whippoorwill  whippoorwills\n  A whippoorwill is a North American bird that is active at night and has a call that sounds like `whip poor will’.\n  N-COUNT


Words: whirl
Meaning:
whirl  whirls  whirling  whirled\n1. If something or someone whirls around or if you whirl them around, they move around or turn around very quickly.\nNot receiving an answer, she whirled round...\nHe was whirling Anne around the floor...\nThe smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column.\n  VERB: V adv/prep, V n adv/prep, V, also V n\n\n  Whirl is also a noun.\n...the barely audible whirl of wheels.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. You can refer to a lot of intense activity as a whirl of activity.\nIn half an hour’s whirl of activity she does it all...\nYour life is such a social whirl.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing, with supp\n\n3. If you decide to give an activity a whirl, you do it even though it is something that you have never tried before. (INFORMAL)\nWhy not give acupuncture a whirl?...\nWe decided to give it a whirl.\n  PHRASE: V inflects


Words: whirlpool
Meaning:
whirl.pool\n   whirlpool  whirlpools\n  A whirlpool is a small area in a river or the sea where the water is moving quickly round and round, so that objects floating near it are pulled into its centre.\n  N-COUNT


Words: whirlwind
Meaning:
whirl.wind\n   whirlwind  whirlwinds\n1. A whirlwind is a tall column of air which spins round and round very fast and moves across the land or sea.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. You can describe a situation in which a lot of things happen very quickly and are very difficult for someone to control as a whirlwind.\nI had been running around southern England in a whirlwind of activity...\n  N-COUNT: usu sing, with supp, usu N of n\n\n3. A whirlwind event or action happens or is done much more quickly than normal.\nHe got married after a whirlwind romance.\n... a whirlwind tour of France.\n  ADJ: ADJ n


Words: whirr
Meaning:
whirr  whirrs  whirring  whirred   also whir\n  When something such as a machine or an insect’s wing whirrs, it makes a series of low sounds so quickly that they seem like one continuous sound.\nThe camera whirred and clicked.\n...the whirring sound of the film projector.\n  VERB: V, V-ing\n\n  Whirr is also a noun.\nHe could hear the whirr of a vacuum cleaner...\n  N-COUNT; SOUND: usu sing; SOUND


Words: whisk
Meaning:
whisk  whisks  whisking  whisked\n1. If you whisk someone or something somewhere, you take them or move them there quickly.\nHe whisked her across the dance floor...\nI was whisked away in a police car.\n  VERB: V n prep/adv, V n prep/adv\n\n2. If you whisk something such as eggs or cream, you stir it very fast, often with an electric device, so that it becomes full of small bubbles.\nJust before serving, whisk the cream...\nIn a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar and the yolks.\n  VERB: V n, V pl-n with together\n\n3. A whisk is a kitchen tool used for whisking eggs or cream.\n...an electric whisk.\n  N-COUNT


Words: whisker
Meaning:
whisk.er\n   whisker  whiskers\n1. The whiskers of an animal such as a cat or a mouse are the long stiff hairs that grow near its mouth.\n  N-COUNT: usu pl\n\n2. You can refer to the hair on a man’s face, especially on the sides of his face, as his whiskers.\n...wild, savage-looking fellows, with large whiskers, unshaven beards, and dirty faces.\n  N-PLURAL\n\n3. You can use whisker in expressions such as by a whisker or within a whisker of to indicate that something happened or is true, but only by a very small amount or degree.\nA new pet census showed that cats now outnumber dogs by a whisker (7 million to 6.9 million)...\nShe came within a whisker of taking a gold medal...\nUnemployment is now a whisker away from three million.\n  N-SING


Words: whiskery
Meaning:
whisk.ery\n   whiskery\n  If you describe someone as whiskery, you mean that they have lots of stiff little hairs on their face.\n...a whiskery old man.\n  ADJ


Words: whiskey
Meaning:
whis.key\n   whiskey  whiskeys\n  Whiskey is whisky that is made in Ireland or the United States.\n...a tumbler with about an inch of whiskey in it.\n  N-MASS\n\n  A whiskey is a glass of whiskey.\n  N-COUNT


Words: whisky
Meaning:
whis.ky\n   whisky  whiskies\n  Whisky is a strong alcoholic drink made, especially in Scotland, from grain such as barley or rye.\n...a bottle of whisky.\n...expensive whiskies and brandies.\n  N-MASS\n\n  A whisky is a glass of whisky.\nShe handed him a whisky.\n  N-COUNT


Words: whisper
Meaning:
whis.per\n   whisper  whispers  whispering  whispered\n1. When you whisper, you say something very quietly, using your breath rather than your throat, so that only one person can hear you.\n`Keep your voice down,’ I whispered...\nShe sat on Rossi’s knee as he whispered in her ear...\nHe whispered the message to David...\nSomebody whispered that films like that were illegal...\nShe whispered his name.\n  VERB: V with quote, V prep, V n prep, V that, V n\n\n  Whisper is also a noun.\nMen were talking in whispers in every office.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. If people whisper about a piece of information, they talk about it, although it might not be true or accurate, or might be a secret.\nToday, we no longer gasp when we hear a teenage girl is pregnant or whisper about unmarried couples who live together...\nIt is whispered that he intended to resign...\nBut don’t whisper a word of that.\n  VERB: V about wh, it be V-ed that, V n\n\n  Whisper is also a noun.\nI’ve heard a whisper that the Bishop intends to leave.\n  N-COUNT\n  = rumour


Words: whistle
Meaning:
whis.tle\n   whistle  whistles  whistling  whistled\n1. When you whistle or when you whistle a tune, you make a series of musical notes by forcing your breath out between your lips, or your teeth.\nHe was whistling softly to himself...\nAs he washed he whistled a tune.\n  VERB: V, V n\n\n2. When someone whistles, they make a sound by forcing their breath out between their lips or their teeth. People sometimes whistle when they are surprised or shocked, or to call a dog, or to show that they are impressed.\nHe whistled, surprised but not shocked...\nJenkins whistled through his teeth, impressed at last...\n  VERB: V, V prep\n\n  Whistle is also a noun.\nJackson gave a low whistle.\n  N-COUNT: oft supp N\n\n  see also wolf-whistle\n3. If something such as a train or a kettle whistles, it makes a loud, high sound.\nSomewhere a train whistled...\n...the whistling car radio.\n  VERB: V, V-ing\n\n=>  whis.tling\n...the whistling of the wind.\n  N-SING: oft the N of n\n\n4. If something such as the wind or a bullet whistles somewhere, it moves there, making a loud, high sound.\nThe wind was whistling through the building...\nAs I stood up a bullet whistled past my back.\n  VERB: V prep, V prep\n\n5. A whistle is a loud sound produced by air or steam being forced through a small opening, or by something moving quickly through the air.\nHugh listened to the whistle of a train.\n...the whistle of the wind.\n  N-COUNT: oft N of n\n\n6. A whistle is a small metal tube which you blow in order to produce a loud sound and attract someone’s attention.\nOn the platform, the guard blew his whistle...\n  N-COUNT\n\n7. A whistle is a simple musical instrument in the shape of a metal pipe with holes.\n  N-COUNT\n\n  see also tin whistle\n8. If you blow the whistle on someone, or on something secret or illegal, you tell another person, especially a person in authority, what is happening.\nCompanies should protect employees who blow the whistle on dishonest workmates and work practices.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR on n\n  = inform\n  see also whistle-blower\n9. If you describe something as clean as a whistle, you mean that it is completely clean.\n  PHRASE: v-link PHR


Words: whistle-blower
Meaning:
whistle-blower  whistle-blowers   also whistleblower\n  A whistle-blower is someone who finds out that the organization they are working for is doing something immoral or illegal and tells the authorities or the public about it. (JOURNALISM)\nHe has been a prominent victim of alleged witch-hunts against whistle-blowers in the NHS.\n  N-COUNT


Words: whistle-blowing
Meaning:
also whistleblowing\n  Whistle-blowing is the act of telling the authorities or the public that the organization you are working for is doing something immoral or illegal.\nIt took internal whistle-blowing and investigative journalism to uncover the rot.\n  N-UNCOUNT: oft N n


Words: whistle-stop
Meaning:
whistle-stop\n  If someone, especially a politician, goes on a whistle-stop tour, they visit a lot of different places in a short time.\n  ADJ: ADJ n


Words: whit
Meaning:
whit\n1. You say not a whit or not one whit to emphasize that something is not the case at all. (mainly FORMAL or OLD-FASHIONED)\nHe cared not a whit for the social, political or moral aspects of literature...\n  PHRASE: with neg, PHR after v  emphasis\n\n2. Whit means the same as Whitsun.\nThe orchestra gave its first performance on Whit Monday.\n  N-UNCOUNT: usu N n


Words: Whit Sunday
Meaning:
Whit Sun.day\n   Whit Sunday\n  Whit Sunday is the seventh Sunday after Easter, when Christians celebrate the sending of the Holy Spirit to the first followers of Christ.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n  = Pentecost


Words: white
Meaning:
white  whiter  whitest  whites\n1. Something that is white is the colour of snow or milk.\nHe had nice square white teeth...\nHe was dressed in white from head to toe.\n  COLOUR\n\n=>  white.ness\nHer scarlet lipstick emphasized the whiteness of her teeth.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n2. A white person has a pale skin and belongs to a race which is of European origin.\nHe was white, with brown shoulder-length hair and a moustache.\n  ADJ\n\n  Whites are white people.\nIt’s a school that’s brought blacks and whites and Hispanics together.\n  N-COUNT: usu pl\n\n3. If someone goes white, the skin on their face becomes very pale, for example because of fear, shock, anger, or illness.\nRichard had gone very white, but he stood his ground...\nHis face was white with fury.\n  ADJ: usu v-link ADJ\n\n  If someone looks white as a sheet or as white as a sheet, they look very frightened, shocked, or ill.\nHe appeared in the doorway, white as a sheet, eyes wide with horror.\n  PHRASE: v-link PHR\n\n4. White wine is pale yellow in colour.\nGregory poured another glass of white wine and went back to his bedroom.\n  ADJ\n\n  You can refer to white wine as white.\nI bought a bottle of Californian white.\n  N-MASS\n\n5. White coffee has had milk or cream added to it. (BRIT)\nWayne has a large white coffee in front of him.\n  ADJ\n\n6. White blood cells are the cells in your blood which your body uses to fight infection.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n7. The white of an egg is the transparent liquid that surrounds the yellow part called the yolk.\n  N-VAR\n\n8. The white of someone’s eye is the white part that surrounds the coloured part called the iris.\n  N-COUNT: usu N of n


Words: white Christmas
Meaning:
white Christ.mas\n   white Christmas  white Christmases\n  A white Christmas is a Christmas when it snows.\n  N-COUNT


Words: white elephant
Meaning:
white el.ephant\n   white elephant  white elephants\n  If you describe something as a white elephant, you mean that it is a waste of money because it is completely useless.\nThe pavilion has become a .14 million steel and glass white elephant.\n  N-COUNT  disapproval


Words: white goods
Meaning:
white goods\n  People in business sometimes refer to fridges, washing machines, and other large pieces of electrical household equipment as white goods. Compare brown goods.\n  N-PLURAL


Words: White House
Meaning:
White House\n  The White House is the official home in Washington DC of the President of the United States. You can also use the White House to refer to the President of the United States and his or her officials.\nHe drove to the White House...\nThe White House has not participated in any talks.\n  N-PROPER: the N, N n


Words: white knight
Meaning:
white knight white knights\n  A white knight is a person or an organization that rescues a company from difficulties such as financial problems or an unwelcome takeover bid. (BUSINESS)\n...a white-knight bid.\n  N-COUNT


Words: white lie
Meaning:
white lie  white lies\n  If you refer to an untrue statement as a white lie, you mean that it is made to avoid hurting someone’s feelings or to avoid trouble, and not for an evil purpose.\n  N-COUNT


Words: white meat
Meaning:
white meat  white meats\n  White meat is meat such as chicken and pork, which is pale in colour after it has been cooked.\n  N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl


Words: white noise
Meaning:
white noise\n  White noise is sound, especially of a loud, continuous, or unpleasant kind, that seems to have no pattern or rhythm.\nThey were made to listen to white noise, such as static of the sort you might pick up between radio stations.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: White Pages
Meaning:
White Pages\n  White Pages is used to refer to the section of a telephone directory which lists names and telephone numbers in alphabetical order. Compare Yellow Pages. (AM)\n  N-PLURAL


Words: White Paper
Meaning:
White Pa.per\n   White Paper  White Papers\n  In Britain, Australia, Canada, and some other countries, a White Paper is an official report which describes the policy of the Government on a particular subject.\n  N-COUNT


Words: white pepper
Meaning:
white pep.per\n   white pepper\n  White pepper is pepper which has been made from the dried insides of the fruits of the pepper plant.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: white sauce
Meaning:
white sauce  white sauces\n  White sauce is a thick white sauce made from milk, flour, and butter. Meat, fish, or vegetables are often cooked in or served in white sauce.\n  N-MASS


Words: white spirit
Meaning:
white spir.it\n   white spirit\n  White spirit is a colourless liquid that is made from petrol and is used, for example, to make paint thinner or to clean surfaces. (BRIT; in AM, use turpentine)\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: white trash
Meaning:
white trash\n  Some people use white trash to refer to poor white people who they think are worthless. (AM OFFENSIVE)\n...a place peopled by illiterate poor white trash.\n  N-UNCOUNT-COLL  disapproval


Words: white wedding
Meaning:
white wed.ding\n   white wedding  white weddings\n  A white wedding is a wedding where the bride wears white and the ceremony takes place in a church. (mainly BRIT)\n  N-COUNT


Words: white-collar
Meaning:
white-collar   also white collar\n1. White-collar workers work in offices rather than doing physical work such as making things in factories or building things.\nWhite-collar workers now work longer hours.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n  !=blue-collar\n2. White-collar crime is committed by people who work in offices, and involves stealing money secretly from companies or the government, or getting money in an illegal way.\n  ADJ: ADJ n


Words: white-hot
Meaning:
white-hot\n  If something is white-hot, it is extremely hot.\nIt is important to get the coals white-hot before you start.\n  ADJ


Words: white-knuckle
Meaning:
white-knuckle\n1. In a fairground, a white-knuckle ride is any large machine that people ride on which is very exciting but also frightening.\n...white-knuckle rides such as the rollercoaster.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n2. A white-knuckle experience is something that you find very exciting but also very frightening.\n...a hellish white-knuckle ride through the heavy London traffic.\n  ADJ: ADJ n


Words: white-water rafting
Meaning:
white-water raft.ing\n   white-water rafting\n  White-water rafting is the activity of riding on a raft over rough, dangerous parts of a fast-flowing river.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: whiteboard
Meaning:
white.board\n   whiteboard  whiteboards\n  A whiteboard is a shiny white board on which people draw or write using special pens. Whiteboards are often used for teaching or giving talks.\n  N-COUNT


Words: Whitehall
Meaning:
White.hall\n   Whitehall\n  Whitehall is the name of a street in London in which there are many government offices. You can also use Whitehall to mean the British Government itself.\n...people with banners marching down Whitehall...\nWhitehall said that it hoped to get the change through by the end of June.\n  N-PROPER


Words: whiten
Meaning:
whit.en\n   whiten  whitens  whitening  whitened\n  When something whitens or when you whiten it, it becomes whiter or paler in colour.\nHer knuckles whiten as she clenches her hands harder.\n...toothpastes that whiten teeth.\n  VERB: V, V n


Words: whitewash
Meaning:
white.wash\n   whitewash  whitewashes  whitewashing  whitewashed\n1. Whitewash is a mixture of lime or chalk and water that is used for painting walls white.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n2. If a wall or building has been whitewashed, it has been painted white with whitewash.\nThe walls had been whitewashed.\n...a town of picturesque whitewashed cottages.\n  VERB: be V-ed, V-ed\n\n3. If you say that people whitewash something, you are accusing them of hiding the unpleasant facts or truth about it in order to make it acceptable.\nThe administration is whitewashing the regime’s actions...\n  VERB: V n  disapproval\n  = cover up\n4. Whitewash is an attempt to hide the unpleasant facts or truth about someone or something.\nHe pledged that there would be no whitewash and that the police would carry out a full investigation...\n  N-UNCOUNT: also a N  disapproval


Words: whither
Meaning:
whith.er\n   whither\n  Whither means to where. (LITERARY or OLD-FASHIONED)\nThey knew not whither they went.\n  QUEST\n  = where


Words: whiting
Meaning:
whit.ing\n   whiting  whitings  or whiting\n  A whiting is a black and silver fish that lives in the sea.\n  N-VAR\n\n  Whiting is this fish eaten as food.\nHe ordered stuffed whiting.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: whitish
Meaning:
whit.ish\n   whitish\n  Whitish means very pale and almost white in colour.\n...a whitish dust.\n  COLOUR


Words: Whitsun
Meaning:
Whit.sun\n   Whitsun\n  Whitsun is the seventh Sunday after Easter, and the week that follows that Sunday. (mainly BRIT)\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: whittle
Meaning:
whit.tle\n   whittle  whittles  whittling  whittled\n  If you whittle something from a piece of wood, you carve it by cutting pieces off the wood with a knife.\nHe whittled a new handle for his ax...\n  VERB: V n


Words: whittle away
Meaning:
whittle away\n  To whittle away something or whittle away at it means to gradually make it smaller, weaker, or less effective.\nI believe that the Government’s general aim is to whittle away the Welfare State...\nTheir approach is to whittle away at the evidence to show reasonable doubt.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V P at n


Words: whittle down
Meaning:
whittle down\n  To whittle down a group or thing means to gradually make it smaller.\nHe had whittled eight interviewees down to two...\nThe president has agreed to whittle down his proposal.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V n P to/from num, V P n (not pron), also V n P


Words: whizz
Meaning:
whizz  whizzes  whizzing  whizzed\n  If something whizzes somewhere, it moves there very fast. (INFORMAL)\nStewart felt a bottle whizz past his head...\nA car whizzed past.\n  VERB: V prep/adv, V prep/adv


Words: whizz-kid
Meaning:
whizz-kid  whizz-kids   also whizzkid, whizz kid\n  If you refer to a young person as a whizz-kid, you mean that they have achieved success at a young age because they are very clever and very good at something, especially making money. (INFORMAL)\n...a financial whizz kid.\n...a whizz-kid physics student.\n  N-COUNT: usu with supp


Words: whizzy
Meaning:
whizzy whizzier whizziest\n  Whizzy is used to describe products and activities that are new, exciting, and based on the latest technology. (INFORMAL)\nJapanese camera makers continually introduce whizzy new electronic models.\n  ADJ


Words: who
Meaning:
who\nWho is used as the subject or object of a verb. See entries at whom and whose.\n1. You use who in questions when you ask about the name or identity of a person or group of people.\nWho’s there?...\nWho is the least popular man around here?...\nWho do you work for?...\nWho do you suppose will replace her on the show?...\n`You reminded me of somebody.’.`Who?’\n  QUEST\n\n2. You use who after certain words, especially verbs and adjectives, to introduce a clause where you talk about the identity of a person or a group of people.\nPolice have not been able to find out who was responsible for the forgeries...\nI went over to start up a conversation, asking her who she knew at the party...\nYou know who these people are.\n  CONJ\n\n3. You use who at the beginning of a relative clause when specifying the person or group of people you are talking about or when giving more information about them.\nThere are those who eat out for a special occasion, or treat themselves...\nThe woman, who needs constant attention, is cared for by relatives...\n  PRON


Words: who’d
Meaning:
who’d\n1. Who’d is the usual spoken form of `who had’, especially when `had’ is an auxiliary verb.\n\n2. Who’d is a spoken form of `who would’.


Words: who’re
Meaning:
who’re\n  Who’re is a spoken form of `who are’.\nI’ve got loads of friends who’re unemployed...\nWho’re you going to the pictures with?


Words: who’s
Meaning:
who’s\n  Who’s is the usual spoken form of `who is’ or `who has’, especially when `has’ is an auxiliary verb.


Words: who’ve
Meaning:
who’ve\n  Who’ve is the usual spoken form of `who have,’ especially when `have’ is an auxiliary verb.


Words: whoa
Meaning:
whoa\n1. Whoa is a command that you give to a horse to slow down or stop.\n  EXCLAM\n\n2. You can say whoa to someone who is talking to you, to indicate that you think they are talking too fast or assuming things that may not be true. (INFORMAL)\nSlow down! Whoa!\n  EXCLAM


Words: whodunnit
Meaning:
who.dun.nit\n   whodunnit  whodunnits   also whodunit\n  A whodunnit is a novel, film, or play which is about a murder and which does not tell you who the murderer is until the end. (INFORMAL)\n  N-COUNT


Words: whoever
Meaning:
who.ever\n   whoever\n1. You use whoever to refer to someone when their identity is not yet known.\nWhoever wins the election is going to have a tough job getting the economy back on its feet...\nBen, I want whoever’s responsible to come forward.\n  CONJ\n\n2. You use whoever to indicate that the actual identity of the person who does something will not affect a situation.\nYou can have whoever you like to visit you...\nEverybody who goes into this region, whoever they are, is at risk of being taken hostage.\n  CONJ\n\n3. You use whoever in questions as an emphatic way of saying `who’, usually when you are surprised about something.\nRidiculous! Whoever suggested such a thing?\n  QUEST  emphasis\n  = who


Words: whole
Meaning:
whole  wholes\n1. If you refer to the whole of something, you mean all of it.\nHe has said he will make an apology to the whole of Asia for his country’s past behaviour...\nI was cold throughout the whole of my body.\n...the whole of August.\n  QUANT: QUANT of def-n\n\n  Whole is also an adjective.\nHe’d been observing her the whole trip...\nWe spent the whole summer in Italy that year.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n  = entire\n2. A whole is a single thing which contains several different parts.\nAn atom itself is a complete whole, with its electrons, protons and neutrons and other elements...\n  N-COUNT: usu sing\n\n3. If something is whole, it is in one piece and is not broken or damaged.\nI struck the glass with my fist with all my might; yet it remained whole...\nSmall bones should be avoided as the dog may swallow them whole and risk internal injury.\n  ADJ: v-link ADJ, v n ADJ\n  = intact\n4. You use whole to emphasize what you are saying. (INFORMAL)\nIt was like seeing a whole different side of somebody...\nHis father had helped invent a whole new way of doing business.\n  ADV: ADV adj  emphasis\n  = totally\n  Whole is also an adjective.\nThat saved me a whole bunch of money...\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n5. If you refer to something as a whole, you are referring to it generally and as a single unit.\nHe described the move as a victory for the people of South Africa as a whole...\nAs a whole we do not eat enough fibre in Britain.\n  PHRASE: n PHR, PHR with cl\n\n6. You use on the whole to indicate that what you are saying is true in general but may not be true in every case, or that you are giving a general opinion or summary of something.\nOn the whole, people miss the opportunity to enjoy leisure...\n  PHRASE: PHR with cl\n  = generally


Words: whole note
Meaning:
whole note  whole notes\n  A whole note is a musical note that has a time value equal to two half notes. (AM; in BRIT, use semibreve)\n  N-COUNT


Words: whole number
Meaning:
whole num.ber\n   whole number  whole numbers\n  A whole number is an exact number such as 1, 7, and 24, as opposed to a number with fractions or decimals.\n  N-COUNT\n  = integer


Words: wholefood
Meaning:
whole.food\n   wholefood  wholefoods\n  Wholefoods are foods which have not been processed much and which have not had artificial ingredients added. (mainly BRIT)\nIt pays to avoid food additives and eat only wholefoods...\n  N-MASS


Words: wholegrains
Meaning:
whole.grains\n   wholegrains   also whole grains\n  Wholegrains are the grains of cereals such as wheat and maize that have not been processed.\nFruits, vegetables, and wholegrains are rich in potassium.\n...crusty wholegrain bread.\n  N-PLURAL\n  The forms wholegrain and whole-grain are used as modifiers.


Words: wholehearted
Meaning:
whole.hearted\n   wholehearted   also whole-hearted\n  If you support or agree to something in a wholehearted way, you support or agree to it enthusiastically and completely.\nThe Government deserves our wholehearted support for having taken a step in this direction.\n  ADJ  emphasis\n\n=>  whole.hearted.ly\nThat’s exactly right. I agree wholeheartedly with you.\n  ADV: usu ADV with v


Words: wholemeal
Meaning:
whole.meal\n   wholemeal\n1. Wholemeal flour is made from the complete grain of the wheat plant, including the outer part. Wholemeal bread or pasta is made from wholemeal flour. (BRIT; in AM, use wholewheat)\n...a slice of wholemeal toast.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n2. Wholemeal means wholemeal bread or wholemeal flour. (BRIT; in AM, use wholewheat)\n...one slice of white and one of wholemeal.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wholeness
Meaning:
whole.ness\n   wholeness\n  Wholeness is the quality of being complete or a single unit and not broken or divided into parts.\n...the need for wholeness and harmony in mind, body and spirit.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wholesale
Meaning:
whole.sale\n   wholesale\n1. Wholesale is the activity of buying and selling goods in large quantities and therefore at cheaper prices, usually to shopkeepers who then sell them to the public. Compare retail. (BUSINESS)\nWarehouse clubs allow members to buy goods at wholesale prices...\nI am in the wholesale trade.\n  N-UNCOUNT: usu N n\n\n2. If something is sold wholesale, it is sold in large quantities and at cheaper prices, usually to shopkeepers. (BUSINESS)\nThe fabrics are sold wholesale to retailers, fashion houses, and other manufacturers.\n  ADV: ADV after v\n\n3. You use wholesale to describe the destruction, removal, or changing of something when it affects a very large number of things or people.\nThey are only doing what is necessary to prevent wholesale destruction of vegetation...\n  ADJ: ADJ n  emphasis


Words: wholesaler
Meaning:
whole.sal.er\n   wholesaler  wholesalers\n  A wholesaler is a person whose business is buying large quantities of goods and selling them in smaller amounts, for example to shops. (BUSINESS)\n  N-COUNT


Words: wholesaling
Meaning:
whole.sal.ing\n   wholesaling\n  Wholesaling is the activity of buying or selling goods in large amounts, especially in order to sell them in shops or supermarkets. Compare retailing. (BUSINESS)\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wholesome
Meaning:
whole.some\n   wholesome\n1. If you describe something as wholesome, you approve of it because you think it is likely to have a positive influence on people’s behaviour or mental state, especially because it does not involve anything sexually immoral.\n...good, wholesome fun.\n  ADJ  approval\n\n2. If you describe food as wholesome, you approve of it because you think it is good for your health.\n...fresh, wholesome ingredients...\nThe food is filling and wholesome.\n  ADJ  approval\n  = nutritious


Words: wholewheat
Meaning:
whole.wheat\n   wholewheat   also whole wheat\n1. Wholewheat flour is made from the complete grain of the wheat plant, including the outer part. Wholewheat bread or pasta is made from wholewheat flour.\n...vegetables with wholewheat noodles.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n2. Wholewheat means wholewheat bread or wholewheat flour.\n...a chicken salad sandwich on whole wheat.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wholly
Meaning:
whol.ly\n   wholly\n  You use wholly to emphasize the extent or degree to which something is the case.\nWhile the two are only days apart in age they seem to belong to wholly different generations...\nFor urban areas this approach was wholly inadequate...\n  ADV: ADV adj, ADV with cl/group  emphasis\n  = completely, entirely


Words: wholly-owned subsidiary
Meaning:
wholly-owned sub.sidi.ary\n   wholly-owned subsidiary wholly-owned subsidiaries\n  A wholly-owned subsidiary is a company whose shares are all owned by another company. (BUSINESS)\nThe Locomotive Construction Company Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Trust.\n  N-COUNT


Words: whom
Meaning:
whom\n\n  Whom is used in formal or written English instead of `who’ when it is the object of a verb or preposition.\n\n1. You use whom in questions when you ask about the name or identity of a person or group of people.\n`I want to send a telegram.’.`Fine, to whom?’...\nWhom did he expect to answer his phone?...\n  QUEST\n  = who\n2. You use whom after certain words, especially verbs and adjectives, to introduce a clause where you talk about the name or identity of a person or a group of people.\nHe asked whom I’d told about his having been away...\n  CONJ\n  = who\n3. You use whom at the beginning of a relative clause when specifying the person or group of people you are talking about or when giving more information about them.\nOne writer in whom I had taken an interest was Immanuel Velikovsky...\n  PRON: oft prep PRON


Words: whomever
Meaning:
whom.ever\n   whomever\n  Whomever is a formal word for whoever when it is the object of a verb or preposition.\n  CONJ\n  = whoever


Words: whoop
Meaning:
whoop  whoops  whooping  whooped\n1. If you whoop, you shout loudly in a very happy or excited way. (WRITTEN)\nShe whoops with delight at a promise of money.\n  VERB: V\n\n  Whoop is also a noun.\nScattered groans and whoops broke out in the crowd.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2.\n  see also whoops


Words: whoopee
Meaning:
whoo.pee\n   whoopee\n  People sometimes shout `whoopee’ when they are very happy or excited. (INFORMAL)\nI can have a lie in tomorrow. Whoopee!\n  EXCLAM  feelings\n  = hooray


Words: whooping cough
Meaning:
whoop.ing cough\n   whooping cough\n  Whooping cough is a serious infectious disease which causes people to cough and make a loud noise when they breathe in.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: whoops
Meaning:
whoops\n  You say `whoops’ to indicate that there has been a slight accident or mistake, or to apologize to someone for it. (INFORMAL)\nWhoops, that was a mistake...\nWhoops, it’s past 11, I’d better be off home.\n  EXCLAM  feelings\n  = oops


Words: whoosh
Meaning:
whoosh  whooshes  whooshing  whooshed\n1. People sometimes say `whoosh’ when they are emphasizing the fact that something happens very suddenly or very fast.\nThen came the riders amid even louder cheers and whoosh! It was all over.\n  EXCLAM  emphasis\n\n2. If something whooshes somewhere, it moves there quickly or suddenly. (INFORMAL)\nKites whooshed above the beach at intervals.\n  VERB: V adv/prep


Words: whopper
Meaning:
whop.per\n   whopper  whoppers\n1. If you describe a lie as a whopper, you mean that it is very far from the truth. (INFORMAL)\n...the biggest whopper the president told.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. If you refer to something as a whopper, you mean that it is an unusually large example of the thing mentioned. (INFORMAL)\nAs comets go, it is a whopper.\n  N-COUNT


Words: whopping
Meaning:
whop.ping\n   whopping\n  If you describe an amount as whopping, you are emphasizing that it is large. (INFORMAL)\nThe Russian leader won a whopping 89.9 percent yes vote...\n  ADJ: ADJ n, usu a ADJ amount  emphasis


Words: whorl
Meaning:
whorl  whorls\n  A whorl is a spiral shape, for example the pattern on the tips of your fingers. (LITERARY)\nHe stared at the whorls and lines of her fingertips.\n...dense whorls of red-purple flowers.\n  N-COUNT


Words: whose
Meaning:
whose\n1. You use whose at the beginning of a relative clause where you mention something that belongs to or is associated with the person or thing mentioned in the previous clause.\nI saw a man shouting at a driver whose car was blocking the street.\n...a speedboat, whose fifteen-strong crew claimed to belong to China’s navy.\n...tourists whose vacations included an unexpected adventure.\n  PRON\n\n2. You use whose in questions to ask about the person or thing that something belongs to or is associated with.\nWhose was the better performance?...\n`Whose is this?’.`It’s mine.’...\n`It wasn’t your fault, John.’.`Whose, then?’...\nWhose car were they in?...\n  QUEST\n\n3. You use whose after certain words, especially verbs and adjectives, to introduce a clause where you talk about the person or thing that something belongs to or is associated with.\nI’m wondering whose mother she is then...\nI can’t remember whose idea it was for us to meet again.\n  DET\n\n  Whose is also a conjunction.\nI wondered whose the coat was...\nThat kind of person likes to spend money, it doesn’t matter whose it is.\n  CONJ


Words: whosoever
Meaning:
who.so.ever\n   whosoever\n  Whosoever means the same as whoever. (LITERARY, OLD-FASHIONED)\nThey can transfer or share the contract with whosoever they choose.\n  CONJ\n  = whoever


Words: why
Meaning:
why\n1. You use why in questions when you ask about the reasons for something.\nWhy hasn’t he brought the whisky?...\nWhy didn’t he stop me?...\n`I just want to see him.’.`Why?’...\nWhy should I leave?\n  QUEST\n\n2. You use why at the beginning of a clause in which you talk about the reasons for something.\nHe still could not throw any further light on why the elevator could have become jammed...\nExperts wonder why the US government is not taking similarly strong actions against AIDS in this country...\nI can’t understand why they don’t want us.\n  CONJ\n\n  Why is also an adverb.\nI don’t know why...\nIt’s obvious why...\nHere’s why.\n  ADV: ADV after v, be ADV\n\n3. You use why to introduce a relative clause after the word `reason’.\nThere’s a reason why women don’t read this stuff; it’s not funny...\nUnless you’re ill, there’s no reason why you can’t get those 15 minutes of walking in daily.\n  PRON\n\n  Why is also an adverb.\nHe confirmed that the city had been closed to foreigners, but gave no reason why.\n  ADV: n ADV\n\n4. You use why with `not’ in questions in order to introduce a suggestion.\nWhy not give Claire a call?...\nWhy don’t we talk it through?\n  QUEST\n\n5. You use why with `not’ in questions in order to express your annoyance or anger.\nWhy don’t you look where you’re going?...\nWhy don’t they just leave it alone?\n  QUEST  feelings\n\n6. You say why not in order to agree with what someone has suggested.\n`Want to spend the afternoon with me?’.`Why not?’...\n  CONVENTION  formulae\n\n7. People say `Why!’ at the beginning of a sentence when they are surprised, shocked, or angry. (mainly AM)\nWhy hello, Tom...\n  EXCLAM  feelings\n\n8.\nthe whys and wherefores: see wherefores


Words: wick
Meaning:
wick  wicks\n1. The wick of a candle is the piece of string in it which burns when it is lit.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. The wick of a paraffin lamp or cigarette lighter is the part which supplies the fuel to the flame when it is lit.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wicked
Meaning:
wick.ed\n   wicked\n1. You use wicked to describe someone or something that is very bad and deliberately harmful to people.\nShe described the shooting as a wicked attack...\nShe flew at me, shouting how wicked and evil I was.\n  ADJ\n  = evil\n2. If you describe someone or something as wicked, you mean that they are rather naughty, but in a way that you find attractive or enjoyable.\nShe had a wicked sense of humour...\n  ADJ


Words: wicker
Meaning:
wick.er\n   wicker\n  Wicker is long thin sticks, stems, or reeds that have been woven together to make things such as baskets and furniture.\n...a wicker basket.\n  N-UNCOUNT: usu N n


Words: wicket
Meaning:
wick.et\n   wicket  wickets\n1. In cricket, a wicket is a set of three upright sticks with two small sticks on top of them at which the ball is bowled. There are two wickets on a cricket pitch.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. In cricket, a wicket is the area of grass in between the two wickets on the pitch.\n  N-COUNT\n\n3. In cricket, when a wicket falls or is taken, a batsman is out.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wicketkeeper
Meaning:
wicket.keeper\n   wicketkeeper wicketkeepers  also wicket-keeper\n  A wicketkeeper is the player in a cricket team who stands behind the wicket in order to stop balls that the batsman misses or to catch balls that the batsman hits.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wide
Meaning:
wide  wider  widest\n1. Something that is wide measures a large distance from one side or edge to the other.\nAll worktops should be wide enough to allow plenty of space for food preparation.\n...a wide-brimmed sunhat.\n  ADJ\n  !=narrow\n2. A wide smile is one in which your mouth is stretched because you are very pleased or amused.\nIt brought a wide smile to his face and laughter to his eyes...\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n  = broad\n=>  wide.ly\nHe was grinning widely, waving to her as he ran.\n  ADV: ADV after v\n\n3. If you open or spread something wide, you open or spread it as far as possible or to the fullest extent.\n`It was huge,’ he announced, spreading his arms wide...\nHis eyes were wide in disbelief...\n  ADJ: usu v n ADJ, v-link ADJ, also ADJ n\n\n4. You use wide to talk or ask about how much something measures from one side or edge to the other.\n...a corridor of land 10 kilometres wide...\nThe road is only one track wide.\n...a desk that was almost as wide as the room...\n  ADJ: amount ADJ, as ADJ as, ADJ-compar than, how ADJ\n\n5. You use wide to describe something that includes a large number of different things or people.\nThe brochure offers a wide choice of hotels, apartments and holiday homes...\nThe proposed constitution gives him much wider powers than his predecessor.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n  = broad  !=narrow\n=>  wide.ly\nHe published widely in scientific journals...\nHe was widely travelled.\n  ADV: usu ADV after v\n\n6. You use wide to say that something is found, believed, known, or supported by many people or throughout a large area.\nThe case has attracted wide publicity...\nI suspect this book will have the widest appeal of all...\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n  = extensive\n=>  wide.ly\nAt present, no widely approved vaccine exists for malaria.\n  ADV: ADV with v\n\n7. A wide difference or gap between two things, ideas, or qualities is a large difference or gap.\nResearch shows a wide difference in tastes around the country...\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n=>  wide.ly\nThe treatment regime may vary widely depending on the type of injury.\n  ADV: ADV after v, ADV adj\n\n8. Wider is used to describe something which relates to the most important or general parts of a situation, rather than to the smaller parts or to details.\nHe emphasised the wider issue of superpower cooperation...\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n9. If something such as a shot or punch is wide, it does not hit its target but lands to the right or left of it.\nNearly half the missiles landed wide.\n  ADJ: usu v-link ADJ\n\n10.\nwide awake: see awake\nfar and wide: see far\nwide of the mark: see mark\nwide open: see open


Words: wide awake
Meaning:
wide awake\n  If you are wide awake, you are completely awake.\nI could not relax and still felt wide awake.\n  ADJ: usu v-link ADJ


Words: wide boy
Meaning:
wide boy  wide boys\n  A wide boy is a man, especially a young man, who has a lot of money but who earns it in a dishonest or illegal way. (mainly BRIT INFORMAL)\n  N-COUNT  disapproval


Words: wide-angle lens
Meaning:
wide-angle lens  wide-angle lenses\n  A wide-angle lens is a lens which allows you to photograph a wider view than a normal lens.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wide-eyed
Meaning:
wide-eyed\n  If you describe someone as wide-eyed, you mean that they are inexperienced and innocent, and may be easily impressed.\nHer wide-eyed innocence soon exposes the pretensions of the art world.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: wide-ranging
Meaning:
wide-ranging\n  If you describe something as wide-ranging, you mean it deals with or affects a great variety of different things.\n...a package of wide-ranging economic reforms...\n  ADJ


Words: widen
Meaning:
wid.en\n   widen  widens  widening  widened\n1. If you widen something or if it widens, it becomes greater in measurement from one side or edge to the other.\nHe had an operation last year to widen a heart artery...\nThe river widens considerably as it begins to turn east.\n  VERB: V n, V\n\n2. If you widen something or if it widens, it becomes greater in range or it affects a larger number of people or things.\nU.S. prosecutors have widened a securities-fraud investigation...\nThe search for my brother widened...\n  VERB: V n, V\n\n3. If your eyes widen, they open more.\nHis eyes widened as he spoke the words.\n  VERB: V\n\n4. If a difference or gap widens or if something widens it, it becomes greater.\nWage differences in the two areas are widening...\n...policies that widen the gap between the rich and the poor.\n  VERB: V, V n


Words: widescreen
Meaning:
wide.screen\n\n  A widescreen television has a screen that is wide in relation to its height.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: widespread
Meaning:
wide.spread\n   widespread\n  Something that is widespread exists or happens over a large area, or to a great extent.\nThere is widespread support for the new proposals...\nFood shortages are widespread.\n  ADJ\n  = extensive


Words: widget
Meaning:
widg.et\n   widget  widgets\n  You can refer to any small device as a widget when you do not know exactly what it is or how it works. (INFORMAL)\nThe secret is a little widget in the can.\n  N-COUNT


Words: widow
Meaning:
wid.ow\n   widow  widows\n  A widow is a woman whose husband has died and who has not married again.\n  N-COUNT


Words: widowed
Meaning:
wid.owed\n   widowed\n  If someone is widowed, their husband or wife dies.\nMore and more young men are widowed by cancer...\nImogen stayed with her widowed sister.\n  V-PASSIVE: be V-ed, V-ed


Words: widower
Meaning:
wid.ow.er\n   widower  widowers\n  A widower is a man whose wife has died and who has not married again.\n  N-COUNT


Words: widowhood
Meaning:
wid.ow.hood\n   widowhood\n  Widowhood is the state of being a widow or widower, or the period of time during which someone is a widow or widower.\nNothing can prepare you for the shock and grief of widowhood.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: width
Meaning:
width  widths\n1. The width of something is the distance it measures from one side or edge to the other.\nMeasure the full width of the window...\nThe road was reduced to 18ft in width by adding parking bays...\nSaddles are made in a wide range of different widths.\n  N-VAR: oft N of n\n\n2. The width of something is its quality of being wide.\nThe best utensil for steaming is a wok because its width easily accommodates a whole fish.\n  N-UNCOUNT: usu with poss\n\n3. A width is the distance from one side of a swimming pool to the other.\nWe swam several widths.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wield
Meaning:
wield  wields  wielding  wielded\n1. If you wield a weapon, tool, or piece of equipment, you carry and use it.\n...a lone assailant wielding a kitchen knife.\n  VERB: V n\n\n2. If someone wields power, they have it and are able to use it.\nHe remains chairman, but wields little power at the company.\n  VERB: V n


Words: wienie
Meaning:
wie.nie\n   wienie  wienies   also weenie\n  Wienies are sausages made from smoked beef or pork. (AM)\n  N-COUNT\n  = hot dog, frankfurter


Words: wife
Meaning:
wife  wives\n  A man’s wife is the woman he is married to.\nHe married his wife Jane 37 years ago...\nThe woman was the wife of a film director.\n  N-COUNT: usu with poss\n\n  see also old wives’ tale


Words: wifely
Meaning:
wife.ly\n   wifely\n  Wifely is used to describe things that are supposed to be typical of a good wife.\nShe strove to perform all her wifely functions perfectly.\n...the ideology of wifely duty.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: wig
Meaning:
wig  wigs\n  A wig is a covering of false hair which you wear on your head, for example because you have little hair of your own or because you want to cover up your own hair.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wiggle
Meaning:
wig.gle\n   wiggle  wiggles  wiggling  wiggled\n  If you wiggle something or if it wiggles, it moves up and down or from side to side in small quick movements.\nShe wiggled her finger...\nYour baby will try to shuffle or wiggle along the floor.\n  VERB: V n, V prep/adv\n\n  Wiggle is also a noun.\n...a wiggle of the hips.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wild
Meaning:
wild  wilds  wilder  wildest\n1. Wild animals or plants live or grow in natural surroundings and are not looked after by people.\nWe saw two more wild cats creeping towards us in the darkness...\nThe lane was lined with wild flowers.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n2. Wild land is natural and is not used by people.\nElmley is one of the few wild areas remaining in the South East.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n=>  wild.ness\n...the wildness of the mountains.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n3. The wilds of a place are the natural areas that are far away from towns.\nThey went canoeing in the wilds of Canada.\n  N-PLURAL: the N\n\n4. Wild is used to describe the weather or the sea when it is stormy.\nThe wild weather did not deter some people from swimming in the sea.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n  = stormy\n5. Wild behaviour is uncontrolled, excited, or energetic.\nThe children are wild with joy...\nAs George himself came on stage they went wild...\nThey marched into town to the wild cheers of the inhabitants.\n  ADJ: oft v-link ADJ with n\n\n=>  wild.ly\nAs she finished each song, the crowd clapped wildly.\n  ADV: ADV with v\n\n6. If you describe someone or their behaviour as wild, you mean that they behave in a very uncontrolled way.\nThe house is in a mess after a wild party.\n  ADJ\n\n=>  wild.ly\nFive people were injured as Reynolds slashed out wildly with a kitchen knife.\n  ADV: ADV with v\n\n=>  wild.ness\nHe had come to love the danger and the wildness of his life.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n7. If someone is wild, they are very angry. (INFORMAL)\nFor a long time I daren’t tell him I knew, and when I did he went wild.\n  ADJ: usu v-link ADJ\n  = mad, crazy\n8. A wild idea is unusual or extreme. A wild guess is one that you make without much thought.\nBrowning’s prediction is no better than a wild guess.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n=>  wild.ly\n`Thirteen?’ he guessed wildly.\n  ADV\n\n9.\n  see also wildly, wild child\n10. If you are wild about someone or something, you like them very much. (INFORMAL)\nI’m just wild about Peter, and he’s just wild about me...\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n  = be crazy about\n11. Animals that live in the wild live in a free and natural state and are not looked after by people.\nFewer than a thousand giant pandas still live in the wild.\n  PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR\n\n12. If something or someone, especially a child, runs wild, they behave in a natural, free, or uncontrolled way.\nEverything that could grow was running wild for lack of attention...\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n13.\nbeyond your wildest dreams: see dream\nin your wildest dreams: see dream\nto sow your wild oats: see oats


Words: wild boar
Meaning:
wild boar  wild boar  or wild boars\n  A wild boar is a large fierce pig which has two long curved teeth and a hairy body, and lives in forests.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wild card
Meaning:
wild card  wild cards   also wildcard\n1. If you refer to someone or something as a wild card in a particular situation, you mean that they cause uncertainty because you do not know how they will behave.\nThe wild card in the picture is eastern Europe.\n  N-COUNT: oft N in n\n\n2. If a sports player is given a wild card for a particular competition, they are allowed to play in it, although they have not qualified for it in the usual way. You can also use wild card to refer to a player who enters a competition in this way.\n  N-COUNT\n\n3. A wildcard is a symbol such as . or ? which is used in some computing commands or searches in order to represent any character or range of characters. (COMPUTING)\n  N-COUNT


Words: wild child
Meaning:
wild child\n  Journalists sometimes use wild child to refer to a teenage girl who enjoys herself in an uncontrolled way, for example by going to a lot of parties. (BRIT)\n  N-SING


Words: wild flower
Meaning:
wild flow.er\n   wild flower  wild flowers   also wildflower\n  Wild flowers are flowers which grow naturally in the countryside, rather than being grown by people in gardens.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wild goose chase
Meaning:
wild goose chase  wild goose chases   also wild-goose chase\n  If you are on a wild goose chase, you waste a lot of time searching for something that you have little chance of finding, because you have been given incorrect information.\nHarry wondered if Potts had deliberately sent him on a wild goose chase.\n  N-COUNT: usu on N


Words: Wild West
Meaning:
Wild West\n  The Wild West is used to refer to the western part of the United States during the time when Europeans were first settling there.\n  N-SING: the N


Words: wildcat
Meaning:
wild.cat\n   wildcat  wildcats\n1. A wildcat is a cat which is very fierce and lives especially in mountains and forests.\nA giant wildcat is being hunted after 58 lambs were butchered.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. A wildcat strike happens suddenly, as a result of a decision by a group of workers, and is not officially approved by a trade union.\nFrustration, anger and desperation have led to a series of wildcat strikes.\n  ADJ: ADJ n


Words: wildebeest
Meaning:
wil.de.beest\n   wildebeest   wildebeest\n  A wildebeest is a large African antelope which has a hairy tail, short curved horns, and long hair under its neck. Wildebeest usually live in large groups.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wilderness
Meaning:
wil.der.ness\n   wilderness  wildernesses\n  A wilderness is a desert or other area of natural land which is not used by people.\n...the icy Canadian wilderness...\n  N-COUNT: usu sing


Words: wildfire
Meaning:
wild.fire\n   wildfire  wildfires\n1. A wildfire is a fire that starts, usually by itself, in a wild area such as a forest, and spreads rapidly, causing great damage.\n...a wildfire in Montana that’s already burned thousands of acres of rich grassland.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. If something, especially news or a rumour, spreads like wildfire, it spreads extremely quickly.\nThese stories are spreading like wildfire through the city.\n  PHRASE: V inflects


Words: wildfowl
Meaning:
wild.fowl\n   wildfowl   also wild fowl\n  Wildfowl are birds such as ducks, swans, and geese that live close to lakes or rivers.\n  N-PLURAL


Words: wildlife
Meaning:
wild.life\n   wildlife\n  You can use wildlife to refer to the animals and other living things that live in the wild.\nPeople were concerned that pets or wildlife could be affected by the pesticides.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wildly
Meaning:
wild.ly\n   wildly\n  You use wildly to emphasize the degree, amount, or intensity of something.\nReports of his drinking have been wildly exaggerated...\nThe island’s hotels vary wildly.\n  ADV: usu ADV adj, also ADV after v  emphasis\n\n  see also wild


Words: wiles
Meaning:
wiles\n  Wiles are clever tricks that people, especially women, use to persuade other people to do something.\nShe claimed that women `use their feminine wiles to get on.’\n  N-PLURAL: usu supp N, N of n


Words: wilful
Meaning:
wil.ful\n   wilful\nin AM, use willful\n1. If you describe actions or attitudes as wilful, you are critical of them because they are done or expressed deliberately, especially with the intention of causing someone harm.\nWilful neglect of our manufacturing industry has caused this problem...\n  ADJ: ADJ n  disapproval\n\n2. If you describe someone as wilful, you mean that they are determined to do what they want to do, even if it is not sensible.\n...as the beautiful Lara becomes ever more wilful and irresponsible.\n  ADJ\n  = headstrong


Words: will
Meaning:
WANTING SOMETHING TO HAPPEN\n   will  wills  willing  willed\n1. Will is the determination to do something.\nHe was said to have lost his will to live.\n...the inevitable battle of wills as your child realises that he can’t do or have everything he wants...\n  N-VAR: oft N to-inf\n\n  see also free will\n2. If something is the will of a person or group of people with authority, they want it to happen.\nDemocracy responds and adjusts to the will of the people...\n  N-SING: with poss\n\n3. If you will something to happen, you try to make it happen by using mental effort rather than physical effort.\nI looked at the telephone, willing it to ring...\n  VERB: V n to-inf\n\n4. A will is a document in which you declare what you want to happen to your money and property when you die.\nAttached to his will was a letter he had written to his wife just days before his death.\n  N-COUNT\n\n5. If something is done against your will, it is done even though you do not want it to be done.\nNo doubt he was forced to leave his family against his will.\n  PHRASE: PHR after v\n\n6. If you can do something at will, you can do it when you want and as much as you want.\n...scientists who can adjust their experiments at will.\n  PHRASE: PHR after v\n\nMODAL VERB USES\n   will\nWill is a modal verb. It is used with the base form of a verb. In spoken English and informal written English, the form won’t is often used in negative statements.\n1. You use will to indicate that you hope, think, or have evidence that something is going to happen or be the case in the future.\nYou will find a wide variety of choices available in school cafeterias...\nRepresentatives from across the horse industry will attend the meeting...\n70 per cent of airports in the Far East will have to be upgraded...\nWill you ever feel at home here?...\nThe ship will not be ready for a month.\n  MODAL\n\n2. You use will in order to make statements about official arrangements in the future.\nThe show will be open to the public at 2pm; admission will be 50p...\nWhen will I be released, sir?\n  MODAL\n\n3. You use will in order to make promises and threats about what is going to happen or be the case in the future.\nI’ll call you tonight...\nPrice quotes on selected product categories will be sent on request...\nIf she refuses to follow rules about car safety, she won’t be allowed to use the car.\n  MODAL\n\n4. You use will to indicate someone’s intention to do something.\nI will say no more on these matters, important though they are...\nIn this section we will describe common myths about cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana...\n`Dinner’s ready.’.`Thanks, Carrie, but we’ll have a drink first.’...\nWhat will you do next?...\nWill you be remaining in the city?\n  MODAL\n\n5. You use will in questions in order to make polite invitations or offers.\nWill you stay for supper?...\nWill you join me for a drink?...\nWon’t you sit down?\n  MODAL  politeness\n\n6. You use will in questions in order to ask or tell someone to do something.\nWill you drive me home?...\nWipe the jam off my mouth, will you?\n  MODAL\n  = would\n7. You can use will in statements to give an order to someone. (FORMAL)\nYou will now maintain radio silence...\nYou will not discuss this matter with anyone.\n  MODAL\n\n8. You use will to say that someone is willing to do something. You use will not or won’t to indicate that someone refuses to do something.\nAll right, I’ll forgive you...\nHe has insisted that his organisation will not negotiate with the government.\n  MODAL\n\n  see also willing\n9. You use will to say that a person or thing is able to do something in the future.\nHow the country will defend itself in the future has become increasingly important...\nHow will I recognize you?\n  MODAL\n\n10. You use will to indicate that an action usually happens in the particular way mentioned.\nThe thicker the material, the less susceptible the garment will be to wet conditions...\nThere’s no snake known that will habitually attack human beings unless threatened with its life...\n  MODAL\n\n11. You use will in the main clause of some `if’ and `unless’ sentences to indicate something that you consider to be fairly likely to happen.\nIf you overcook the pancakes they will be difficult to roll...\n  MODAL\n\n12. You use will to say that someone insists on behaving or doing something in a particular way and you cannot change them. You emphasize will when you use it in this way.\nHe will leave his socks lying all over the place and it drives me mad.\n  MODAL\n\n13. You use will have with a past participle when you are saying that you are fairly certain that something will be true by a particular time in the future.\nAs many as ten-million children will have been infected with the virus by the end of the decade...\n  MODAL\n\n14. You use will have with a past participle to indicate that you are fairly sure that something is the case.\nThe holiday will have done him the world of good.\n  MODAL


Words: will-o’-the-wisp
Meaning:
will-o’-the-wisp  will-o’-the-wisps\n  You can refer to someone or something that keeps disappearing or that is impossible to catch or reach as a will-o’-the-wisp.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing


Words: willing
Meaning:
will.ing\n   willing\n1. If someone is willing to do something, they are fairly happy about doing it and will do it if they are asked or required to do it.\nThe military now say they’re willing to hold talks with the political parties...\nThere are, of course, questions which she will not be willing to answer.\n  ADJ: v-link ADJ to-inf\n  = prepared  !=unwilling\n2. Willing is used to describe someone who does something fairly enthusiastically and because they want to do it rather than because they are forced to do it.\nHave the party on a Saturday, when you can get your partner and other willing adults to help...\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n  !=unwilling, reluctant\n3.\nGod willing: see god


Words: willow
Meaning:
wil.low\n   willow  willows\n  A willow or a willow tree is a type of tree with long branches and long narrow leaves that grows near water.\n  N-COUNT\n\n  Willow is the wood of this tree.\n...willow furniture.\n  N-UNCOUNT: oft N n


Words: willpower
Meaning:
will.power\n   willpower   also will-power, will power\n  Willpower is a very strong determination to do something.\nHis attempts to stop smoking by willpower alone failed.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: willy
Meaning:
wil.ly\n   willy  willies   also willie\n  A boy’s or man’s willy is his penis. (BRIT INFORMAL)\n  N-COUNT


Words: willy-nilly
Meaning:
willy-nilly   also willy nilly\n1. If something happens to you willy-nilly, it happens whether you like it or not.\nThe government were dragged willy-nilly into the confrontation.\n  ADV: usu ADV with v, also ADV with cl\n\n2. If someone does something willy-nilly, they do it in a careless and disorganized way, without planning it in advance.\nClerks bundled papers into files willy-nilly.\n  ADV: usu ADV after v, also ADV with cl


Words: wilt
Meaning:
wilt  wilts  wilting  wilted\n1. If a plant wilts, it gradually bends downwards and becomes weak because it needs more water or is dying.\nThe roses wilted the day after she bought them...\n  VERB: V\n\n2. If someone wilts, they become weak or tired, or lose confidence.\nShe soon wilted in the morning heat...\nThe government wilted in the face of such powerful pressure.\n  VERB: V, V


Words: wily
Meaning:
wily  wilier  wiliest\n  If you describe someone or their behaviour as wily, you mean that they are clever at achieving what they want, especially by tricking people.\nHis appointment as prime minister owed much to the wily manoeuvring of the President.\n  ADJ\n  = cunning


Words: wimp
Meaning:
wimp  wimps\n  If you call someone a wimp, you disapprove of them because they lack confidence or determination, or because they are often afraid of things. (INFORMAL)\n  N-COUNT  disapproval


Words: wimpy
Meaning:
wimpy\n  If you describe a person or their behaviour as wimpy, you disapprove of them because they are weak and seem to lack confidence or determination. (INFORMAL)\n...a wimpy unpopular schoolboy...\nThis portrays her as wimpy, but she has a very strong character.\n  ADJ  disapproval\n  = drippy


Words: win
Meaning:
win  wins  winning  won\n1. If you win something such as a competition, battle, or argument, you defeat those people you are competing or fighting against, or you do better than everyone else involved.\nHe does not have any realistic chance of winning the election...\nThe top four teams all won...\nSanchez Vicario won 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.\n  VERB: V n, V, V amount, also V n amount\n  !=lose\n  Win is also a noun.\n...Arsenal’s dismal league run of eight games without a win...\n  N-COUNT\n  = victory  !=defeat\n2. If something wins you something such as an election, competition, battle, or argument, it causes you to defeat the people competing with you or fighting you, or to do better than everyone else involved.\nThat sort of gain for Labour is nothing like good enough to win them the general election...\n  VERB: V n n\n  !=lose\n3. If you win something such as a prize or medal, you get it because you have defeated everyone else in something such as an election, competition, battle, or argument, or have done very well in it.\nThe first correct entry wins the prize...\nShe won bronze for Great Britain in the European Championships.\n  VERB: V n, V n\n\n4. If you win something that you want or need, you succeed in getting it.\n...moves to win the support of the poor...\nBritish Aerospace has won an order worth 340 million dollars.\n  VERB: V n, V n\n  = gain  !=lose\n5. If something wins you a prize or wins you something else that you want, it causes you to get it.\nThe feat won them a prize of .85,000...\n  VERB: V n n\n  !=lose\n6.\n  see also winning\n7.\nto lose the battle but win the war: see battle\nto win the day: see day\nto win hands down: see hand


Words: win back
Meaning:
win back\n  If you win back something that you have lost, you get it again, especially as a result of a great effort.\nThe Government will have to work hard to win back the confidence of the people...\nSo he went and filed a suit and won his job back.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P


Words: win out
Meaning:
win out   or win through\n  If something or someone wins out or wins through, they are successful after a competition or struggle.\nSometimes perseverance does win out...\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P


Words: win over
Meaning:
win over\n  If you win someone over or win them round, you persuade them to support you or agree with you. (in BRIT, also use win round)\nHe has won over a significant number of the left-wing deputies...\nThey still hope to win him round.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P


Words: win-win
Meaning:
win-win\n  A win-win situation is one where you are certain to do well or be successful.\nIt is surprising that it has taken people so long to take advantage of what is a win-win opportunity.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n  !=no-win


Words: wince
Meaning:
wince  winces  wincing  winced\n  If you wince, the muscles of your face tighten suddenly because you have felt a pain or because you have just seen, heard, or remembered something unpleasant.\nEvery time he put any weight on his left leg he winced in pain...\n  VERB: V\n\n  Wince is also a noun.\nHe suppressed a wince as motion renewed the pain.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing


Words: winch
Meaning:
winch  winches  winching  winched\n1. A winch is a machine which is used to lift heavy objects or people who need to be rescued. It consists of a drum around which a rope or chain is wound.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. If you winch an object or person somewhere, you lift or lower them using a winch.\nHe would attach a cable around the chassis of the car and winch it up on to the canal bank...\n  VERB: V n with adv/prep


Words: wind
Meaning:
TURNING OR WRAPPING\n   wind  winds  winding  wound\n1. If a road, river, or line of people winds in a particular direction, it goes in that direction with a lot of bends or twists in it.\nThe Moselle winds through some 160 miles of tranquil countryside...\nThe convoy wound its way through the West Bank.\n...a narrow winding road.\n  VERB: V prep/adv, V way prep/adv, V-ing\n\n2. When you wind something flexible around something else, you wrap it around it several times.\nThe horse jumped forwards and round her, winding the rope round her waist.\n  VERB: V n prep/adv\n\n3. When you wind a mechanical device, for example a watch or a clock, you turn a knob, key, or handle on it several times in order to make it operate.\nI still hadn’t wound my watch so I didn’t know the time.\n  VERB: V n\n\n  Wind up means the same as wind.\nI wound up the watch and listened to it tick...\nFrances took the tiny music box from her trunk and wound it up.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P\n\n4. To wind a tape or film back or forward means to make it move towards its starting or ending position.\nThe camcorder winds the tape back or forward at high speed.\n  VERB: V n adv\n\nAIR\n   wind  winds  winding  winded\n1. A wind is a current of air that is moving across the earth’s surface.\nThere was a strong wind blowing...\nThe leaves rustled in the wind...\n  N-VAR\n\n2. Journalists often refer to a trend or factor that influences events as a wind of a particular kind.\nThe winds of change are blowing across the country...\n  N-COUNT: N of n\n\n3. If you are winded by something such as a blow, the air is suddenly knocked out of your lungs so that you have difficulty breathing for a short time.\nHe was winded and shaken...\nThe cow stamped on his side, winding him.\n  VERB: be V-ed, V n\n\n4. Wind is the air that you sometimes swallow with food or drink, or gas that is produced in your intestines, which causes an uncomfortable feeling.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n5. The wind section of an orchestra or band is the group of people who produce musical sounds by blowing into their instruments.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n6. If someone breaks wind, they release gas from their intestines through their anus.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n7. If you get wind of something, you hear about it, especially when someone else did not want you to know about it. (INFORMAL)\nI don’t want the public, and especially not the press, to get wind of it at this stage.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n\n\n8. If you sail close to the wind, you take a risk by doing or saying something that may get you into trouble.\nMax warned her she was sailing dangerously close to the wind and risked prosecution.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n9.\nto throw caution to the wind: see caution


Words: wind down
Meaning:
wind down\n1. When you wind down something such as the window of a car, you make it move downwards by turning a handle.\nGlass motioned to him to wind down the window...\nIf a stranger stops you, just wind the window down a fraction.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P\n  !=wind up\n2. If you wind down, you relax after doing something that has made you feel tired or tense. (INFORMAL)\nI regularly have a drink to wind down.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P\n  = unwind\n3. If someone winds down a business or activity, they gradually reduce the amount of work that is done or the number of people that are involved, usually before closing or stopping it completely.\nForeign aid workers have already begun winding down their operation...\nIn 1991 the Ada plant began to wind down.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V P, also V n P


Words: wind farm
Meaning:
wind farm  wind farms\n  A wind farm is a place where windmills are used to convert the power of the wind into electricity.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wind instrument
Meaning:
wind in.stru.ment\n   wind instrument  wind instruments\n  A wind instrument is a musical instrument that you blow into in order to produce sounds, such as a flute, a clarinet, or a recorder.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wind tunnel
Meaning:
wind tun.nel\n   wind tunnel  wind tunnels\n  A wind tunnel is a room or passage through which air can be made to flow at controlled speeds. Wind tunnels are used to test new equipment or machinery, especially cars and aeroplanes.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wind up
Meaning:
wind up\n1. When you wind up an activity, you finish it or stop doing it.\nThe President is about to wind up his visit to Somalia...\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), also V n P\n\n2. When someone winds up a business or other organization, they stop running it and close it down completely. (BUSINESS)\nThe Bank of England seems determined to wind up the company.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), also V n P\n\n3. If you wind up in a particular place, situation, or state, you are in it at the end of a series of actions, events, or experiences, even though you did not originally intend to be.\nHe could wind up in gaol...\nLittle did I know that I would actually wind up being on the staff...\nBoth partners of the marriage wound up unhappy.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P prep/adv, V P -ing, V P adj\n  = finish up, end up\n4. When you wind up something such as the window of a car, you make it move upwards by turning a handle.\nHe started winding the window up but I grabbed the door and opened it.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V n P\n  = roll up  !=wind down\n5. If you wind someone up, you deliberately say things which annoy them. (BRIT INFORMAL)\nThis woman really wound me up. She kept talking over me.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V n P, also V P n (not pron)\n  = annoy\n6. If you wind someone up, you say untrue things in order to trick them. (BRIT INFORMAL)\nYou’re joking. Come on, you’re winding me up.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V n P, also V P n (not pron)\n  = kid\n7.\n  see also wind 3, wind-up, wound up


Words: wind-blown
Meaning:
wind-blown   also windblown\n1. You can use wind-blown to indicate that something has been blown from one place to another by the wind.\n...the wind-blown sand which forms the 60 ft dunes.\n  ADJ\n\n2. If something such as someone’s hair is wind-blown, it is untidy because it has been blown about by the wind.\n  ADJ


Words: wind-up
Meaning:
wind-up  wind-ups\n1. A wind-up device is a mechanical device with a handle or key that you turn several times before you use it in order to make it work.\n...an old-fashioned wind-up gramophone.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n2. A wind-up is a joke or trick in which someone deliberately tells you something untrue in order to annoy you. (BRIT INFORMAL)\nAt first I couldn’t believe it. I thought it was a wind-up by one of my mates.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing, usu a N


Words: windbag
Meaning:
wind.bag\n   windbag  windbags\n  If you call someone a windbag, you are saying in a fairly rude way that you think they talk a great deal in a boring way. (INFORMAL)\n  N-COUNT  disapproval


Words: windbreak
Meaning:
wind.break\n   windbreak  windbreaks\n  A windbreak is something such as a line of trees or a fence which gives protection against the wind.\n  N-COUNT


Words: Windbreaker
Meaning:
Wind.breaker\n   Windbreaker  Windbreakers\n  A Windbreaker is a warm casual jacket. (TRADEMARK) (mainly AM)\n  N-COUNT\n  = anorak


Words: windfall
Meaning:
wind.fall\n   windfall  windfalls\n1. A windfall is a sum of money that you receive unexpectedly or by luck, for example if you win a lottery.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. A windfall is a fruit, especially an apple, that has fallen from a tree.\n  N-COUNT


Words: windlass
Meaning:
wind.lass\n   windlass  windlasses\n  A windlass is a mechanical device for lifting heavy objects, which uses a motor to pull a rope or chain around a cylinder.\n  N-COUNT\n  = winch


Words: windless
Meaning:
wind.less\n   windless\n  If the air is windless, or if it is a windless day, it is very calm and still.\n  ADJ\n  !=windy


Words: windmill
Meaning:
wind.mill\n   windmill  windmills\n  A windmill is a building with long pieces of wood on the outside which turn around as the wind blows and provide energy for a machine that crushes grain. A windmill is also a similar structure that is used to convert the power of the wind into electricity.\n  N-COUNT


Words: window
Meaning:
win.dow\n   window  windows\n1. A window is a space in the wall of a building or in the side of a vehicle, which has glass in it so that light can come in and you can see out.\nHe stood at the window, moodily staring out...\nThe room felt very hot and she wondered why someone did not open a window...\n...my car window.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. A window is a large piece of glass along the front of a shop, behind which some of the goods that the shop sells are displayed.\nI stood for a few moments in front of the nearest shop window.\n  N-COUNT\n\n3. A window is a glass-covered opening above a counter, for example in a bank, post office, railway station, or museum, which the person serving you sits behind.\nThe woman at the ticket window told me that the admission fee was $17.50.\n  N-COUNT\n\n4. On a computer screen, a window is one of the work areas that the screen can be divided into. (COMPUTING)\n  N-COUNT\n\n5. If you have a window in your diary for something, or if you can make a window for it, you are free at a particular time and can do it then.\nTell her I’ve got a window in my diary later on this week.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing\n\n6.\n  see also French window, picture window, rose window\n7. If you say that something such as a plan or a particular way of thinking or behaving has gone out of the window or has flown out of the window, you mean that it has disappeared completely.\nBy now all logic had gone out of the window...\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n8. If you say that there is a window of opportunity for something, you mean that there is an opportunity to do something but that this opportunity will only last for a short time and so it needs to be taken advantage of quickly. (JOURNALISM)\nThe king said there was now a window of opportunity for peace.\n  PHRASE: window inflects, oft PHR for n, PHR to-inf


Words: window box
Meaning:
win.dow box\n   window box  window boxes\n  A window box is a long narrow container on a shelf at the bottom of a window and is used for growing plants.\n  N-COUNT


Words: window frame
Meaning:
win.dow frame\n   window frame  window frames\n  A window frame is a frame around the edges of a window, which glass is fixed into.\n  N-COUNT


Words: window seat
Meaning:
win.dow seat\n   window seat  window seats\n1. A window seat is a seat which is fixed to the wall underneath a window in a room.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. On a train, bus, or aeroplane, a window seat is a seat next to a window.\n  N-COUNT


Words: window shade
Meaning:
win.dow shade\n   window shade  window shades\n  A window shade is a piece of stiff cloth or heavy paper that you can pull down over a window as a covering. (AM; in BRIT, use blind)\n  N-COUNT\n  = shade


Words: window shopping
Meaning:
win.dow shop.ping\n   window shopping   also window-shopping\n  If you do some window shopping, you spend time looking at the goods in the windows of shops without intending to buy anything.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: window-dressing
Meaning:
window-dressing   also window dressing\n1. Window-dressing is the skill of arranging objects attractively in a window, especially a shop window, or the way in which they are arranged.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n2. If you refer to something as window-dressing, you are critical of it because it is done in order to create a good impression and to prevent people from realizing the real or more unpleasant nature of someone’s activities.\nThe measures are little more than window dressing that will fade fast once investors take a hard look at them.\n  N-UNCOUNT  disapproval


Words: windowpane
Meaning:
window.pane\n   windowpane  windowpanes   also window pane\n  A windowpane is a piece of glass in the window of a building.\n  N-COUNT


Words: windowsill
Meaning:
window.sill\n   windowsill  windowsills   also window sill\n  A windowsill is a shelf along the bottom of a window, either inside or outside a building.\n  N-COUNT


Words: windpipe
Meaning:
wind.pipe\n   windpipe  windpipes\n  Your windpipe is the tube in your body that carries air into your lungs when you breathe.\n  N-COUNT\n  = trachea


Words: windscreen
Meaning:
wind.screen\n   windscreen  windscreens\n  The windscreen of a car or other vehicle is the glass window at the front through which the driver looks. (BRIT; in AM, use windshield)\n  N-COUNT


Words: windscreen wiper
Meaning:
wind.screen wip.er\n   windscreen wiper  windscreen wipers\n  A windscreen wiper is a device that wipes rain from a vehicle’s windscreen. (BRIT; in AM, use windshield wiper)\n  N-COUNT: usu pl


Words: windshield
Meaning:
wind.shield\n   windshield  windshields\n  The windshield of a car or other vehicle is the glass window at the front through which the driver looks. (AM; in BRIT, use windscreen)\n  N-COUNT


Words: windshield wiper
Meaning:
wind.shield wip.er\n   windshield wiper  windshield wipers\n  A windshield wiper is the same as a windscreen wiper. (AM)\n  N-COUNT: usu pl


Words: windsurfer
Meaning:
wind.surf.er\n   windsurfer  windsurfers\n1. A windsurfer is a long narrow board with a sail attached to it. You stand on a windsurfer in the sea or on a lake and are blown along by the wind.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. A windsurfer is a person who rides on a windsurfer.\n  N-COUNT


Words: windsurfing
Meaning:
wind.surf.ing\n   windsurfing\n  Windsurfing is a sport in which you move along the surface of the sea or a lake on a long narrow board with a sail on it.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: windswept
Meaning:
wind.swept\n   windswept\n  A windswept place has no shelter and is not protected against strong winds.\n...the remote and windswept hillside.\n  ADJ


Words: windward
Meaning:
wind.ward\n   windward\n  Windward is used to describe the side of something, especially a ship, which is facing the wind.\n...the windward side of the quarterdeck...\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n  !=leeward


Words: windy
Meaning:
windy  windier  windiest\n  If it is windy, the wind is blowing a lot.\nIt was windy and Jake felt cold.\n  ADJ


Words: wine
Meaning:
wine  wines  wining  wined\n1. Wine is an alcoholic drink which is made from grapes. You can also refer to alcoholic drinks made from other fruits or vegetables as wine.\n...a bottle of white wine...\nThis is a nice wine.\n  N-MASS\n\n2. Wine is used to describe things that are very dark red in colour.\nShe wore her wine-coloured gaberdine raincoat.\n  COLOUR\n\n3. If you wine and dine, or if someone wines and dines you, you go out, for example to expensive restaurants, and spend a lot of money.\nColleagues were furious at doing her work while she wined and dined...\nA lot of money went on wining and dining prospective clients.\n  PHRASE: Vs inflect


Words: wine bar
Meaning:
wine bar  wine bars\n  A wine bar is a place where people can buy and drink wine, and sometimes eat food as well.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wine glass
Meaning:
wine glass  wine glasses\n  A wine glass is a glass, usually with a narrow stem, which you use for drinking wine.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wing
Meaning:
wing  wings\n1. The wings of a bird or insect are the two parts of its body that it uses for flying.\nThe bird flapped its wings furiously...\n  N-COUNT\n\n=>  -winged\n...black-winged birds.\n  COMB in ADJ\n\n2. The wings of an aeroplane are the long flat parts sticking out of its side which support it while it is flying.\n  N-COUNT\n\n=>  -winged\n...a wide-winged plane.\n  COMB in ADJ\n\n3. A wing of a building is a part of it which sticks out from the main part.\nWe were given an office in the empty west wing.\n  N-COUNT: usu with supp\n\n4. A wing of an organization, especially a political organization, is a group within it which has a particular function or particular beliefs.\n...the military wing of the African National Congress.\n  N-COUNT: with supp, usu supp N\n\n  see also left-wing, right-wing\n5. In a theatre, the wings are the sides of the stage which are hidden from the audience by curtains or scenery.\nMost nights I watched the start of the play from the wings.\n  N-PLURAL: the N\n\n6. In a game such as football or hockey, the left wing and the right wing are the areas on the far left and the far right of the pitch. You can also refer to the players who play in these positions as the left wing and the right wing.\n  N-COUNT: usu supp N\n\n7. A wing of a car is a part of it on the outside which is over one of the wheels. (BRIT; in AM, use fender)\n  N-COUNT\n\n8. If you say that something or someone wings their way somewhere or wings somewhere, you mean that they go there quickly, especially by plane.\nA few moments later they were airborne and winging their way south...\nA cash bonanza will be winging its way to the 600,000 members of the scheme...\nThe first of the airliners winged westwards and home.\n  VERB: V way adv/prep, V way adv/prep, V adv/prep\n\n9. If you say that someone is waiting in the wings, you mean that they are ready and waiting for an opportunity to take action.\nThere are now more than 20 big companies waiting in the wings to take over some of its business.\n  PHRASE: usu v PHR\n\n10. If you spread your wings, you do something new and rather difficult or move to a new place, because you feel more confident in your abilities than you used to and you want to gain wider experience.\nI led a very confined life in my village so I suppose that I wanted to spread my wings.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n11. If you take someone under your wing, you look after them, help them, and protect them.\nHer boss took her under his wing after fully realising her potential.\n  PHRASE: V inflects


Words: wing back
Meaning:
wing back  wing backs   also wing-back\n  In football, a wing back is a defender who also takes part in attacking play.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wing commander
Meaning:
wing com.mand.er\n   wing commander  wing commanders\n  A wing commander is a senior officer in the British air force.\n...Wing Commander Christopher Moran.\n  N-COUNT; N-TITLE


Words: winged
Meaning:
winged\n  A winged insect or other creature has wings.\nFlycatchers feed primarily on winged insects.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: winger
Meaning:
wing.er\n   winger  wingers\n  In a game such as football or hockey, a winger is an attacking player who plays mainly on the far left or the far right side of the pitch.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wingspan
Meaning:
wing.span\n   wingspan  wingspans   also wing span\n  The wingspan of a bird, insect, or aeroplane is the distance from the end of one wing to the end of the other wing.\n...a glider with an 18-foot wingspan.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing, usu with supp


Words: wink
Meaning:
wink  winks  winking  winked\n1. When you wink at someone, you look towards them and close one eye very briefly, usually as a signal that something is a joke or a secret.\nBrian winked at his bride-to-be...\n  VERB: V at n\n\n  Wink is also a noun.\nI gave her a wink.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing\n\n2. If you say that you did not sleep a wink or did not get a wink of sleep, you mean that you tried to go to sleep but could not. (INFORMAL)\nI didn’t get a wink of sleep on the aeroplane.\n  PHRASE: V inflects


Words: winkle
Meaning:
win.kle\n   winkle  winkles  winkling  winkled\n  Winkles are small sea snails that can be eaten. (BRIT; in AM, use periwinkles)\n  N-COUNT\n  = periwinkle


Words: winkle out
Meaning:
winkle out\n1. If you winkle information out of someone, you get it from them when they do not want to give it to you, often by tricking them. (BRIT INFORMAL)\nThe security services will pretty well go to any lengths to winkle out information...\nThe detective was trying to winkle information out of her.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P of n, also V n P\n  = worm out\n2. If you winkle someone out of a place where they are hiding or which they do not want to leave, you make them leave it. (BRIT INFORMAL)\nHe somehow managed to winkle Picard out of his room...\nPolitical pressure finally winkled him out and on to a plane bound for Berlin...\nIt will not be easy to winkle out the old guard and train younger replacements.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V n P of n, V n P, V P n (not pron)


Words: winner
Meaning:
win.ner\n   winner  winners\n1. The winner of a prize, race, or competition is the person, animal, or thing that wins it.\nShe will present the trophies to the award winners...\nThe winner was a horse called Last Town.\n  N-COUNT\n  !=loser\n2. If you say that something or someone is a winner, you mean that they are popular and successful, or that they are likely to be popular and successful. (INFORMAL)\nThey think the appeal is a winner...\nSelling was my game and I intended to be a winner.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing, a N\n  = success, hit  !=failure


Words: winning
Meaning:
win.ning\n   winning\n1. You can use winning to describe a person or thing that wins something such as a competition, game, or election.\n...the leader of the winning party...\nDonovan scored the winning goal.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n2. You can use winning to describe actions or qualities that please other people and make them feel friendly towards you.\nShe gave him another of her winning smiles...\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n  = engaging\n3.\n  see also win


Words: winnings
Meaning:
win.nings\n   winnings\n  You can use winnings to refer to the money that someone wins in a competition or by gambling.\nI have come to collect my winnings.\n  N-PLURAL: oft poss N


Words: winnow
Meaning:
win.now\n   winnow  winnows  winnowing  winnowed\n  If you winnow a group of things or people, you reduce its size by separating the ones that are useful or relevant from the ones that are not. (LITERARY)\nAdministration officials have winnowed the list of candidates to three.\n  VERB: V n


Words: winnow out
Meaning:
winnow out\n  If you winnow out part of a group of things or people, you identify the part that is not useful or relevant and the part that is. (WRITTEN)\nThe committee will need to winnow out the nonsense and produce more practical proposals if it is to achieve results...\nTime has winnowed out certain of the essays as superior.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V P n (not pron)


Words: wino
Meaning:
wino  winos\n  Some people refer to alcoholics, especially homeless ones, as winos. (INFORMAL)\n  N-COUNT


Words: winsome
Meaning:
win.some\n   winsome\n  If you describe a person or their actions or behaviour as winsome, you mean that they are attractive and charming.\nShe gave him her best winsome smile.\n  ADJ


Words: winter
Meaning:
win.ter\n   winter  winters  wintering  wintered\n1. Winter is the season between autumn and spring. In the winter the weather is usually cold.\nIn winter the nights are long and cold.\n...the winter months.\n...the late winter of 1941.\n  N-VAR\n\n2. If an animal or plant winters somewhere or is wintered there, it spends the winter there.\nThe birds will winter outside in an aviary...\nThe young seedlings are usually wintered in a cold frame.\n...one of the most important sites for wintering wildfowl.\n  VERB: V adv/prep, be V-ed prep/adv, V-ing, also V n prep/adv\n\n3. If you winter somewhere, you spend the winter there. (FORMAL)\nThe family decided to winter in Nice again.\n  VERB: V prep/adv


Words: winter sports
Meaning:
win.ter sports\n   winter sports\n  Winter sports are sports that take place on ice or snow, for example skating and skiing.\n  N-PLURAL


Words: wintertime
Meaning:
winter.time\n   wintertime   also winter time\n  Wintertime is the period of time during which winter lasts.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wintry
Meaning:
win.try\n   wintry\n  Wintry weather is cold and has features that are typical of winter.\nWintry weather continues to sweep across Britain...\n...a dark wintry day.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: wipe
Meaning:
wipe  wipes  wiping  wiped\n1. If you wipe something, you rub its surface to remove dirt or liquid from it.\nI’ll just wipe the table...\nWhen he had finished washing he began to wipe the basin clean...\nLainey wiped her hands on the towel.\n  VERB: V n, V n with adj, V n on n\n\n  Wipe is also a noun.\nShe gave the table a quick wipe and disappeared behind the counter.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing\n\n2. If you wipe dirt or liquid from something, you remove it, for example by using a cloth or your hand.\nGleb wiped the sweat from his face...\nHe shook his head and wiped his tears with a tissue.\n  VERB: V n prep, V n\n\n3. A wipe is a small moist cloth for cleaning things and is designed to be used only once.\n...antiseptic wipes.\n  N-COUNT\n\n4.\nto wipe the floor with someone: see floor\nto wipe the slate clean: see slate


Words: wipe away
Meaning:
wipe away   or wipe off\n  If you wipe away or wipe off dirt or liquid from something, you remove it, for example by using a cloth or your hand.\nHe wiped away the blood with a paper napkin...\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron)


Words: wipe out
Meaning:
wipe out\n  To wipe out something such as a place or a group of people or animals means to destroy them completely.\nThe spill could wipe out the Gulf’s turtle population...\nThe man is a fanatic who is determined to wipe out any opposition to the way he conducts himself.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V P n (not pron), also V n P


Words: wipe up
Meaning:
wipe up\n  If you wipe up dirt or liquid from something, you remove it using a cloth.\nI spilled my coffee all over the table and Mom leaned across me to wipe it up...\nWipe up spills immediately.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V n P, V P n (not pron)


Words: wiper
Meaning:
wip.er\n   wiper  wipers\n  A wiper is a device that wipes rain from a vehicle’s windscreen.\n  N-COUNT: usu pl


Words: wire
Meaning:
wire  wires  wiring  wired\n1. A wire is a long thin piece of metal that is used to fasten things or to carry electric current.\n...fine copper wire.\n...gadgets which detect electrical wires, pipes and timbers in walls.\n  N-VAR\n\n2. A wire is a cable which carries power or signals from one place to another.\nI ripped out the telephone wire that ran through to his office.\n...the voltage of the overhead wires.\n  N-COUNT: usu supp N\n  = cable\n3. If you wire something such as a building or piece of equipment, you put wires inside it so that electricity or signals can pass into or through it.\n...learning to wire and plumb the house herself...\nEach of the homes has a security system and is wired for cable television.\n...a badly wired appliance.\n  VERB: V n, be V-ed for n, V-ed\n\n  Wire up means the same as wire.\nHe was helping wire up the Channel Tunnel last season...\nWire the thermometers up to trigger off an alarm bell if the temperature drops...\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P\n\n4. A wire is the same as a telegram. (mainly AM)\n  N-COUNT\n\n5. If you wire an amount of money to a person or place, you tell a bank to send it to the person or place using a telegram message. (mainly AM)\nI’m wiring you some money...\nThey arranged to wire the money from the United States...\n  VERB: V n n, V n prep\n\n6. If something goes to the wire, it continues until the last possible moment. (mainly JOURNALISM)\nNegotiators again worked right down to the wire to reach an agreement.\n  PHRASE\n\n7.\n  see also barbed wire, high wire, hot-wire, live wire


Words: wire wool
Meaning:
wire wool\n  Wire wool consists of very thin pieces of wire twisted together, often in the form of small pads. These are used to clean wooden and metal objects. (BRIT; in AM, use steel wool)\n  N-UNCOUNT\n  = steel wool


Words: wired
Meaning:
wired\n1. If someone is wired, they are tense, nervous, and unable to relax. (mainly AM INFORMAL)\nTonight he is manic, wired and uptight.\n  ADJ: usu v-link ADJ\n  = edgy, uptight\n2. A computer, organization, or person that is wired has the equipment that is necessary to use the Internet. (INFORMAL)\nOnce more people are wired, the potential to change the mainstream media will be huge.\n  ADJ\n\n3. Wired is used to describe material or clothing that has wires sewn into it in order to keep it stiff.\n...a length of wired ribbon.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: wireless
Meaning:
wire.less\n   wireless  wirelesses\n1. Wireless technology uses radio waves rather than electricity and therefore does not require any wires.\n...the fast-growing wireless communication market.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n2. A wireless or wireless set is a radio. (BRIT OLD-FASHIONED)\n  N-COUNT\n  = radio


Words: wiretap
Meaning:
wire.tap\n   wiretap  wiretaps  wiretapping  wiretapped   also wire-tap\n  If someone wiretaps your telephone, they attach a special device to the line so that they can secretly listen to your conversations. (AM)\nThe coach said his club had wire-tapped the hotel room of a player during a road trip.\n  VERB: V n\n  = bug\n  Wiretap is also a noun. (in BRIT, use tap)\n...tapes of telephone conversations that can have been obtained only by illegal wiretaps.\n  N-COUNT\n\n=>  wire.tapping\n...allegations of wiretapping.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wiring
Meaning:
wir.ing\n   wiring\n  The wiring in a building or machine is the system of wires that supply electricity to the different parts of it.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wiry
Meaning:
wiry\n1. Someone who is wiry is rather thin but is also strong.\nHis body is wiry and athletic.\n  ADJ\n\n2. Something such as hair or grass that is wiry is stiff and rough to touch.\nHer wiry hair was pushed up on top of her head in an untidy bun.\n  ADJ\n  = coarse  !=soft


Words: wisdom
Meaning:
wis.dom\n   wisdom  wisdoms\n1. Wisdom is the ability to use your experience and knowledge in order to make sensible decisions or judgments.\n...the patience and wisdom that comes from old age.\n...a great man, who spoke words of great wisdom.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n2. Wisdom is the store of knowledge that a society or culture has collected over a long period of time.\n...this church’s original Semitic wisdom, religion and faith.\n  N-VAR\n\n3. If you talk about the wisdom of a particular decision or action, you are talking about how sensible it is.\nMany Lithuanians have expressed doubts about the wisdom of the decision.\n  N-SING: the N of n/-ing\n\n4. You can use wisdom to refer to ideas that are accepted by a large number of people.\nHealth education wisdom in the UK differs from that of the United States...\nUnchallenged wisdoms flow swiftly among the middle classes.\n  N-VAR: supp N\n\n  The conventional wisdom about something is the generally accepted view of it.\n...the conventional wisdom that soccer is a minor sport in America.\n  PHRASE: N inflects


Words: wisdom tooth
Meaning:
wis.dom tooth\n   wisdom tooth  wisdom teeth\n  Your wisdom teeth are the four large teeth at the back of your mouth which usually grow much later than your other teeth.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wise
Meaning:
wise  wises  wising  wised  wiser  wisest\n1. A wise person is able to use their experience and knowledge in order to make sensible decisions and judgments.\nShe has the air of a wise woman...\n  ADJ\n  !=foolish\n=>  wise.ly\nThe three of us stood around the machine nodding wisely.\n  ADV: ADV with v\n\n2. A wise action or decision is sensible.\nShe had made a very wise decision...\nIt is wise to seek help and counsel as soon as possible.\n  ADJ: oft it v-link ADJ to-inf\n  = sensible\n=>  wise.ly\nThey’ve invested their money wisely...\nOur man had wisely decided to be picked up at the farm.\n  ADV: usu ADV with v\n\n3. If you get wise to something, you find out about it, especially when someone has been trying to keep it secret. (INFORMAL)\nDealers have already got wise to the trend and increased their prices accordingly.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n


Words: wise guy
Meaning:
wise guy  wise guys   also wiseguy\n1. If you say that someone is a wise guy, you dislike the fact that they think they are very clever and always have an answer for everything. (INFORMAL)\n  N-COUNT  disapproval\n  = smart alec\n2. A wise guy is a member of the Mafia. (mainly AM INFORMAL)\n  N-COUNT


Words: wise up
Meaning:
wise up\n  If someone wises up to a situation or state of affairs, they become aware of it and take appropriate action. (INFORMAL)\nSome insurers have wised up to the fact that their clients were getting very cheap insurance...\nIt’s time to wise up and tell those around you that enough is enough.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P to n, V P


Words: wisecrack
Meaning:
wise.crack\n   wisecrack  wisecracks\n  A wisecrack is a clever remark that is intended to be amusing, but is often rather unkind.\n  N-COUNT\n  = quip


Words: wisecracking
Meaning:
wise.crack.ing\n   wisecracking   also wise-cracking\n  You can use wisecracking to describe someone who keeps making wisecracks.\n...a wisecracking private eye.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: wish
Meaning:
wish  wishes  wishing  wished\n1. A wish is a desire or strong feeling that you want to have something or do something.\nClearly she had no wish for conversation...\nShe wanted to go everywhere in the world. She soon got her wish...\nThe decision was made against the wishes of the party leader.\n  N-COUNT: oft with poss\n\n  see also death wish\n2. If you wish to do something or to have it done for you, you want to do it or have it done. (FORMAL)\nIf you wish to go away for the weekend, our office will be delighted to make hotel reservations...\nWe can dress as we wish now...\nThere were the collaborators, who wished for a German victory.\n  VERB: V to-inf, V, V for n\n\n3. If you wish something were true, you would like it to be true, even though you know that it is impossible or unlikely.\nI wish I could do that...\nThe world is not always what we wish it to be.\n  VERB: no cont, V that, V n to-inf\n\n4. If you wish for something, you express the desire for that thing silently to yourself. In fairy stories, when a person wishes for something, the thing they wish for often happens by magic.\nWe have all wished for men who are more considerate...\n  VERB: V for n\n\n  Wish is also a noun.\nBlow out the candles and make a wish.\n  N-COUNT\n\n5. If you say that you would not wish a particular thing on someone, you mean that the thing is so unpleasant that you would not want them to be forced to experience it.\nIt’s a horrid experience and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.\n  VERB: no cont, with brd-neg, V n on n\n\n6. If you wish someone something such as luck or happiness, you express the hope that they will be lucky or happy.\nI wish you both a very good journey...\nGoodbye, Hanu. I wish you well.\n  VERB: V n n, V n adv\n\n7. If you express your good wishes towards someone, you are politely expressing your friendly feelings towards them and your hope that they will be successful or happy.\nI found George’s story very sad. Please give him my best wishes...\n  N-PLURAL: adj N  politeness


Words: wish list
Meaning:
wish list  wish lists\n  If you refer to someone’s wish list, you mean all the things which they would like to happen or be given, although these things may be unlikely. (INFORMAL)\n...one special toy that tops the wish list of every child...\n  N-COUNT: oft with poss


Words: wishbone
Meaning:
wish.bone\n   wishbone  wishbones\n  A wishbone is a V-shaped bone in chickens, turkeys, and other birds.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wishful thinking
Meaning:
wish.ful think.ing\n   wishful thinking\n  If you say that an idea, wish, or hope is wishful thinking, you mean that it has failed to come true or is unlikely to come true.\nIt is wishful thinking to expect deeper change under his leadership.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wishy-washy
Meaning:
wishy-washy\n  If you say that someone is wishy-washy, you are critical of them because their ideas are not firm or clear. (INFORMAL)\nIf there’s anything I can’t stand it’s an indecisive, wishy-washy customer.\n  ADJ  disapproval


Words: wisp
Meaning:
wisp  wisps\n1. A wisp of hair is a small, thin, untidy bunch of it.\nShe smoothed away a wisp of hair from her eyes.\n  N-COUNT: usu N of n\n\n2. A wisp of something such as smoke or cloud is an amount of it in a long thin shape.\nA thin wisp of smoke straggled up through the trees.\n  N-COUNT: usu N of n


Words: wispy
Meaning:
wispy\n1. If someone has wispy hair, their hair does not grow thickly on their head.\n  ADJ\n\n2. A wispy cloud is thin or faint.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: wisteria
Meaning:
wis.te.ria\n   wisteria\n  Wisteria is a type of climbing plant which has pale purple or white flowers.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wistful
Meaning:
wist.ful\n   wistful\n  Someone who is wistful is rather sad because they want something and know that they cannot have it.\nI can’t help feeling slightly wistful about the perks I’m giving up...\n  ADJ


Words: wit
Meaning:
wit  wits\n1. Wit is the ability to use words or ideas in an amusing, clever, and imaginative way.\nBoulding was known for his biting wit...\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n2. If you describe someone as a wit, you mean that they have the ability to use words or ideas in an amusing, clever, and imaginative way.\nHolmes was gregarious, a great wit, a man of wide interests.\n  N-COUNT\n\n3. If you say that someone has the wit to do something, you mean that they have the intelligence and understanding to make the right decision or take the right action in a particular situation.\nThe information is there and waiting to be accessed by anyone with the wit to use it.\n  N-SING: the N to-inf\n  = sense\n4. You can refer to your ability to think quickly and cleverly in a difficult situation as your wits.\nShe has used her wits to progress to the position she holds today.\n  N-PLURAL: usu poss N\n\n5. You can use wits in expressions such as frighten someone out of their wits and scare the wits out of someone to emphasize that a person or thing worries or frightens someone very much.\nYou scared us out of our wits. We heard you had an accident.\n  N-PLURAL: usu out of poss N  emphasis\n\n6. If you have your wits about you or keep your wits about you, you are alert and ready to act in a difficult situation.\nTravellers need to keep their wits about them.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n7. If you say that you are at your wits’ end, you are emphasizing that you are so worried and exhausted by problems or difficulties that you do not know what to do next.\nWe row a lot and we never have time on our own. I’m at my wit’s end.\n  PHRASE: usu v-link PHR  emphasis\n\n8. If you pit your wits against someone, you compete against them in a test of knowledge or intelligence.\nHe has to pit his wits against an adversary who is cool, clever and cunning.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n\n\n9. To wit is used to indicate that you are about to state or describe something more precisely. (LITERARY)\nHe’d like `happiness’ to be given a new and more scientifically descriptive label, to wit `Major affective disorder, pleasant type’.\n  PHRASE: PHR with cl, PHR n\n  = namely


Words: witch
Meaning:
witch  witches\n1. In fairy stories, a witch is a woman, usually an old woman, who has evil magic powers. Witches often wear a pointed black hat, and have a pet black cat.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. A witch is a man or woman who claims to have magic powers and to be able to use them for good or bad purposes.\n  N-COUNT


Words: witch doctor
Meaning:
witch doc.tor\n   witch doctor  witch doctors   also witch-doctor\n  A witch doctor is a person in some societies, for example in Africa, who is thought to have magic powers which can be used to heal people.\n  N-COUNT


Words: witch hazel
Meaning:
witch ha.zel\n   witch hazel\n  Witch hazel is a liquid that you put on your skin if it is sore or damaged, in order to help it to heal.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: witch-hunt
Meaning:
witch-hunt  witch-hunts\n  A witch-hunt is an attempt to find and punish a particular group of people who are being blamed for something, often simply because of their opinions and not because they have actually done anything wrong.\n  N-COUNT: oft N against n  disapproval


Words: witchcraft
Meaning:
witch.craft\n   witchcraft\n  Witchcraft is the use of magic powers, especially evil ones.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: witchy
Meaning:
or witch-like\n  A witchy person looks or behaves like a witch. Witchy things are associated with witches.\nMy great-grandmother was old and witchy looking.\n  ADJ


Words: with
Meaning:
with\nPronounced   for meanings 20 and 21.; In addition to the uses shown below, with is used after some verbs, nouns and adjectives in order to introduce extra information. With is also used in most reciprocal verbs, such as `agree’ or `fight’, and in some phrasal verbs, such as `deal with’ and `dispense with’.\n1. If one person is with another, they are together in one place.\nWith her were her son and daughter-in-law...\nShe is currently staying with her father at his home.\n  PREP\n\n2. If something is put with or is with something else, they are used at the same time.\nServe hot, with pasta or rice and French beans...\nCookies are just the thing to serve with tall glasses of real lemonade.\n  PREP\n\n3. If you do something with someone else, you both do it together or are both involved in it.\nParents will be able to discuss their child’s progress with their teacher...\nHe walked with her to the front door.\n  PREP\n\n4. If you fight, argue, or compete with someone, you oppose them.\nAbout a thousand students fought with riot police in the capital...\nHe was in an argument with his landlord downstairs.\n  PREP\n\n5. If you do something with a particular tool, object, or substance, you do it using that tool, object, or substance.\nRemove the meat with a fork and divide it among four plates...\nDoctors are treating him with the drug AZT.\n  PREP\n\n6. If someone stands or goes somewhere with something, they are carrying it.\nA man came round with a tray of chocolates...\n  PREP\n\n7. Someone or something with a particular feature or possession has that feature or possession.\nHe was in his early forties, tall and blond with bright blue eyes...\nSomeone with an income of $34,895 can afford this loan.\n  PREP\n\n8. Someone with an illness has that illness.\nI spent a week in bed with flu.\n  PREP\n\n9. If something is filled or covered with a substance or with things, it has that substance or those things in it or on it.\nHis legs were caked with dried mud...\nThey sat at a Formica table cluttered with dirty tea cups.\n  PREP\n\n10. If you are, for example, pleased or annoyed with someone or something, you have that feeling towards them.\nHe was still a little angry with her...\nI am happy with that decision.\n  PREP: adj PREP n\n\n11. You use with to indicate what a state, quality, or action relates to, involves, or affects.\nOur aim is to allow student teachers to become familiar with the classroom...\nHe still has a serious problem with money...\nDepression lowers the human ability to cope with disease.\n  PREP\n\n12. You use with when indicating the way that something is done or the feeling that a person has when they do something.\n...teaching her to read music with skill and sensitivity...\nHe agreed, but with reluctance.\n  PREP\n\n13. You use with when indicating a sound or gesture that is made when something is done, or an expression that a person has on their face when they do something.\nWith a sigh, she leant back and closed her eyes...\nThe front door closed with a crash behind him...\n  PREP\n\n14. You use with to indicate the feeling that makes someone have a particular appearance or type of behaviour.\nGil was white and trembling with anger...\nI felt sick to my stomach with sadness for them...\n  PREP\n\n15. You use with when mentioning the position or appearance of a person or thing at the time that they do something, or what someone else is doing at that time.\nJoanne stood with her hands on the sink, staring out the window...\nMichelle had fallen asleep with her head against his shoulder...\n  PREP: PREP n prep/-ing\n\n16. You use with to introduce a current situation that is a factor affecting another situation.\nWith all the night school courses available, there is no excuse for not getting some sort of training...\nWith the win, the US reclaimed the cup for the first time since 1985.\n  PREP\n\n17. You use with when making a comparison or contrast between the situations of different people or things.\nWe’re not like them. It’s different with us...\n(next)


Words: with .1
Meaning:
Sometimes I’m busy and sometimes I’m not. It’s the same with most jobs.\n  PREP\n\n18. If something increases or decreases with a particular factor, it changes as that factor changes.\nThe risk of developing heart disease increases with the number of cigarettes smoked...\nBlood pressure decreases with exercise.\n  PREP: v PREP n\n\n19. If something moves with a wind or current, it moves in the same direction as the wind or current.\n...a piece of driftwood carried down with the current...\n  PREP\n  !=against\n20. If someone says that they are with you, they mean that they understand what you are saying. (INFORMAL)\nYes, I know who you mean. Yes, now I’m with you...\nI’m not with you. Tell me what you mean.\n  PREP: v-link PREP n\n\n21. If someone says that they are with you, they mean that they support or approve of what you are doing.\n`I’m with you all the way.’.`Thank you.’\n  PREP: v-link PREP n


Words: with it
Meaning:
with it   also with-it\n1. If you say that someone is with it, you mean that they are fashionable or know about new things, especially in culture. (INFORMAL, OLD-FASHIONED)\n  ADJ\n\n2. If someone is not with it, they do not feel alert and therefore fail to understand things. (INFORMAL)\nShe wasn’t really with it. She hadn’t taken in the practical consequences.\n  ADJ: v-link ADJ, usu with brd-neg


Words: with-profits
Meaning:
with-profits\n  A with-profits savings scheme or financial plan is one in which the people who put money into the scheme receive extra money each year based on how successful the investment has been. (BUSINESS)\nReturns on with-profits bonds have improved.\n  ADJ: ADJ n


Words: withdraw
Meaning:
with.draw\n   withdraw  withdraws  withdrawing  withdrew  withdrawn\n1. If you withdraw something from a place, you remove it or take it away. (FORMAL)\nHe reached into his pocket and withdrew a sheet of notepaper...\nCassandra withdrew her hand from Roger’s.\n  VERB: V n, V n from n\n  = remove\n2. When groups of people such as troops withdraw or when someone withdraws them, they leave the place where they are fighting or where they are based and return nearer home.\nHe stated that all foreign forces would withdraw as soon as the crisis ended...\nUnless Hitler withdrew his troops from Poland by 11 o’clock that morning, a state of war would exist between Great Britain and Germany...\nTroops withdrew from the north east of the country last March.\n  VERB: V, V n from n, V from n, also V to n\n\n3. If you withdraw money from a bank account, you take it out of that account.\nOpen a savings account that does not charge ridiculous fees to withdraw money...\nThey withdrew 100 dollars from a bank account after checking out of their hotel.\n  VERB: V n, V n from n\n\n4. If you withdraw from an activity or organization, you stop taking part in it.\nThe African National Congress threatened to withdraw from the talks.\n  VERB: V from n, also V\n\n5. If you withdraw a remark or statement that you have made, you say that you want people to ignore it. (FORMAL)\nHe withdrew his remarks and explained what he had meant to say.\n  VERB: V n\n  = retract


Words: withdrawal
Meaning:
with.draw.al\n   withdrawal  withdrawals\n1. The withdrawal of something is the act or process of removing it, or ending it. (FORMAL)\nIf you experience any unusual symptoms after withdrawal of the treatment then contact your doctor.\n  N-VAR: usu N of n\n\n2. Someone’s withdrawal from an activity or an organization is their decision to stop taking part in it.\n...his withdrawal from government in 1946.\n  N-UNCOUNT: usu with supp\n\n3. A withdrawal is an amount of money that you take from your bank account.\n  N-COUNT\n  !=deposit\n4. Withdrawal is the period during which someone feels ill after they have stopped taking a drug which they were addicted to.\nWithdrawal from heroin is actually like a severe attack of gastric flu.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: withdrawal symptoms
Meaning:
with.draw.al symp.toms\n   withdrawal symptoms\n  When someone has withdrawal symptoms, they feel ill after they have stopped taking a drug which they were addicted to.\n  N-PLURAL


Words: withdrawn
Meaning:
with.drawn\n   withdrawn\n1. Withdrawn is the past participle of withdraw.\n\n2. Someone who is withdrawn is very quiet, and does not want to talk to other people.\nHer husband had become withdrawn and moody.\n  ADJ: v-link ADJ


Words: wither
Meaning:
with.er\n   wither  withers  withering  withered\n1. If someone or something withers, they become very weak.\nWhen he went into retirement, he visibly withered...\nIndustries unable to modernise have been left to wither.\n  VERB: V, V\n\n  Wither away means the same as wither.\nTo see my body literally wither away before my eyes was exasperating.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P\n\n2. If a flower or plant withers, it dries up and dies.\nThe flowers in Isabel’s room had withered...\n  VERB: V


Words: withered
Meaning:
with.ered\n   withered\n1. If you describe a person or a part of their body as withered, you mean that they are thin and their skin looks old.\n...her withered hands.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n2. Withered is used to describe someone’s leg or arm when it is thin and weak because of disease or injury.\nShe has one slightly withered leg, noticeably thinner than the other.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: withering
Meaning:
with.er.ing\n   withering\n  A withering look or remark is very critical, and is intended to make someone feel ashamed or stupid.\nDeborah Jane’s mother gave her a withering look...\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: withhold
Meaning:
with.hold\n   withhold  withholds  withholding  withheld\n  If you withhold something that someone wants, you do not let them have it. (FORMAL)\nPolice withheld the dead boy’s name yesterday until relatives could be told...\nFinancial aid for Britain has been withheld...\n  VERB: V n, V n


Words: withholding tax
Meaning:
with.hold.ing tax\n   withholding tax  withholding taxes\n  A withholding tax is an amount of money that is taken in advance from someone’s income, in order to pay some of the tax they will owe. (mainly AM BUSINESS)\n  N-VAR


Words: within
Meaning:
with.in\n   within\n1. If something is within a place, area, or object, it is inside it or surrounded by it. (FORMAL)\nClients are entertained within private dining rooms...\n...a 1987 agreement which would recognise Quebec as a distinct society within Canada.\n  PREP\n  !=outside\n  Within is also an adverb.\nA small voice called from within. `Yes, just coming.’\n  ADV: usu from ADV, also ADV after v\n\n2. Something that happens or exists within a society, organization, or system, happens or exists inside it.\n...the spirit of self-sacrifice within an army...\nWithin criminal law almost anything could be defined as `crime’.\n  PREP\n  = in\n  Within is also an adverb.\nThe Church of England, with threats of split from within, has still to make up its mind.\n  ADV: usu from ADV, also ADV after v\n\n3. If you experience a particular feeling, you can say that it is within you. (LITERARY)\nHe’s coping much better within himself...\n  PREP: PREP pron\n  = in\n4. If something is within a particular limit or set of rules, it does not go beyond it or is not more than what is allowed.\nTroops have agreed to stay within specific boundaries to avoid confrontations...\nExercise within your comfortable limit...\n  PREP\n\n5. If you are within a particular distance of a place, you are less than that distance from it.\nThe man was within a few feet of him...\nIt was within easy walking distance of the hotel...\n  PREP\n\n6. Within a particular length of time means before that length of time has passed.\nAbout 40% of all students entering as freshmen graduate within 4 years...\nWithin 24 hours the deal was completed.\n  PREP: PREP amount\n\n7. If something is within sight, within earshot, or within reach, you can see it, hear it, or reach it.\nHis twenty-five-foot boat was moored within sight of West Church.\n...her heels clicking on the tiled floor, probably an irritating noise to other people within earshot...\n  PREP\n  !=out of\n8.\nwithin reason: see reason


Words: without
Meaning:
with.out\n   without\nIn addition to the uses shown below, without is used in the phrasal verbs `do without’, `go without’, and `reckon without’.\n1. You use without to indicate that someone or something does not have or use the thing mentioned.\nI don’t like myself without a beard...\nShe wore a brown shirt pressed without a wrinkle.\n  PREP\n  !=with\n2. If one thing happens without another thing, or if you do something without doing something else, the second thing does not happen or occur.\nHe was offered a generous pension provided he left without a fuss...\nThey worked without a break until about eight in the evening...\nAlex had done this without consulting her.\n  PREP: PREP n/-ing\n\n3. If you do something without a particular feeling, you do not have that feeling when you do it.\nJanet Magnusson watched his approach without enthusiasm...\n`Hello, Swanson,’ he said without surprise.\n  PREP\n  !=with\n4. If you do something without someone else, they are not in the same place as you are or are not involved in the same action as you.\nI told Franklin he would have to start dinner without me...\nHow can I rebuild my life without my husband?...\n  PREP\n  !=with


Words: withstand
Meaning:
with.stand\n   withstand  withstands  withstanding  withstood\n  If something or someone withstands a force or action, they survive it or do not give in to it. (FORMAL)\n...armoured vehicles designed to withstand chemical attack...\n  VERB: V n\n  = stand up to


Words: witless
Meaning:
wit.less\n   witless\n  If you describe something or someone as witless, you mean that they are very foolish or stupid.\n...a witless, nasty piece of journalism.\n  ADJ  disapproval\n  = mindless, stupid


Words: witness
Meaning:
wit.ness\n   witness  witnesses  witnessing  witnessed\n1. A witness to an event such as an accident or crime is a person who saw it.\nWitnesses to the crash say they saw an explosion just before the disaster...\nNo witnesses have come forward.\n  N-COUNT: oft N to n\n\n2. If you witness something, you see it happen.\nAnyone who witnessed the attack should call the police...\n  VERB: V n\n  = see\n3. A witness is someone who appears in a court of law to say what they know about a crime or other event.\nIn the next three or four days, eleven witnesses will be called to testify.\n  N-COUNT: oft N for n\n\n4. A witness is someone who writes their name on a document that you have signed, to confirm that it really is your signature.\n  N-COUNT\n\n5. If someone witnesses your signature on a document, they write their name after it, to confirm that it really is your signature.\nAsk a friend to witness your signature.\n  VERB: V n\n\n6. If you say that a place, period of time, or person witnessed a particular event or change, you mean that it happened in that place, during that period of time, or while that person was alive.\nIndia has witnessed many political changes in recent years...\n  VERB: V n\n  = see\n7. If a person or thing bears witness to something, they show or say that it exists or happened. (FORMAL)\nMany of these poems bear witness to his years spent in India and China...\n  PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n


Words: witness box
Meaning:
wit.ness box\n   witness box\n  The witness box in a court of law is the place where people stand or sit when they are giving evidence. (BRIT; in AM, use witness stand)\n  N-SING: the N


Words: witness stand
Meaning:
wit.ness stand\n   witness stand\n  The witness stand is the same as the witness box. (AM)\n  N-SING: the N


Words: witter
Meaning:
wit.ter\n   witter  witters  wittering  wittered\n  If you say that someone is wittering about something, you mean that they are talking a lot about things that you think are silly and boring. (BRIT INFORMAL)\nThey just sat there wittering about what lectures they had tomorrow.\n  VERB: V about n, also V  disapproval\n  = prattle\n  Witter on means the same as witter.\nThey started wittering on about their last trip to Provence.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P about n, also V P


Words: wittingly
Meaning:
wit.ting.ly\n   wittingly\n  If you do something wittingly, you are fully aware of what you are doing and what its consequences will be. (FORMAL)\nWhen she had an affair with her friend’s husband, she wittingly set off a chain of crises.\n  ADV: usu ADV with v, also ADV adj\n  !=unwittingly


Words: witty
Meaning:
wit.ty\n   witty  wittier  wittiest\n  Someone or something that is witty is amusing in a clever way.\nHis plays were very good, very witty...\nHe is a very witty speaker.\n  ADJ


Words: wizard
Meaning:
wiz.ard\n   wizard  wizards\n1. In legends and fairy stories, a wizard is a man who has magic powers.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. If you admire someone because they are very good at doing a particular thing, you can say that they are a wizard.\n...a financial wizard...\n  N-COUNT: with supp  approval\n\n3. A wizard is a computer program that guides you through the stages of a particular task. (COMPUTING)\nWizards and templates can help you create brochures, calendars, and Web pages.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wizardry
Meaning:
wiz.ard.ry\n   wizardry\n  You can refer to a very clever achievement or piece of work as wizardry, especially when you do not understand how it is done.\n...a piece of technical wizardry.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wizened
Meaning:
wiz.ened\n   wizened\n  A wizened person is old and has a lot of lines on their skin.\n...a little wizened old fellow with no teeth.\n  ADJ


Words: wobble
Meaning:
wob.ble\n   wobble  wobbles  wobbling  wobbled\n  If something or someone wobbles, they make small movements from side to side, for example because they are unsteady.\nThe table wobbled when I leaned on it...\nI narrowly missed a cyclist who wobbled into my path...\n  VERB: V, V prep/adv\n\n  Wobble is also a noun.\nWe might look for a tiny wobble in the position of a star.\n  N-VAR


Words: wobbly
Meaning:
wob.bly\n   wobbly\n1. Something that is wobbly moves unsteadily from side to side.\nI was sitting on a wobbly plastic chair.\n...a wobbly green jelly.\n...wobbly teeth.\n  ADJ\n\n2. If you feel wobbly or if your legs feel wobbly, you feel weak and have difficulty standing up, especially because you are afraid, ill, or exhausted.\nShe could not maintain her balance and moved in a wobbly fashion...\n  ADJ


Words: wodge
Meaning:
wodge  wodges   also wadge\n  A wodge of something is a large amount of it or a large piece of it. (BRIT INFORMAL)\n...a wodge of syrupy sponge.\n  N-COUNT: usu N of n


Words: woe
Meaning:
woe  woes\n1. Woe is very great sadness. (LITERARY)\nHe listened to my tale of woe...\n  N-UNCOUNT\n  !=joy\n2. You can refer to someone’s problems as their woes. (WRITTEN)\nHe did not tell his relatives and friends about his woes.\n  N-PLURAL: usu with poss\n\n3.\nwoe betide: see betide


Words: woebegone
Meaning:
woe.be.gone\n   woebegone\n  Someone who is woebegone is very sad. (WRITTEN)\nShe sniffed and looked woebegone.\n  ADJ\n  = miserable  !=joyful


Words: woeful
Meaning:
woe.ful\n   woeful\n1. If someone or something is woeful, they are very sad.\n...a woeful ballad.\n  ADJ\n\n=>  woe.ful.ly\nHe said woefully: `I love my country, but it does not give a damn about me.’\n  ADV: ADV with v\n\n2. You can use woeful to emphasize that something is very bad or undesirable.\n...the woeful state of the economy.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n  emphasis\n\n=>  woe.ful.ly\nPublic expenditure on the arts is woefully inadequate...\n  ADV: usu ADV adj, also ADV before v


Words: wog
Meaning:
wog  wogs\n  Wog is an extremely offensive word for anyone whose skin is not white. (BRIT VERY OFFENSIVE)\n  N-COUNT


Words: wolf
Meaning:
wolf  wolves  wolfs  wolfing  wolfed\n1. A wolf is a wild animal that looks like a large dog.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. If someone wolfs their food, they eat it all very quickly and greedily. (INFORMAL)\nI was back in the changing-room wolfing tea and sandwiches.\n  VERB: V n\n\n  Wolf down means the same as wolf.\nHe wolfed down the rest of the biscuit and cheese...\nShe bought a hot dog from a stand on a street corner and wolfed it down.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P\n\n3. If someone cries wolf, they say that there is a problem when there is not, with the result that people do not believe them when there really is a problem.\n  PHRASE: V inflects


Words: wolf-whistle
Meaning:
wolf-whistle  wolf-whistles  wolf-whistling  wolf-whistled   also wolf whistle\n  If someone wolf-whistles, they make a whistling sound with a short rising note and a longer falling note. Some men wolf-whistle at a woman to show that they think she is attractive, and some women find this offensive.\nThey wolf-whistled at me, and I was so embarrassed I tripped up.\n  VERB: V at n, also V\n\n  Wolf whistle is also a noun.\nHer dancing brought loud cheers, wolf whistles and applause.\n  N-COUNT


Words: woman
Meaning:
wom.an\n   woman  women\n1. A woman is an adult female human being.\n...a young Lithuanian woman named Dayva.\n...men and women over 75 years old.\n...a woman doctor.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. You can refer to women in general as woman.\n...the oppression of woman.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n3.\n  see also career woman\n4.\nwoman of the world: see world


Words: woman-to-woman
Meaning:
woman-to-woman   also woman to woman\n  If you talk about a woman-to-woman conversation, you are talking about an honest and open discussion between two women.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n  Woman to woman is also an adverb.\nMaybe she would talk to her mother one day, woman to woman.\n  ADV: ADV after v


Words: womanhood
Meaning:
wom.an.hood\n   womanhood\n1. Womanhood is the state of being a woman rather than a girl, or the period of a woman’s adult life.\nPregnancy is a natural part of womanhood.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n2. You can refer to women in general or the women of a particular country or community as womanhood.\nShe symbolised for me the best of Indian womanhood.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: womanizer
Meaning:
wom.an.iz.er\n   womanizer  womanizers\nin BRIT, also use womaniser\n  If you describe a man as a womanizer, you disapprove of him because he likes to have many short sexual relationships with women.\n  N-COUNT  disapproval\n  = philanderer


Words: womanizing
Meaning:
wom.an.iz.ing\n   womanizing\nin BRIT, also use womanising\n1. If you talk about a man’s womanizing, you disapprove of him because he likes to have many short sexual relationships with women.\n  N-UNCOUNT  disapproval\n  = philandering\n2. A womanizing man likes to have many short sexual relationships with women.\n  ADJ: ADJ n  disapproval\n  = philandering


Words: womankind
Meaning:
wom.an.kind\n   womankind\n  You can refer to all women as womankind when considering them as a group. (FORMAL)\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: womanly
Meaning:
wom.an.ly\n   womanly\n  People describe a woman’s behaviour, character, or appearance as womanly when they like it because they think it is typical of, or suitable for, a woman rather than a man or girl.\nShe had a classical, womanly shape.\n...womanly tenderness.\n  ADJ  approval


Words: womb
Meaning:
womb  wombs\n  A woman’s womb is the part inside her body where a baby grows before it is born.\n  N-COUNT: oft the N, poss N\n  = uterus


Words: wombat
Meaning:
wom.bat\n   wombat  wombats\n  A wombat is a type of furry animal which has very short legs and eats plants. Wombats are found in Australia.\n  N-COUNT


Words: women’s group
Meaning:
wom.en’s group\n   women’s group  women’s groups\n  A women’s group is a group of women who meet regularly, usually in order to organize campaigns.\n  N-COUNT


Words: Women’s Lib
Meaning:
Wom.en’s Lib\n   Women’s Lib\n  Women’s Lib is the same as Women’s Liberation. (INFORMAL, OLD-FASHIONED)\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: Women’s Liberation
Meaning:
Wom.en’s Lib.era.tion\n   Women’s Liberation\n  Women’s Liberation is the belief and aim that women should have the same rights and opportunities in society as men. (OLD-FASHIONED)\n  N-UNCOUNT: oft N n\n  = feminism


Words: women’s movement
Meaning:
wom.en’s move.ment\n   women’s movement\n  You use the women’s movement to refer to groups of people and organizations that believe that women should have the same rights and opportunities in society as men.\n  N-SING: usu the N


Words: women’s room
Meaning:
wom.en’s room\n   women’s room  women’s rooms\n  The women’s room is a toilet for women in a public building. (mainly AM)\n  N-COUNT: usu the N in sing


Words: womenfolk
Meaning:
women.folk\n   womenfolk\n  Some people refer to the women of a particular community as its womenfolk, especially when the community is ruled or organized by men.\nMen never notice anything in a house run by their womenfolk.\n  N-PLURAL: oft poss N


Words: wonder
Meaning:
won.der\n   wonder  wonders  wondering  wondered\n1. If you wonder about something, you think about it, either because it interests you and you want to know more about it, or because you are worried or suspicious about it.\nI wondered what that noise was...\n`He claims to be her father,’ said Max. `We’ve been wondering about him.’...\nBut there was something else, too. Not hard evidence, but it made me wonder.\n  VERB: V wh, V about n, V\n\n2. If you wonder at something, you are very surprised about it or think about it in a very surprised way.\nWalk down Castle Street, admire our little jewel of a cathedral, then wonder at the castle...\nWe all wonder you’re still alive.\n  VERB: V at n, V that\n\n3. If you say that it is a wonder that something happened, you mean that it is very surprising and unexpected.\nIt’s a wonder that it took almost ten years...\nThe wonder is that Olivier was not seriously hurt.\n  N-SING\n\n4. Wonder is a feeling of great surprise and pleasure that you have, for example when you see something that is very beautiful, or when something happens that you thought was impossible.\n`That’s right!’ Bobby exclaimed in wonder. `How did you remember that?’...\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n5. A wonder is something that causes people to feel great surprise or admiration.\n...a lecture on the wonders of space and space exploration.\n...the wonder of seeing his name in print...\n  N-COUNT: usu the N of n/-ing\n\n6. If you refer, for example, to a young man as a wonder boy, or to a new product as a wonder drug, you mean that they are believed by many people to be very good or very effective.\nMickelson was hailed as the wonder boy of American golf...\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n7. You can say `I wonder’ if you want to be very polite when you are asking someone to do something, or when you are asking them for their opinion or for information.\nI was just wondering if you could help me...\n  PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR wh  politeness\n\n8. If you say `no wonder’, `little wonder’, or `small wonder’, you mean that something is not surprising.\nNo wonder my brother wasn’t feeling well...\nUnder such circumstances, it is little wonder that they experience difficulties...\n  PHRASE: PHR that\n\n9. You can say `No wonder’ when you find out the reason for something that has been puzzling you for some time.\nBrad was Jane’s brother! No wonder he reminded me so much of her!\n  PHRASE: PHR that\n\n10. If you say that a person or thing works wonders or does wonders, you mean that they have a very good effect on something.\nA few moments of relaxation can work wonders...\n  PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR for n/-ing, PHR with/on n


Words: wonderful
Meaning:
won.der.ful\n   wonderful\n  If you describe something or someone as wonderful, you think they are extremely good.\nThe cold, misty air felt wonderful on his face...\nIt’s wonderful to see you...\nI’ve always thought he was a wonderful actor.\n  ADJ: oft it v-link ADJ to-inf/that\n  = fantastic  !=awful\n=>  won.der.ful.ly\nIt’s a system that works wonderfully well...\n  ADV: usu ADV adv/adj/-ed


Words: wonderland
Meaning:
wonder.land\n   wonderland\n  Wonderland is an imaginary world that exists in fairy stories.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wonderment
Meaning:
won.der.ment\n   wonderment\n  Wonderment is a feeling of great surprise and pleasure. (LITERARY)\nHis big blue eyes opened wide in wonderment.\n  N-UNCOUNT: oft in N\n  = astonishment


Words: wondrous
Meaning:
won.drous\n   wondrous\n  If you describe something as wondrous, you mean it is strange and beautiful or impressive. (LITERARY)\nWe were driven across this wondrous vast land of lakes and forests.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: wonky
Meaning:
won.ky\n   wonky\n  If something is wonky, it is not straight or level. (BRIT INFORMAL)\nThe wheels keep going wonky.\n  ADJ


Words: wont
Meaning:
wont\n1. If someone is wont to do something, they often or regularly do it. (WRITTEN)\nBoth have committed their indiscretions, as human beings are wont to do.\n  ADJ: v-link ADJ to-inf\n  = inclined\n2. If someone does a particular thing as is their wont, they do that thing often or regularly. (WRITTEN)\nPaul woke early, as was his wont.\n  PHRASE: V inflects


Words: woo
Meaning:
woo  woos  wooing  wooed\n1. If you woo people, you try to encourage them to help you, support you, or vote for you, for example by promising them things which they would like.\nThey wooed customers by offering low interest rates...\nThey are trying to woo back electoral support.\n  VERB: V n, V n with adv\n\n=>  woo.ing\nThis election has been marked so far by the candidates’ wooing of each other’s traditional political bases.\n  N-UNCOUNT: oft poss N, N of n\n\n2. If a man woos a woman, he spends time with her and tries to persuade her to marry him. (OLD-FASHIONED)\nThe penniless author successfully wooed and married Fanny.\n  VERB: V n\n  = court\n=>  woo.ing\n...the hero’s wooing of his beautiful cousin Roxanne.\n  N-UNCOUNT: oft poss N, N of n


Words: wood
Meaning:
wood  woods\n1. Wood is the material which forms the trunks and branches of trees.\nTheir dishes were made of wood...\nThere was a smell of damp wood and machine oil.\n...a short piece of wood.\n  N-MASS\n\n2. A wood is a fairly large area of trees growing near each other. You can refer to one or several of these areas as woods, and this is the usual form in American English.\nAfter dinner Alice slipped away for a walk in the woods with Artie...\nAbout a mile to the west of town he came upon a large wood.\n  N-COUNT\n\n3.\n  see also dead wood\n4. If something or someone is not out of the woods yet, they are still having difficulties or problems. (INFORMAL)\nThe nation’s economy is not out of the woods yet.\n  PHRASE: v-link PHR\n\n5. You can say `touch wood’ in British English, or `knock on wood’ in American English, to indicate that you hope to have good luck in something you are doing, usually after saying that you have been lucky with it so far.\nShe’s never even been to the doctor’s, touch wood...\nTouch wood, I’ve been lucky enough to avoid any other serious injuries.\n  CONVENTION\n\n6.\nyour neck of the woods: see neck\ncan’t see the wood for the trees: see tree


Words: wood carving
Meaning:
wood carv.ing\n   wood carving  wood carvings\n  A wood carving is a decorative piece of wood that has been carved in an artistic way.\n  N-VAR


Words: wood pulp
Meaning:
wood pulp\n  Wood pulp is wood that has been cut up into small pieces and crushed. Wood pulp is used to make paper.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wood stove
Meaning:
wood stove  wood stoves\nin AM, also use woodstove\n  A wood stove is a device that burns wood in order to heat a room.\n  N-COUNT


Words: wood-burning stove
Meaning:
wood-burning stove  wood-burning stoves\n  A wood-burning stove is the same as a wood stove.\n  N-COUNT


Words: woodchip
Meaning:
wood.chip\n   woodchip  woodchips\n1. Woodchip is a type of wallpaper which has lots of small lumps on its surface that are formed by tiny pieces of wood glued to the underneath.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n2. Woodchips are very small pieces of wood, usually made from waste wood, which are used in processes such as making paper.\n...the domestic market for woodchips.\n...the Government’s decision to cut woodchip exports by 20%.\n  N-VAR


Words: woodcock
Meaning:
wood.cock\n   woodcock  woodcocks  or woodcock\n  A woodcock is a small brown bird with a long beak. Woodcock are sometimes shot for sport or food.\n  N-COUNT


Words: woodcutter
Meaning:
wood.cutter\n   woodcutter  woodcutters\n  A woodcutter is someone who cuts down trees or who chops wood as their job. (OLD-FASHIONED)\n  N-COUNT


Words: wooden
Meaning:
wood.en\n   wooden\n1. Wooden objects are made of wood.\n...the shop’s bare brick walls and faded wooden floorboards.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n2. If you describe an actor as wooden, you are critical of them because their performance is not at all lively or natural.\n  ADJ  disapproval


Words: wooden spoon
Meaning:
wood.en spoon\n   wooden spoon  wooden spoons\n1. A wooden spoon is a spoon that is used for stirring sauces and for mixing ingredients in cooking. It is made of wood and has a long handle.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. If someone gets the wooden spoon, they come last in a race or competition. (BRIT)\nJarvis took the wooden spoon in the first tournament.\n  N-COUNT: usu the N in sing


Words: woodlouse
Meaning:
wood.louse\n   woodlouse  woodlice\n  A woodlouse is a very small grey creature with a hard body and fourteen legs. Woodlice live in damp places.\n  N-COUNT


Words: woodpecker
Meaning:
wood.pecker\n   woodpecker  woodpeckers\n  A woodpecker is a type of bird with a long sharp beak. Woodpeckers use their beaks to make holes in tree trunks.\n  N-COUNT


Words: woodpile
Meaning:
wood.pile\n   woodpile  woodpiles\n  A woodpile is a pile of wood that is intended to be burnt on a fire as fuel.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing


Words: woodshed
Meaning:
wood.shed\n   woodshed  woodsheds\n  A woodshed is a small building which is used for storing wood for a fire.\n  N-COUNT


Words: woodwind
Meaning:
wood.wind\n   woodwind  woodwinds\n  Woodwind instruments are musical instruments such as flutes, clarinets, and recorders that you play by blowing into them.\n  N-VAR: oft N n


Words: woodwork
Meaning:
wood.work\n   woodwork\n1. You can refer to the doors and other wooden parts of a house as the woodwork.\nI love the living room, with its dark woodwork, oriental rugs, and chunky furniture...\nHe could see the glimmer of fresh paint on the woodwork.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n2. Woodwork is the activity or skill of making things out of wood.\nI have done woodwork for many years...\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n3. If you say that people are coming out of the woodwork, you are criticizing them for suddenly appearing in public or revealing their opinions when previously they did not make themselves known.\nWhen a song gets to the top, someone will come out of the woodwork and claim to have written it.\n  PHRASE: V inflects  disapproval


Words: woodworm
Meaning:
wood.worm\n   woodworm  woodworms  or woodworm\n1. Woodworm are very small creatures which make holes in wood by eating it.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. Woodworm is damage caused to wood, especially to the wooden parts of a house or to furniture, by woodworm making holes in the wood.\n...treating the ground floor of a house for woodworm.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: woody
Meaning:
woody\n1. Woody plants have very hard stems.\nCare must be taken when trimming around woody plants like shrubs and trees...\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n2. A woody area has a lot of trees in it.\n...the wet and woody Vosges mountains.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: woof
Meaning:
woof\n  Woof is the sound that a dog makes when it barks. (INFORMAL)\nShe started going `woof woof’.\n  N-SING; SOUND


Words: wool
Meaning:
wool  wools\n1. Wool is the hair that grows on sheep and on some other animals.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n2. Wool is a material made from animal’s wool that is used to make things such as clothes, blankets, and carpets.\n...a wool overcoat...\nThe carpets are made in wool and nylon.\n  N-MASS\n\n3.\n  see also cotton wool, steel wool, wire wool\n4. If you say that someone is pulling the wool over your eyes, you mean that they are trying to deceive you, in order to have an advantage over you.\nStop trying to pull the wool over my eyes! What were you two fighting about just now?\n  PHRASE: V inflects


Words: woollen
Meaning:
wool.len\n   woollen  woollens\nin AM, use woolen\n1. Woollen clothes or materials are made from wool or from a mixture of wool and artificial fibres.\n...thick woollen socks.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n2. Woollens are clothes, especially sweaters, that are made of wool.\n...winter woollens.\n  N-PLURAL


Words: woolly
Meaning:
wool.ly\n   woolly  woollies\nin AM, also use wooly\n1. Something that is woolly is made of wool or looks like wool.\nShe wore this woolly hat with pompoms.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n\n2. A woolly is a woollen piece of clothing, especially a sweater. (BRIT INFORMAL)\n  N-COUNT\n\n3. If you describe a person or their ideas as woolly, you are criticizing them for being confused or vague.\n...a weak and woolly Government...\n  ADJ  disapproval


Words: woozy
Meaning:
woozy\n  If you feel woozy, you feel rather weak and unsteady and cannot think clearly. (INFORMAL)\nThe fumes made them woozy.\n  ADJ: usu v-link ADJ\n  !=alert


Words: word
Meaning:
word  words  wording  worded\n1. A word is a single unit of language that can be represented in writing or speech. In English, a word has a space on either side of it when it is written.\nThe words stood out clearly on the page...\nThe word `ginseng’ comes from the Chinese word `Shen-seng’.\n...swear words...\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. Someone’s words are what they say or write.\nI was devastated when her words came true...\nThe words of the young woman doctor echoed in his ears...\n  N-PLURAL: oft with poss\n\n3. The words of a song consist of the text that is sung, in contrast to the music that is played.\nCan you hear the words on the album?\n  N-PLURAL: usu the N\n  = lyrics\n4. If you have a word with someone, you have a short conversation with them. (SPOKEN)\nI think it’s time you had a word with him...\nJames, could I have a quiet word?...\n  N-SING: a N\n\n5. If you offer someone a word of something such as warning, advice, or praise, you warn, advise, or praise them.\nA word of warning. Don’t stick too precisely to what it says in the book...\n  N-COUNT: N of n\n\n6. If you say that someone does not hear, understand, or say a word, you are emphasizing that they hear, understand, or say nothing at all.\nI can’t understand a word she says...\nNot a word was spoken.\n  N-SING: a N, with brd-neg  emphasis\n\n7. If there is word of something, people receive news or information about it.\nThere is no word from the authorities on the reported attack...\nWord has been spreading fast of the incidents on the streets...\n  N-UNCOUNT: also the N\n\n8. If you give your word, you make a sincere promise to someone.\n...an adult who gave his word the boy would be supervised...\nHe simply cannot be trusted to keep his word.\n  N-SING: poss N\n\n9. If someone gives the word to do something, they give an order to do it.\nI want nothing said about this until I give the word.\n  N-SING: the N\n\n10. To word something in a particular way means to choose or use particular words to express it.\nIf I had written the letter, I might have worded it differently.\n  VERB: V n adv/prep\n\n=>  -worded\n...a strongly-worded statement.\n...a carefully-worded speech.\n  COMB in ADJ\n\n11.\n  see also wording, code word, four-letter word, play on words, printed word, spoken word, written word\n12. If you say that people consider something to be a dirty word, you mean that they disapprove of it.\nSo many people think feminism is a dirty word.\n  PHRASE: usu v-link PHR\n\n13. If you do something from the word go, you do it from the very beginning of a period of time or situation.\nIt’s essential you make the right decisions from the word go.\n  PHRASE: PHR with cl\n\n14. You can use in their words or in their own words to indicate that you are reporting what someone said using the exact words that they used.\nEven the Assistant Secretary of State had to admit that previous policy did not, in his words, produce results.\n  PHRASE: PHR with cl\n\n15. You use in a word to indicate that you are giving a summary of what you have just been saying, or are giving a reply, in as brief a way as possible.\n`Shouldn’t he be given the leading role?’.`In a word.No.’\n  PHRASE: PHR with cl\n  = in short\n16. If someone has the last word or the final word in a discussion, argument, or disagreement, they are the one who wins it or who makes the final decision.\nShe does like to have the last word in any discussion...\nThe final word will still come from the Secretary of State.\n  PHRASE\n\n17. If you say that something is the last word in luxury, comfort, or some other quality, you are emphasizing that it has a great deal of this quality.\nThe spa is the last word in luxury and efficiency.\n  PHRASE: PHR n, usu v-link PHR  emphasis\n\n18. If you say that someone has said something, but not in so many words, you mean that they said it or expressed it, but in a very indirect way.\n`And has she agreed to go with you?’.`Not in so many words. But I read her thoughts’.\n  PHRASE: usu with brd-neg, usu PHR after v, PHR with cl\n\n(next)


Words: word .1
Meaning:
19. If news or information passes by word of mouth, people tell it to each other rather than it being printed in written form.\nThe story has been passed down by word of mouth.\n  PHRASE: oft by/through PHR\n\n20. You say in other words in order to introduce a different, and usually simpler, explanation or interpretation of something that has just been said.\nThe mobile library services have been reorganised.in other words, they visit fewer places.\n  PHRASE: PHR with cl\n\n21. If you say something in your own words, you express it in your own way, without copying or repeating someone else’s description.\nNow tell us in your own words about the events of Saturday.\n  PHRASE: PHR after v, PHR with cl\n\n22. If you say to someone `take my word for it’, you mean that they should believe you because you are telling the truth.\nYou’ll buy nothing but trouble if you buy that house, take my word for it.\n  PHRASE: V inflects\n\n23. If you repeat something word for word, you repeat it exactly as it was originally said or written.\nI don’t try to memorize speeches word for word.\n  PHRASE: PHR after v\n  = verbatim\n24.\nnot get a word in edgeways: see edgeways\nnot mince your words: see mince\nthe operative word: see operative\nwar of words: see war


Words: word class
Meaning:
word class  word classes\n  A word class is a group of words that have the same basic behaviour, for example nouns, adjectives, or verbs.\n  N-COUNT


Words: word processing
Meaning:
word pro.cess.ing\n   word processing   also word-processing\n  Word processing is the work or skill of producing printed documents using a computer. (COMPUTING)\n  N-UNCOUNT: oft N n


Words: word processor
Meaning:
word pro.ces.sor\n   word processor  word processors\n  A word processor is a computer program or a computer which is used to produce printed documents. (COMPUTING)\n  N-COUNT


Words: word wrapping
Meaning:
word wrap.ping\n\n  In computing, word wrapping is a process by which a word which comes at the end of a line is automatically moved onto a new line in order to keep the text within the margins. (COMPUTING)\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wording
Meaning:
word.ing\n   wording\n  The wording of a piece of writing or a speech are the words used in it, especially when these are chosen to have a particular effect.\nThe two sides failed to agree on the wording of a final report...\nThe wording is so vague that no one actually knows what it means.\n  N-UNCOUNT: also a N


Words: wordless
Meaning:
word.less\n   wordless\n1. You say that someone is wordless when they do not say anything, especially at a time when they are expected to say something. (LITERARY)\nShe stared back, now wordless...\nHere and there, husbands sit in wordless despair.\n  ADJ\n  = silent\n=>  word.less.ly\nGil downed his food wordlessly, his attention far away.\n  ADV: ADV with v\n\n2. If someone makes a wordless sound, they make a sound that does not seem to contain any words. (LITERARY)\n...a wordless chant...\nHe shrieked a long, wordless cry.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n


Words: wordplay
Meaning:
word.play\n   wordplay   also word play\n  Wordplay involves making jokes by using the meanings of words in an amusing or clever way.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: wordy
Meaning:
wordy\n  If you describe a person’s speech or something that they write as wordy, you disapprove of the fact that they use too many words, especially words which are very long, formal, or literary.\nThe chapter is mostly wordy rhetoric.\n  ADJ  disapproval\n  = verbose


Words: work
Meaning:
work  works  working  worked\n1. People who work have a job, usually one which they are paid to do.\nWeiner works for the US Department of Transport...\nI started working in a recording studio...\nWhere do you work?...\nHe worked as a bricklayer’s mate...\nI want to work, I don’t want to be on welfare.\n  VERB: V prep/adv, V prep/adv, V prep/adv, V as n, V\n\n2. People who have work or who are in work have a job, usually one which they are paid to do.\nFewer and fewer people are in work...\nI was out of work at the time...\nShe’d have enough money to provide for her children until she could find work...\n  N-UNCOUNT: oft in/out of N\n\n3. When you work, you do the things that you are paid or required to do in your job.\nI can’t talk to you right now.I’m working...\nHe was working at his desk...\nSome firms expect the guards to work twelve hours a day.\n  VERB: V, V, V n\n\n4. Your work consists of the things you are paid or required to do in your job.\nWe’re supposed to be running a business here. I’ve got work to do...\nI used to take work home, but I don’t do it any more...\nThere have been days when I have finished work at 2pm.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n5. When you work, you spend time and effort doing a task that needs to be done or trying to achieve something.\nLinda spends all her time working on the garden...\nThe most important reason for coming to university is to work for a degree...\nThe government expressed hope that all the sides will work towards a political solution.\n  VERB: V prep, V prep, V prep\n\n  Work is also a noun.\nThere was a lot of work to do on their house...\nWe hadn’t appreciated how much work was involved in organizing a wedding...\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n6. Work is the place where you do your job.\nMany people travel to work by car...\nShe told her friends at work that she was trying to lose weight.\n  N-UNCOUNT: usu to/at N\n\n7. Work is something which you produce as a result of an activity or as a result of doing your job.\nIt can help to have an impartial third party look over your work...\nTidiness in the workshop is really essential for producing good work...\n  N-UNCOUNT: oft poss/adj N\n\n8. A work is something such as a painting, book, or piece of music produced by an artist, writer, or composer.\nIn my opinion, this is Rembrandt’s greatest work...\n  N-COUNT: usu with supp\n\n9. If someone is working on a particular subject or question, they are studying or researching it.\nProfessor Bonnet has been working for many years on molecules of this type.\n  VERB: V on n\n\n  Work is also a noun.\nTheir work shows that one-year-olds are much more likely to have allergies if either parent smokes.\n  N-UNCOUNT\n\n10. If you work with a person or a group of people, you spend time and effort trying to help them in some way.\nShe spent a period of time working with people dying of cancer...\n  VERB: V with/among n\n\n  Work is also a noun.\nShe became involved in social and relief work among the refugees.\n  N-UNCOUNT: with supp, usu poss N, N with/among n\n\n11. If a machine or piece of equipment works, it operates and performs a particular function.\nThe pump doesn’t work and we have no running water...\n  VERB: V\n\n12. If an idea, system, or way of doing something works, it is successful, effective, or satisfactory.\n95 per cent of these diets do not work...\nA methodical approach works best.\n  VERB: V, V adv\n\n13. If a drug or medicine works, it produces a particular physical effect.\nI wake at 6am as the sleeping pill doesn’t work for more than nine hours...\nThe drug works by increasing levels of serotonin in the brain.\n  VERB: V, V prep/adv\n\n14. If something works in your favour, it helps you in some way. If something works to your disadvantage, it causes problems for you in some way.\nOne factor thought to have worked in his favour is his working class image...\n  VERB: V prep\n\n15. If something or someone works their magic or works their charms on a person, they have a powerful positive effect on them.\n(next)


Words: work .1
Meaning:
Nevertheless, she is always optimistic about the possibilities and can work her charm on the disenchanted...\n  VERB: V n on n\n\n16. If your mind or brain is working, you are thinking about something or trying to solve a problem.\nMy mind was working frantically, running over the events of the evening.\n  VERB: V\n\n17. If you work on an assumption or idea, you act as if it were true or base other ideas on it, until you have more information.\nWe are working on the assumption that it was a gas explosion.\n  VERB: V on n\n\n18. If you work a particular area or type of place, you travel around that area or work in those places as part of your job, for example trying to sell something there.\nBrand has been working the clubs and the pubs since 1986, developing her comedy act...\n  VERB: V n\n\n19. If you work someone, you make them spend time and effort doing a particular activity or job.\nThey’re working me too hard. I’m too old for this...\n  VERB: V n adv/prep\n\n20. If someone, often a politician or entertainer, works a crowd, they create a good relationship with the people in the crowd and get their support or interest.\nThe Prime Minister has an ability to work a crowd.some might even suggest it is a kind of charm...\n  VERB: V n\n\n21. When people work the land, they do all the tasks involved in growing crops.\nFarmers worked the fertile valleys.\n  VERB: V n\n\n22. When a mine is worked, minerals such as coal or gold are removed from it.\nThe mines had first been worked in 1849, when gold was discovered in California...\n  VERB: be V-ed\n\n23. If you work a machine or piece of equipment, you use or control it.\nMany adults still depend on their children to work the video.\n  VERB: V n\n  = operate\n24. If something works into a particular state or condition, it gradually moves so that it is in that state or condition.\nA screw had worked loose from my glasses.\n  VERB: V adj\n\n25. If you work a substance such as dough or clay, you keep pressing it to make it have a particular texture.\nWork the dough with the palm of your hand until it is very smooth...\n  VERB: V n\n\n26. If you work a material such as metal, leather, or stone, you cut, sew, or shape it in order to make something or to create a design.\n...the machines needed to extract and work the raw stone.\n  VERB: V n\n\n27. If you work a part of your body, or if it works, you move it.\nEach position will work the muscles in a different way...\nHer mouth was working in her sleep.\n  VERB: V n, V\n\n28. A works is a place where something is manufactured or where an industrial process is carried out. Works is used to refer to one or to more than one of these places.\nThe steel works could be seen for miles.\n  N-COUNT-COLL: usu n N, N n\n\n29. Works are activities such as digging the ground or building on a large scale.\n...six years of disruptive building works, road construction and urban development.\n  N-PLURAL: usu supp N\n\n30.\n  see also working\n31. If someone is at work they are doing their job or are busy doing a particular activity.\nThe salvage teams are already hard at work trying to deal with the spilled oil...\nTelevision cameras were invited in to film him at work.\n  PHRASE: usu v-link PHR\n\n32. If a force or process is at work, it is having a particular influence or effect.\nIt is important to understand the powerful economic and social forces at work behind our own actions.\n  PHRASE: usu v-link PHR\n\n33. If you say that you will have your work cut out to do something, you mean that it will be a very difficult task.\nThe new administration has its work cut out for it. Creating jobs in this kind of environment is not going to be easy...\nHe will have his work cut out to get into the team.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR for n, PHR to-inf\n\n34. If something is in the works, it has already been planned or begun. (mainly AM; in BRIT, usually use in the pipeline)\nHe said there were dozens of economic plans in the works...\n  PHRASE: usu n PHR, v-link PHR\n\n(next)


Words: work .2
Meaning:
35. You can use work to talk about how easily or quickly a particular task is done. For example, if a person or thing makes short work of doing something or makes light work of it, they do it quickly and easily.\nAn aerosol spray will make short work of painting awkward objects...\nThis horse made light work of the cross-country course...\n  PHRASE: V inflects, PHR -ing\n\n36. If you put someone to work or set them to work, you give them a job or task to do.\nBy stimulating the economy, we’re going to put people to work...\nInstead of sending them to prison, we have set them to work helping the lemon growers.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR prep, PHR -ing\n\n37. If you get to work, go to work, or set to work on a job, task, or problem, you start doing it or dealing with it.\nHe promised to get to work on the state’s massive deficit...\nHe returned to America where he set to work on a new novel.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR on n\n\n38. If you work your way somewhere, you move or progress there slowly, and with a lot of effort or work.\nRescuers were still working their way towards the trapped men...\nMany personnel managers started as secretaries or personnel assistants and worked their way up.\n  PHRASE: V inflects, PHR prep/adv\n\n39.\nto throw a spanner in the works: see spanner


Words: work in
Meaning:
work in   or work into\n  If you work one substance into another or work it in, you add it to the other substance and mix the two together thoroughly.\nGradually pour the liquid into the flour, working it in carefully with a wooden spoon...\nWork in the potato and milk until the mixture comes together...\nWork the oil gradually into the yolks with a wooden spoon.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V n P, V P n (not pron), V n P n


Words: work of art
Meaning:
work of art  works of art\n1. A work of art is a painting or piece of sculpture which is of high quality.\n...a collection of works of art of international significance.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. A work of art is something which is very complex or which has been skilfully made or produced.\nThe actual nest is a work of art.\n  N-COUNT


Words: work off
Meaning:
work off\n1. If you work off energy, stress, or anger, you get rid of it by doing something that requires a lot of physical effort.\nShe went for a brisk walk to work off her frustration...\nIf I’ve had a bad day I’ll work it off by cooking.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P\n\n2. If you work off a debt, you repay it by working.\nThe report proposes that students be allowed to work off their debt through community service...\nThere were heavy debts. It would take half Edward’s lifetime to work them off.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P


Words: work out
Meaning:
work out\n1. If you work out a solution to a problem or mystery, you manage to find the solution by thinking or talking about it.\nNegotiators are due to meet later today to work out a compromise...\nIt took me some time to work out what was causing this...\n`How will you contact me?’.`We haven’t worked that out yet.’\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V P wh, V n P\n  = figure out\n  If you have something all worked out, you have thought about it carefully, and know exactly what you are going to do or exactly what you want.\nI had the ideal man all worked out in my mind.\n  PHRASE: have inflects\n\n2. If you work out the answer to a mathematical problem, you calculate it.\nIt is proving hard to work out the value of bankrupt firms’ assets...\nWhen asked what a .40.35 meal for five people would cost each diner, they were unable to work it out.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P\n  = calculate\n3. If something works out at a particular amount, it is calculated to be that amount after all the facts and figures have been considered.\nThe price per pound works out at .3.20...\nIt will probably work out cheaper to hire a van and move your own things.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P at amount, V P adj\n\n4. If a situation works out well or works out, it happens or progresses in a satisfactory way.\nThings just didn’t work out as planned...\nOne of the ways people experience loss is when relationships don’t work out.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P prep/adv, V P\n\n5. If a process works itself out, it reaches a conclusion or satisfactory end.\nPeople involved in it think it’s a nightmare, but I’m sure it will work itself out.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V pron-refl P\n\n6. If you work out your service or your notice, you continue to work at your job until you have completed a specified period of time.\nThere was an interim before her successor actually came because she had to work out her notice.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), also V n P\n\n7. If you work out, you do physical exercises in order to make your body fit and strong.\nWork out at a gym or swim twice a week.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P\n  = exercise\n8.\n  see also workout


Words: work surface
Meaning:
work sur.face\n   work surface  work surfaces   also worksurface\n  A work surface is a flat surface, usually in a kitchen, which is easy to clean and on which you can do things such as prepare food.\n  N-COUNT


Words: work up
Meaning:
work up\n1. If you work yourself up, you make yourself feel very upset or angry about something.\nShe worked herself up into a bit of a state...\nDon’t just lie there working yourself up, do something about it.\n  PHRASAL VERB: V pron-refl P into/to n, V pron-refl P\n\n  see also worked up\n2. If you work up the enthusiasm or courage to do something, you succeed in making yourself feel it.\nYour creative talents can also be put to good use, if you can work up the energy...\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron)\n\n3. If you work up a sweat or an appetite, you make yourself sweaty or hungry by doing exercise or hard work.\nYou can really work up a sweat doing housework...\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron)\n\n4. If you work up something such as a piece of writing, you spend time and effort preparing it.\nI sketched the layout of a prototype store and worked up a business plan...\n  PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron)


Words: work week
Meaning:
work week  work weeks\n  A work week is the amount of time during a normal week which you spend doing your job. (mainly AM; in BRIT, usually use working week)\nThe union had sought a wage increase and a shorter work week.\n  N-COUNT


Words: work-in-progress
Meaning:
work-in-pro.gress\n\n  In book-keeping, work-in-progress refers to the monetary value of work that has not yet been paid for because it has not yet been completed. (BUSINESS)\n...five million pounds’ worth of finished goods and two million pounds’ worth of work-in-progress.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: work-life balance
Meaning:
work-life bal.ance\n\n  Your work-life balance is how you organize your days, for example how many hours you spend at work, and how much time you spend with friends or doing things you enjoy.\nSenior managers stipulated work-life balance as their main criterion when choosing jobs.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: work-shy
Meaning:
work-shy   also workshy\n  If you describe someone as work-shy, you disapprove of them because you think they are lazy and do not want to work. (BRIT)\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n  disapproval\n  = lazy


Words: workable
Meaning:
work.able\n   workable\n  A workable idea or system is realistic and practical, and likely to be effective.\nInvestors can simply pay cash, but this isn’t a workable solution in most cases.\n  ADJ\n  = practicable  !=unworkable


Words: workaday
Meaning:
worka.day\n   workaday\n  Workaday means ordinary and not especially interesting or unusual.\nEnough of fantasy, the workaday world awaited him.\n  ADJ: usu ADJ n\n  = everyday


Words: workaholic
Meaning:
worka.hol.ic\n   workaholic  workaholics\n  A workaholic is a person who works most of the time and finds it difficult to stop working in order to do other things. (INFORMAL)\n  N-COUNT


Words: workbench
Meaning:
work.bench\n   workbench  workbenches\n  A workbench is a heavy wooden table on which people use tools such as a hammer and nails to make or repair things.\n  N-COUNT


Words: workbook
Meaning:
work.book\n   workbook  workbooks\n  A workbook is a book to help you learn a particular subject which has questions in it with spaces for the answers.\n  N-COUNT


Words: workday
Meaning:
work.day\n   workday  workdays   also work day\n1. A workday is the amount of time during a day which you spend doing your job. (mainly AM; in BRIT, usually use working day)\nHis workday starts at 3.30 a.m. and lasts 12 hours.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing\n\n2. A workday is a day on which people go to work.\nWhat’s he doing home on a workday?\n  N-COUNT


Words: worked up
Meaning:
worked up\n  If someone is worked up, they are angry or upset.\nSteve shouted at her. He was really worked up now.\n  ADJ: v-link ADJ


Words: worker
Meaning:
work.er\n   worker  workers\n1. A particular kind of worker does the kind of work mentioned.\n...office workers...\nThe society was looking for a capable research worker.\n  N-COUNT: with supp, usu n N\n\n2. Workers are people who are employed in industry or business and who are not managers.\nWages have been frozen and workers laid off.\n  N-COUNT: usu pl\n\n3. You can use worker to say how well or badly someone works.\nHe is a hard worker and a skilled gardener...\n  N-COUNT: usu adj N\n\n  see also care worker, caseworker, dock worker, social worker, teleworker, youth worker


Words: workfare
Meaning:
work.fare\n   workfare\n  Workfare is a government scheme in which unemployed people have to do community work or learn new skills in order to receive welfare benefits.\n  N-UNCOUNT


Words: workforce
Meaning:
work.force\n   workforce  workforces\n1. The workforce is the total number of people in a country or region who are physically able to do a job and are available for work.\n...a country where half the workforce is unemployed.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing\n\n2. The workforce is the total number of people who are employed by a particular company.\n...an employer of a very large workforce.\n  N-COUNT: usu sing\n  = staff


Words: workhorse
Meaning:
work.horse\n   workhorse  workhorses\n1. A workhorse is a horse which is used to do a job, for example to pull a plough.\n  N-COUNT\n\n2. If you describe a person or a machine as a workhorse, you mean that they can be relied upon to do a large amount of work, especially work that is dull or routine.\n...the Wellington bomber, the great workhorse of the war...\nMy husband never even looked at me. I was just a workhorse bringing up three children.\n  N-COUNT: usu with supp


Words: workhouse
Meaning:
work.house\n   workhouse  workhouses\n  In Britain, in the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, a workhouse was a place where very poor people could live and do unpleasant jobs in return for food. People use the workhouse to refer to these places in general.\n...a struggling Shropshire family which lived in fear of the workhouse.\n  N-COUNT\n  = poorhouse


Words: working
Meaning:
work.ing\n   working  workings\n1. Working people have jobs which they are paid to do.\nLike working women anywhere, Asian women are buying convenience foods.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n2. Working people are ordinary people who do not have professional or very highly paid jobs.\nThe needs and opinions of ordinary working people were ignored...\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n  = working class\n3. A working day or week is the amount of time during a normal day or week which you spend doing your job. (mainly BRIT; in AM, usually use workday, work week)\nFor doctors the working day often has no end...\nAutomation would bring a shorter, more flexible working week.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n4. A working day is a day on which people go to work. (mainly BRIT; in AM, usually use workday)\nThe full effect will not be apparent until Tuesday, the first working day after the three day holiday weekend.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n5. Your working life is the period of your life in which you have a job or are of a suitable age to have a job.\nHe started his working life as a truck driver.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n6. The working population of an area consists of all the people in that area who have a job or who are of a suitable age to have a job.\nAlmost 13 per cent of the working population is already unemployed.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n7. Working conditions or practices are ones which you have in your job.\nThe strikers are demanding higher pay and better working conditions.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n8. Working clothes are designed for doing work in, and are intended to be practical rather than attractive.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n9. A working relationship is the relationship you have with someone when you work with them.\nThe vice-president seems to have a good working relationship with the president.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n10. A working farm or business exists to do normal work and make a profit, and not only for tourists or as someone’s hobby.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n11. The working parts of a machine are the parts which move and operate the machine, in contrast to the outer case or container in which they are enclosed.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n12. A working model is one that has parts that move.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n13. A working knowledge or majority is not very great, but is enough to be useful.\nThis book was designed in order to provide a working knowledge of finance and accounts...\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n14. A working title or definition is one which you use when starting to make or do something, but which you are likely to change or improve.\nHis working title for the script was `Trust the People’.\n  ADJ: ADJ n\n\n15. The workings of a piece of equipment, an organization, or a system are the ways in which it operates and the processes which are involved in it.\nNeural networks are computer systems which mimic the workings of the brain...\n  N-PLURAL: usu N of n\n\n16.\nin working order: see order


Words: working capital
Meaning:
work.ing capi.tal\n   working capital\n  Working capital is money which is available for use immediately, rather than money which is invested in land or equipment. (BUSINESS)\n  N-UNCOUNT


