Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[wing] See: CLIP ONE'S WINGS, LEFT-WING, ON THE WING, RIGHT-WING, UNDER ONE'S WING.

[win hands down] <v. phr.> To win conclusively and without external help. * /The opposition was so weak that Dan won the election hands down./

[win in a walk] or [win in a breeze] <v. phr.>, <informal> To win very easily; win without having to try hard. * /Joe ran for class president and won in a walk./ * /Our team won the game in a breeze./ Compare: HANDS DOWN.

[wink] See: FORTY WINKS, SLEEP A WINK.

[wink at] <v.> To allow and pretend not to know about (a rule or law being broken). * /John was not allowed to stay out late at night, but his parents winked at his being five minutes late./ * /A judge should never wink at any law-breaking./

[winning streak] <n.> A series of several wins one after the other. * /The team extended their winning streak to ten./

[win one's spurs] <v. phr.> 1. In old times, to be named a knight with the right to wear little sharp spikes on your heels. * /A young squire won his spurs in battle./ 2. To win fame or honor. * /The young lieutenant won his spurs by leading an attack on enemy machine guns./ * /Edison won his spurs as an inventor while rather young./ * /He has yet to win his spurs as a big league ball player./

[win out] <v. phr.> To win after a rather protracted struggle. * /The lawsuit lasted a long time, but we finally won out./

[win over] <v. phr.> To convert to one's position or point of view. * /The Democrats offered him a high-level executive position and thus way won him over to their side./

[wipeout] <n.> A total failure. * /The guy is so bad at his job that he is a total wipeout./

[wipe out] <v.> 1. To remove or erase by wiping or rubbing. * /The teacher wiped out with an eraser what she had written on the board./ Compare: RUB OUT. 2. <informal> To remove, kill, or destroy completely. * /The earthquake wiped out the town./ * /Doctors are searching for a cure that will wipe out cancer./ * /The Indians wiped out the soldiers who were sent to stop their attacks./ Compare: RUB OUT, STAMP OUT.

[wipe out an old score] See: SETTLE A SCORE.

[wipe the floor with] or [wipe up the floor with] See: MOP THE FLOOR WITH.

[wire] See: ACROSS THE WIRE, DOWN TO THE WIRE, PULL STRINGS or PULL WIRES.

[wise] See: GET WISE, PENNY WISE AND POUND FOOLISH, PUT WISE, THE WISER.

[wisecrack] <n.> A joke or witty remark usually made at someone else's expense. * /The comedians kept up a steady stream of wisecracks./

[wise guy] <n. phr.>, <informal> A person who acts as if he were smarter than other people; a person who jokes or shows off too much * /Bill is a wise guy and displeases others by what he says./

[wise up to] <v. phr.>, <slang> To finally understand what is really going on after a period of ignorance. * /Joe immediately quit his job when he wised up to what was really going on./

[wish on] <v.> 1. To use as a lucky charm while making a wish. * /Mary wished on a star that she could go to the dance./ * /Bob wished on his lucky rabbit's foot that he could pass the test./ 2. or [wish off on] <informal> To get rid of (something unwanted) by passing it on to someone else. * /Martha did not like to do the dishes and wished the job on to her little sister./ * /Tom got a very ugly tie for his birthday and when Billy's birthday came, Tom wished the tie off on Billy./

[wit] See: AT ONE'S WITS' END, KEEP ONE'S HEAD or KEEP ONE'S WITS ABOUT ONE, SCARE OUT OF ONE'S WITS.

[witch-hunt] <n. phr.> A hysterical movement during which people are persecuted for having views (political or religious) considered different or unpopular. * /During the McCarthy era many innocent Americans were accused of being Communists, as Republican patriotism deteriorated into a witch-hunt./

[with a free hand] See: FREE HAND.

[with a grain of salt] or [with a pinch of salt] See: TAKE WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.

[with all one's heart] See: FROM THE BOTTOM OF ONE'S HEART.

[with an eye to] See: EYE TO.

[with a silver spoon in one's mouth] See: BORN WITH A SILVER SPOON IN ONE'S MOUTH.

[with a whole skin] also [in a whole skin] <adv. phr.> With no injury; unhurt; safely. * /The boy was lucky to escape with a whole skin when the car went off the road./ * /Jack came through the game with a whole skin./ * /The horse threw him off, but he got away in a whole skin./ Syn.: SAFE AND SOUND.

[with bad grace] or [with a bad grace] <adv. phr.> In an unpleasant or discourteous way; unwillingly, * /Fred takes defeat with bad grace./ * /Tom shouted "Hello" to Bill. Bill was in a sour mood and replied with a bad grace./ Contrast: WITH GOOD GRACE.

[with bells on] <adv. phr.>, <informal> With enthusiasm; eager or ready and in the best of spirits for an event. * /"Will you come to the farewell party I'm giving for Billy?" asked Jerry. "I'll be there with bells on," replied Ed./

[with child] <adv. phr.>, <literary> Going to have a baby; pregnant. * /The angel told Mary she was with child./ Compare: IN A FAMILY WAY or IN THE FAMILY WAY.

[wither on the vine] See: DIE ON THE VINE.

[with fire] See: PLAY WITH FIRE.

[with flying colors] <adv. phr.> With great or total success; victoriously. * /Tow finished the race with flying colors./ * /Mary came through the examination with flying colors./

[with good grace] <adv. phr.> With pleasant and courteous behavior; politely; willingly; without complaining. * /The boys had been well-coached; they took the loss of the game with good grace./ * /The principal scolded Nora, who accepted his criticism with good grace./ Contrast: WITH BAD GRACE.

[with heart and soul] See: HEART AND SOUL.

[within an ace of] <informal> or [within an inch of] <adv. phr.> Almost but not quite; very close to; nearly. * /Tim came within an ace of losing the election./ * /John was within an inch of drowning before he was pulled out of the water./ Compare: BY THE SKIN OF ONE'S TEETH.

[within an inch of one's life] <adv. phr.> Until you are almost dead; near to dying. * /The bear clawed the hunter within an inch of his life./ Often used after "to". * /The prize fighter was beaten to within an inch of his life./

[within bounds] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> 1. Inside of the boundary lines in a game; on or inside of the playing field. * /You must hit the ball inside the lines of the tennis court or it will not be within bounds./ * /If you kick the football over a side-line, it will not be in bounds./ 2. Inside of a place where one is allowed to go or be. * /The soldiers are within bounds on one side of the city, but are out of bounds on the other side./ 3. Inside of safe or proper limits; allowable. * /If you ask Father for a quarter, he might give it to you, but a dollar would not be within bounds./ * /He succeeded in keeping his temper within bounds./ Contrast: OUT OF BOUNDS.