Adam Makkai - Словарь американских идиом - 8000 единиц

[weasel word] {n.} , {informal} A word which has more than one meaning and may be used to deceive others. •/ When the thief was being questioned by the police, he tried to fool them with weasel words. /

[weather]See: FAIR-WEATHER FRIEND.

[weather eye] {n.} 1. Eyes that can tell what the weather will be. •/ Grandfather’s weather eye always tells him when it will rain. / 2. Eyes ready or quick to see; careful watch. — Usually used in phrases like "keep a weather eye on", "open", or "out for". •/ Mrs. Brown kept a weather eye on the children so they wouldn’t hurt each other. / •/ Keep a weather eye out for Uncle George at the store. / •/ Keep a weather eye open for deer. / •/ The police have a weather eye out for the robbers. / Compare: LOOK OUT.

[weather the storm] {v. phr.} To survive some disaster. •/ When Peter and Sue started their business they had very little money, but in a year they weathered the storm. /

[wedge]See: FLYING WEDGE.

[wedlock]See: BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK.

[wee hours]The crack of dawn, or just before it, usually between 1 A.M. and 4 A.M. or 2 A.M. and 5 A.M. •/ He stayed up all night when they were expecting their first child; finally, a boy was born in the wee hours of the morning. / Compare: SMALL HOURS.

[weeper]See: FINDERS KEEPERS or FINDERS KEEPERS LOSERS WEEPERS.

[weed out] {v.} 1. To remove what is unwanted, harmful, or not good enough from. •/ Mother weeded out the library because there were too many books. / •/ Many colleges and universities weed out their freshman classes to make room for better students. / 2. To take (what is not wanted) from a collection or group; remove (a part) for the purpose of improving a collection or group; get rid of. •/ The coach is weeding out the weak players this week. / •/ The teacher told Elizabeth to read over her English composition and weed out every sentence that was not about the subject. /

[wee folk]or [little folk]or [little people] {n. phr.} Fairy people; brownies; elves; fairies; or goblins. •/ Mother read me a story about the wee folk who lived in the forest and came out at night. / •/ There are many stories about little people dancing in the moonlight. /

[week in, week out]See: DAY IN, AND DAY OUT.

[week of Sundays] {n. phr.} A long time; seven weeks. •/ I haven’t seen them in a week of Sundays. /

[weigh anchor] {v. phr.} To set sail; get going. •/ After a week in Hawaii, we weighed anchor and sailed south toward Tahiti. /

[weigh down]also [weight down]1. To make heavy; cause to go down or bend with weight; overload. •/ The evergreens are weighed down by the deep snow. / — Often used with "with" or "by". •/ There are so many children in the back seat that they are weighing down the back of the car. / 2a. To overload with care or worry; make sad or low in spirits. — Usually used in the passive. •/ The family is weighed down by sorrow. / •/ The company is weighed down by debt. / 2b. To make heavy, hard, or slow; make dull or uninteresting. — Often in the passive used with "by" or "with". •/ The book is weighted down with footnotes. / •/ The TV program is weighed down by commercials. /

[weigh in] {v.} 1a. To take the weight of; weigh. •/ The man at the airport counter weighed in our bags and took our plane tickets. / •/ A doctor weighed in the wrestlers. / 1b. To have yourself or something that you own weighed. — Often used with "at". •/ I weighed in at 100 pounds on the scale today. / •/ We took our bags to the airport counter to weigh in. / 1c. To have yourself weighed as a boxer or wrestler by a doctor before a match. — Often used with "at". •/ The champion didn’t want to weigh in at more than 160 pounds. / 2. {slang} To join or interfere in a fight, argument, or discussion. •/ We told Jack that if we wanted him to weigh in with his opinion we would ask him. / Compare: TAKE PART.

[weigh on]or [weigh upon] {v.} 1. To be a weight or pressure on; be heavy on. •/ The pack weighed heavily on the soldier’s back. / 2. To make sad or worried; trouble; disturb; upset. •/ Sadness weighed on Mary’s heart when her kitten died. / •/ John’s wrongdoing weighed upon his conscience. / •/ The teacher’s advice weighed upon Tom’s mind. / 3. To be a burden to. •/ His guilt weighed heavily upon him. /

[weigh on one’s mind]See: WEIGH ON(2).

[weigh one’s words] {v. phr.} To choose your words carefully; be careful to use the right words. •/ When a teacher explains about religion, he must weigh his words because his pupils may be of several different faiths. / •/ When old Mr. Jones talked to the students about becoming teachers, he spoke slowly, weighing his words. / •/ In a debate, a political candidate has little time to weigh his words, and may say something foolish. /

[weight]See: PULL ONE’S WEIGHT, SWING ONE’S WEIGHT, THROW ONE’S WEIGHT AROUND.

[weight down]See: WEIGH DOWN.

[weight of the world on one’s shoulders]or [world on one’s shoulders]or [world on one’s back] {n. phr.} A very heavy load of worry or responsibility; very tired or worried behavior, as if carrying the world; behavior as if you are very important. •/ Don’t look as if you had the weight of the world on your shoulders, Henry, just because you have to mow the lawn. / •/ John acts as if he were carrying the world on his back because he has a paper route. /

[weigh upon]See: WEIGH ON.

[welcome]See: WEAR OUT ONE’S WELCOME.

[welcome mat] {n.} 1. A mat for wiping your shoes on, often with the word "welcome" on it, that is placed in front of a door. •/ Mother bought a welcome mat for our new house. / 2. {informal} A warm welcome; a friendly greeting. — Used in such phrases as "the welcome mat is out" and "put out the welcome mat". •/ Our welcome mat is always out to our friends. / •/ Spread out the welcome mat, children, because Uncle Bill is visiting us tonight. / Syn.: LATCH STRING(2). Compare: ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET, WITH OPEN ARMS.

[welcome with open arms]See: WITH OPEN ARMS.

[well]See: ALL VERY WELL, AS WELL, AS WELL AS, HAIL FELLOW WELL MET, LET WELL ENOUGH ALONE, PLAY ONE’S CARDS RIGHT or PLAY ONE’S CARDS WELL, VERY WELL, WEAR WELL.

[well and good] {adj. phr.} Good; satisfactory. •/ If my daughter finishes high school, I will call that well and good. / — Often used without a verb to show agreement or understanding. •/ Well and good; I will come to your house tomorrow. / Compare: ALL RIGHT, ALL VERY WELL, VERY WELL.

[well-heeled] {adj.} , {slang} Wealthy; having plenty of money. •/ Bob’s father, who is well-heeled, gave him a sports car. / Compare: IN CLOVER, ON EASY STREET.

[well-off] {adj. phr.} 1. Rich. •/ They may not be millionaires, but they are sufficiently well-off. / 2. In good condition; free of problems or difficulties./ •/ He is pleased that his business is well-off. /