Idiom Definition Index W
Wayne Magnuson: English Idioms

 

Idiom Definition Index W


 
wacko
bonkers
cracked
crackpot
mad hatter
out of my head
wingy
wag
chew the fat/ chew the rag
shoot the shit [B]
tonsil hockey
yak
wages
freeze wages
make money
wagon
dry out
into the sauce
wait
cherrypicker (hockey)
cool your heels
don't count your chickens before they hatch
don't hold your breath
hang on
hold it
hold on
hold out for
hold the phone
hold your horses
hole up
kill time
let George do it
let me have it
sit tight
sober up
spend time
stay up
sweat it out
wait a sec
wait around
wait for the other shoe to drop
wait up
wait with bated breath
waiting
jump queue
on pins and needles
out to get you
wake
a wake-up call
rise and shine
slap my afro / slap my fro
wake with a start
walk
boogie
bump and grind
crawl on my hands and knees over broken glass just to see her photo
dry run
flatfoot
go in circles
have a hitch in your getalong
pound the pavement
run down
set foot
turn yourself in
walk a straight line
walk down
walk up
walking
leg work
on parade
on the limp
two abreast
wall
drive you to distraction
want
a hot ticket
a keeper
ask for the moon
deal me in
death wish
die for
do with
don't want to go there
dove
drive you to drink
dying to know
eager beaver
fish for a compliment
forget it
get a shot at
get your shirt in a knot/ get your shit in a knot [B]
get your way
go pound salt
got my eye on
had a bellyful
have designs on
have it made
have it your way
hawk
in the mood
is you is, or is you ain't my baby
joe-job
lazy bones
long for
mean well
misery loves company
mop the floor with us
on approval
out of the goodness of my heart
pay off
play hard to get
put 'er there
put her there
say the word
set your price
set your sights
spoiled brat
talk about
the burning question
wait on you hand and foot
wait with bated breath
want a piece of me
want it so bad I can taste it
want to make something of it
willy-nilly
wanted
Generation X
wanting
horny [B]
killer instinct
out to get you
out to win
really deaf
war
all's fair in love and war
baby boomer
come of age
hawk
life is not all guns and roses
rattle sabres
Roaring Twenties
ward
nut house
wardroom
buckstop (military)
warm
snug as a bug in a rug
warmed
warmed over
warmer
take the chill off
warmly
bundle up
rug up
warn
catch me by surprise
warning
a wake-up call
at a moment's notice
break into song
coldcock
Florida green
idiot lights
jump
on short notice
out of nowhere
pop in
warship
buckstop (military)
was
a shadow of his former self
all hell broke loose
by the way
chimo
cooler heads prevailed
cuss
damn the luck [B]
don't mention it
fate is sealed
if looks could kill
it was a lark
it was Greek to me
knock me over with a feather
no problem (no prob)
not at all
pay back
stretching it
swear like a sailor
the air was blue
the tide turned
think nothing of it
time ran out
times were hard
too little too late
turn the tables on
white elephant
wishful thinking
you had to be there
wash
call it square
clean up
even
freshen up
hose it down/ hose it off
wash down
washed
like a dirty shirt
washer
big cheese
the big cheese
washroom
biff/biffy
freshen up
have to go
nature calls
pit stop
powder my nose
see a man about a dog
the can
wasn't
been around
waste
a wild goose chase
don't get mad; get even
get down to business
lollygag
lose time
piss away [B]
spin your wheels
throw the baby out with the bath water
waste not, want not
wreak havoc
wastebasket
circular file
file 13
wasted
down the drain
polluted
smashed
stoned
tanked/tanked up
wasting
time's a wasting
watch
breathe down my neck
check up on
keep an eye on
keep an eye out
keep tabs on
keep your eyes peeled
look out for
mind your manners
pay attention
walk on eggshells
watch me like a hawk
watch out for
watch over like a mother hawk
watch your every move
watch your step
watcher
birder
watches
couch potato
tube head
watching
all eyes
asleep at the switch
birder
glued to the set
water
a pine float
dead duck
hose it down/ hose it off
run a tub
running water
wash down
wash it off
water down
water-cooler
coffee talk
wave
flag a cab
hail a cab
make trouble
rock the boat
throw a kiss
wavelength
in tune
see eye to eye
tuned in
wax
the whole nine yards
way
against the grain
all around Robin Hood's barn
all the way to Egery and back
and that's that
at all
bat her eyes
bend the rules
bump and grind
burn your bridges
by any means
by guess or by gosh
by hook or by crook
by its very nature
by no means
come across [B]
come onto
cool
damned if you do and damned if you don't
die for
do unto others as you would have them do unto you
do your own thing
don't get me wrong
every trick in the book
find a way around
for love nor money
get around it
get fresh
get her way
get it on
get the picture
get your way
give him the evil eye
go against the grain
go downtown [B]
good going
got your number
granola
groaty to the max
have it your way
have your cake and eat it, too
hold your mouth the right way
hold your nose
if you're not with us you're against us
in a rut
in any way, shape or form
in step
in the least
in the road
it makes no difference
kill for
knock up [B]
lead a life
life you lead
like hell [B]
look the other way
make a living
make friends
make love
make room
no can do
no dice
not on your life
off the beaten track
on a lark
open a window
out of the question
over and done with
pedal to the metal
play my cards right
put a different slant on it
put my foot down
put the right spin on it
roll out the red carpet
run roughshod
same here
snazzy
spade work
straight up
take a poke at
take action
take it
teach you the tricks of the trade
that's life
that's the spirit
that's the way the cookie crumbles
the fickle finger of fate
the gift of the gab (the gift of gab)
the key to success
the most
there's more than one way to skin a cat
think outside the box
to hell with that [B]
turn a blind eye
turn the other way
twist of fate
where there's a will, there's a way
yonder over there
zig when you should zag
wayne
The Great One
we
according to Hoyle
all the world's a stage
be there or be square
call it square
chickens come home to roost
come on
compare notes
don't borrow trouble
easy come, easy go
even
feast or famine
full steam ahead
heaven forbid
heaven help us
here's to
hold on
hold the fort
if only
if you're born to hang, you won't drown
in heaven's name
it has your name on it
it never rains but it pours
it's a go
it's a matter of life and death
keep the faith
know where we stand
larger than life
like it or lump it
make hay while the sun shines
money doesn't grow on trees
more power to you
more than welcome
no can do
onto us
oodles
speak of the devil
talk about
talk shop
the bigger they are the harder they fall
the buck stops here
the burning question
the crunch
the heat is on
the jig's up
the joke is on you
the more the merrier
the past is slipping by without a trace
there's no tomorrow
things are looking up
time's a wasting
to each his own
when it comes to
when it rains it pours
where there's a will, there's a way
wise to us
weak
a shadow of his former self
look like death warmed over
pipsqueak
strung out
wear down
wimp
wimpy
work my fingers to the bone
wuss
weakened
blue in the face
full strength
weaker
chaser
water down
weakest
pecking order
the runt of the litter
weakness
Achilles heel
smell blood
wealth
born with a silver spoon in his mouth
from rags to riches
kill the goose that lays the golden eggs
set the world on fire
wealthier
better off
wealthy
deep pockets
fat cat
filthy rich
have deep pockets
in clover
in the money
loaded
Old Boys' Club
rolling in it
well heeled
well off
well to do
weapon
fight fire with fire
nukes
pack Uzis
smoking gun
take up cudgels
wear
had it
had the bird
preppy
run you ragged
sweater girl
try it on
wearing
stark naked
weary
tired out
weather
it's cold / it's hot
it's raining/snowing
make hay while the sun shines
not feeling myself
small talk
web
Internet
wedding
something borrowed, something blue
wednesday
hump day
week
hump day
pre-menstrual syndrome
take a break
TGIF
till the cows come home
weep
shed a tear
weigh
tip the scales at
weight
a sack of hammers
like a ton of bricks
weigh in at
workout
weird
crackpot
get-up
nerd
over the rainbow
rad
sicko
warped sense of humor
weirdest
take the cake
weirdo
creep
dingbat/ding-dong
welcome
don't go away mad; just go away
go tell your mother she wants you
go to any trouble
lap up
right as rain
roll out the red carpet
take risks
two's company, three's a crowd
wear out your welcome
well
'at a boy (that a boy)
'at a girl (that a girl)
apple-pie order
at the top of her game
attaboy (that a boy)
attagirl (that a girl)
bloody well
buck fever
carry a tune
choke
clean cut
coming up roses
cool under pressure
crystal clear
did good
did yourself proud
done good
eat humble pie
fall short
fill his shoes
fine-tune
gee
go places
going great guns
going strong
gone to the dogs
good show
half-baked
hard of hearing
have deep pockets
hit it off
hit on all cylinders
hold a candle
if a mussel doesn't open don't eat it
if my memory serves me correctly
in a slump
in bad shape
know inside out
know like the back of your hand
look sharp
make a go of it
make a name for yourself
mop the floor with us
neat
not feeling myself
piss poor [B]
play a mean game
pull through
put your best foot forward
shucks
sleep like a log
slip a notch
soldier on
start with a bang
stay in line
team player
that a boy/that a girl
the Peter Principle
the rest is history
tick over
tickety-boo
under the weather
well heeled
well off
well-balanced
get it together
well-designed
a humdinger
well-groomed
dapper Dan
well-known
chestnut
well-meaning
a sad sack
were
bully for you
dates you
eat crow
eat your words
the day of the family farm
you can thank your lucky stars
west
Lotus Land
western
Bigfoot
Sasquatch
wet
a babe in arms
on your ass [B]
out in left field
the tender age of
whack
off kilter
what
a fly on the wall
a penny for your thoughts
a piece of my mind
actions speak louder than words
all wet
at face value
at stake
beauty is in the eye of the beholder
beg your pardon
by gosh
by the way
call it quits
call the shots
can't believe my ears
can't believe my eyes
catch as catch can
catch the wave
catch you off guard
claim to fame
come again
come hell or high water
come on
come through
come to the point
comeuppance
compare notes
do your own thing
don't give me any of your lip
don't know which side your bread is buttered on
don't teach your grandmother how to suck eggs
down the pike
drain the swamp
dump on
eat crow
eat your words
eh
find yourself
follow me
follow the rules
follow through
get caught up
get it
get real
get this straight
get to the point
get your way
give him a taste of his own medicine
give you flack
give you static
give your word
go on
go with the flow
good grief
got the balls [B]
got what it takes
have it your way
haven't the foggiest
hemming and hahing
Hobson's choice
holy smoke
how's that again
huh
in her good graces
it appears to me
je ne sais quoi
joyride
keep a promise
keep the faith
keep up with the Joneses
keep you on track
King Shit on Turd Island
know the score
know which end is up
leave me hanging
left over
lose your tongue
make a clean breast of it
make an offer
make of it
mind go blank
no rest for the wicked
on moral grounds
one man's meat is another man's poison
own medicine
pardon me
pay him back
pay off
pay up
pick your brains
pinch
point of view
practice what you preach
public property
pull a few strings
pull your chain
pussyfoot around
put your money where your mouth is
read between the lines
read into
read my lips
read you
rise to the occasion
run the gamut
say my piece
say what
say what's on your mind
say your piece
scout's honor
second guess
sense of humor
serve notice
serve them right
set your sights
settle it
show your stuff
shut my mouth
so what
speak out
speak your mind
spoiled brat
suit yourself
take a stand
take care of business
take it back
take me seriously
take your word for it
talk shop
tell him where to get off
the buck stops here
the burning question
the dickens you say
the jig's up
the price you have to pay
the runaround
the talk of the town
there's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip
time on your hands
toe the line
try me
turn about is fair play
turn yourself in
twist your words
up your alley
wait around
wait with bated breath
walk the talk
what a brain
what a dish
what a rigmarole
what a rush
what came over me
what-cha-ma-call-it
what gives
what goes around comes around
what in tarnation
what in the name of heaven
what in the world
what it boils down to
what the hell [B]
what the Sam Hill
what's cooking
what's eating you
what's going down
what's going on
what's-his-face
what's in it for me
what's new
what's the poop
what's up
what's what
what's your beef
what's your poison
who cares
wise to us
wysiwyg
you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink
what-cha-ma-call-it
thing-a-ma-bob / thing-a-ma-jig
whatever
do your utmost
eat out of the palm of your hand
go to great lengths/ go to any lengths
make do
wheat-producing
wheatbelt
wheatbelt
breadbasket
wheel
a big shot
as useless as a fifth wheel
Denver boot
lay rubber
set of wheels
the bottom fell out
wheels
wheeler-dealer
movers and shakers
wheeler-dealer
when
a clutch hitter (baseball)
a word to the wise is sufficient
absence makes the heart grow fonder
age of majority
at first glance
at the hands of
baby blues
be there for me
beat a dead horse
behind your back
break in
break your fall
buyer's market
catch you at a bad time
caught looking
come out in the wash
cool under pressure
cross that bridge when I come to it
dates you
dirty thirties
discretion is the better part of valor
doesn't mince words
easy come, easy go
fair-weather friend
Fibber McGee's closet
freeze-up
garage kept
God bless the Duke of Argyle
happy hour
hit the ground running
hold the purse strings
hold your hand
in the hole
in your prime
it never rains but it pours
Johnny on the spot
just-in-time
laugh it off
learn your place
love at first sight
make strange
miss your chance
musical chairs
nerves of steel
parachute
pass up
put to bed (print media)
red-faced
run a red light
run off at the mouth
save for a rainy day
say the word
shuck on down to the fraidy hole
snatch victory from the jaws of defeat
so to speak
soft market
take it like a man
take your time
take your turn
the age of majority
the benefit of the doubt
the day of the family farm
the moment of truth
the point of no return
the turning point
time flies when you're having fun
too little too late
when in Rome, do as the Romans do
when it comes to
when it rains it pours
when push comes to shove
when the chips are down
when the crunch comes
when the dust settles
when the going gets tough
where the rubber hits the road
where there's a will, there's a way
whenever
spotcheck
where
a level playing field
bash
behind your back
being there
Cabbagetown
can't put my hands on it
check-out
come full circle
Cowtown
end up
fill the gap
go nowhere fast
in plain view
know which end is up
learn your place
Lovers' Leap
set out
show you around
stay put
stop on a dime
take my place
the breaking point
watch your step
what the dickens
where angels fear to tread
where do they get off
where it's at
where the rubber hits the road
where's the loo
window on the world
whether
willy-nilly
which
heads or tails
hit and run (baseball)
hit and run (traffic)
musical chairs
take your pick
what's your poison
while
at the hands of
burned
coffee talk
crazy like a fox
draw their fire
fish and company stink after three days
hemming and hahing
kill a penalty (hockey)
lay over
make hay while the sun shines
mount a comeback
shoplifting
strike out (baseball)
time is of the essence
too little too late
wet the bed
whine
bellyache
whip
clean up on
whirlwind
dust devil
whisker
five o'clock shadow
whisky
rye
whispered
under my breath
white
fib
honky
in writing
pinko
Saskatchewan pheasant
WASP
whiz
geez
golly gee
have to go
jeepers
take a leak [B]
take a pee [B]
wow
who
a babe in arms
a bar fly
a bar star
a barrel of laughs
a basket case
a bitch [B]
a brick
a budding genius
a cheap drunk
a chip off the old block
a clutch hitter (baseball)
a cut-up
a firm hand
a flash in the pan
a fresh pair of eyes
a good sport
a handful
a heavy hitter
a hotdog
a hothead
a hotshot
a kept woman
a lady-killer
a loose cannon
a man of few words
a nut case
a pain in the butt
a party to that
a quick study
a redneck
a rolling stone gathers no moss
a sitting duck
a soft touch
a sucker for punishment
a thorn in my side
a three-bagger
a tower of strength
a wolf in sheep's clothing
a wordsmith
all talk and no action
an airhead
an easy mark
backroom boys
bad date
bad news
bag lady
beggars can't be choosers
bigmouth
binner
bite the hand that feeds you
blabbermouth
black sheep
bleeding heart
blue-collar worker
book worm
boozing buddies
bosom buddy
bottle man
bozo
buzz-kill
canary
car buff
catch a ride
chain smoker
chairman of the boards (hockey)
cheap skate
cherrypicker (hockey)
chicken
Christmas graduate
comeback kid
couch potato
cowpoke
crack shot/salesman etc.
crack this case
crackpot
dance with the one who brought you
dead-eye Dick
deadhead
death row
dimwit
DINKS
dipstick
disk jockey (DJ)
do a favor
dog in the manger
don't know him from Adam
doughhead
dove
draft dodger
drop-in
dude
dumbbell
dumbo
eager beaver
eagle eyes
fair-weather friend
fall on deaf ears
feel a draft
fence sitter
figurehead
flatfoot
flip you for it
fool around
fraidy cat
fresh legs
front man
get revenge
girl Friday
gofer
granola
half-pint
happy camper
has-been
hatchet man
have an affair
hawk
head (headbanger)
headhunter
health nut
heart is in the right place
high roller
his nibs
his own man
hit man
hold-out
in the loop
inside joke
it's now or never
jack of all trades
jive ass [B]
jock
Johnny-come-lately
joker
junkie
kick some ass
King Shit on Turd Island
klutz
know which side your bread is buttered on
knucklehead
lame duck
landlubber
late bloomer
lay the blame
lazy bones
lesser lights
lifer
liveware
look over your shoulder
loud mouth
lucky dog
motormouth
name-dropper
Net surfer
no-show
nut
partners in crime
party-pooper
peer sneer
penny pincher
people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones
pinhead
pinko
piss on them [B]
popcorn brain
power user
preach to the choir/preach to the converted
preppy
prima donna
proby
pusher
rabble-rouser
rat fink
repay in kind
rob the cradle
rotter
scaredy cat
scratch your head
seek revenge
self-made man
self-starter
shit disturber [B]
show-off
showboat
shut-in
skins game
sleepy head
slowpoke
smartass [B]
smooth talker
snowbirds
so what
soul mate
sounding board
sour puss
spin the bottle
spoiled brat
spoilsport
squealer
stag
stick-in-the-mud
straight from the horse's mouth
straight man
sucker
sweater girl
take advantage of
take revenge
team player
the butt of the joke
the early bird gets the worm
the goat
The Great White Hope
The Grim Reaper
The Group of Seven
the inside track
the life of the party
the middleman
the odds-on favorite
the spitting image
the squeaky wheel gets the grease
the underground
there's one born every minute
tough customer
tube head
turn the tables on
turncoat
twinkle toes
unsung hero
wall flower
what the hay
what's the big idea
wheeler-dealer
windbag
wingnut
work the room
workaholic
world beater
yellow belly
whoever
first come, first served
whole
all the livelong day
can't see the forest for the trees
everything but the kitchen sink
jump in with both feet
kit and caboodle
on the whole
pay the shot
the big