Home > Phrasal Verb Dictionary: Letter W

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T W Z

Wade in.- (insep) When you wade in, you start doing something in a determined or forceful way.

• After a few minutes the police waded in and started to break the crowds up.

Wade through [Wade through something].- (file, paperwork, report) When you wade through something, you spend a lot of time doing some boring or difficult job. Plough through

• It's amazing how much garbage you have to wade through on the Internet before finding what you want.

Wait about, wait around.- (insep) When you wait around, you spend a long time doing nothing while you wait for somebody or something.

• I don't have the time or the patience to wait around for a bus, especially during the winter when it's cold.

Wait up.- (insep) When you wait up, you don't go to bed because you're waiting for somebody.

• I was shocked to see everybody still up, waiting for me. I gave my mother a big hug and kiss and told them that they shouldn't have waited up for me.
• I remember how Dad waited up for me when I had a date.
• I used to hate it when my parents waited up for me.Now, I'm the same way. I don't make it obvious, but I just can't get to sleep until my kids are home.

Wake up to [Wake up to something].- (danger, fact, threat, problem, truth) When you wake up to something, you become aware of a problem or dangerous situation.

• In the 1980s, the world woke up to the threat of the ozone hole.

Walk away from [Walk away from something].- 1 When you walk away from something, you leave an unpleasant situation instead of dealing with it.

• New rules about bankruptcy would make it tougher to walk away from your debts.
• Though at times you may feel discouraged, hurt or angry, do not walk away from your family, from all those who love you.

2 When you walk away from an accident, you are not hurt.

• If you are involved in a traffic accident, your seat belt may be the determining factor for whether you walk away from the accident uninjured or not.
• Fortunately the pilot was able to walk away from the accident with only a few bumps and bruises.

Walk away, walk off [Walk away with something, walk off with something].- (prize, title, competition, medal, award, degree) When you walk away with something, you win it.

• Unfortunately, he didn't win the million but he did walk away with $10,000 in his pockets as a consolation prize.

Walk off [Walk something off].- (stress, anger, frustration, disquiet, headache, effect, pounds, kilos, excess weight, meal, lunch, dinner) When you walk something off, you get rid of it by walking. Work off

• Walking is one of the best forms of exercise and done regularly you can walk off those excess pounds.

Walk on.- (insep) When you walk on, you continue walking: He stopped and had a chat with her and then walked on.

Ward something [Ward off something].- (insep) (attack, blow, cold, disease, illness, danger, intruders, hunger, evel spirits, danger) When you ward off something unpleasant, you prevent it from happening. Fend off something, head off something, stave off something

• This popular herb has been used to help ward off the common cold and to relieve the symptoms of hay fever.

Wave down [Wave somebody/something down].- When you wave a vehicle down, you wave your hands to make it stop.

• I waved down a cab and told the cabbie the directions.
• Shane waved down a passing car and met his family at the hospital

Wave off [Wave somebody off].- When you wave somebody off, you wave to them as they leave. See off

• Martin waved him off at the station wondering when he was likely to see him again.

Wear off.- (insep) (effect, excitement, feeling, pain, shock, novelty, distress, stiffness, numbness) When something wears off, it disappears gradually.

• He's in pain when the effect of the drugs he's taking starts to wear off.
• The pain is beginning to wear off.

Wear on.- (insep) (meeting, time, afternoon, week) When something wears on, it passes slowly: . Drag on, drag out

Wear out.- When somebody is worn out or they wear themselves out, they are very tired.

• I'm always tired, doctor. I'm absolutely worn out at the end of the day.

Wear out [Wear something out].- (clothes, shoes, boots, carpet, batteries, excuse, patience) When something wears out or you wear it out, it's damaged because you have used it a lot.

Ween off [Ween off something].- (insep) When you ween off something, you gradually stop taking some drug or medicine.

• If you are currently on anti-depressant therapy and wish to ween off it, get in touch with your physician, and ask for a specific programme.

Win over [Win somebody over].- When you win somebody over, you manage to make them like or accept you.

• Stop trying so hard to win her over and gain her attention.

Wind down.- Relax When you wind down, you try to relax, usually because you are tired or after a long day of work.

• For those who want to wind down at the end of the week there are plenty of great bars and restaurants nearby to explore.

Wind down [Wind something down].- When you wind something down, you gradually reduce its activity until it stops completely.

• The board of directors voted to wind down the business after learning orders continued to drop in the second quarter.

Wind up.- When you wind up somewhere or wind up being or doing something, that's what happens in the end. End up

• If you do that, you could wind up in jail or find yourself being sued for millions.

Wind up [Wind somebody up].- When you wind somebody up, you say or do things to annoy or make them nervous.

• John's always winding me up saying that he will tell my friends at school and this girl who I really like.
• Why are you so wound up about all this?

Wise up [Wise up, wise up to something].- (esp. AmE) When you wise up or wise up to something, you use you common sense and become more aware of things.

• It's about time employers wised up to the fact that staff who are happy work more efficiently.

Work off [Work something off].- (stress, anger, frustration, aggression, disquiet, energy, headache, steam, effect, pain, pounds, kilos, excess weight, calories, meal, lunch, dinner, debt, loan) When you work something off, you get rid of it by doing some form of exercise. Walk off

• He went for a walk alone to clear your mind and work off his meal.

Work out.- When something works out, it goes well.

• I hope things work out with you and Lisa.
• I'm sorry things haven't worked out for you.

Work out [Work something out].- Understand When you work something out, you mange to understand it.

• I couldn't work out how to switch the alarm off.

Work up [Work something up].- (appetite, enthusiasm, idea, support, sweat, thirst) When you work something up, you gradually develop it.

• It wasn’t long before I had worked up a sweat.
• Work up an appetite with a wander through the gardens at Kew and then enjoy a meal in one of the cafes or restaurants.

Wrap up.- (insep) When you wrap up, you put on warm clothes.

• Prepare for the worst, wrap up well, good boots, take rucksack, food, map etc and be sensible, but have fun.

Wrap up [Wrap something up].- 1 When you wrap something up, you cover it in attractive paper.

• If you wish, we will wrap the parcel in gift wrap paper and include a personal handwritten note.

2 (job, agreement, deal) When you wrap something up, you complete it in a satisfactory way. Wind up

• It has been a most enjoyable session. I think we will wrap it up there.

Write down [Write something down].- When you write something down, you write it on a piece of paper.

• It wasn't enough for her simply to hear new sounds or words. She had to see them written down.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T W Z

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