W

Waiting in the wings
If someone is waiting in the wings, they are in the background, but nearby, ready to act on short notice.
Wake-up call
A wake-up call is a warning of a threat or a challenge, especially when it means that people will have to change their behaviour to meet it.
Walk on eggshells
If you have to walk on eggshells when with someone, you have to be very careful because they get angry or offended very easily.
Wallflower
A woman politician given an unimportant government position so that the government can pretend it takes women seriously is a wallflower.
Warpath
If someone is on the warpath, they are very angry about something and will do anything to get things sorted the way they want.
Warts and all
If you like someone warts and all, you like them with all their faults.
Wash your hands of something
If you wash your hands of something, you disassociate yourself and accept no responsibility for what will happen.
Waste not, want not
If you don’t waste things, you are less likely to end up lacking.
Watching paint dry
If something is like watching paint dry, it is really boring.
Water off a duck’s back
If criticism or something similar is like water off a duck’s back to somebody, they aren’t affected by it in the slightest.
Water over the dam
If something has happened and cannot be changed, it is water over the dam.
Water under the bridge
If something belongs to the past and isn’t important or troubling any more, it is water under the bridge.
Watering hole
A watering hole is a pub. Mumbai was the city of watering holes before the ban.
Wear sackcloth and ashes
If someone displays their grief or contrition publicly, they wear sackcloth and ashes.
Weather a storm
If you weather a storm, you get through a crisis or hard times.
Wet behind the ears
Someone who is wet behind the ears is either very young or inexperienced.
Wet blanket
A wet blanket is someone who tries to spoil other people’s fun.
What will be will be
This expression is used to describe the notion that fate will decide the outcome of a course of events, even if action is taken to try to alter it.
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander
This idiom means that the sexes should be treated the same way and not be subjected to different standards.
What’s your take on that?
This idiom is way of asking someone for his opinion and ideas.
When in Rome, do as the Romans
This idiom means that when you are visiting a different place or culture, you should try to follow their customs and practices.
Where the rubber meets the road
Where the rubber meets the road is the most important point for something, the moment of truth.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way
This idiom means that if people really want to do something, they will manage to find a way of doing it.
Whet your appetite
If something whet your appetite, it interests you and makes you want more of it.
Which came first the chicken or the egg?
This idiomatic expression is used when it is not clear who or what caused something.
While the cat’s away, the mouse will play
People whose behaviour is strictly controlled go over the top when the authority is not around.
White as a sheet
A bad shock can make somebody go as white as a sheet.
White elephant
A white elephant is an expensive burden; something that costs far too much money to run.
Who wears the pants?
The person who wears the pants in a relationship is the dominant person who controls things.
Who wears the trousers?
The person who wears the trousers in a relationship is the dominant person who controls things.
Whole new ball game
If something’s a whole new ball game, it is completely new or different.
Wide berth
If you give someone a wide berth, you keep yourself well away from him because they are dangerous.
Wide of the mark
If something is wide of the mark, it is inaccurate or incorrect.
Will-o’-the-wisp
Something that deceives by its appearance is a will-o’-the-wisp; it looks good, but turns out to be a disappointment.
Win by a nose
If somebody wins by a nose, they only just beat the others.
Window dressing
If something is done to pretend to be dealing with an issue or problem, rather than actually dealing with it, it is window dressing.
Winner takes all
If everything goes to the winner, as in an election, the winner takes all.
With a heavy hand
If someone does something with a heavy hand, they do it in a strict way, exerting a lot of control.
With child
If a woman’s with child, she’s pregnant.
With flying colours
If you pass something with flying colours you pass easily, with a very high mark or grade.
Wither on the vine
If something withers on the vine, it fails to get the intended result, doesn’t come to fruition.
Wolf in sheep’s clothing
A wolf in sheep’s clothing is something dangerous that looks quite safe and innocent.
Wood for the trees
If someone can’t see the wood for the trees, they get so caught up in small details that they fail to understand the bigger picture.
Word of mouth
If something becomes known by word of mouth, it is because people are talking about it, not through publicity, etc.
Word of the law
The word of the law means that the law is interpreted in an absolutely literal way, which goes against the ideas that the lawmakers had wished to implement.
Words fail me
If words fail you, you can’t find the words to express what you are trying to say.
Work like a dog
If you work like a dog, you work very hard.
Work your fingers to the bone
If you work your fingers to the bone, you work extremely hard on something.
Work your socks off
If you work your socks off, you work very hard.
World at your feet
If everything is going well and the future looks full of opportunity, you have the world at your feet.
World is your oyster
When the world is your oyster, you are getting everything you want from life.
Worm information
If you worm information out of somebody, you persuade him to tell you something they wanted to keep from you.
Worm’s eye view
A worm’s eye view of something is the view from below, either physically or socially.
Worse for wear
If something’s worse for wear, it has been used for a long time and, consequently, isn’t in very good condition. A person who’s worse for wear is drunk or high on drugs and looking rough.
Worse things happen at sea
This idiomatic expression is used as a way of telling someone not to worry so much about his problems.
Wouldn’t touch it with a bargepole
If you wouldn’t touch something with a bargepole, you would not consider being involved under any circumstances.
Wrench in the works
If someone puts or throws a wrench, in the works, they ruin a plan.
Writ large
If something is writ large, it is emphasised or highlighted.
Writing on the wall
If the writing’s on the wall for something, it is doomed to fail.
Written all over your face
If someone has done something wrong or secret, but cannot hide it in his expression, it is written all over his face.
Wrong end of the stick
If someone has got the wrong end of the stick, they have misunderstood what someone has said to them.
Wrong foot
If you start something on the wrong foot, you start badly.