Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
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[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./
[well put] <adj. phr.> Well expressed or defined. * /His remarks about too much violence on television were extremely well put./
[well-to-do] <adj.> Having or making enough money to live comfortably; prosperous. * /John's father owns a company and his family is well-to-do./ - Often used with "the" like a plural noun. * /This is the part of town where the well-to-do live./ Compare: IN THE LAP OF LUXURY, IN THE CHIPS, ON EASY STREET.
[wet] See: ALL WET, GET ONE'S FEET WET, MAD AS A WET HEN, WRINGING WET.
[wet behind the ears] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Not experienced; not knowing how to do something; new in a job or place. * /The new student is still wet behind the ears; he has not yet learned the tricks that the boys play on each other./ Compare: DRY BEHIND THE EARS.
[wet blanket] <n.>, <informal> A person or thing that keeps others from enjoying life. * /The teenagers don't invite Bob to their parties because he is a wet blanket./ * /The weatherman throws a wet blanket on picnic plans when he forecasts rain./ Compare: CREPE HANGER.
[wet one's whistle] <v. phr.>, <slang> To have a drink, especially of liquor. * /Uncle Willie told John to wait outside for a minute while he went in to the cafe to wet his whistle./
[whack] See: OUT OF WHACK.
[whale away] <v.>, <informal> 1. To beat or hit hard; strike again and again.
– Often used with "at". * /The boxer is whaling away at his opponent with both fists./ 2. To attack severely or again and again; go on without stopping or with great force; pound away. * /Mary has been whaling away on the typewriter for an hour./ - Often used with "at". * /During the election the Mayor whaled away at the other party in his speeches./
[whale the --- out of] See: BEAT THE --- OUT OF.
[what] See: COME WHAT MAY, GET WHAT'S COMING TO ONE, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED, SO WHAT.
[what about] <interrog.> 1. About or concerning what; in connection with what.
– Often used alone as a question. * /"I want to talk to you." "What about?"/ Compare: WHAT FOR. 2. See: WHAT OF IT. 3. See: HOW ABOUT.
[what about that] See: HOW ABOUT THAT.
[What a pity!] How unfortunate! What a shame! * /What a pity that he couldn't join us on our Hawaiian trip./
[what for(1)] <interrog.> For what reason; why? * /I told Mary what I was going to town for./ * /What are you running for?/ - Often used alone as a question. * /Billy's mother told him to wear his hat. "What for?" he asked./ Compare: HOW COME.
[what for(2)] <n. phr.>, <informal> A scolding, or other punishment.
– Usually used with "get" or "give". * /Tom got what for from his father for answering him rudely, and I heard him crying in the house./ * /The teacher gave me what for because I was late./
[what have you] or [what not] <n. phr.>, <informal> Whatever you like or want; anything else like that. * /The store sells big ones, small ones, medium ones, or what have you./ * /We found suits, coats, hats and what not in the closet./ Syn.: AND SO FORTH.
[what if] What would, or will, happen if; what is the difference if; suppose that. * /What if you go instead of me?/ * /What if we paint it red. How will it look?/ * /"You can't go now" said mother. "What if I do?" Dick asked./ * /What if Jack scores a touchdown?/
[what is what] See: WHAT'S WHAT.
[what of it] or [what about it] <interj.>, <informal> What is wrong with it; what do you care. * /Martha said "That boy is wearing a green coat." Jan answered, "What of it?"/ * /"John missed the bus." "What of it?"/ Syn.: SO WHAT.
[what not] See: WHAT HAVE YOU.
[what's cooking] See: WHAT'S UP.
[what's doing] See: WHAT'S UP..
[what's sauce for the goose, is sauce for the gander] What goes for the one, also goes for the other.
– A proverb. * /If Herb gets a speeding ticket, so should Erica, who was right behind him; after all, what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander./