Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

Makkai Adam

[wind up]{v.} 1. To tighten the spring of a machine; to make it work or run. •/Mary wound up the toy car and let it run across the room./ •/He doesn’t have to wind up his watch because it is run by a battery./ 2. To make very excited, nervous, upset. — Usually used in the past participle. •/The excitement of her birthday party got Jane all wound up so she could not sleep./ 3. {informal} To bring or come to an end; finish; stop. •/John got two hits and wound his afternoon up with a home run./ •/Before Jim knew it, he had spent all his money and he wound up broke./ •/The boys followed the path to the left and wound up where they started./ Syn.: END UP. Compare: FINISH OFF, TURN OUT(6). 4. To put (your business or personal affairs) in order; arrange; settle. •/Fred wound up his business and personal affairs before joining the Navy./ 5. To swing your arm with the ball just before pitching to a batter. •/The pitcher wound up quickly and then threw a curve./

[wing] See: CLIP ONE’S WINGS, LEFT-WING, ON THE WING, RIGHT-WING, UNDER ONE’S WING.

[win hands down]{v. phr.} To win conclusively and without external help. •/The opposition was so weak that Dan won the election hands down./

[win in a walk] or [win in a breeze]{v. phr.}, {informal} To win very easily; win without having to try hard. •/Joe ran for class president and won in a walk./ •/Our team won the game in a breeze./ Compare: HANDS DOWN.

[wink] See: FORTY WINKS, SLEEP A WINK.

[wink at]{v.} To allow and pretend not to know about (a rule or law being broken). •/John was not allowed to stay out late at night, but his parents winked at his being five minutes late./ •/A judge should never wink at any law-breaking./

[winning streak]{n.} A series of several wins one after the other. •/The team extended their winning streak to ten./

[win one’s spurs]{v. phr.} 1. In old times, to be named a knight with the right to wear little sharp spikes on your heels. •/A young squire won his spurs in battle./ 2. To win fame or honor. •/The young lieutenant won his spurs by leading an attack on enemy machine guns./ •/Edison won his spurs as an inventor while rather young./ •/He has yet to win his spurs as a big league ball player./

[win out]{v. phr.} To win after a rather protracted struggle. •/The lawsuit lasted a long time, but we finally won out./

[win over]{v. phr.} To convert to one’s position or point of view. •/The Democrats offered him a high-level executive position and thus way won him over to their side./

[wipeout]{n.} A total failure. •/The guy is so bad at his job that he is a total wipeout./

[wipe out]{v.} 1. To remove or erase by wiping or rubbing. •/The teacher wiped out with an eraser what she had written on the board./ Compare: RUB OUT. 2. {informal} To remove, kill, or destroy completely. •/The earthquake wiped out the town./ •/Doctors are searching for a cure that will wipe out cancer./ •/The Indians wiped out the soldiers who were sent to stop their attacks./ Compare: RUB OUT, STAMP OUT.

[wipe out an old score] See: SETTLE A SCORE.

[wipe the floor with] or [wipe up the floor with] See: MOP THE FLOOR WITH.

[wire] See: ACROSS THE WIRE, DOWN TO THE WIRE, PULL STRINGS or PULL WIRES.

[wise] See: GET WISE, PENNY WISE AND POUND FOOLISH, PUT WISE, THE WISER.

[wisecrack]{n.} A joke or witty remark usually made at someone else’s expense. •/The comedians kept up a steady stream of wisecracks./

[wise guy]{n. phr.}, {informal} A person who acts as if he were smarter than other people; a person who jokes or shows off too much •/Bill is a wise guy and displeases others by what he says./

[wise up to]{v. phr.}, {slang} To finally understand what is really going on after a period of ignorance. •/Joe immediately quit his job when he wised up to what was really going on./

[wish on]{v.} 1. To use as a lucky charm while making a wish. •/Mary wished on a star that she could go to the dance./ •/Bob wished on his lucky rabbit’s foot that he could pass the test./ 2. or [wish off on]{informal} To get rid of (something unwanted) by passing it on to someone else. •/Martha did not like to do the dishes and wished the job on to her little sister./ •/Tom got a very ugly tie for his birthday and when Billy’s birthday came, Tom wished the tie off on Billy./

[wit] See: AT ONE’S WITS' END, KEEP ONE’S HEAD or KEEP ONE’S WITS ABOUT ONE, SCARE OUT OF ONE’S WITS.

[witch-hunt]{n. phr.} A hysterical movement during which people are persecuted for having views (political or religious) considered different or unpopular. •/During the McCarthy era many innocent Americans were accused of being Communists, as Republican patriotism deteriorated into a witch-hunt./

[with a free hand] See: FREE HAND.