Watering hole
(UK) A watering hole is a pub.
(UK) A watering hole is a pub.
Watery grave
If someone has gone to a watery grave, they have drowned.
If someone has gone to a watery grave, they have drowned.
Weak at the knees
If people go weak at the knees, they have a powerful emotional reaction to
something and feel that they might fall over.
If people go weak at the knees, they have a powerful emotional reaction to
something and feel that they might fall over.
Wear sackcloth and ashes
If someone displays their grief or contrition publicly, they wear sackcloth and
ashes.
If someone displays their grief or contrition publicly, they wear sackcloth and
ashes.
Wear your heart on your sleeve
Someone who wears their heart on their sleeve shows their emotions and
feelings publicly.
Someone who wears their heart on their sleeve shows their emotions and
feelings publicly.
Weather a storm
If you weather a storm, you get through a crisis or hard times.
If you weather a storm, you get through a crisis or hard times.
Wedge politics
(USA) In wedge politics, one party uses an issue that they hope will divide
members of a different party to create conflict and weaken it.
(USA) In wedge politics, one party uses an issue that they hope will divide
members of a different party to create conflict and weaken it.
Weight off your shoulders
If something is a weight off your shoulders, you have relieved yourself of a
burden, normally a something that has been troubling you or worrying you.
If something is a weight off your shoulders, you have relieved yourself of a
burden, normally a something that has been troubling you or worrying you.
Well-heeled
Someone who is well-heeled is rich.
Someone who is well-heeled is rich.
Well-oiled
If someone is well-oiled, they have drunk a lot.
If someone is well-oiled, they have drunk a lot.
Well-oiled machine
Something that functions very well is a well-oiled machine.
Something that functions very well is a well-oiled machine.
Were you born in a barn?
If someone asks you this, it means that you forgot to close the door when you
came in.
If someone asks you this, it means that you forgot to close the door when you
came in.
Wet behind the ears
Someone who is wet behind the ears is either very young or inexperienced.
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.
A wet blanket is someone who tries to spoil other people's fun.
Wet your whistle
If you are thirsty and have an alcoholic drink, you wet your whistle. "Whet your
whistle" is also used.
If you are thirsty and have an alcoholic drink, you wet your whistle. "Whet your
whistle" is also used.
Whale of a time
If you have a whale of a time, you really enjoy yourself.
If you have a whale of a time, you really enjoy yourself.
What can sorry do?
This means that it is not enough to apologise.
This means that it is not enough to apologise.
What can you expect from a hog but a grunt?
(USA) This means that you can't expect people to behave in a way that is not in
their character- a 'hog' is a 'pig', so an unrefined person can't be expected to
behave in a refined way.
(USA) This means that you can't expect people to behave in a way that is not in
their character- a 'hog' is a 'pig', so an unrefined person can't be expected to
behave in a refined way.
Whet your appetite
If something whets your appetite, it interests you and makes you want more of it.
If something whets 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.
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, which is why most teenagers have parties when their parents have
gone on holiday. The parents are the scary authority figures, but the cat's away
and the kids are the mice partying and enjoying their freedom.
People whose behaviour is strictly controlled go over the top when the authority
is not around, which is why most teenagers have parties when their parents have
gone on holiday. The parents are the scary authority figures, but the cat's away
and the kids are the mice partying and enjoying their freedom.
Whistle for it
If someone says that you can whistle for something, they are determined to
ensure that you don't get it.
If someone says that you can whistle for something, they are determined to
ensure that you don't get it.
Whistle-stop tour
A whistle-stop tour is when someone visits a number of places quickly, not
stopping for long.
A whistle-stop tour is when someone visits a number of places quickly, not
stopping for long.
Whistling Dixie
(USA) If someone is whistling Dixie, they talk about things in a more positive way
than the reality.
(USA) If someone is whistling Dixie, they talk about things in a more positive way
than the reality.
Whistling in the dark
If someone is whistling in the dark, they believe in a positive result, even though
everybody else is sure it will not happen.
If someone is whistling in the dark, they believe in a positive result, even though
everybody else is sure it will not happen.
Whistling past the graveyard
(USA) If someone is whistling past the graveyard, they are trying to remain
cheerful in difficult circumstances. ('Whistling past the cemetery' is also used.)
(USA) If someone is whistling past the graveyard, they are trying to remain
cheerful in difficult circumstances. ('Whistling past the cemetery' is also used.)
White as a sheet
A bad shock can make somebody go as white as a sheet.
A bad shock can make somebody go as white as a sheet.
White as snow
If something or someone is as white as snow, they are perfect or completely
uncorrupted and honest.
If something or someone is as white as snow, they are perfect or completely
uncorrupted and honest.
White elephant
A white elephant is an expensive burden; something that costs far too much
money to run, like the Millennium Dome in the UK. (Some idioms have a
explanation where it comes from. i.e. “white elephant" is a rare, expensive possession
that is a financial burden to maintain. How could you learn it? Remember, that the king
of Siam gave a white elephant to persons he didn't like. Maintenance costs were so high
that usually these people lost everything, went broke.
A white elephant is an expensive burden; something that costs far too much
money to run, like the Millennium Dome in the UK. (Some idioms have a
explanation where it comes from. i.e. “white elephant" is a rare, expensive possession
that is a financial burden to maintain. How could you learn it? Remember, that the king
of Siam gave a white elephant to persons he didn't like. Maintenance costs were so high
that usually these people lost everything, went broke.
White feather
If someone shows a white feather, they are cowards.
If someone shows a white feather, they are cowards.
White lie
If you tell a white lie, you lie in order not to hurt someone's feelings.
If you tell a white lie, you lie in order not to hurt someone's feelings.
White-bread
If something is white-bread, it is very ordinary, safe and boring.
If something is white-bread, it is very ordinary, safe and boring.
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