• Главная
• Идиомы

Идиомы на букву W

• work one's fingers to the bone
  усердно работать, работать до мозолей

  Susan complained that she had to work her fingers to the bone for a meager pittance of a salary.
• What have you been up to?
  Чем вы занимались? Что вы делали?

  "I haven't seen you for ages. What have you been up to?"
• when the cat's away, the mice will play
  без кота мышам раздолье

  When the mother left the room, the children began to make a lot of noise. When the cat's away, the mice will play.
• white elephant
  пустая трата денег, обременительное имущество

  That big house of theirs seems to be a white elephant; it isn't worth its keep.
• wait on (someone) hand and foot
  делать всё возможное для кого-либо, служить верой и правдой

  Moira is a spoiled child because her parents wait on her hand and foot.
• whole new ball game
  совершенно новые обстоятельства

  The investigation became a whole new ball game when some new circumstances had arisen.
• work one's way through college
  работать, учась в колледже (университете)

  Steve had to work his way through college at a restaurant as a waiter.
• wine and dine (someone)
  щедро угощать кого-либо

  When Tom's relatives come on a visit, he has to wine and dine them.
• wear one's heart on one's sleeve
  выставлять свои чувства на показ

  Jeremy was not going to wear his heart on his sleeve when he went to that last meeting.
• wash one's hands of (someone or something)
  отказаться от ответственности за кого-либо \ что-либо, "умыть руки"

  Sam Davidson washed his hands of politics long ago.
• wash one's dirty linen in public
  говорить о личных проблемах публично; выносить сор из избы, перемывать грязное бельё

  Sam felt a strong distaste for the washing anybody's dirty linen in public.
• white lie
  ложь во спасенье, безобидная ложь

  I didn't want to go out with Arthur, so I told him a white lie about being very busy.
• walk on eggs
  быть очень осторожным

  I must walk on eggs if I want to comply with the requirements of my job.
• wolf in sheep's clothing
  волк в овечьей шкуре

  Mrs. Parker trusted the lawyer until she understood that the man was a wolf in sheep's clothing.
• walk out on
  бросать, уходить от кого-либо

  The man walked out on his wife and children.
• wolf down (something)
  есть, заглатывать что-либо с жадностью

  The boy hurriedly wolfed down his dinner and left the house.
• with no strings attached
  без каких-либо обязательств

  My friend gave me his laptop to use with no strings attached.
• walk all over (someone)
  использовать кого-либо в своих корыстных целях или интересах

  Jill is so friendly and helpful that people walk all over her.
• wild goose chase
  бессмысленная погоня или сумасбродная затея

  Jealousy sent Rena on a wild goose chase of a mysterious woman who had been seen entering her husband's office.
• work like a horse
  много работать, "работать как лошадь"

  My grandmother is very fond of gardening, and she works like a horse to make the garden look nice.
• world is one's oyster
  всё возможно для кого-либо, всё достижимо

  When Mark won the scholarship, he felt as though the world was his oyster.
• win by a nose
  незначительно опередить

  Jeremy was about to get the job, but Lionel won him by a nose.
• wet blanket
  нудная личность; человек, отравляющий другим удовольствие

  I never take my cousin Jack to my friends' parties because he is a wet blanket.
• when the chips are down
  (быть) в трудной ситуации (chips – жетоны в казино)

  Sam is not a loser, and when the chips are down, he is always able to find a way out.
• walk on air
  чувствовать себя очень счастливым или взволнованным

  Mary has been walking on air since she won in the state lottery.
• watch (someone or something) like a hawk
  зорко следить за кем-либо, не спускать глаз

  "You've got to watch these guys like a hawk; they are not reliable."
• when it comes to (something)
  говоря о чём-либо; когда речь идёт о

  When it comes to modern literature, Sue is very knowledgeable about new trends.
• wax and wane
  то возрастать, то убывать

  Linda's desire to learn French is always waxing and waning.
• wear the pants in one's family
  быть главой семьи, верховодить в доме

  Mr. Parker talks a lot, but it is Mrs. Parker who really wears the pants in their family.
• with one's tail between one's legs
  испугаться или струсить, "поджать хвост"

  The boss told Mike to get out, and the latter left the office with his tail between his legs.
• wing it
  делать всё возможное в трудной ситуации

  I was not prepared to talk to the boss, but I had to wing it.
• waste one's breath
  напрасно тратить слова, говорить попусту

  I felt I was wasting my breath, trying to convince Wanda not to quit her job.
• worth one's salt
  стоить затраченных денег или уважения

  When the baseball team lost two games in succession, people felt that the coach was hardly worth his salt.
• wild horses could not drag (someone away)
  ничто не может заставить кого-либо оторваться от что-либо

  Wild horses could not drag Emily away from her favorite computer game.
• wet behind the ears
  новичок, молокосос

  Cathy is still wet behind the ears; she has not yet learned the tricks that the students play on each other.