Idiomatic expressions formed from words beginning with W
In the wake of
Following as a result of
- In the wake of the recent terror attacks in the city, police have beefed up security.
Walk off with something
To walk off with something is to win it or steal it.
- He walked off with the first prize.
Drive someone up the hill
To drive someone up the hill is to make them very irritated.
- His rude replies drove his mother up the hill.
Go to the wall
When a business goes to the wall, it fails.
Be on the warpath
When two people are on the warpath, they are very angry with one another.
Ward something off
To ward something off is to prevent something from harming you.
- Eat lots of vegetables and fruits to ward off illnesses.
Be washed out
When an event is washed out, it is postponed or cancelled because of the rain.
- The third test cricket match was washed out.
Wash your hands of
When you wash your hands of, you take no further responsibility for something.
Watch your back
To watch your back is to protect yourself against unexpected danger.
Water something down
To water something down is to make it less forceful by changing or leaving out things.
Hold water
When a theory or a belief holds water, it seems possible or reasonable.