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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.
• wine and dine (someone)
  щедро угощать кого-либо

  When Tom's relatives come on a visit, he has to wine and dine them.
• 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.
• 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.
• walk out on
  бросать, уходить от кого-либо

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

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

  My friend gave me his laptop to use with no strings attached.
• 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.
• wet blanket
  нудная личность; человек, отравляющий другим удовольствие

  I never take my cousin Jack to my friends' parties because he is a wet blanket.
• win by a nose
  незначительно опередить

  Jeremy was about to get the job, but Lionel won him by a nose.
• 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.
• wax and wane
  то возрастать, то убывать

  Linda's desire to learn French is always waxing and waning.
• 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.
• 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.
• water under the bridge
  прошлого не воротишь

  "I can see how upset you are because of the divorce, but it is water under the bridge now and you can't do anything about it."
• 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.
• wing it
  делать всё возможное в трудной ситуации

  I was not prepared to talk to the boss, but I had to wing it.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.