Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

wacky /wæ ki/ (wackier , wackiest ) also whacky ADJ If you describe something or someone as wacky , you mean that they are eccentric, unusual, and often funny. [INFORMAL ] □  …a wacky new television comedy series.

wad /wɒ d/ (wads ) N‑COUNT A wad of something such as paper or cloth is a tight bundle or ball of it. □ [+ of ] …a wad of banknotes. □ [+ of ] …a wad of cotton soaked in cleaning fluid.

wad|ding /wɒ d I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Wadding is soft material which is put around things to protect them, for example in packing.

wad|dle /wɒ d ^ə l/ (waddles , waddling , waddled ) VERB To waddle somewhere means to walk there with short, quick steps, swinging slightly from side to side. A person or animal that waddles usually has short legs and a fat body. □ [V prep/adv] McGinnis pushed himself laboriously out of the chair and waddled to the window. [Also V ]

wade /we I d/ (wades , wading , waded )

1 VERB If you wade through something that makes it difficult to walk, usually water or mud, you walk through it. □ [V prep/adv] Rescuers had to wade across a river to reach them.

2 VERB To wade through a lot of documents or pieces of information means to spend a lot of time and effort reading them or dealing with them. □ [V + through ] It has taken a long time to wade through the 'incredible volume' of evidence.

▸  wade in or wade into PHRASAL VERB If someone wades in or wades into something, they get involved in a very determined and forceful way, often without thinking enough about the consequences of their actions. □ [V P ] They don't just listen sympathetically, they wade in with remarks like, 'If I were you…'. □ [V P n] Police waded into a crowd of protesters.

wad|er /we I də ^r / (waders )

1 N‑COUNT A wader is a bird with long legs and a long neck, which lives near water and feeds on fish. There are several different kinds of waders.

2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Waders are long rubber boots which cover all of the legs and are worn by fishermen when they are standing in water.

wadge /wɒ dʒ/ → see wodge

wadi /wɒ di/ (wadis ) N‑COUNT A wadi is a river in North Africa or Arabia which is dry except in the rainy season. [TECHNICAL ]

wa d|ing pool (wading pools ) N‑COUNT A wading pool is a shallow artificial pool for children to play in. [AM ] in BRIT, use paddling pool

wa|fer /we I fə ^r / (wafers )

1 N‑COUNT A wafer is a thin crisp biscuit which is usually eaten with ice cream.

2 N‑COUNT A wafer is a circular, thin piece of special bread which the priest gives people to eat in the Christian service of Holy Communion.

wa fer-thi n ADJ [ADJ n, v-link ADJ ] Wafer-thin means extremely thin and flat. □  Cut the fennel into wafer-thin slices.

waf|fle /wɒ f ^ə l/ (waffles , waffling , waffled )

1 VERB If you say that someone waffles , you are critical of them because they talk or write a lot without actually making any clear or important points. [BRIT , INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V ] My teacher often tells me I waffle. □ [V + about ] There was some bloke on the phone waffling about an airline ticket. ● PHRASAL VERB Waffle on means the same as waffle . □ [V P ] Whenever I open my mouth I don't half waffle on. ● N‑UNCOUNT Waffle is also a noun. □  He writes smug, sanctimonious waffle.

2 VERB If someone waffles on an issue or question, they cannot decide what to do or what their opinion is about it. [AM ] □ [V + on ] He's waffled on abortion and gay rights. □ [V ] He kept waffling and finding excuses not to close the deal. [Also V + about/over ]

3 N‑COUNT A waffle is a kind of square cake made of batter with squares marked on it. Waffles are usually eaten with syrup poured over them.