Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

waft /wɒ ft, wæ ft/ (wafts , wafting , wafted ) VERB If sounds or smells waft through the air, or if something such as a light wind wafts them, they move gently through the air. □ [V prep/adv] The scent of climbing roses wafts through the window. □ [V n prep/adv] A slight breeze rose, wafting the heavy scent of flowers past her. ● N‑COUNT Waft is also a noun. □ [+ of ] A waft of perfume drifted into Ingrid's nostrils.

wag /wæ g/ (wags , wagging , wagged )

1 VERB When a dog wags its tail, it repeatedly waves its tail from side to side. □ [V n] The dog was biting, growling and wagging its tail.

2 VERB If you wag your finger, you shake it repeatedly and quickly from side to side, usually because you are annoyed with someone. □ [V n] He wagged a disapproving finger.

3 VERB If you wag your head, you move it from side to side, often because you are unhappy about a situation. □ [V n] He wags his head unhappily.

wage ◆◇◇ /we I dʒ/ (wages , waging , waged )

1 N‑COUNT Someone's wages are the amount of money that is regularly paid to them for the work that they do. □  His wages have gone up. □  This may end efforts to set a minimum wage well above the poverty line.

2 VERB If a person, group, or country wages a campaign or a war, they start it and continue it over a period of time. □ [V n] …the three factions that had been waging a civil war. COLLOCATIONS wage NOUN 1

adjective + wage : average, minimum, weekly; decent, high, low

verb + wage : earn, receive; pay, raise, set SYNONYMS wage NOUN 1

pay:…their complaints about their pay and conditions.

earnings:Average weekly earnings rose by 1.5% in July.

remuneration:$31,000 is a generous remuneration.

income:Over a third of their income comes from comedy videos.

waged /we I dʒd/

1Waged is the past tense and past participle of wage .

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Waged workers receive money regularly for doing a job. Waged work is work that you are paid to do. □  …the influx of women into the waged workforce. □  They want secure, waged employment.

wa ge pack|et (wage packets ) N‑COUNT People's wages can be referred to as their wage packet . [mainly BRIT ] □  They work long hours in order to take home a fat wage packet. in AM, usually use paycheck

wa|ger /we I dʒə ^r / (wagers , wagering , wagered )

1 VERB If you wager on the result of a horse race, football match, or other event, you give someone a sum of money which they give you back with extra money if the result is what you predicted, or which they keep if it is not. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V + on ] Just because people wagered on the Yankees did not mean that they liked them. □ [V n + on ] He never wagered money on games involving his own team. ● N‑COUNT Wager is also a noun. □ [+ on ] There have been various wagers on certain candidates since the Bishop announced his retirement.

2 VERB If you say that you will wager that something is the case, you mean you are confident that it is the case. □ [V that] She was willing to wager that he didn't own the apartment he lived in.

wag|gle /wæ g ^ə l/ (waggles , waggling , waggled ) VERB If you waggle something, or if something waggles , it moves up and down or from side to side with short quick movements. □ [V n] He was waggling his toes in his socks. □ [V ] …puppet animals with eyes that move and ears that waggle.

wag|on /wæ gən/ (wagons ) in BRIT, also use waggon 1 N‑COUNT A wagon is a strong vehicle with four wheels, usually pulled by horses or oxen and used for carrying heavy loads.

2 N‑COUNT A wagon is a large container on wheels which is pulled by a train. [mainly BRIT ] in AM, use freight car