Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

wob|ble /wɒ b ^ə l/ (wobbles , wobbling , wobbled ) VERB If something or someone wobbles , they make small movements from side to side, for example because they are unsteady. □ [V ] The table wobbled when I leaned on it. □ [V prep/adv] I narrowly missed a cyclist who wobbled into my path. ● N‑VAR Wobble is also a noun. □ [+ in ] We might look for a tiny wobble in the position of a star.

wob|bly /wɒ bli/

1 ADJ Something that is wobbly moves unsteadily from side to side. □  I was sitting on a wobbly plastic chair. □  …a wobbly green jelly. □  …wobbly teeth.

2 ADJ If you feel wobbly or if your legs feel wobbly , you feel weak and have difficulty standing up, especially because you are afraid, ill, or exhausted. □  She could not maintain her balance and moved in a wobbly fashion.

wodge /wɒ dʒ/ (wodges ) also wadge N‑COUNT A wodge of something is a large amount of it or a large piece of it. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …a wodge of syrupy sponge.

woe /woʊ / (woes )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Woe is very great sadness. [LITERARY ] □  He listened to my tale of woe.

2 N‑PLURAL [usu with poss] You can refer to someone's problems as their woes . [WRITTEN ] □  He did not tell his relatives and friends about his woes.

3woe betide → see betide

woe|be|gone /woʊ b I gɒn/ ADJ Someone who is woebegone is very sad. [WRITTEN ] □  She sniffed and looked woebegone.

woe|ful /woʊ fʊl/

1 ADJ If someone or something is woeful , they are very sad. □  …a woeful ballad. ●  woe|ful|ly ADV [ADV with v] □  He said woefully: 'I love my country, but it does not give a damn about me.'

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You can use woeful to emphasize that something is very bad or undesirable. [EMPHASIS ] □  …the woeful state of the economy. ●  woe|ful|ly ADV [usu ADV adj, oft ADV before v] □  Public expenditure on the arts is woefully inadequate.

wog /wɒ g/ (wogs ) N‑COUNT Wog is an extremely offensive word for anyone whose skin is not white. [BRIT , VERY OFFENSIVE ]

wok /wɒ k/ (woks ) N‑COUNT A wok is a large bowl-shaped pan which is used for Chinese-style cooking.

woke /woʊ k/ Woke is the past tense of wake .

wok|en /woʊ kən/ Woken is the past participle of wake .

wolf /wʊ lf/ (wolves , wolfs , wolfing , wolfed )

1 N‑COUNT A wolf is a wild animal that looks like a large dog.

2 VERB If someone wolfs their food, they eat it all very quickly and greedily. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n] I was back in the changing-room wolfing tea and sandwiches. ● PHRASAL VERB Wolf down means the same as wolf . □ [V P n] He wolfed down the rest of the biscuit and cheese. □ [V n P ] She bought a hot dog from a stand on a street corner and wolfed it down.

3 PHRASE If someone cries wolf , they say that there is a problem when there is not, with the result that people do not believe them when there really is a problem.

▸  wolf down → see wolf 2

wolf|hound /wʊ lfhaʊnd/ (wolfhounds ) N‑COUNT A wolfhound is a type of very large dog.

wo lf-whistle (wolf-whistles , wolf-whistling , wolf-whistled ) also wolf whistle VERB If someone wolf-whistles , they make a whistling sound with a short rising note and a longer falling note. Some men wolf-whistle at a woman to show that they think she is attractive, and some women find this offensive. □ [V + at ] They wolf-whistled at me, and I was so embarrassed I tripped up. [Also V ] ● N‑COUNT Wolf whistle is also a noun. □  Her dancing brought loud cheers, wolf whistles and applause.

wolves /wʊ lvz/ Wolves is the plural of wolf .

wom|an ◆◆◆ /wʊ mən/ (women )

1 N‑COUNT A woman is an adult female human being. □  …a young Lithuanian woman named Dayva. □  …men and women over 75 years old. □  …a woman doctor.