Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

2 PHRASAL VERB If you wrap up something such as a job or an agreement, you complete it in a satisfactory way. □ [V P n] Defense ministers wrap up their meeting in Brussels today. □ [V n P ] Seeing Sticht was keeping him from his golf game, and he hoped they could wrap it up quickly.

3 → see also wrap 1 , wrapped up

wra pped u p ADJ If someone is wrapped up in a particular person or thing, they spend nearly all their time thinking about them, so that they forget about other things which may be important. □ [+ in ] He's too serious and dedicated, wrapped up in his career. [Also + with ]

wrap|per /ræ pə ^r / (wrappers ) N‑COUNT A wrapper is a piece of paper, plastic, or thin metal which covers and protects something that you buy, especially food. □  I emptied the sweet wrappers from the ashtray.

wrap|ping /ræ p I ŋ/ (wrappings ) N‑VAR Wrapping is something such as paper or plastic which is used to cover and protect something. □  …food wrapping.

wra p|ping pa|per (wrapping papers ) N‑VAR Wrapping paper is special paper which is used for wrapping presents.

wrath /rɒ θ, [AM ] ræ θ/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft with poss] Wrath means the same as anger. [LITERARY ] □ [+ of ] He incurred the wrath of the authorities in speaking out against government injustices.

wreak /riː k/ (wreaks , wreaking , wreaked ) The form wrought can also be used as the past participle. 1 VERB Something or someone that wreaks havoc or destruction causes a great amount of disorder or damage. [JOURNALISM , LITERARY ] □ [V n] Violent storms wreaked havoc on the French Riviera, leaving three dead and dozens injured.

2 VERB If you wreak revenge or vengeance on someone, you do something that will harm them very much to punish them for the harm they have done to you. [JOURNALISM , LITERARY ] □ [V n] He threatened to wreak vengeance on the men who toppled him a year ago.

3 → see also wrought

wreath /riː θ/ (wreaths )

1 N‑COUNT A wreath is an arrangement of flowers and leaves, usually in the shape of a circle, which you put on a grave or by a statue to show that you remember a person who has died or people who have died. □ [+ of ] The coffin lying before the altar was bare, except for a single wreath of white roses.

2 N‑COUNT A wreath is a circle of leaves or flowers which someone wears around their head.

3 N‑COUNT A wreath is a circle of leaves which some people hang on the front door of their house at Christmas.

wreathe /riː ð/ (wreathes , wreathing , wreathed )

1 VERB If something is wreathed in smoke or mist, it is surrounded by it. [LITERARY ] □ [be V -ed + in ] The ship was wreathed in smoke. □ [V n] Fog wreathes the temples.

2 VERB [usu passive] If something is wreathed with flowers or leaves, it has a circle or chain of flowers or leaves put round it. □ [be V -ed + with/in ] Its huge columns were wreathed with laurel and magnolia.

wreck /re k/ (wrecks , wrecking , wrecked )

1 VERB To wreck something means to completely destroy or ruin it. □ [V n] A coalition could have defeated the government and wrecked the treaty. □ [V n] His life has been wrecked by the tragedy. □ [V -ed] …missed promotions, lost jobs, wrecked marriages.

2 VERB [usu passive] If a ship is wrecked , it is damaged so much that it sinks or can no longer sail. □ [be V -ed] The ship was wrecked by an explosion. □ [V -ed] …a wrecked cargo ship.

3 N‑COUNT A wreck is something such as a ship, car, plane, or building which has been destroyed, usually in an accident. □ [+ of ] …the wreck of a sailing ship. □  The car was a total wreck. □  We thought of buying the house as a wreck, doing it up, then selling it.