Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[wheel and deal]{v. phr.}, {slang} To make many big plans or schemes; especially with important people in government and business; in matters of money and influence; handle money or power for your own advantage; plan important matters in a smart or skillful way and sometimes in a tricky, or not strictly honest way. •/Mr. Smith made a fortune by wheeling and dealing on the stock market./ •/The senator got this law passed by wheeling and dealing in Congress./ — [wheeler-dealer]{n. phr.}, {slang} A person with power and control. •/The biggest wheeler-dealer in the state has many friends in high places in business and government and is a rich man himself./

[wheelhorse]{n. phr.} A reliable and industrious worker on whom one may depend. •/Jake is such a good worker that he is the wheelhorse of our tiny firm./

[when hell freezes over]{adv. phr.}, {slang} Never. •/I’ll believe you when hell freezes over./ Contrast: UNTIL HELL FREEZES OVER.

[when it comes to] See: COME TO(4).

[when one’s ship comes in] See: SHIP COME IN.

[when push comes to shove]{adv. phr.} A time when a touchy situation becomes actively hostile or a quarrel turns into a fight. •/Can we count on the boss' goodwill, when push comes to shove?/

[when the chips are down]{adv. clause}, {informal} When the winner and loser of a bet or a game are decided; at the most important or dangerous time. •/Tom hit a home run in the last inning of the game when the chips were down./ •/When the chips were down, the two countries decided not to have war./ (From the fact that in gambling games, a person puts chips or money down in front of him to show that he is willing to risk an amount in a bet.)

[where] See: TELL ONE WHERE TO GET OFF or TELL ONE WHERE TO HEAD IN.

[wherefore] See: WHY AND WHEREFORE.

[where it’s at]{adv. phr.}, {informal} That which is important; that which is at the forefront of on-going social, personal, or scientific undertakings. •/Young, talented and black, that’s where it’s at./ •/We send sophisticated machines to Mars instead of people, that’s where it’s at./

[where the shoe pinches]{n. phr.}, {informal} Where or what the discomfort or trouble is. •/Johnny thinks the job is easy, but he will find out where the shoe pinches when he tries it./ •/The coach said he wasn’t worried about any position except quarterback; that was where the shoe pinched./

[whether one is coming or going] See: KNOW IF ONE IS COMING OR GOING.

[whether --- or] or [whether --- or whether] 1. {coord. conj.} Used to introduce an indirect question. •/You must decide whether you should go or stay./ •/I don’t know whether Jack or Bill is a better player./ Compare: EITHER --- OR(2). Used to show a choice of things, or that different things are possible. •/Whether the bicycle was blue or red, it didn’t matter to Frank./

[which] See: GAME AT WHICH TWO CAN PLAY.

[which is which]{n. phr.} Which is one person or thing and which is the other; one from another; what the difference is between different ones; what the name of each one is. •/Joe’s coat and mine are so nearly alike that I can’t tell which is which./ •/Mr. Hadley hadn’t seen his friend’s daughters in such a long time that he couldn’t remember which was which./ Compare: WHAT’S WHAT, WHO’S WHO.

[which was which] See: WHICH is WHICH.