{n.}, {informal} A strike not ordered by a labor
union; a strike spontaneously arranged by a group of workers. •/The garbage
collectors have gone on a wildcat strike, but the union is going to stop it./
[wild goose chase]
{n. phr.} An absurd and completely futile errand.
•/I was on a wild goose chase when I was sent to find a man who never really
existed./
[wild pitch]
{n.} A pitch in baseball that is so high, so low, or so
far from the plate that the catcher cannot catch it and a base runner can move
to the next base. •/The runner went to second base on a wild pitch./
[will]
See: AT WILL, OF ONE’S OWN ACCORD or OF ONE’S OWN FREE WILL.
[will not hear of]
{v. phr.} Will not allow or consider, refuse
attention to or permission for. •/I want to go to the show tonight, but I
know my mother will not hear of it./ •/Mary needs another day to finish her
book report, but the teacher won’t hear of any delay./ •/John’s father told
him he would not hear of his having a car./
[win]
See: HEADS I WIN, TAILS YOU LOSE.
[wind]
See: GET WIND OF, GOD TEMPERS THE WIND TO THE SHORN LAMB, GONE WITH
THE WIND, IN THE WIND, IT’S AN ILL WIND THAT BLOWS NOBODY GOOD, SECOND WIND,
STRAW IN THE WIND, TAKE THE WIND OUT OF ONE’S SAILS, THREE SHEETS IN THE WIND
or THREE SHEETS TO THE WIND, THROW CAUTION TO THE WIND, WAY THE WIND BLOWS or
HOW THE WIND BLOWS.
[windbag]
{n.} Someone who talks too much; a boring person. •/Uncle
Joe goes on and on; he is a boring windbag./
[windfall]
{n.} An unexpected gift or gain of sizeable proportion.
•/The unexpected retroactive pay raise was a most welcome windfall./
[window]
See: GO OUT THE WINDOW.
[window dressing]
{n. phr.} An elaborate exterior, sometimes designed
to conceal one’s real motives. •/All those fancy invitations turned out to be
nothing but window dressing./ •/All he really wanted was to be introduced
to my influential father-in-law./
[wind up]
{v.} 1. To tighten the spring of a machine; to make it work
or run. •/Mary wound up the toy car and let it run across the room./ •/He
doesn’t have to wind up his watch because it is run by a battery./ 2. To make
very excited, nervous, upset. — Usually used in the past participle. •/The
excitement of her birthday party got Jane all wound up so she could not
sleep./ 3. {informal} To bring or come to an end; finish; stop. •/John
got two hits and wound his afternoon up with a home run./ •/Before Jim knew
it, he had spent all his money and he wound up broke./ •/The boys followed
the path to the left and wound up where they started./ Syn.: END UP. Compare:
FINISH OFF, TURN OUT(6). 4. To put (your business or personal affairs) in
order; arrange; settle. •/Fred wound up his business and personal affairs
before joining the Navy./ 5. To swing your arm with the ball just before
pitching to a batter. •/The pitcher wound up quickly and then threw a
curve./
[wing]
See: CLIP ONE’S WINGS, LEFT-WING, ON THE WING, RIGHT-WING, UNDER
ONE’S WING.
[win hands down]
{v. phr.} To win conclusively and without external
help. •/The opposition was so weak that Dan won the election hands down./
[win in a walk]
or [win in a breeze]{v. phr.}, {informal} To
win very easily; win without having to try hard. •/Joe ran for class
president and won in a walk./ •/Our team won the game in a breeze./
Compare: HANDS DOWN.