[word of mouth]{n. phr.} Communication by oral rather than written means. •/The merchant told us that the best customers he had were recommended to him by word of mouth./

[words of one syllable]{n. phr.} Language that makes the meaning very clear; simple, or frank language. — Usually used after "in". •/Mary explained the job to Ann in words of one syllable so that she would be sure to understand./ •/Some people say that John is cute and mischievous, but in words of one syllable, he’s just a brat./ Compare: IN SO MANY WORDS, SPELL OUT.

[word to the wise]{n. phr.} A word of warning or advice which the intelligent person is expected to follow. — A proverb. •/I had once spoken to him about being late all the time, and thought that a word to the wise was enough./

[work] See: ALL IN A DAY’S WORK, ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY, AT WORK, BUSY WORK, IN THE WORKS, MAKE SHORT WORK OF, MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK, SHOOT THE WORKS, THE WORKS, IN THE WORKS.

[work cut out] See: CUT OUT(2).

[worked up] also [wrought up] {adj.}, {literary} Feeling strongly; excited; angry; worried. •/Mary was all worked up about the exam./ •/John got worked up when they blamed him for losing the game./ Compare: ON EDGE.

[work in]{v.} 1. To rub in. •/The nurse told Mary to put some cream on her skin and to work it in gently with her fingers./ 2. To slip in; mix in; put in; •/When Mary was planning the show, she worked a part in for her friend Susan./

[working girl]{n.}, {slang} 1. ({vulgar}, {avoidable}) A prostitute. •/I didn’t know Roxanne was a working girl./ 2. A girl, usually single, who supports herself by working in an honest job, such as in an office, etc. •/The average working girl can’t afford such a fancy car./

[work into]{v.} 1. Force into little by little. •/John worked his foot into the boot by pushing and pulling./ 2. Put into; mix into. •/Mary worked some blue into the rug she was weaving./

[work off]{v.} To make (something) go away, especially by working. •/John worked off the fat around his waist by doing exercise every morning./ •/Mr. Smith worked off his anger by chopping wood./

[work on] also [work upon] {v.} 1. Have an effect on; influence. •/Some pills work on the nerves and make people feel more relaxed./ 2. To try to influence or convince. •/Senator Smith worked on the other committee members to vote for the bill./

[work one’s fingers to the bone]{v. phr.} To work very hard. •/"I have to work my fingers to the bone for a measly pittance of a salary," Fred complained./

[workout]{n.} A physical exercise session. •/My morning workout consists of sit-ups and push-ups./

[work out]{v. phr.} 1. To find an answer to. •/John worked out his math problems all by himself./ •/Mary had trouble getting along with her roommate, but they worked it out./ Compare: FIGURE OUT. 2. To plan; develop. •/Mary worked out a beautiful design for a sweater./ •/Alice worked out a new hair-do./ 3. To accomplish; arrange. •/The engineers worked out a system for getting electricity to the factory./ 4. To be efficient; get results. •/If the traffic plan works out, it will be used in other cities too./ 5. To exercise. •/John works out in the gym two hours every day./

[work over]{v. phr.}, {slang} To beat someone up very roughly in order to intimidate him or extort payment, etc. •/Matthew was worked over by the hoodlums in the park right after midnight./

[work through channels]{v. phr.} To go through the proper procedures and officials. •/At a state university everybody must work through channels to get things done./

[work up]{v.} 1. To stir up; arouse; excite. •/I can’t work up any interest in this book./ •/He worked up a sweat weeding the garden./ 2. To develop; originate. •/He worked up an interesting plot for a play./

[work upon] See: WORK ON.

[world] See: COME UP IN THE WORLD or RISE IN THE WORLD, DEAD TO THE WORLD, FOR ALL THE WORLD, IN A WORLD OF ONE’S OWN or IN A WORLD BY ONESELF, IN THE WORLD, LOOK AT THE WORLD THROUGH ROSE-COLORED GLASSES, NOT FOR THE WORLD, ON TOP OF THE WORLD or SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD, OUT OF THIS WORLD, SET THE WORLD ON FIRE, THIRD WORLD.

[world is one’s oyster] Everything is possible for you; the world belongs to you; you can get anything you want. •/When John won the scholarship, he felt as though the world was his oyster./ •/The rich girl acts as though the world is her oyster./

[world on one’s shoulders] See: WEIGHT OF THE WORLD ON ONE’S SHOULDERS.

[world on one’s back] See: WEIGHT OF THE WORLD ON ONE’S SHOULDERS.

[world without end]{adv. phr.}, {literary} Endlessly; forever; eternally. •/Each human being has to die, but mankind goes on world without end./

[worlds apart]{adj. phr.} Completely different; in total disagreement. •/Jack and Al never agree on anything; they are worlds apart in their thinking./

[worm] See: EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM or EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM.

[worm in]{v. phr.} To insinuate oneself; penetrate gradually. •/By cultivating the friendship of a few of the prominent merchants, Peter hoped to worm his way into that exclusive elite of export magnates./

[worm may turn] Even the meek will ultimately rebel if always maltreated. •/Sam may think that he can continue to mistreat his wife, but, knowing her, I think that some day the worm may turn./

[warm out]{v. phr.} To learn through persistent questioning; draw out from. •/I finally wormed out of her the reason she broke off her engagement to Larry./

[worn to a frazzle]{adj. phr.} To be fatigued; be exhausted. •/I’m worn to a frazzle cooking for all these guests./

[worrywart]{n. phr.} A person who always worries. •/"Stop being such a worrywart," Bob said to Alice, who was constantly weighing herself on the bathroom scale./

[worse] See: BARK WORSE THAN ONE’S BITE, FOR BETTER OR WORSE or FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, FOR THE WORSE, GO FROM BAD TO WORSE.

[worse for wear]{adj. phr.} Not as good as new; worn out; damaged by use. — Used with "the". •/Her favorite tablecloth was beginning to look the worse for wear./ — Often used with "none" to mean: as good as new. •/The doll was Mary’s favorite toy but it was none the worse for wear./

[worst] See: GET THE WORST OF also HAVE THE WORST OF, IF WORST COMES TO WORST.

[worth] See: BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH, FOR ALL ONE IS WORTH, GAME IS NOT WORTH THE CANDLE, NOT WORTH A TINKER’S DAMN, WORTH A CENT.

[worth a cent]{adj. phr.} Worth anything; of any value. — Used in negative, interrogative, and conditional sentences. •/The book was old and it was not worth a cent./

[worth one’s salt]{adj. phr.} Being a good worker, or a productive person; worth what you cost. •/Mr. Brown showed that he was worth his salt as a salesman when he got the highest sales record for the year./ — Often used with "not" or "hardly". •/When the basketball team did so poorly, people felt that the coach was hardly worth his salt./ Compare: PAY ONE’S WAY(2).

[would-be]{adj.} Aspiring. •/The Broadway casting offices are always full of would-be actors./

[would that] or [I would that] or [would God] or [would heaven] {literary} I wish that. — Used at the beginning of a sentence expressing a wish; followed by a verb in the subjunctive; found mostly in poetry and older literature. •/Would that I could only drop everything and join you./ •/Would that my mother were alive to see me married./ Syn.: IF ONLY.