This page gathers the 5,691 dictionary entries of which at least one sense is labelled “Figuratively” by Wiktionary. The definition shown is that sense; each word leads to its full entry. Page 55 of 57: from “vinegarish” to “way station”.
- vinegarish adj acerbic, bitter
- vinegary adj Acerbic, bitter, irritable.
- violence noun A perceived injustice, especially in the context of social justice.
- violet noun A person thought to resemble V. odorata, especially in its beauty and delicacy.
- viper noun A dangerous, treacherous, or malignant person.
- virgin soil noun New territory.
- virgin territory noun Ideas or concepts or activities that have not yet been tried, explored or developed.
- virtual adj Of a plant or other thing: having strong healing powers; virtuous.
- virulent adj Extremely hostile or malicious; intensely acrimonious.
- virus noun Any malicious or dangerous entity that spreads from one place or person to another.
- visceral adj Having to do with the response of the body as opposed to the intellect, as in the distinction between feeling and thinking.
- vise noun A situation in which one's freedom of choice is constrained.
- vista noun A vision; a view presented to the mind in prospect or in retrospect by the imagination.
- vital signs noun A set of variables or characteristics that indicate the general condition of something.
- vitals noun Those parts of a system without which it cannot function.
- vitamin noun preceding a word or its initial letter, to imply that the referent benefits health or wellness
- vitriolic adj Bitterly scathing, caustic.
- vizard noun Outward appearance; pretense.
- voice noun An expressed opinion, choice, will, desire, or wish; the right or ability to make such expression or to have it considered.
- voiceless adj Without a vote; having no input into a decision.
- volatilize verb To make insubstantial; to dissipate.
- volcanic adj Reminiscent of a volcano; explosive, violent, full of suppressed anger, energy etc.
- volcanically adv In a volcanic (explosive) manner.
- voltaic adj reminiscent of the action of electricity: thrilling, shocking, dramatic.
- vomit blood verb To be overcome with extreme levels of stress or frustration, especially when dealing with something problematic.
- vortex noun Anything that involves constant violent or chaotic activity around some centre.
- voyeurism noun The derivation of satisfaction by obsessively watching or following sensational or sordid subjects.
- vulture verb To circle around one's target as if one were a vulture.
- wage packet noun The salary of an employee
- wager verb To suppose; to dare say.
- waif noun Something found, especially if without an owner; something which comes along, as it were, by chance.
- wake verb To put in motion or action; to arouse; to excite.
- wake the dead verb To be very loud; to produce a very loud or disruptive noise.
- wake-up call noun An alert, reminder, or call to action caused by a dramatic event.
- walk noun A person's conduct or course in life.
- walk alone verb To do something without help from anyone else, to be unaided in one's task.
- walk Spanish verb To proceed or act under compulsion.
- walk the plank verb On an early naval vessel or pirate ship: to be forced to walk off the end of a gangplank (a plank of wood extending outwards from the side…
- walking adj Heavily characterized by some given quality.
- wall noun A means of defence or security.
- wall off verb To isolate completely.
- walled garden noun A closed platform for content or services controlled by a single carrier or service provider, typically requiring subscription to access.
- walloping noun Verbal abuse.
- wallow verb To immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically.
- wallow in the mire verb To revel in baseness or scandal.
- wallpaper noun Anything that serves as a background or part of the surroundings.
- wamble-cropped adj Feeling uneasy; anxious, worried.
- wand noun A player's foot used especially skillfully in football.
- wanted list noun The set of people or things that a person or organization would like to acquire.
- war dog noun A warrior; a battler.
- war hawk noun A proponent of war or military intrusiveness.
- war of attrition noun A situation in which opponents try to overcome each other by wearing them out.
- war zone noun Any area with a significant display of damage or disarray.
- wardrobe noun A governmental office or department in a monarchy which purchases, keeps, and cares for royal clothes.
- warhorse noun An experienced person who has been through many battles, situations or contests; someone who has given long service.
- warm adj Communicating a sense of comfort, ease, or pleasantness.
- warm over verb To present an unoriginal and hackneyed idea; to rehash.
- warm the cockles of someone's heart verb To provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness.
- warm up verb To do gentle exercise, stretching etc., in order to prepare the body for more vigorous exercise.
- warming pan noun A person put into a situation to hold it until another person can take over.
- warning bell noun A problematic or alarming aspect.
- warning shot noun An action intended to act as a warning.
- warning sign noun An indication that someone or something is in danger or at risk.
- warp noun The foundation, the basis, the undergirding.
- warp and woof noun The fundamental structure of any process or system.
- warpath noun A course of action that leads to battle or hostility.
- warped adj Of a person's mind, attitudes, etc, perverse, strange, aberrant or deviant.
- warple verb To confuse.
- warren noun A mazelike place of passages and/or rooms in which it's easy to lose oneself; especially one that may be overcrowded.
- warrior noun A person who is aggressively, courageously, or energetically involved in an activity, such as athletics.
- wart noun Anything unsightly or undesirable; a blemish.
- wash verb To be cogent, convincing; to withstand critique.
- wash away verb To eliminate.
- wash one's hands verb To absolve oneself of responsibility or future blame for; to refuse to have any further involvement with.
- wash one's mouth out verb To stop using bad language, or atone for doing so.
- waspish adj Spiteful or irascible.
- wastebasket noun Any region or grouping that is worthless or meaningless.
- watch one's back verb To be wary of betrayal or an otherwise unexpected attack.
- watchdog noun An individual or group that monitors the activities of another entity (such as an individual, corporation, non-profit group, or…
- water noun A state of affairs; conditions; usually with an adjective indicating an adverse condition.
- water carrier noun A person doing simple, ordinary work, usually in opposition to somebody considered more valuable.
- water cooler noun A location in the workplace where employees gather to chat or gossip.
- water haul noun A fruitless or unsuccessful effort.
- water of life noun Spiritual refreshment.
- water-carrying adj Performing menial tasks; serving one's interests, performing someone's bidding.
- watered-down adj Weakened or simplified.
- waterfall noun A waterfall-like outpouring of liquid, smoke, etc.
- waterheaded adj Hydrocephalic.
- waterproof adj Incapable of failing; unassailable.
- watershed noun A critical point marking a change in course or development.
- watertight adj So devised or planned as to be impossible to defeat, evade or nullify.
- waterworks noun Often in the form turn on the waterworks: crying or tears, especially in a way that is considered manipulative or over-emotional.
- wave noun A sudden, but temporary, uptick in something.
- wave goodbye verb Synonym of say goodbye (“cease to have, or have to do, something”).
- wave the white flag verb To yield, give up, or quit.
- wave through verb To approve (a plan etc.); to greenlight.
- wavelength noun A person's attitude and way of thinking as compared to another person's.
- waver noun A state of beginning to weaken or showing signs of weakening in resolve; a falter.
- way out noun A solution to a problem; an escape.
- way station noun A service area or temporary lodging used during a longer journey.