This page gathers the 4,686 dictionary entries of which at least one sense is labelled “Idiomatic” by Wiktionary. The definition shown is that sense; each word leads to its full entry. Page 45 of 47: from “under control” to “watch one's step”.
- under control prep_phrase Being taken care of or being addressed.
- under erasure prep_phrase Of a piece of text, written and struck through; hence, figuratively in some sense both present and absent.
- under glass prep_phrase In jail.
- under lock and key prep_phrase Imprisoned with little or no chance of escape; locked up.
- under one roof phrase at the same location
- under one's own steam prep_phrase Using one's own resources; independently, unaided.
- under sail prep_phrase With sails unfurled; powered by the wind.
- under someone's nose prep_phrase Directly in front of one; clearly visible.
- under the carpet prep_phrase So as to be hidden from plain view (and thus easily ignored or overlooked).
- under the covers prep_phrase In secret.
- under the gun prep_phrase Under great pressure to perform.
- under the influence adv While intoxicated or inebriated, in any degree from mildly impaired to stupefied, by a mind-altering substance, typically alcohol; thus…
- under the microscope adv Under close scrutiny or examination.
- under the sheets prep_phrase In a state of rest or sleep.
- under the weather adj ill or gloomy, especially from a cold or flu.
- under the wire prep_phrase At the last minute; before the deadline; barely on time; nearly late.
- under way prep_phrase In operation, in progress, commenced.
- understand the assignment verb To excel at something; to demonstrate one's skill or talent.
- unknown quantity noun A person or thing whose nature or value is a mystery.
- unload verb To sell or dispose of (something) with the intent to deceive; to attempt to pass off a counterfeit or inferior product as genuine.
- unmask one's batteries verb To begin a decisive action, especially one that reveals one’s true strength or character.
- unplug verb To temporarily disconnect from worldly experiences.
- up a height adj High up.
- up against prep Facing; challenging, or opposing.
- up and away adv Moving quickly and continuously upwards, often with a sense of joy or excitement.
- up and down adv Forwards and backwards alternately along a path.
- up for prep Willing to participate in; interested in.
- up front adj Open, honest; tending to disclose information; truthful.
- up in the air adj Not yet resolved, finished, answered, decided or certain.
- up one's own ass prep_phrase Having an excessively high opinion of oneself, excessively preoccupied with one's own affairs, or lost in self-regarding abstraction.
- up the ante verb Of a dispute, to take an action that raises the stakes, i.e. that increases the chances of conflict.
- up to date adj Current; recent; the latest.
- up to eleven prep_phrase Up to or beyond the maximum possible threshold; to an extremely high or strong degree.
- up to here prep_phrase Overwhelmed, busy, buried or swamped.
- up to speed prep_phrase Fully informed; current.
- up-and-comer noun Someone who is up-and-coming, who has begun to be successful in some field and is likely to be even more successful in the future.
- upper crust noun The social elite, the highest social class.
- upper hand noun Advantage or control.
- upper storey noun A person's brain.
- ups and downs noun Periods of positive and negative events, moods, or interactions; highs and lows.
- urban fabric noun The physical aspect of urbanism, emphasizing building types, thoroughfares, open space, frontages, and streetscapes but excluding…
- use a sledgehammer to crack a nut verb To use disproportionate or significantly excessive force to carry out an action; to do something overzealously.
- use one's head verb To think carefully, especially as an alternative to being guided by one's emotions.
- used to adj Accustomed to, tolerant or accepting of.
- uterine cancer noun Any of certain cancers that occur in the uterus, excluding cervical cancer; their principal division into types is as endometrial cancer…
- vale of tears noun The world, a place where difficulties and the sorrows of life are felt, especially (Christianity) as a place to be left behind when one…
- valley of death noun A place of great danger.
- valley of the shadow of death noun A very dangerous place.
- vanishing act noun A scenario when someone abruptly or mysteriously leaves, becomes impossible to contact, or disappears from public view.
- vapor noun Something insubstantial, fleeting, or transitory; unreal fancy; vain imagination; idle talk; boasting.
- velvet handcuffs noun Golden handcuffs: any arrangement designed to provide favorable benefits or pay so as to discourage a participant from choosing to leave it.
- very well intj Indicating acceptance, often with resignation or acquiescence, of a statement or situation.
- vibe with verb To match (a feeling); to feel good or right with.
- victim of one's own success noun One who is successful to the point that one starts to face adverse consequences resulting from one's fame.
- victory at sea noun Ocean conditions that are very windblown and messy, possibly to the point of being inimical to surfing and other watersports.
- virtuous circle noun A situation in which the solution to one problem makes each future problem easier to solve than the original one.
- voice in the wilderness noun A person, publication, or other source of assertions that expresses an opinion, doctrine, or point of view which is ignored or rejected by…
- vote with one's feet verb To express one's preferences through one's actions, by voluntarily participating in or withdrawing from an activity, group, or process…
- vote with one's wallet verb To choose or vote based on one's financial situation.
- VR legs noun The ability to tolerate virtual and augmented reality experiences without experiencing motion sickness.
- W-shaped recession noun An economic downturn where key indicators such as GDP and employment plummet sharply, briefly rebound, dip again, and then recover fully…
- wag the dog verb To divert negative political attention by use of a military operation.
- wait around verb To spend an especially lengthy period of time inactively, while expecting the arrival of someone or while anticipating some other event…
- wait for the other shoe to drop verb To defer action or decision until another matter is finished or resolved.
- waiting game noun A strategy or course of action in which one or more parties refrain from direct action until circumstances change in their favor.
- wake the dead verb To be very loud; to produce a very loud or disruptive noise.
- walk all over verb To dominate a person or a group; to have a person take a submissive or inferior role.
- walk and chew gum at the same time verb To do two normally trivial tasks at the same time; to exhibit basic competence or task-management skills.
- walk away verb To withdraw from a problematic situation.
- walk away from verb To abandon or leave; to shun; to refuse.
- walk in on verb To enter suddenly or unexpectedly while something is happening; to intrude or interrupt by entering.
- walk in the park noun Something easy or pleasant.
- walk off with verb To steal, especially by surreptitiously removing an unguarded item.
- walk on verb To join a college sports team without being recruited for it.
- walk on eggshells verb To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset…
- walk on the wild side noun An occasion or incident involving adventurous, risky, or morally questionable behavior.
- walk on water verb To perform godlike or superhuman feats.
- walk over verb To gain an easy victory.
- walk the dog verb To perform a trick where the yo-yo rolls on the ground, attached to the string.
- walk the line verb To maintain an intermediate position between contrasting choices, opinions, etc.
- walk the plank verb To be forced to resign from a position in an organization.
- walk through verb To explain (something) to (someone), step by step.
- wall of silence noun Strict secretiveness maintained by the members of a group with respect to information which might be contrary to their interests…
- wall-to-wall adj Pervasive, ubiquitous, or unremitting.
- wallet, keys, phone phrase A daily checklist used to ensure a person has their essential belongings before leaving the house or stepping out of their vehicle…
- wambulance noun A notional ambulance called to the scene when somebody is upset; used in dismissive responses to complaining perceived as being…
- war bride noun A company or individual whose business is increased by warfare.
- war of nerves noun Warfare characterized by psychological manipulation, involving tactics intended to demoralize, frighten, and unnerve opponents in order to…
- warm body noun Any person who is present.
- warm the cockles of someone's heart verb Especially of food or drink (particularly an alcoholic beverage): to cause someone to feel deeply warm and comfortable; to comfort, to…
- warm-blooded adj Passionate.
- warts and all adj Of or pertaining to a description or other depiction which reveals the full range of characteristics of a person or thing, including the…
- wash noun A situation in which gains and losses or advantages and disadvantages are equivalent, or in which there is no net change.
- wash out verb To wear away by the flow of water; to erode.
- washed out adj Very tired and lacking energy or animation.
- waste breath verb To speak in a manner which is needless or futile; in discussion or argument to make points which are not appreciated or heeded.
- waste of breath noun Needless or unnecessary speech.
- waste of space noun An utterly worthless person; one who, as it were, is unworthy of the space which they occupy.
- watch one's mouth verb To be careful about one's speech, especially with regard to disrespectful or profane language.
- watch one's step verb To be cautious.