1585
wobbly
He's made several withdrawals (=of money) from his account
recently. | a gradual withdrawal of troops from the war
zone 3 withdrawal symptoms
with'drawal ,symptoms also withdrawal n [P] the
painful or unpleasant effects which are the result of break-
ing or stopping a habit, especially the taking of a drug:
Withdrawal symptoms associated with giving up smoking
include a cough, stomach pains, bad temper, and sleepiness. ->
see also DRUG ABUSE
with-drawn /wIð'drO:n, wIθ-/ adj habitually quiet and often
seeming more concerned with one's own thoughts than
with other people
with-er /'wIðər/ v [I{AWAY};T] to become or cause (especially a
plant) to become reduced in size, colour, strength etc: The
flowers withered in the cold. | The cold withered the leaves. |
(fig.) withered hopes -> compare WILT
with-er-ing /'wIðərIŋ/ adj intended to make someone feel
uncertain, ashamed, or completely without confidence: a
withering look/remark | She dismissed her opponents' plans
with withering scorn. —-ly adv
with-ers /'wIðəz||-ərz/ n [P] the high part above a horse's
shoulders -> see picture at HORSE
With-er-spoon, Reese /'wIðəspu:n||-ər-, ri:s/ (1976–) a US
film actress, whose films include Pleasantville and Legally
Blonde
with-hold /wIð'həʊld, wIθ-/ v -held /'held/ [T{from}] to keep
(back) on purpose; refuse to give: I withheld payment until
they had fulfilled the contract. | He was accused of withhold-
ing information about terrorist offences from the police.
with'holding ,tax n [C;U] AmE money taken out of a
person's wages to pay income tax: state and federal withhold-
ing tax
with-in /wIð'In||wIθ'In, wIθ'In/ adv, prep 1 not beyond; not
more than: He'll arrive within an hour/within the hour. | The
climbers got to within 20 metres of the top of the mountain. |
The 5% price rise is well within (=is lower than) the limits set
by the government. | (fig.) Try to keep within (=not break) the
law. 2 inside (a place, group etc); enclosed or contained by:
The children must remain within the school grounds during
the lunch break. | There are serious differences of opinion
within the party. | an attempt to reform the system from
within | 'This building to be sold. Enquire within.' (on a
notice) -> opposite OUTSIDE; see INSIDE (USAGE)
with-it adj old-fash fashionable in clothes, modern in ways of
thinking etc
with-out /wIð'aʊt||wIθ'aʊt, wIθ'aʊt/ adv, prep 1 not having;
lacking: Don't go out without a coat. | We couldn't have done it
without John. | There's no milk, so you'll have to drink your
tea without. | This is without doubt (=certainly) a big
improvement. | [+v-ing] He left without telling me. | Ticket
inspectors check train tickets to make sure people do not travel
without paying. | Without wishing to appear ungrateful (=I
don't want to seem ungrateful, but) I think your wedding
present could have been a bit more generous. 2 old use outside:
The army is encamped without (the city walls). -> see also DO
WITHOUT, go without (GO¹)
with-stand /wIð'stænd, wIθ-/ v -stood /'stʊd/ [T] 1 to
oppose successfully: They withstood the enemy's attack. 2 to
remain unharmed or unchanged by: Children's furniture
must be able to withstand rough treatment. | a building that
has withstood the test of time (=still looks good, even
though it is now old)
wit-less /'wItləs/ adj derog (as if) lacking in ability to think;
silly: He was scared witless. | a witless idea —-ly adv —-ness
n [U]
wit-ness¹ /'wItnəs/ n 1 [{of}] also eyewitness — someone
who is present when something happens, especially a crime
or an accident: a witness of the accident | Police have
appealed for witnesses to come forward. 2 someone who tells
in a court of law what they saw happen or what they know
about a person: the chief witness for the prosecution 3 [{to}]
someone who is present at the writing of an official paper
and signs it to show that they have seen the writer sign it: a
witness to the will
witness² v [T] 1 to see or notice (something) by being
present when it happens: Did anyone witness the accident? |
The problems we are now witnessing in these areas are the
consequences of years of neglect. | The 1980s have witnessed
(=have been a time of) increasing unemployment. 2 to be
present as a WITNESS at the making of: Will you witness my
signature? 3 to be a sign or proof of: His tears witnessed the
shame he felt. | The economic situation is clearly beginning to
improve – witness the big rise in company profits this year.
(=this is a fact that proves the statement)
witness to sthg. phr v [T] 1 to tell and prove (what
happened), especially in a court of law: [+v-ing] She witnessed
to having seen the man enter the building. 2 to WITNESS
'witness box BrE || stand, witness stand AmE— n the
raised area, enclosed at the sides, where witnesses stand in
court when being questioned
Witt.gen.stein, Lud.wig /'vItgənʃtaIn, 'ludvIg||-wIg/
(1889–1951) an Austrian PHILOSOPHER, who studied and taught
at Cambridge in the UK. His interests included the relation-
ship between language and the physical world, and his best
known works are Tractatus
Logico-Philosophicus and
Philosophical Investigations.
wit-ti-cism /'wItIsIzəm/ n
a witty remark
wit-ty /'wIti/ adj apprec having
or showing a quick clever
mind and an amusing way
of expressing thoughts: a
witty speaker | a witty
remark —-tily adv —-tiness
n [U]
wives /waIvz/ pl. of WIFE
wiz-ard /'wIzəd||-ərd/
n 1 (especially in stories) a
man who has magic powers
-> compare SORCERER,
WITCH
CULTURAL NOTE A wizard is usually shown in stories as an
old man with a pointed hat and a long CLOAK who uses a
MAGIC WAND to do SPELLS.
2 [{at}] apprec a person with unusual, almost magical, abili-
ties: He's a real wizard at playing the piano. | a computer/
financial wizard
,Wizard of 'Oz, The (1939) a very popular US MUSICAL (=a
film that uses singing and dancing to tell a story), based on a
children's book by L. Frank Baum. In the film Judy GARLAND
appears as a girl called Dorothy who, with her dog Toto, is
carried by a very powerful storm from the farm where she
lives in Kansas to the magic land of Oz. There they travel
along the YELLOW BRICK ROAD, meet the Scarecrow, the
Cowardly Lion, and the Tin Man, and have many adventures
before they meet the Wizard of Oz himself and finally get
home. The film contains many well-known songs, including
'Over the Rainbow'. -> see also we're not in Kansas any-
more (KANSAS)
wiz-ard-ry /'wIzədrI||-ər-/ n [U] 1 the performing of
magic 2 apprec wonderful ability: his football wizardry
wiz-ened /'wIzənd/ adj smaller in size and dried up, with
lines in the skin, especially as a result of age: wizened apples 
a wizened old lady
wk written abbrev. for week
WMD /,ʌbəl'ju: em 'di:/ abbrev. for WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION
WNBA, the /,ʌbəl'ju: en bi: 'eI/ abbrev. for Women's
National Basketball Association; an organization responsible
for controlling a professional BASKETBALL LEAGUE for women
in the US
woad /wəʊd/ n [U] a blue DYE (=colouring substance) espe-
cially used in ancient times for colouring the body
wob-ble /'wɒbəl||'wɑ:-/ v [I;T] to move unsteadily from side
to side: You're making the table wobble/wobbling the table
with your foot. | His fat thighs wobbled as he ran along. | (fig.)
His voice wobbled when he sang. —wobble n
wob-bly¹ /'wɒbIli||'wɑ:-/ adj tending to wobble; SHAKY: wob-
bly handwriting | a wobbly jelly
wobbly² n infml throw a wobbly to suddenly behave in a very
emotional way, for example by showing strong anger or fear