Wobegon, Lake
1586
Wo·be·gon, Lake → see LAKE WOBEGON
Wode·house, P. G. /'wudhaus/ (1881–1975) a British writer who later moved to the US, who wrote many humorous novels about UPPER-CLASS English people. His best-known stories are about a rich and stupid young man called Bertie WOOSTER, who does not work and spends most of his time visiting other rich people. He depends on his clever servant JEEVES to get him out of trouble.
Wo·den /'wəudn/ the Anglo-Saxon name for ODIN, the king of the gods. The word 'Wednesday' is based on his name.
wodge /wɒdʒ||wɑ:dʒ/ n BrE infml a thick piece or lump of something which has been broken or cut off the whole
woe /wəu/ n fnl or lit 1 [U] great sorrow: a heart full of woe | (fig.) If she comes to you with tales/ a tale of woe (=says how great her troubles are) just ignore her. 2 [C usually pl.] a cause of trouble; problem: financial woes 3 woe betide especially lit or humor (used in making threats) there will be trouble for: We will be leaving at 8 o'clock sharp, and woe betide anyone who is late!
woe·be·gone /'wəubigɒn||-gɔ:n/ adj, especially lit very sad in appearance
woe·ful /'wəufəl/ adj. 1 especially lit very sad; MOURNFUL or PATHETIC: woeful eyes 2 (of something bad) very great; DEPLORABLE: a woeful lack of understanding →-ly adv: The education service has been woefully neglected.
wog /wɒg||wɑ:g/ n BrE taboo derog a foreigner, especially of a dark-skinned race (considered extremely offensive)
Wo·gan, Ter·ry /'wəugən, 'teri/ (1938–) an Irish DISC JOCKEY (=someone who has a POP MUSIC programme on the radio) and television PRESENTER who works on British television and radio. He is known for having his own CHAT SHOW (=a television show where famous people are asked questions and talk about themselves) and for his humorous COMMENTARY on the EUROVISION SONG CONTEST.
wok /wɒk||wɑ:k/ n a deep round pan used in Chinese cooking to cook things quickly in hot oil by stir-frying (STIR-FRY). Many people in Britain and the US own a wok and use it to cook both Chinese and Western food. → see picture at PAN
woke /wəuk/ past tense of WAKE
wok·en /'wəukən/ past participle of WAKE
wold /wəuld/ also wolds pl. → n (usually cap. as part of a name) an area of hilly open country: the Yorkshire Wolds
wolf¹ /wulf/ n pl. wolves /wulvz/ 1 a wild animal of the dog family which hunts other animals in a group (PACK). Wolves are no longer found in Britain, but are found in North America. 2 infml a man who charms women so as to use them for his own pleasure 3 a wolf in sheep's clothing a person who seems friendly or harmless but is hiding evil intentions 4 keep the wolf from the door to earn just enough money to eat and live → see also BIG BAD WOLF, LONE WOLF, cry wolf (CRY) →-ish adj
wolf² v [T(down)] infml to eat quickly, swallowing large amounts: He wolfed his meal down.
Wolfe, General James /wulf/ (1727–59) a British GENERAL who died leading the army which took Quebec from the French and gave the British control of Canada
Wolfe, Tom (1931–) a US JOURNALIST who was written many humorous articles and books about US CULTURE and society. He has also written several novels, including The Right Stuff (1979) and Bonfire of the Vanities (1987).
wolf·hound /'wulfhaund/ n a very large dog, originally used for hunting wolves
Wolf·o·witz, Paul /'wulfəwits/ (1943–) a US politician in the Republican Party and the Deputy Secretary of Defense in President George W. Bush's government from 2001. He is known for his very CONSERVATIVE views and his strong support of the war in Iraq in 2003.
'wolf whistle n a way of whistling a high note followed by a falling note, which men sometimes use in the street to express admiration for an attractive woman who is passing. It is not considered polite to do this and many women find it offensive.
Woll·stone·craft, Mary /'wulstənkrɑ:ft||-kræft/ (1759–97) a British writer who is regarded as one of the first FEMINISTS. In her book A Vindication of the Rights of Women, she wrote that women should have the same education and opportunities as men. She was the mother of Mary SHELLEY.
Wol·sey, Cardinal Thomas /'wulzi/ (?1475–1530) an English CARDINAL (=a high-ranking Catholic priest) and politician who was very rich and powerful, but who lost power after failing to persuade the Pope to allow King HENRY VIII to end his marriage to Catherine of Aragon
Wo·mad /'wəumæd/ a music FESTIVAL, held for three days every year in fields near Reading in southern England, where people camp and many musicians from all over the world give performances
wom·an /'wumən/ n pl. women /'wimin/ 1 [C] a fully grown human female: 'Is your doctor a man or a woman?' 'I've got a woman doctor.' I married women 2 [U] fnl women in general: Woman lives longer than man in most countries. 3 [C] a female servant or other worker: He's got a daily woman who comes in and cleans his room. 4 woman of the world apprec an experienced woman who knows how people behave 5 women and children first an instruction that women and children should be saved before the men in a fire, when a ship is sinking etc 6 -woman a) a woman who lives in or is from the stated place: a Frenchwoman | a countrywoman b) a woman who has the stated job, skill etc: a businesswoman | a spokeswoman → see also OLD WOMAN, MONSTROUS
USAGE 1 It is usually considered offensive to talk about a man's wife or girlfriend as his woman. 2 Note the fixed phrase women and children: The women and children hid in the caves for safety. → see also FEMALE (USAGE), GENTLEMAN (USAGE), GIRL (USAGE)
Woman trademark a British weekly magazine for women, especially popular with married women who have families
wom·an·hood /'wumənhud/ n [U] the condition or period of being a woman → compare MANHOOD
wom·an·ish /'wuməniʃ/ adj, usually derog (of a man) like a woman in character, behaviour, appearance etc; EFFEMINATE: a womanish walk
wom·an·ize also -ise BrE /'wumənaiz/ v [I] usually derog (of a man) to habitually pay attention to many women for sexual purposes →-izer n
wom·an·kind /'wumənkaind/ n [U+sing./pl.v.] women considered together as a group → compare MANKIND
wom·an·ly /'wumənli/ adv apprec having or showing qualities that are regarded as typical of or suitable to a woman: She showed a womanly concern for their health. → compare MANLY →-liness n [U]
'Woman's 'Hour a British radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio, which has news, INTERVIEWS, and discussions on subjects of special interest to women
,Woman's 'Own a British weekly magazine for women, especially popular with married women who have families
womb /wu:m/ n an organ inside female MAMMALS where the young can develop
wom·bat /'wɒmbæt||'wɑ:m-/ n an Australian animal like a small bear, whose young live in a pocket of skin on its body
Wom·ble /'wɒmbl||'wɑ:m-/ n one of the characters in the British children's television programme The Wombles. They are imaginary creatures covered in fur, who live on Wimbledon Common (=an area where there is grass and trees) in London, and who pick up the LITTER (=bits of paper, empty cans etc that people have thrown away).
wom·en·folk /'wimin fəuk/ n [P] infml women, especially one's female relatives
,Women in 'Love (1921) a novel by D. H. LAWRENCE about two sisters, Ursula and Gudrun Brangwen, and their difficult relationships with men. It was made into a film in 1969.
,Women's 'Institute, the abbrev. WI a British organization for women, especially women in country areas, who meet for social and educational activities. Although the Women's Institute has members of all ages and all social classes, people generally imagine that a typical member is an older MIDDLE CLASS woman who does not have a job and who enjoys activities such as cooking and sewing. Members of th