1597
writing
Wright, Frank Lloyd /raɪt/ (1869-1959) a US ARCHITECT,
generally regarded as the most important US architect of the
20th century. He is known for his use of modern materials
and methods, in buildings such as the GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM
in New York.
Wright, Peter (1917-1995) a British SPY who became famous
in 1987 for writing a book called Spycatcher about his
experiences working for the British secret service. The gov-
ernment tried unsuccessfully to prevent the book from
being sold in the UK.
'Wright ,Brothers, the two US brothers, Orville Wright
(1871-1948) and Wilbur Wright (1867-1912), who built and flew
the world's first plane in 1903, at Kitty Hawk in North
Carolina -> see photo on page A36
Wrig·ley Field /,rɪgli 'fi:ld/ the baseball STADIUM where the
Chicago Cubs play. It was built in 1914 and is the second
oldest baseball park in the US. -> see also FENWAY PARK
Wrig·leys /'rɪgliz/ trademark a type of CHEWING GUM made by
the US company Wrigley and sold all over the world
wring /rɪŋ/ v wrung /rʌŋ/ [T] 1 a) to twist (especially the
neck, causing death): to kill a chicken by wringing its neck |
(humor) I'll wring your neck if you don't behave! b) to press
hard on (especially a person's hand): He wrung my hand
warmly. (=when shaking hands in greeting) | It's no use
wringing your hands in sorrow. | (fig.) The baby's sufferings
wrung its mother's heart. (=made her extremely
unhappy) 2 [(OUT, from)] to twist and/or press (wet clothes) to
remove water, or to remove (water) by doing this: Wring
those wet things out. | (fig.) Her torturers wrung the truth out of
her in the end. 3 wringing wet extremely wet, so that a lot
of water can be pressed out
wring·er /'rɪŋər/ n a machine, often part of a WASHING
MACHINE with ROLLERS (=tube-shaped parts) which press
water from clothes, sheets etc that are passed through them
-> compare MANGLE
wrin·kle¹ /'rɪŋkəl/ n 1 a small line or fold, especially on the
skin owing to age, worry, tiredness etc: wrinkles round her
eyes -> compare CRINKLE 2 infml a useful suggestion or trick
that solves a problem: Ask him; he knows all the wrinkles.
(=knows the best ways of doing something) —kly adj
wrinkle² v 1 [T(UP)] to cause to form into lines, folds etc,
especially for a short time: She wrinkled her nose at the bad
smell. 2 [I] (especially of the skin) to form into lines, folds
etc: The skin round her eyes wrinkled when she smiled.
wrink·led /'rɪŋkəld/ adj skin, cloth, or paper that is wrinkled
has lines or small untidy folds in it
wrink·ly /'rɪŋkli/ n pl. -ies infml derog a young person's name
for an old or older person
wrist /rɪst/ n the joint between the hand and the lower part
of the arm -> see also LIMP-WRISTED; see picture at HAND
wrist·band /'rɪstbænd/ n 1 a loose CUFF 2 a band used for
fastening something, such as a watch, to the wrist
wrist·let /'rɪstlət/ n a band worn round the wrist
wrist·watch /'rɪstwɒtʃ|-wɑ:tʃ, -wɔ:tʃ/ n a watch made to
be fastened on the wrist with a STRAP (=band) of metal or
leather or other material
wrist·y /'rɪsti/ adj apprec (especially in sport) having or
showing strong movement of the wrist: a wristy player/
stroke
writ¹ /rɪt/ n an official legal paper telling someone to do or
not to do a particular thing: The High Court has issued a writ
forbidding her to communicate with him. | a writ of habeas
corpus -> see also HOLY WRIT
writ² adj writ large especially lit or pomp made more clearly
noticeable; on a larger or grander scale
write /raɪt/ v wrote /rəʊt/, written /'rɪtn/ 1 [I;T] to make
(marks that represent letters or words) by using a tool held
in the hand, especially with a pen or pencil on paper: The
children are learning to write. | She always writes with a
pen/writes in ink. | Write the address on the envelope. ->
compare DRAW 2 [T] to think of and record, especially on
paper; be the AUTHOR of: to write a letter | Have you finished
writing that report yet? | Charlotte Brontë wrote 'Jane Eyre'. |
Elgar wrote two symphonies. | to write a computer program | a
written statement 3 [T] to make or complete (something) by
putting words on it: [+obj(i)+obj(d)] He wrote me a cheque for
£15. 4 [I] to be a writer of books, plays etc: He writes for the
stage. 5 [I;T(to)] to produce and send (a letter): She writes to
me every day. | I wish you'd write more often. | [+obj(i)+obj(d)] He
writes me a letter every day/He writes a letter to me every day. |
[+v-ing] He wrote asking me to come. | [+to-v] He wrote to ask me
to come. | [+that] He wrote that he'd be coming on Tues-
day. 6 [T] especially AmE to produce and send a letter to
(someone): He writes me every day. | [+obj+that] George wrote
me that he couldn't come. 7 be written on/all over to be
clearly showing because of the expression on: Guilt was
written all over his face. 8 nothing to write home about infml
nothing special; not as good as it might be: The food here
isn't anything to write home about. (=isn't very good)
write away phr v [I(for)] to WRITE OFF
write back phr v [I] to reply in a letter: I received his letter
two weeks ago, but I forgot to write back. | [+v-ing/to-v/that] She
wrote back (saying/to say) that she couldn't come.
write sthg. <=> down phr v [T] to record in writing, espe-
cially in order to remember: Write your idea down while it's
clear in your mind. | to write down a telephone number
write in phr v 1 [I(for)] to send a letter to a firm, asking for
something or giving an opinion: We wrote in for a free book,
but the firm never replied. 2 [T] (write sbdy./sthg. <=> in )
AmE a) to vote for (someone) by writing their name on the
voting paper b) to add (a name) to a list in an election ->
see also WRITE-IN
write off phr v 1 [T(as)] (write sthg. <=> off ) to accept as lost,
useless, or as a failure: I may have been beaten in this fight,
but don't write me off yet - I'll be back. | She'd been written off
as a failure at the age of eleven. 2 [T] (write sthg. <=> off ) to
remove (especially a debt) from the records or accounts;
CANCEL: The company has written off £2m of the development
costs of this project. 3 [I(for)] to send a letter to a distant
place, especially in order to buy something one cannot get
near home: She wrote off for the book because the local shop
didn't have it. 4 [T] (write sthg. <=> off ) especially BrE || total
sthg. AmE to damage (especially a car) so badly that it cannot
be repaired -> see also WRITE-OFF
write sbdy./sthg. <=> out phr v [T] 1 to write in full: The
policeman was writing out his report. | Do it in rough before
you write it out properly. 2 to write (something formal):
[+obj(i)+obj(d)] Shall I write you out a receipt, sir? 3 [of] to
remove (a character) from a continuing set of stories or
plays: When the actor died, the character he played in the soap
opera had to be written out.
write up phr v 1 [T] (= write sthg. <=> up ) to write (again)
in a complete and useful form: I'm going to write up my
notes. 2 [T] (write sthg. <=> up ) to write a report on (goods,
a play, an event etc), especially giving a judgment: I see
they've written our play up in the local newspaper. -> see also
WRITE-UP
'write-in n AmE a vote given by writing the name of the
person voted for -> see also WRITE IN
'write-off n 1 especially BrE something which has been so
badly damaged that it cannot be repaired: The car was a
write-off after the accident. 2 something, especially a debt,
that has been removed from the records or accounts -> see
also WRITE OFF
writ·er /'raɪtər/ n a person who writes, especially as a way of
earning money; AUTHOR: He is a writer but he doesn't make
enough money to live from his books. | a software writer | a
sports writer | one of the President's speech writers
,writer's 'cramp n [U] stiffness of the hand after writing for
a long time
'write-up n infml a written report, especially one that describes
and gives a judgment about goods, a play etc: The concert got
a good write-up in the local newspaper. -> see also WRITE UP
writhe /raɪð/ v [I] to twist the body (as if) in great pain: He
was writhing on the ground in agony.
writ·ing /'raɪtɪŋ/ n [U] 1 handwriting: I can't read the doc-
tor's writing. 2 written work or form: a piece of writing | You
say you'll lend us the money; can I have that in writing? (=in
written form, so as to make it official) 3 the activity of
writing, especially books: Writing is his life. 4 the writing is
on the wall a business or an organization will not continue
to exist for much longer: With the current poor economic
climate, the writing is on the wall for many companies. -> see
also WRITINGS