of deaths with medically-certified cause of death. 2. = vital measurements: Regina wrote haphazardly to men, giving her age and vital statistics . 3. (med.) the parameters important for survival, such as blood pressure, heart rate, etc.: Monitoring pads are attached prior to the surgery to allow the surgical team to monitor vital statistics during the operation. W wait for someone • wait up for someone wait for someone—1. remain in a place in expectation of a person or thing: When she got there Tommy was waiting for her on the front steps. 2. (of things) be ready or available for a person to use: His car waited for him in the parking lot and he jumped behind the wheel. 3. stop or pause so that another person can catch up: The faster scouts will want to hike to the next trail intersection and wait for the slower hikers. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase wait on someone—1. serve people in a restaurant, shop, etc.: Duties include setting tables, serving food, waiting on customers and any other tasks required. 2. (of a butler, nurse, etc.) attend on a person: She was an earnest church worker and was at all times to be found calling and waiting on the sick. wait up for someone—1. stay late out of bed until smb. arrives: I may be late, but please don’t wait up for me. 2. = wait for someone 3: They were able to keep up a steady pace, with only a minimal amount of the stop and go that happens when the faster riders wait up for the slower ones. wait for the dust to settle • wait for the ink to dry wait for the dust to settle—wait for things to calm down; avoid undertaking smth. because things are too chaotic: Fear- ful for their lives, many leaders have scattered, waiting in exile for the dust to settle . wait for the ink to dry—not be in a rush to do smth.; take one’s time: It is a little too early yet to reveal all the details and I have learned it is best to wait for the ink to dry before you say too much. wake sleeping dogs • wake snakes wake sleeping dogs —(also: wake a sleeping dog ) create trouble interfering with a precarious situation which is quiet: Some say that it is too early to fix any rules, or that it is really dan- gerous to do so: it might wake sleeping dogs . Cf.: let sleeping dogs lie — refrain from stirring up potential trouble: How many times had he told her it was over, that she needed to move on and let sleeping dogs lie ? wake snakes —(dated sl.) cause trouble or disturbance: But what about some phrases that we don’t hear very often any- more? I found some of these quite interesting. To wake snakes , meant to raise a ruckus. walk heavily • walk heavy walk heavily —trudge wearily; move with difficulty (as from fatigue): She went down to the lines, walking heavily with her washing-basket full. walk heavy —(U.S. sl.) conduct oneself with an air of impor- tance: Harry’s been walking heavy since he graduated. walk in on someone • walk into someone walk in on someone—interrupt a person by entering a place: I couldn’t think of anything else to do. I was almost relieved when Hamilton walked in on me. walk into someone—run into a person; collide with smb.: I’m British enough to abjectly apologize every time someone walks into me. walk one’s chalks • walk the chalk walk one’s chalks —(dated sl.) 1. make off; escape: We cannot believe that Brother Nicholas walked his chalks with the funds of the brethren. 2. move off: I gave Master Barlow due warning … and one fine morning I walked my chalks to try my luck. I fell in next day with a gentleman’s servant’s place. 3. is used to rudely tell smb. to go away (and stop being annoying): I have had enough of you. Walk your chalks ! walk the chalk—(also: walk the chalk line) 1. walk along a straight line as a proof of being sober: “See? I’m not drunk,” Chris said as he walked the chalk line . “Okay, you can stop now,” the cop replied, keeping a stern face. 2. act exactly as one is supposed to; behave with propriety: The owners of those dives knew they would have to close up shop and walk the chalk once the police took the matter in hand. walk out of something • walk out on something walk out of something —leave a conference, hearing, etc. sud- denly (to show one’s opposition, etc.): He walked out of the meeting because he was extremely angry, and he didn’t want to say something he would regret. walk out on something—1. fail to fulfill an agreement, prom- ises, etc.: It remains to be seen if any of the lawmakers who walked out on their responsibilities will pay the price at the polls. 2. = walk out of something: Baker told the ministers as much; then, just to make sure they understood how commit- ted she was, she walked out on the meeting. See also: come out of something / go out of something. walk the board • walk the boards walk the board—(Surfing) move up and down one’s surf- board: Advanced beginners will learn how to better handle your board, surf down the line and walk the board . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase walk the plank—1. (hist.) be murdered by drowning (when captured by pirates and forced to walk off a board extended over the side of a ship): They deserve to be made to walk the plank for their impudence. 2. be forced to resign from a job: She claims she was made to walk the plank after complaining about sexual harassment. 3. accept responsibility for smth. and suffer the consequences: If they think that the President is going to lose, they might decide, “OK, why should I walk the plank for him?” walk the boards—(also: tread the boards) be an actor: She probably was destined to walk the boards of the English stage and to grace the big screen with her exquisite beauty. walk the talk • walky-talky walk the talk—(U.S., also: walk one’s talk) do what one said one would do—not just making “empty promises”: We need not to talk the talk but it’s time to walk the talk . The time to act is now or never at all. walky-talky —a small portable radio link (receiver and trans- mitter): The security guard got on his walky-talky and tried to contact the school office to have somebody call an ambu- lance. warm house • warming house warm house—a glass-house maintained at a high enough temperature for the culture of tender or tropical plants: In a warm house or greenhouse plants can reproduce all year round. warming house —1. a structure at a skating rink where the skaters can go to warm themselves: Lakefront Park remains the premier location for winter activity with a beautiful warm - ing house … a skating rink and a sliding hill. 2. (hist.) a room within a monastery in which the monks were allowed to warm themselves (often the only place where a fire was allowed): The room was located above the warming house to keep vital abbey documents dry and safe. wait for someone – 330 –