work off one’s ticket • work one’s ticket work off one’s ticket—1. earn one’s passage by services on board ship, etc.: After an ancestor landed in Philly in 1679 as an indentured servant and worked off his ticket , he headed west … to present day Ohio. 2. pay off one’s fine for traffic violation by working: When motorcycle cop pulls over leather- clad biker, he decides to allow him to “work off ” his ticket. work one’s ticket—(sl.) get one’s early discharge, especially from the army (by feigning illness, etc.): It is a comparatively easy matter for a discontented man to “work his ticket .” Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase write one’s own ticket—(coll.) be able to stipulate one’s own conditions: This is an actor that has reached unimagined heights in his craft and can write his own ticket . work oneself up into something • work oneself up to something work oneself up into something—bring oneself into a highly emotional state: It would be foolish, even dangerous to work oneself up into a frenzy. work oneself up to something—1. = work oneself up into some- thing: He would gradually work himself up to a state of intense agitation in which he screamed and berated me. 2. prepare oneself with sufficient energy or courage to do smth.: I can’t just walk in there and ask for a raise. I have to work myself up to it. 3. progress to a certain rank or status: He worked himself up to sergeant in no time at all. work something in with something • work something into something work something in with something—make smth. such as a schedule, etc. fit or harmonize with smth.: I’m motivated to work out and feel better, I just don’t know how to work it in with everything else I have to do. work something into something—1. force smth. into smth. else by gradual movement: He was able to work his foot into his boot but it was still very tight. 2. include smth. into smth. written or spoken: Each week I try to work a few jokes into the typically mundane legal topics we discuss. worker bee • working bee worker bee—1. sterile bee specialized to collect food and maintain the hive: Only one queen bee is the mother of all worker bees and drones in a beehive. 2. said of a hard working person: All those handmade items make it so cozy and invit- ing. You are a real worker bee . working bee—1. = worker bee 1: By this time the number of working bees in the hive is becoming very great, and the stor- ing of honey goes on very quickly. 2. = worker bee 2: The members were “working bees ” in the best sense, and were capa- ble of success anywhere. 3. an event at which people work towards a common cause: Are you able to assist at our working bee on Sunday? The purpose of this working bee is to beautify the area. working man • workman working man—a man who has a job in industry; member of the working class: Greyhound racing is sometimes said to be the working man ’s substitute for horse racing. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase working girl—1. said of a girl, usually single, who sup- ports herself by working in an office, etc.: The film portrays a white-collar working girl who receives a marriage proposal from a kindly but humble doctor. 2. (euph.) a prostitute: Now, the average working girl often takes in hundreds, maybe even thousands, of dollars every night she is on the street. workman—1. a manual worker employed upon some par- ticular piece of work; a skilled craftsman: The workmen brought the materials on Friday and promised to start the job on Monday. 2. a person who works in some specified way: My health makes me a very slow workman . working paper • working papers working paper —a paper produced as a basis for discussion rather than as a final statement: The Government published a working paper which set out some possibilities. working papers—official documents legalizing the employ- ment of a person not yet legally of age: Before being employed the boy had to produce his working papers . worth while • worthwhile worth while—(predic.) worthy of the time or effort spent (also: worth one’s while): We had to wait for the food but the wait was worth while as the food was exceptional! worthwhile—(attrib.) said of smth. of sufficient value or im- portance: The report suggests that patient education regarding the side effects of drugs is a worthwhile effort. wring one’s hands • wring someone’s hand wring one’s hands—1. squeeze one’s hands together to express despair, sorrow, etc.: His face was pale, and he stared at his feet while wringing his hands nervously. 2. be very worried or upset about smth.: Our President is all day in security sessions, briefings, debriefings, staying up all night wringing his hands over this whole mess. wring someone’s hand—shake hands with a person showing more emotion than in the usual handshake: He shook hands with Tom, wringing his hand harder than he knew. write for something • write off for something write for something—1. write pieces for a newspaper, mag- azine, etc.: Students past and present have written for the Oxford student newspaper and the University radio station. 2. request smth. by post: “And haven’t you written for further particulars?” “I have been thinking of doing so. You would advise me to write to the doctor?” write off for something— = write for something 2: No one here could answer my questions, so I had to write off for more information. write something down as • write something off as write something down as—classify or regard smth. as: The corporation had made a number of tests with it … and they had written it down as a failure. write something off as—1. = write something down as: The way I justify this silly exercise in hard labor is that I can write it off as a learning experience. 2. regard smth. as unsuitable or having no value: Paint-coating should not be written off as a possible future solution as the durability of coating mate- rials is constantly being improved. writing on the wall • writing on water writing on the wall—(also: handwriting on the wall) warning signs of impending disaster: Many Britons invested in private pensions and private health care because they could see the writing on the wall for the welfare state. writing on water —said of an action that will not yield lasting results and is therefore futile: Seeking wisdom when you are old is like writing on water ; seeking it when you are young is like graving on stone. wrong in the head • wrong-headed wrong in the head—crazy; insane: When we read the first part of the saga, we naturally presumed Andy was somewhat wrong in the head . wrong-headed—1. persistent in erroneous opinion: To us, at that time, he was a wrong-headed young man who had – 337 – wrong in the head