2 → see also wreak
wrou ght i ron also wrought-iron N‑UNCOUNT Wrought iron is a type of iron that is easily formed into shapes and is used especially for making gates, fences, and furniture.
wrung /rʌ ŋ/ Wrung is the past tense of wring .
wry /ra I /
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If someone has a wry expression, it shows that they find a bad situation or a change in a situation slightly amusing. □ Matthew allowed himself a wry smile.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A wry remark or piece of writing refers to a bad situation or a change in a situation in an amusing way. □ There is a wry sense of humour in his work.
wt also wt. Wt is a written abbreviation for weight .
WTO /dʌ b ə ljuː tiː oʊ / N‑PROPER WTO is an abbreviation for World Trade Organization . □ The world desperately needs an effective WTO.
wuss /wʊ s/ (wusses ) N‑COUNT If you call someone a wuss , you are criticizing them for being afraid. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]
WWW /dʌ bljuː dʌbljuː dʌ bljuː/ WWW is an abbreviation for 'World Wide Web'. It appears at the beginning of website addresses in the form www . [COMPUTING ] □ Check out our website at www.collinsdictionary.com.
WYSIWYG /w I ziw I g/ WYSIWYG is used to refer to a computer screen display which exactly matches the way that a document will appear when it is printed. WYSIWYG is an abbreviation for 'what you see is what you get'. [COMPUTING ] □ …the first WYSIWYG application for creating documents on the Web.
Xx
X , x /e ks/ (X's, x's )
1 N‑VAR X is the twenty-fourth letter of the English alphabet.
2 When writing down the size of something, you can use x in between the measurements to mean 'by'. □ The conservatory measures approximately 13ft x 16ft.
X chro|mo|some (X chromosomes ) N‑COUNT An X chromosome is one of an identical pair of chromosomes found in a woman's cells, or one of a non-identical pair found in a man's cells. X chromosomes are associated with female characteristics. Compare Y chromosome .
xeno|pho|bia /ze nəfoʊ biə/ N‑UNCOUNT Xenophobia is strong and unreasonable dislike or fear of people from other countries. [FORMAL ] WORD HISTORY xenophobia
Xenophobia comes from the Greek words xenos , meaning 'stranger', and phobos , meaning 'fear'.
xeno|pho|bic /ze nəfoʊ b I k/ ADJ If you describe someone as xenophobic , you disapprove of them because they show strong dislike or fear of people from other countries. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Xenophobic nationalism is on the rise. □ Stalin was obsessively xenophobic.
Xer|ox /z I ə rɒks/ (Xeroxes , Xeroxing , Xeroxed )
1 N‑COUNT [usu N n] A Xerox is a machine that can make copies of pieces of paper which have writing or other marks on them. [TRADEMARK ] □ The rooms are crammed with humming Xerox machines.
2 N‑COUNT A Xerox is a copy of something written or printed on a piece of paper, which has been made using a Xerox machine.
3 VERB If you Xerox a document, you make a copy of it using a Xerox machine. □ [V n] I should have simply Xeroxed this sheet for you.
Xmas Xmas is used in informal written English to represent the word Christmas. □ Merry Xmas!
X -ray (X-rays , X-raying , X-rayed ) also x-ray
1 N‑COUNT [usu pl] X-rays are a type of radiation that can pass through most solid materials. X-rays are used by doctors to examine the bones or organs inside your body and are also used at airports to see inside people's luggage.
2 N‑COUNT An X-ray is a picture made by sending X-rays through something, usually someone's body. □ She was advised to have an abdominal X-ray.
3 VERB If someone or something is X-rayed , an X-ray picture is taken of them. □ [be V -ed] All hand baggage would be x-rayed. □ [V n] They took my pulse, took my blood pressure, and X-rayed my jaw.
xy|lo|phone /za I ləfoʊn/ (xylophones ) N‑COUNT A xylophone is a musical instrument which consists of a row of wooden bars of different lengths. You play the xylophone by hitting the bars with special hammers.
Yy
Y , y /wa I / (Y's, y's )
1 N‑VAR Y is the twenty-fifth letter of the English alphabet.
2 N‑SING A YMCA or YWCA hostel is sometimes referred to as the Y . [AM , INFORMAL ] □ I took him to the Y.
SUFFIX -y
1 forms adjectives that mean that something is like something else. For example, if something looks silky , it looks like silk, although it is not actually silk.
2 also forms adjectives that indicate that something is full of something else or covered in it. For example, if something is dirty , it is covered with dirt.
yacht ◆◇◇ /jɒ t/ (yachts ) N‑COUNT A yacht is a large boat with sails or a motor, used for racing or pleasure trips. □ …a round-the-world yacht race.
yacht|ing /jɒ t I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Yachting is the sport or activity of sailing a yacht. □ …the yachting regatta.
yachts|man /jɒ tsmən/ (yachtsmen ) N‑COUNT A yachtsman is a man who sails a yacht.
yachts|woman /jɒ tswʊmən/ (yachtswomen ) N‑COUNT A yachtswoman is a woman who sails a yacht.
ya|hoo (yahoos ) Pronounced /jɑːhuː / for meaning 1 , and /jɑː huː/ for meaning 2 . 1 EXCLAM People sometimes shout ' yahoo! ' when they are very happy or excited about something.