[what’s the idea] See: WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA.
[what’s up] or [what’s cooking] also [what’s doing] {slang} What is happening or planned; what is wrong. — Often used as a greeting. •/"What’s up?" asked Bob as he joined his friends. "Are you going to the movies?"/ •/What’s cooking? Why is the crowd in the street?/ •/What’s doing tonight at the club?/ •/Hello Bob, what’s up?/ Compare: WHAT’S WITH.
[what’s what] or [what is what] {n. phr.}, {informal} 1. What each thing is in a group; one thing from another. •/The weeds and the flowers are coming up together, and we can’t tell what is what./ 2. All that needs to be known about something; the important facts or skills. •/Richard did the wrong thing, because he is new here and doesn’t yet know what’s what./ •/When Bob started his new job, it took him several weeks to learn what was what./ •/When it comes to cooking, Jenny knows what’s what./ •/Harold began to tell the teacher how to teach the class, and the teacher told him what was what./ Compare: WHICH IS WHICH, WHO’S WHO.
[what’s with] or [what’s up with] also [what’s by] {slang} What is happening to; what is wrong; how is everything; what can you tell me about. •/Mary looks worried. What’s with her?/ •/What’s with our old friends?/ •/I’m fine. What’s with you?/
[what with]{prep.} Because; as a result of. •/I couldn’t visit you, what with the snowstorm and the cold I had./ •/What with dishes to wash and children to put to bed, mother was late to the meeting./ Compare: ON ACCOUNT OF.
[wheel] See: BIG CHEESE or BIG WHEEL, GREASE THE WHEELS, PUT ONE’S SHOULDER TO THE WHEEL.
[wheel and deal]{v. phr.}, {slang} To make many big plans or schemes; especially with important people in government and business; in matters of money and influence; handle money or power for your own advantage; plan important matters in a smart or skillful way and sometimes in a tricky, or not strictly honest way. •/Mr. Smith made a fortune by wheeling and dealing on the stock market./ •/The senator got this law passed by wheeling and dealing in Congress./ — [wheeler-dealer] {n. phr.}, {slang} A person with power and control. •/The biggest wheeler-dealer in the state has many friends in high places in business and government and is a rich man himself./
[wheelhorse]{n. phr.} A reliable and industrious worker on whom one may depend. •/Jake is such a good worker that he is the wheelhorse of our tiny firm./
[when hell freezes over]{adv. phr.}, {slang} Never. •/I’ll believe you when hell freezes over./ Contrast: UNTIL HELL FREEZES OVER.
[when it comes to] See: COME TO(4).
[when one’s ship comes in] See: SHIP COME IN.
[when push comes to shove]{adv. phr.} A time when a touchy situation becomes actively hostile or a quarrel turns into a fight. •/Can we count on the boss' goodwill, when push comes to shove?/
[when the chips are down]{adv. clause}, {informal} When the winner and loser of a bet or a game are decided; at the most important or dangerous time. •/Tom hit a home run in the last inning of the game when the chips were down./ •/When the chips were down, the two countries decided not to have war./ (From the fact that in gambling games, a person puts chips or money down in front of him to show that he is willing to risk an amount in a bet.)
[where] See: TELL ONE WHERE TO GET OFF or TELL ONE WHERE TO HEAD IN.
[wherefore] See: WHY AND WHEREFORE.
[where it’s at]{adv. phr.}, {informal} That which is important; that which is at the forefront of on-going social, personal, or scientific undertakings. •/Young, talented and black, that’s where it’s at./ •/We send sophisticated machines to Mars instead of people, that’s where it’s at./
[where the shoe pinches]{n. phr.}, {informal} Where or what the discomfort or trouble is. •/Johnny thinks the job is easy, but he will find out where the shoe pinches when he tries it./ •/The coach said he wasn’t worried about any position except quarterback; that was where the shoe pinched./
[whether one is coming or going] See: KNOW IF ONE IS COMING OR GOING.
[whether --- or] or [whether --- or whether] 1. {coord. conj.} Used to introduce an indirect question. •/You must decide whether you should go or stay./ •/I don’t know whether Jack or Bill is a better player./ Compare: EITHER --- OR(2). Used to show a choice of things, or that different things are possible. •/Whether the bicycle was blue or red, it didn’t matter to Frank./
[which] See: GAME AT WHICH TWO CAN PLAY.
[which is which]{n. phr.} Which is one person or thing and which is the other; one from another; what the difference is between different ones; what the name of each one is. •/Joe’s coat and mine are so nearly alike that I can’t tell which is which./ •/Mr. Hadley hadn’t seen his friend’s daughters in such a long time that he couldn’t remember which was which./ Compare: WHAT’S WHAT, WHO’S WHO.
[which was which] See: WHICH is WHICH.
[while] See: AFTER A WHILE or IN A WHILE, ALL THE TIME(1), EVERY NOW AND THEN or EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, ONCE IN A WHILE.
[while ago]{adv.} At a time several minutes in the past; a few minutes ago; a short time ago. — Used with "a". •/I laid mv glasses on this table a while ago; and now they’re gone./ •/A while ago, Mary was tired and wanted to go home; now she’s dancing with Bob as if she could dance all night./ Compare: JUST NOW(2).
[while away]{v.} To make time go by pleasantly or without being bored; pass or spend. •/We whiled away the time that we were waiting by talking and playing cards./ •/We whiled away the summer swimming and fishing./
[while back]{adv.} At a time several weeks or months in the past. — Used with "a". •/We had a good rain a while back, but we need more now./ •/Grandfather is well now, but a while back he was in the hospital for three weeks./ See: CRACK THE WHIP.
[whip hand] See: UPPER HAND.
[whipping boy]{n. phr.} The person who gets punished for someone else’s mistake. •/"I used to be the whipping boy during my early days at the company," he musingly remembered./