wear rose-colored glasses
To have an overly optimistic view of something
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wear sackcloth and ashes
Show remorse or repentance
wear the trousers
be in control or have authority in a relationship
wear thin
to become less effective or convincing
wear too many hats
To have too many responsibilities or roles at once
wear two hats
To have two roles or responsibilities
wear yellow stockings
To be considered a fool or idiot
wearing his colours
Taking his part; being strongly attached to him. The idea is from livery.
wearing the cap and bells
Said of a person who is the butt of the company, or one who excites laughter at his own expense. The reference is to licensed jesters formerly attached to noblemen's establishments.
weasel into
to gain favor or entrance by flattering or deceitful means
weasel out
To avoid something by deceitful or evasive means
weasel-faced
Thin, meagre-faced. Weasel-gutted; thin-bodied; a weasel is a thin long slender animal with a sharp face.
weather eye
The cautious eye. Any one who is supposed to have an extra good knowledge of things in general, or to be hard to impose on or cheat, is said to have his WEATHER EYE well open.
weather the storm
To endure and survive a difficult situation
weather-headed
So written by Sir Walter Scott in his Peveril of the Peak, but it is more probably WETHER-HEADED, as applied to a person having a "sheepish" look.
weaving
A notorious card-sharping trick, done by keeping certain cards on the knee, or between the knee and the under side of the table, and using them when required by changing them for the cards held in the hand.
weaving leather aprons
When a knowing blade is asked what he has been doing lately, and does not choose to tell, his reply is, that he has been very busy WEAVING LEATHER APRONS. (From the reports of a celebrated trial for gold robbery on the South-Western Railway.) Other similar replies are, "I have been making a trundle for a goose’s eye," or a "whim-wham to bridle a goose." Sometimes a man will describe himself as "a doll’s-eye WEAVER."
web and pin
An old name for cataract, or a disease of the eye caused by some excrescence on the ball.
webster’s
(Noah) Letter to the Hon. John Pickering, on the Subject of his Vocabulary, or Collection of Words and Phrases supposed to be peculiar to the United States, 8vo, pp. 69. Boston, 1817.
wedding
The emptying of a necessary-house, particularly in London. You have been at an Irish wedding, where black eyes are given instead of favours; saying to one who has a black eye.
Wedding Finger
The fourth finger of the left hand. Macrobius says the thumb is too busy to be set apart, the forefinger and little ringer arc only half protected, the middle linger is called medicus, and is too opprobious for the purpose of honour, so the only finger left is thspronftbitf.
wedge
Silver plate, because melted by the receivers of stolen goods into wedges. CANT.
wedge
A Jew. This may look strange, but it is exact back slang.
Wednesday before Ascension Day
Rogation is the Latin equivalent of the Greek word "Litany," and on the three Rogation days "the Litany of the Saints" is appointed to be sung by the clergy and people in public procession. ("Litany," Gr. Htaneia, supplication. "Roga- tion," Lat. rogatio, same meaning.
wee-wee
The penis.
weed
A cigar; the WEED, tobacco generally.
weed and feed
Fertilize and control weeds in a lawn
weed out
to remove unwanted or undesirable things
week in, week out
Happening or done regularly every week
Weekend at Bernie's
To pretend something is fine when it's actually not
weeny
A penis
weep and wail
To cry and lament loudly
weep Irish
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
weeping cross
To come home by weeping cross; to repent.
weigh against
to compare the importance or value of something
weigh down
To burden or oppress someone with worries or responsibilities
weigh in
To give one's opinion or contribution
weigh up
To carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of something
weight of the world
A huge amount of responsibility or worry
weight-for-age
A sporting phrase which, applied to a race, distinguishes it from a handicap or catch-weight event, and informs all interested that the animals which run carry according to their ages, and not their abilities. Winners of certain great races generally carry penalties in addition to WEIGHT-FOR-AGE, for the purpose of equalizing matters somewhat; but as a rule the results are fairly foreshadowed as soon as in these races the horses are at the post, or as soon as the starters are positively known.
wejee
A chimney-pot. Often applied to any clever invention, as, "That’s a regular WEJEE."
welch comb
The thumb and four fingers.
welch ejectment
To unroof the house, a method practised by landlords in Wales to eject a bad tenant.
welch fiddle
The itch. See SCOTCH FIDDLE.
welch mile
Like a Welch mile, long and narrow. His story is like a Welch mile, long and tedious.
welcher
A person who makes a bet without the remotest chance of being able to pay, and, losing it, absconds, or "makes himself scarce." In the betting ring a WELCHER is often very severely handled upon his swindling practices being discovered. The Catterick "Clerk of the Course" once provided some stout labourers and a tar-barrel for the special benefit of the WELCHERS who might visit that neighbourhood. The word is modern, but the practice is ancient.
welcome to my world
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
welcome to something
to greet or introduce someone to a new place or situation
welfare Cadillac
Excessive or luxurious lifestyle allegedly funded by public assistance
Welfare Work
The organized work under- taken by carefully trained personnel to pro- mote the well-being of factory workers, the employees of large businesses, etc. It is extended to many activities such as hospital almoners, police-court missionaries, and so forth, as well as to many tasks that have hitherto been left to the exertions of charity.
well
To pocket, to save money. Any one of fair income and miserly habits is said to "WELL it."
well and good
Acceptable or satisfactory, but not necessarily ideal
well and truly
completely and utterly
well begun is half done
A good start makes it easier to complete a task
well behaved women seldom make history
Women who conform to traditional norms often do not achieve great things
well done
Expressing praise for something done successfully
well done is better than well said
It's more important to take action than to just talk about it
well known
Famous or widely recognized
well to do
In good circumstances, well off, well provided for.
well, I never
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.