IDIOMS AND PHRASES (U-W)

U-turn

If a government changes its position radically on an issue, especially when they have promised not to do so, this is a U-turn.

Ugly as a stick

(USA) If someone is as ugly as a stick, they are very ugly indeed.

Ugly duckling

An ugly duckling is a child who shows little promise, but who develops later into a real talent or beauty.

Uncalled for

If someone does something bad and unnecessary without consideration for anothers feelings, what they do is uncalled for.

Uncharted waters

If you're in uncharted waters, you are in a situation that is unfamiliar to you, that you have no experience of and don't know what might happen. ('Unchartered waters' is an incorrect form that is a common mistake.)

Uncle Sam

(USA) Uncle Sam is the government of the USA.

Under a cloud

If someone is suspected of having done something wrong, they are under a cloud.

Under a flag of convenience

If a ship sails under a flag of convenience, it is registered in a country where taxes, etc, are lower than in the country it comes from, so if someone does something under a flag of convenience, they attempt to avoid regulations and taxes by a similar means.

Under false colours

If someone does something under false colours/colors, they pretend to be something they are not in order to deceive people so that they can succeed.

Under fire

If someone is being attacked and cricitised heavily, they are under fire.

Under lock and key

If something is under lock and key, it is stored very securely.

Under someone's heel

If you are under someone's heel, they have complete control over you.

Under the gun

If you're under the gun, you're under pressure to do something.

Under the radar

If something slips under the radar, it isn't detected or noticed.

Under the table

Bribes or illegal payments are often described as money under the table.

Under the weather

If you are feeling a bit ill, sad or lack energy, you are under the weather.

Under the wire

(USA) If a person does something under the wire, they do it at the last possible moment.

Under your belt

If you have something under your belt, you have already achieved or experienced it and it will probably be of benefit to you in the future.

Under your breath

If you say something under your breath, you whisper or say it very quietly.

Under your nose

If something happens right in front of you, especially if it is surprising or audacious, it happens under your nose.

Under your skin

If someone gets under your skin, they really annoy you.

Under your thumb

Someone who is manipulated or controlled by another person is under his or her thumb.

Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown

This means that people with serious responsibilities have a heavy burden.

Until the last dog is shot

(USA) It means until the very last possible moment or until every possibility is exausted: You boys always stay until the last dog is shotI will stay until the last dog is shot to complete this project by deadline (Expression my mom who was born in 1917 in Wisconson always used.)  

Unwavering loyalty

Unwavering loyalty does not question or doubt the person or issue and supports them completely.

Up a gum tree

(AU) If you're up a gum tree, you're in trouble or a big mess.

Up a river without a paddle

If you up a river without a paddle, you are in an unfortunate situation, unprepared and with none of the resources to remedy the matter.

Up for grabs

If something is up for grabs, it is available and whoever is first or is successful will get it.

Up in the air

If a matter is up in the air, no decision has been made and there is uncertainty about it.

Up sticks

(UK) If you up sticks, you leave somewhere, usually permanently and without warning- he upped sticks and went to work abroad.

Up the ante

If you up the ante, you increase the importance or value of something, especially where there's an element of risk as the term comes from gambling, where it means to increase the stake (the amount of money bet).

Up the creek

If someone or something is up the creek, they are in real trouble. 'Up the creek without a paddle' is an alternative, and 'up shit creek (without a paddle)' is a ruder form.

Up the duff

(UK) If a woman is up the duff, she's pregnant.

Up the spout

(UK) If something has gone up the spout, it has gone wrong or been ruined.

Up the stick

(UK) If a woman is up the stick, she's pregnant.

Up the wall

If someone goes up the wall, they get very angry.

Up the wooden hill

When you go up the wooden hill, you go up the stairs to bed.

Up to scratch

If something doesn't come up to scratch, it doesn't meet the standard required or expected.

Up to snuff

If something isn't up to snuff, it doesn't meet the standard expected.

Up to speed

If you bring someone up to speed, you update them on something.

Up to the eyes

You you are up to your eyes in something, you are deeply involved or to have too much of something like work. ('Up the neck', 'up to the eyeballs' and 'up to the ears' are also used.)

Up to the neck

If someone's in something up to the neck, they are very involved in it, especially when it's something wrong.

Up to your eyes

When you've got too much work to do, you're up to your eyes in it.

Up to your neck

If someone is very involved in something, they are up to their neck in it, especially if it is something bad or immoral.

Up with the lark

If you get up very early, you're up with the lark.

Upper crust

The upper crust are the upper classes and the establishment.

Upper hand

If you have the upper hand, you have the advantage.

Upset the apple cart

If you upset the apple cart, you cause trouble and upset people.

Vale of tears

This vale of tears is the world and the suffering that life brings.

Velvet glove

This idiom is used to describe a person who appears gentle, but is determined and inflexible underneath. ('Iron fist in a velvet glove' is the full form.)

Vent your spleen

If someone vents their spleen, they release all their anger about something.

Vicar of Bray

(UK) A person who changes their beliefs and principles to stay popular with people above them is a Vicar of Bray

Vicious circle

A vicious circle is a sequence of events that make each other worse- someone drinks because they are unhappy at work, then loses their job... 'Vicious cycle' is also used.

Virgin territory

If something is virgin territory, it hasn't been explored before.

Volte-face

If you do a volte-face on something, you make a sudden and complete change in your stance or position over an issue.

Wag the dog

To 'wag the dog' means to purposely divert attention from what would otherwise be of greater importance, to something else of lesser significance. By doing so, the lesser-significant event is catapulted into the limelight, drowning proper attention to what was originally the more important issue.The expression comes from the saying that 'a dog is smarter than its tail', but if the tail were smarter, then the tail would 'wag the dog'. The expression 'wag the dog' was elaborately used as theme of the movie. 'Wag the Dog', a 1997 film starring Robert de Niro and Dustin Hoffman, produced and directed by Barry Levinson.

Wait for a raindrop in the drought

When someone is waiting for a raindrop in the drought, they are waiting or hoping for something that is extremely unlikely to happen.

Waiting in the wings

If someone is waiting in the wings, or in the wings, they are in the background, but nearby, ready to act on short notice.

Wake up and smell the coffee

When someone doesn't realise what is really happening or is not paying enough attention to events around them, you can tell them to wake up and smell the coffee.

Wake-up call

A wake-up call is a warning of a threat or a challenge, especially when it means that people will have to change their behaviour to meet it.

Walk a fine line

If you have to walk a fine line, you have to be very careful not to annoy or anger people or groups that are competing. ('Walk a thin line' is an alternative.)

Walk a mile in my shoes

This idiom means that you should try to understand someone before criticising them.

Walk a tightrope

If you walk a tightrope, you have to be very careful not to annoy or anger people who could become enemies.

Walk in the park

An undertaking that is easy is a walk in the park. The opposite is also true - "no walk in the park".

Walk on eggshells

If you have to walk on eggshells when with someone, you have to be very careful because they get angry or offended very easily.('Walk on eggs' is also used.) 

Walk the green mile

Someone or something that is walking the green mile is heading towards the inevitable.

Walk the plank

If someone walks the plank, they are going toward their own destruction or downfall

Walking encyclopedia

A very knowledgeable person is a walking encyclopedia.

Walking on air

If you are walking on  air, you are so happy that you feel as if you could float.

Walking on broken glass

When a person is punished for something. e.g. 'She had me walking on broken glass.'

Walking time-bomb

A person whose behaviour is erratic and totally unpredictable is a walking time-bomb.

Wallflower

(UK) A woman politician given an unimportant government position so that the government can pretend it takes women seriously is a wallflower.

Wallflower

(USA) A shy person who is not asked to dance is a wallflower.

War chest

A war chest is a fund that can be used to finance a campaign like and election or for use in emergencies or unexpected times of difficulty.

War of words

A war of words is a bitter argument between people or organisations, etc.

Warm and fuzzy

Meaning the feeling evoked as though you were enclosed in a warm and fuzzy blanket.

Warm the cockles of your heart

If something warms the cockles of your heart, it makes you feel happy.

Warpath

If someone is on the warpath, they are very angry about something and will do anything to get things sorted the way they want.

Warts and all

If you like someone warts and all, you like them with all their faults.

Wash your hands of something

If you wash your hands of something, you disassociate yourself and accept no responsibility for what will happen.

Waste not, want not

If you don't waste things, you are less likely to end up lacking.

Waste of skin

If a person is referred to as a 'waste of skin', it means he is not worth very much.

Watch grass grow

If something is like watching grass grow, it is really boring.

Watch your back

If someone is after your job, or wants to harm you in any way, you need to "watch your back" to metaphorically see what is going on behind you

Watch your six

(USA) This idiom means that you should look behind you for dangers coming that you can't see.

Watching paint dry

If something is like watching paint dry, it is really boring.

Water off a duck's back

If criticism or something similar is like water off a duck's back to somebody, they aren't affected by it in the slightest.

Water over the dam

(USA) If something has happened and cannot be changed, it is water over the dam.

Water under the bridge

If something belongs to the past and isn't important or troubling any more, it is water under the bridge.

Watering hole

(UK) A watering hole is a pub.

Watery grave

If someone has gone to a watery grave, they have drowned.

Weak at the knees

If people go weak at the knees, they have a powerful emotional reaction to something and feel that they might fall over.

Wear many hats

If someone wears many hats, they have different roles or tasks to perform.

Wear sackcloth and ashes

If someone displays their grief or contrition publicly, they wear sackcloth and ashes.

Wear your heart on your sleeve

Someone who wears their heart on their sleeve shows their emotions and feelings publicly.

Weather a storm

If you weather a storm, you get through a crisis or hard times.

Wedge politics

(USA) In wedge politics, one party uses an issue that they hope will divide members of a different party to create conflict and weaken it.

Wee buns

(Irish) If a task was wee buns, it means it was very easy. It is similar to "piece of cake"

Wee hours

Wee hours are the first hours after midnight.

Weight off your shoulders

If something is a weight off your shoulders, you have relieved yourself of a burden, normally a something that has been troubling you or worrying you.

Well-heeled

Someone who is well-heeled is rich.

Well-oiled

If someone is well-oiled, they have drunk a lot.

Well-oiled machine

Something that functions very well is a well-oiled machine.

Were you born in a barn?

If someone asks you this, it means that you forgot to close the door when you came in.

Wet behind the ears

Someone who is wet behind the ears is either very young or inexperienced.