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[worth a cent]{adj. phr.} Worth anything; of any value. — Used in negative, interrogative, and conditional sentences. •/The book was old and it was not worth a cent./

[worth one’s salt]{adj. phr.} Being a good worker, or a productive person; worth what you cost. •/Mr. Brown showed that he was worth his salt as a salesman when he got the highest sales record for the year./ — Often used with "not" or "hardly". •/When the basketball team did so poorly, people felt that the coach was hardly worth his salt./ Compare: PAY ONE’S WAY(2).

[would-be]{adj.} Aspiring. •/The Broadway casting offices are always full of would-be actors./

[would that] or [I would that] or [would God] or [would heaven] {literary} I wish that. — Used at the beginning of a sentence expressing a wish; followed by a verb in the subjunctive; found mostly in poetry and older literature. •/Would that I could only drop everything and join you./ •/Would that my mother were alive to see me married./ Syn.: IF ONLY.

[wouldn’t put it past one]{v. phr.} To think that someone is quite capable or likely to have done something undesirable or illegal. •/Congressman Alfonso is insisting that he didn’t violate congressional ethics, but knowing both his expensive habits and his amorous escapades, many of us wouldn’t put it past him that he might have helped himself to funds illegally./

[wrack] See: GO TO WRACK AND RUIN.

[wrap] See: UNDER WRAPS.

[wrap one around one’s finger] See: TWIST ONE AROUND ONE’S LITTLE FINGER.

[wrapped up in]{adj. phr.} Thinking only of; interested only in. •/John has no time for sports because he is all wrapped up in his work./ •/Mary was so wrapped up in her book she didn’t hear her mother calling her./ •/Jean is so wrapped up in herself, she never thinks of helping others./ •/Mrs. Brown gave up her career because her life was all wrapped up in her children./ Compare: IN A WORLD OF ONE’S OWN (2b).

[wrap up] or [bundle up] {v. phr.} 1. To put on warm clothes; dress warmly. •/Mother told Mary to wrap up before going out into the cold./ 2. {informal} To finish (a job). •/Let’s wrap up the job and go home./ 3. {informal} To win a game. •/The Mets wrapped up the baseball game in the seventh inning./

[wreak havoc with]{v. phr.} To cause damage; ruin something. •/His rebellious attitude is bound to wreak havoc at the company./

[wrench] See: THROW A MONKEY WRENCH.

[wringing wet] adj. Wet through and through; soaked; dripping. •/He was wringing wet because he was caught in the rain without an umbrella./ •/He was wringing wet after working in the fields in the hot sun./

[write home about]{v. phr.} To become especially enthusiastic or excited about; boast about. — Often used after "to". •/Mary’s trip to the World’s Fair was something to write home about./ •/Joe did a good enough job of painting but it was nothing to write home about./ •/"That was a dinner worth writing home about!" said Bill coming out of the restaurant./

[write off]{v. phr.} 1. To remove (an amount) from a business record; cancel (a debt); accept as a loss. •/If a customer dies when he owes the store money, the store must often write it off./ Compare: CHARGE OFF. 2. To accept (a loss or trouble) and not worry anymore about it; forget. •/Mr. Brown had so much trouble with the new TV set that he finally wrote it off and bought a new one./ •/Jim’s mistake cost him time and money, but he wrote it off to experience./ Compare: CHARGE OFF(2). Contrast: CHALK UP(2). To say that (something) will fail or not be good; believe worthless. •/Just because the boys on the team are young, don’t write the team off./ Compare: COUNT OUT.