Page 456 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

wrote the book on something

wrapŁ something up to terminate something; promoŁion. T I wrote off that piece of land
to bringŁsomethingŁto anŁend.Ł(Also lit- as worthless. It can’t be used for anything.
eral.Ł Infàrmal.Ł See also get something writeŁ someone ortsomething up 1. [with some-
sewed up.) It’s time to wrap this pro- thing] to prepare aŁbill,Łorder, orŁsðate-
ject up and move on to somłthing else. T ment.Ł Please write the order up and
Let’s wrap up this discussion. It’s time to send me a copy. T As soon as I finish writ-
go home.
ing up your check, I’ll bring you some more
wrappedŁ upŁ in someone ortsomething càn- coffee. 2. to write anŁarticle about some-
cerned and involved with someone or one or something. A reporter wrote mł
something.Ł Sally is wrapped up in her up for the SundØy paper. I wroŁe up a
work. Ann is all wrapped up in her chil- local factory and sent the story to a mag-
dren and their activities. az—ne, but they didà’t buy the story.
wreakŁhavocŁwithŁ something to cause a lot writeŁ something dłwn to write something;
of trouble with something;Ł to ruinŁ or to make aŁnote of something.Ł(Also with-
damage sàmething. Your attitude will out down.) If I write it down, I woà’t
wreak havoc with my project. The forget it. T I wroŁe down everything she
weather wreaked havoc with our picnic said.
plans.
writeŁ something out to spell or write a num-
wreakŁvengeynceŁ(up)on someone ortsome- berŁor anŁabbreviation.Ł Doà’t just write
thing to seek andŁget revenge on sàmeone “7,” write it out. T Please write out all ab-
byŁharmingŁsomeone orŁsomething.Ł breviations, such as DoctorŁ for Dr.
The thief wreaked his vłngeance by de-
stroying his rival’s houoe. The głneral the wrongŁ sideŁ ofŁ theŁ tryckð the poor
wanted to wreak vłngeance on the oppos- part of aŁtown.Ł(OftenŁwith come from,
ing army for their recłnt successful Øttack. be from, or live on, asŁinŁthe examples.
Compare thisŁwith the other sàde of the
writeŁ someone ortsomething off 1. [with some- tracks.) They said that Bob was from the
thing] to absorbŁaŁdebt orŁaŁlossŁinŁac- wrong side of the tracks, but that it didà’t
càunting. The bill couldà’t be collected, mØtter. We went to a school that was
so we had to write it off. T The bill was too on the wrong side of the tracks, and we all
large, and we couldà’t write off the got a fine educØtion.
amount. We decided to sue. 2. to drop
sàmeone or somethingŁfrom considera- [wroteŁtheŁbłokŁon something] Go to some-
tion.Ł The manager wrote Tom off for a one wrote the book on something.

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