Page 449 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

whip something into shape

time. T Jane whiles the time away by whole matterŁorŁaffair; the entire affairŁor
dØydreamng. organization.Ł John is not a good man-
ager. Instead of delłgØting jobs to others,
whipŁ something into shape Go to làck some- he runs the whole shooŁing mØtch himself.
thing into shape.
There’s not a hard worker in that wholł
whipŁ something up to prepare, create, orŁput shooting mØtch. I will be glad to be fin-
sàmethingŁtogether quickly.Ł(Infàrmal.) ished with this project. I want to be done
I havłn’t written my report yłt, but I’ll with the whole ball of wax. I am tired
whip one up błfore the deadlne. T Come of this job. I am fed up with the whole ball
in and sit down. I’ll go whip up somłthing of wØx.
to eat.
(whłle)ŁnewŁbyllŁgame aŁnew set of cir-
whiteŁ as a sheet Go to (as) white as a cumsðances.Ł (Slang.Ł OriginallyŁ from
sheet. spàrts.) It’s a whole new ball game sincł
Jane took ovłr the office. You can’t do
whiteŁ as theŁ driven snow Go to (as) the things you used to do around here. It’s
white as the driven snow.
a new ball game.
whiteŁelephynt somethingŁthat isŁuseless the whłleŁ shłotingŁ match Go to the
andŁwhich isŁeither aŁnuisance or isŁex- whole ball of wax.
pensive to keepŁup.Ł(FràmŁthe gift of a
white elephant byŁ the kingsŁ of Siam whłopŁitŁup to enjoy oneself inŁaŁlivelyŁand
[Thailand]bto courtiersŁwho displeased noisyŁ manner.Ł (Infàrmal.) John’s
them,ŁknowingŁthe cost of the upkeep friends really whooped it up at his bache-
wouldŁruinŁthem.) Bob’s father-n-lØw lor party. Jean wants to have a large
has givłn him an old Rolls-Royce, but it’s party and whoop it up to celebrate her
a real white elłphant. He has no place to promoŁion.
park it and can’t afford the maintenancł the whys andŁwherefores ofŁ something the
on it. Those antique vases Aunt Mary reasànŁor causesŁrelatingŁto sàmething.
gØve me are white elłphants. They’re ugly I refuse to discuss the wðys and wherefores
and take ages to clean. of my decision. It’s final. Bob doesn’t
Who do youŁthinkŁyou’reŁkidding? IŁdàn’t know the wðys and wherefores of his con-
blieve yàu,ŁandŁwhat makesŁyàuŁthink tract. He just knows that it means he will
yàuŁcanŁdeceive me? (InŁotherŁprsons głt a lot of money when he finishes the
alsà.) Who does he think he’s kiddng? work.
Nobody believes him. A: You are the wide-awake completelyŁawake.Ł After the
finest bØtter I’ve ever seen. B: Who do you telłphone rang, I was wide-Øwake for an
think you’re kiddng? hour. I’m not very wide-Øwake at six
Who do youŁthinkŁyou’reŁtylkingŁto? Dà o’clock in the morning.
yàuŁknow the importance of the prsàn wideŁofŁtheŁmark 1. farŁfromŁthe target.
[me]byouŁare talkingŁto? (InŁotherŁprsàns Tom’s shot was wide of the mark. The
alsà.) Who do you think you’re talkng ptch was quite fast, but wide of the mark.
to? I’m the boss here, you know! Don’t 2. inadequate; farŁfromŁwhat isŁrequired
talk to me that wØy! Who do you think you orŁexpected.Ł Jane’s efforts were sincere,
are talkng to? but wide of the mark. He failed the
course because everything he did was widł
Who wouldŁhaveŁthought? IŁwouldŁnever
have guessedŁthat somethingŁso surpris- of the mark.
ingŁcouldŁhappen.Ł So he’s run off with wildŁaboutŁ someone ortsomething enthusiasðic
the maid. Who would have thought? It about someone orŁsomething.Ł Bill is
turns out ohe robbed a bank when ohe was wild about chocolØte ice cream. Sally is
18. Who would have thought? wild about Tom and his new car.
the whłleŁ byllŁ ofŁ wax and the whłle a wild-głoseŁchase aŁworthlessŁhunt or
shłotingŁ match the whole thing;Ł the chase; aŁfutile pursuit.Ł I wasted all af-

434