Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

14not far wrong → see far

15to get off on the wrong foot → see foot

16to get hold of the wrong end of the stick → see stick ➊

17to be barking up the wrong tree → see tree

wrong|doer /rɒ ŋduːə ^r , [AM ] rɔː ŋ-/ (wrongdoers ) N‑COUNT A wrongdoer is a person who does things that are immoral or illegal. [JOURNALISM ]

wrong|doing /rɒ ŋduː I ŋ, [AM ] rɔː ŋ-/ (wrongdoings ) N‑VAR Wrongdoing is behaviour that is illegal or immoral. □  The city attorney's office hasn't found any evidence of criminal wrongdoing.

wro ng-foo t (wrong-foots , wrong-footing , wrong-footed ) also wrong foot VERB If you wrong-foot someone, you surprise them by putting them into an unexpected or difficult situation. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V n] He has surprised his supporters and wrong-footed his opponents with his latest announcement.

wrong|ful /rɒ ŋfʊl, [AM ] rɔː ŋ-/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A wrongful act is one that is illegal, immoral, or unjust. □  He is on hunger strike in protest at what he claims is his wrongful conviction for murder. □  One of her employees sued her for wrongful dismissal. ●  wrong|ful|ly ADV [ADV with v] □  People are being wrongfully imprisoned.

wro ng-hea ded ADJ If you describe someone as wrong-headed , you mean that although they act in a determined way, their actions and ideas are based on wrong judgments.

wrote /roʊ t/ Wrote is the past tense of write .

wrought /rɔː t/

1 VERB [only past] If something has wrought a change, it has made it happen. [JOURNALISM , LITERARY ] □ [V n] Events in Paris wrought a change in British opinion towards France and Germany.

2 → see also wreak

wrou ght i ron also wrought-iron N‑UNCOUNT Wrought iron is a type of iron that is easily formed into shapes and is used especially for making gates, fences, and furniture.

wrung /rʌ ŋ/ Wrung is the past tense of wring .

wry /ra I /

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If someone has a wry expression, it shows that they find a bad situation or a change in a situation slightly amusing. □  Matthew allowed himself a wry smile.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A wry remark or piece of writing refers to a bad situation or a change in a situation in an amusing way. □  There is a wry sense of humour in his work.

wt also wt. Wt is a written abbreviation for weight .

WTO /dʌ b ^ə ljuː tiː oʊ / N‑PROPER WTO is an abbreviation for World Trade Organization . □  The world desperately needs an effective WTO.

wuss /wʊ s/ (wusses ) N‑COUNT If you call someone a wuss , you are criticizing them for being afraid. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]

WWW /dʌ bljuː dʌbljuː dʌ bljuː/ WWW is an abbreviation for 'World Wide Web'. It appears at the beginning of website addresses in the form www . [COMPUTING ] □  Check out our website at www.collinsdictionary.com.

WYSIWYG /w I ziw I g/ WYSIWYG is used to refer to a computer screen display which exactly matches the way that a document will appear when it is printed. WYSIWYG is an abbreviation for 'what you see is what you get'. [COMPUTING ] □  …the first WYSIWYG application for creating documents on the Web.

Xx

X , x /e ks/ (X's, x's )

1 N‑VAR X is the twenty-fourth letter of the English alphabet.

2 When writing down the size of something, you can use x in between the measurements to mean 'by'. □  The conservatory measures approximately 13ft x 16ft.

X chro|mo|some (X chromosomes ) N‑COUNT An X chromosome is one of an identical pair of chromosomes found in a woman's cells, or one of a non-identical pair found in a man's cells. X chromosomes are associated with female characteristics. Compare Y chromosome .

xeno|pho|bia /ze nəfoʊ biə/ N‑UNCOUNT Xenophobia is strong and unreasonable dislike or fear of people from other countries. [FORMAL ] WORD HISTORY xenophobia