[with all one’s heart] See: FROM THE BOTTOM OF ONE’S HEART.

[with an eye to] See: EYE TO.

[with a silver spoon in one’s mouth] See: BORN WITH A SILVER SPOON IN ONE’SMOUTH.

[with a whole skin] also [in a whole skin] {adv. phr.} With noinjury; unhurt; safely. •/The boy was lucky to escape with a whole skin whenthe car went off the road./ •/Jack came through the game with a wholeskin./ •/The horse threw him off, but he got away in a whole skin./ Syn.:SAFE AND SOUND.

[with bad grace] or [with a bad grace] {adv. phr.} In an unpleasantor discourteous way; unwillingly, •/Fred takes defeat with bad grace./•/Tom shouted "Hello" to Bill. Bill was in a sour mood and replied with a badgrace./ Contrast: WITH GOOD GRACE.

[with bells on]{adv. phr.}, {informal} With enthusiasm; eager orready and in the best of spirits for an event. •/"Will you come to thefarewell party I’m giving for Billy?" asked Jerry. "I’ll be there with bellson," replied Ed./

[with child]{adv. phr.}, {literary} Going to have a baby;pregnant. •/The angel told Mary she was with child./ Compare: IN A FAMILYWAY or IN THE FAMILY WAY.

[wither on the vine] See: DIE ON THE VINE.

[with fire] See: PLAY WITH FIRE.

[with flying colors]{adv. phr.} With great or total success;victoriously. •/Tow finished the race with flying colors./ •/Mary camethrough the examination with flying colors./

[with good grace]{adv. phr.} With pleasant and courteous behavior;politely; willingly; without complaining. •/The boys had been well-coached;they took the loss of the game with good grace./ •/The principal scoldedNora, who accepted his criticism with good grace./ Contrast: WITH BAD GRACE.

[with heart and soul] See: HEART AND SOUL.

[within an ace of]{informal} or [within an inch of] {adv.phr.} Almost but not quite; very close to; nearly. •/Tim came within an aceof losing the election./ •/John was within an inch of drowning before hewas pulled out of the water./ Compare: BY THE SKIN OF ONE’S TEETH.

[within an inch of one’s life]{adv. phr.} Until you are almost dead;near to dying. •/The bear clawed the hunter within an inch of his life./Often used after "to". •/The prize fighter was beaten to within an inch ofhis life./

[within bounds]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Inside of the boundarylines in a game; on or inside of the playing field. •/You must hit the ballinside the lines of the tennis court or it will not be within bounds./ •/Ifyou kick the football over a side-line, it will not be in bounds./ 2. Insideof a place where one is allowed to go or be. •/The soldiers are within boundson one side of the city, but are out of bounds on the other side./ 3. Insideof safe or proper limits; allowable. •/If you ask Father for a quarter, hemight give it to you, but a dollar would not be within bounds./ •/Hesucceeded in keeping his temper within bounds./ Contrast: OUT OF BOUNDS.

[within call] or [within hail] {adv. phr.} 1. Near enough to heareach other’s voices. •/When the two ships were within hail, their officersexchanged messages./ •/Billy’s mother told him to stay within call becausesupper was nearly ready./ 2. In a place where you can be reached by phone,radio, or TV and be called. •/The sick man was very low and the doctor stayedwithin call./ •/The soldiers were allowed to leave the base by day, but hadto stay within call./

[within reason]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} Within the limits of goodsense; in reasonable control or check; moderate. •/I want you to have a goodtime tonight, within reason./ •/If Tom wants to go to the fair, he mustkeep his expenses within reason./ •/Jean’s plans are quite withinreason./

[with it] See: GET WITH IT.

[with might and main]{adv. phr.} With full strength or completeeffort. •/The sailors pulled the rope with might and main./ •/John triedwith all his might and main to solve the problem./

[with one’s boots on] See: DIE IN ONE’S BOOTS or DIE WITH ONE’S BOOTS ON.

[with one’s pants down] See: CATCH ONE WITH ONE’S PANTS DOWN.

[with open arms]{adv. phr.} 1. With the arms spread wide for huggingor catching. •/When Father came home from work, little Sally ran out to meethim with open arms./ •/Dick stood under the window with open arms, and Jeandropped the bag of laundry down to him./ 2. With words or actions showingthat you are glad to see someone; gladly, warmly, eagerly. •/When Grandmothercame to visit us at Christmas, we welcomed her with open arms./ •/After hispioneering flight in the Friendship VII, Col. John Glenn was welcomed with openarms' by the people of his hometown./

[without] See: DO WITHOUT or GO WITHOUT, MAKE BRICKS WITHOUT STRAW, RECKONWITHOUT.

[without a paddle] See: UP THE CREEK or UP THE CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE.

[without batting an eye] or [without batting an eyelash] See: BAT ANEYE.

[without fail]{adv. phr.} Without failing to do it or failing in thedoing of it; certainly, surely. •/Be here at 8 o’clock sharp, withoutfail./ •/Ben promised to return the bike at a certain time without fail./

[without number] See: BEYOND NUMBER.

[without rhyme or reason] See: RHYME OR REASON.

[with reference to] See: IN REFERENCE TO.

[with regard to] See: IN REFERENCE TO.

[with relation to] See: IN RELATION TO.

[with respect to] See: IN RESPECT TO.

[with the best] or [with the best of them] {adv. phr.} As well asanyone. •/Bob could horseback ride with the best of them, but he neverboasted about it./ •/John can bowl with the best of them./

[with the Joneses] See: KEEP UP WITH THE JONESES.

[wolf] See: CRY WOLF, KEEP THE WOLF FROM THE DOOR, LONE WOLF, THROW TO THEWOLVES.

[wolf in sheep’s clothing]{n. phr.} A person who pretends to be goodbut really is bad. •/Mrs. Martin trusted the lawyer until she realized thathe was a wolf in sheep’s clothing./ •/Mr. Black was fooled by thesalesman’s manners until he showed that he was really a wolf in sheep’sclothing by selling Mr. Black a car that was falling apart./

[wonder] See: NO WONDER also SMALL WONDER.

[woo] See: PITCH WOO.

[wood] See: CAN’T SEE THE WOOD FOR THE TREES, KNOCK ON WOOD, SAW WOOD.

[woodpile] See: NIGGER IN THE WOODPILE.

[woods] See: BABE IN THE WOODS, CROW BEFORE ONE IS OUT OF THE WOODS, NECKOF THE WOODS, TAKE TO THE WOODS.

[wool] See: ALL WOOL AND A YARD WIDE, PULL THE WOOL OVER ONE’S EYES.

[word] See: ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS, AS GOOD AS ONE’S WORD, BY WORDOF MOUTH, EAT ONE’S WORDS, FROM THE WORD "GO", GET A WORD IN, GET THE MESSAGEor GET THE WORD, HANG ON THE WORDS OF, IN BRIEF or IN A WORD, IN SO MANY WORDS,LAST WORD, MAN OF FEW WORDS, MAN OF HIS WORD, MUM IS THE WORD, PLAY ON WORDS,PUT WORDS INTO ONE’S MOUTH, SAY THE WORD, SWALLOW ONE’S WORDS, TAKE AT ONE’SWORD, TAKE THE WORDS OUT OF ONE’S MOUTH, WEASEL WORD, WEIGH ONE’S WORDS.

[word for word]{adv. phr.} In exactly the same words. •/Mary copiedSally’s composition word for word./ •/Joan repeated the conversation wordfor word./ •/She learned the poem many years ago but she recited it wordfor word./