wax (redirected from waxes and wane)

wax and wane

Fig. to increase and then decrease, as the phases of the moon. As the moon waxes and wanes, so does the height of the tide change. Voter sentiment about the tax proposal waxes and wanes with each passing day.

See also: and, wane

wax angry and wax wroth

Fig. to speak in anger and with indignity. Seeing the damage done by the careless children caused the preacher to wax wroth at their parents.

See also: angry

wax eloquent

Fig. to speak with eloquence. Perry never passed up a chance to wax eloquent at a banquet.

wax poetic

Fig. to speak poetically. I hope you will pardon me if I wax poetic for a moment when I say that your lovely hands drift across the piano keys like swans on a lake.

See also: poetic

whole ball of wax and whole shooting match

the whole thing; the whole matter or affair; the entire affair or organization. John is not a good manager. Instead of delegating jobs to others, he runs the whole shooting match himself. There's not a hard worker in that whole shooting match. I will be glad to be finished with this project. I want to be done with the whole ball of wax. I am tired of this job. I am fed up with the whole ball of wax.

See also: ball, whole

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the whole ball of wax  (American informal)

the whole of something, including everything that is connected with it She started working on the project in '96 and within six months was running the whole ball of wax.

See also: ball, whole

wax and wane

to grow bigger and stronger and then to become smaller or weaker again Their influence waxes and wanes depending on which party is in power.

See also: and, wane

wax lyrical

to talk about something with a lot of interest and excitement I recall Roz waxing lyrical about the flatness of his stomach.

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a different ball of wax

something not at all similar Sports are very popular but the Olympics are a different ball of wax.

Related vocabulary: a (whole) new ballgame

See also: ball, different

the whole ball of wax

everything She started working on the project in 1999, and within six months she was responsible for the whole ball of wax.

Related vocabulary: the whole bit

See also: ball, whole

wax and wane

to become stronger and then weaker Religious influence on politics has waxed and waned since the founding of this country.

See also: and, wane