wing (redirected from winging)

*candidate for a pair of wings

Euph. someone who is likely to die; someone who is close to death. (Jocular. *Typically: be ~; look like ~.) Whenever Jane wants to cross the street, she just walks out into traffic without looking. She's a candidate for a pair of wings, I say. Tom: How's Bill doing? I heard he was sick. Jane: Not good, I'm afraid. He looks like a candidate for a pair of wings.

See also: pair

*on a wing and a prayer

Fig. to arrive or fly in with one's plane in very bad condition. (Sometimes used fig. of other vehicles. *Typically: come (in) ~; arrive ~.) Finally we could see the plane through the smoke, coming in on a wing and a prayer.

See also: and, prayer

*under someone's wing(s)

Fig. receiving someone's care and nurturing. (*Typically: get someone ~; have some-one ~; take someone ~.) John wasn't doing well in geometry until the teacher took him under her wing. I had a number of the new workers under my wing for a few weeks.

clip someone's wings

Fig. to restrain someone; to reduce or put an end to someone's privileges. (Alludes to clipping a bird's wings to keep it from flying away.) You had better learn to get home on time, or I will clip your wings. My mother clipped my wings. I can't go out tonight.

See also: clip

If frogs had wheels, they wouldn't bump their butts, and If a toady frog had wings, he wouldn't bump his ass.

Rur. It is useless to wish for impossible things. (Use caution with ass.) Tom: If I had two hundred thousand dollars, I could buy that farm. Jane: Yeah, and if frogs had wheels, they wouldn't bump their butts. Charlie: If I were rich and famous, I'd make people listen to me. Bill: If a toady frog had wings, he wouldn't bump his ass.

See also: bump, butt, frog, had, if

on the wing

Fig. while flying; while in flight. (Usually refers to birds, fowl, etc., not people or planes.) There is nothing as pretty as a bird on the wing. The hawk caught the sparrow on the wing.

sprout wings

Fig. to behave so well as to resemble an angel. The kid is not about to sprout wings, but he probably won't get into jail again. He was so good and helpful, I thought he would sprout wings.

See also: sprout

try one's wings (out)

Fig. to try to do something one has recently become qualified to do. (Fig. on the image of a young bird trying to fly.) I recently learned to snorkel, and I want to go to the seaside to try my wings. You've read about it enough. It's time to try out your wings.

See also: try

waiting in the wings

Fig. ready or prepared to do something, especially to take over someone else's job or position. Mr. Smith retires as manager next year, and Mr. Jones is just waiting in the wings. Jane was waiting in the wings, hoping that a member of the hockey team would drop out and she would get a place on the team.

See also: waiting

wing it

to improvise; to do something extemporaneously. I lost my lecture notes, so I had to wing it. Don't worry. Just go out there and wing it.

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be on the wing  (literary)

if a bird or insect is on the wing, it is flying Numerous orange-tip butterflies were on the wing in the warm sunshine.

be waiting in the wings

to be ready to be used or employed instead of someone or something else

Usage notes: In the theatre, the wings are the sides of the stage which cannot be seen by the people watching the play, where actors wait until it is their turn to walk on to the stage.

The rumour is that Green will be sacked and Brinkworth is waiting in the wings to take over as manager.

See play a waiting game

See also: waiting

clip somebody's wings

to limit someone's freedom

Usage notes: Birds who have had their wings clipped (= cut) cannot fly.

She never had kids. I guess she thought motherhood would clip her wings.

See also: clip

on a wing and a prayer

if you do something on a wing and a prayer, you do it hoping that you will succeed although you are not prepared enough for it With scarcely any funding and a staff of six, they operate on a wing and a prayer.

See also: and, prayer

spread your wings

to start to do new and exciting things for the first time in your life The kids had all grown up and left home and I thought it was time to spread my wings and live a little.

See also: spread

take somebody under your wing

to help and protect someone, especially someone who is younger than you or has less experience than you One of the older children will usually take a new girl or boy under their wing for the first few weeks.

See also: take

try your wings  (American)

to try to do something that you have recently learned to do She's just qualified and is looking for a chance to try her wings as a design consultant.

See change tack

See also: try

under the wing of something

under the control of an organization The newspaper is once again in Scottish hands, under the wing of a newly created company, Caledonian Newspaper Publishing.

wing your/its way

to fly or travel very fast Within a few hours the package will be winging its way across the Atlantic.

See also: way

wing it  (informal)

to do the best that you can in a situation that you are not prepared for I hadn't had time to prepare the talk so I just had to wing it.

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(wait) in the wings

to be ready to do something when the opportunity comes Other companies were waiting in the wings to sell similar drugs at much lower prices. The novel has sold well in the hardcover edition, and a paperback edition waits in the wings.

Etymology: based on the idea of an actor who waits in the wings (areas to each side of a stage) before appearing on stage

clip your wings

to limit your freedom She was afraid that motherhood would clip her wings.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of clip a bird's wings (to cut the feathers that make it possible for a bird to fly)

See also: clip

on the wing

in motion He started to run, but a rifle shot caught him on the wing.

Usage notes: based on the literal meaning of on the wing (flying): The sight of so many enormous birds on the wing filled me with awe.

spread your wings

to do new and different things Since I retired, I've been able to spread my wings and am busier than I was when I worked.

See also: spread

under your wing

helped and protected by you One of the children in the class will usually take a new girl or boy under their wing for the first few weeks.

Usage notes: also used in the forms under someone's wing or under the wing of someone: Everyone who lost their home in the fire was taken under the wing of a local church.

Etymology: based on the idea of a bird that protects its babies by spreading its wings over them

wing it

to invent a way to deal with a situation you are not prepared for I didn't have time to write a speech, so I just had to wing it in front of a large audience. Some actors can wing it, others go completely silent when something happens on stage that isn't supposed to happen.

Related vocabulary: on the fly