wa ke-up call (wake-up calls )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A wake-up call is a phone call that you can book through an operator or at a hotel to make sure that you wake up at a particular time.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you say that something is a wake-up call to a person or group of people, you mean that it will make them notice something and start to take action. □ [+ to ] The Ambassador said he hoped the statement would serve as a wake-up call to the government.
walk ◆◆◆ /wɔː k/ (walks , walking , walked )
1 VERB When you walk , you move forward by putting one foot in front of the other in a regular way. □ [V ] Rosanna and Forbes walked in silence for some while. □ [V prep/adv] She turned and walked away. □ [V n] They would stop the car and walk a few steps. □ [V n + to ] When I was your age I walked five miles to school.
2 N‑COUNT A walk is a journey that you make by walking, usually for pleasure. □ I went for a walk. □ He often took long walks in the hills.
3 N‑SING A walk of a particular distance is the distance which a person has to walk to get somewhere. □ [+ to ] It was only a three-mile walk to Kabul from there. □ [+ from ] The church is a short walk from Piazza Dante.
4 N‑COUNT A walk is a route suitable for walking along for pleasure. □ There is a 2 mile coastal walk from Craster to Newton.
5 N‑SING A walk is the action of walking rather than running. □ She slowed to a steady walk.
6 N‑SING Someone's walk is the way that they walk. □ George, despite his great height and gangling walk, was a keen dancer.
7 VERB If you walk someone somewhere, you walk there with them in order to show politeness or to make sure that they get there safely. □ [V n prep/adv] She walked me to my car.
8 VERB If you walk your dog, you take it for a walk in order to keep it healthy. □ [V n] I walk my dog each evening around my local streets.
9 to be walking on air → see air
10 to walk tall → see tall
▸ walk away PHRASAL VERB If you walk away from a problem or a difficult situation, you do nothing about it or do not face any bad consequences from it. □ [V P + from ] The most appropriate strategy may simply be to walk away from the problem. □ [V P ] No one knows you're a part of this. You can just walk away.
▸ walk away with PHRASAL VERB If you walk away with something such as a prize, you win it or get it very easily. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V P P n] Enter our competition and you could walk away with £10,000.
▸ walk in on PHRASAL VERB If you walk in on someone, you enter the room that they are in while they are doing something private, and this creates an embarrassing situation. □ [V P P n] I walked in on him chatting to a woman on webcam.
▸ walk into
1 PHRASAL VERB If you walk into an unpleasant situation, you become involved in it without expecting to, especially because you have been careless. □ [V P n] He's walking into a situation that he absolutely can't control.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you walk into a job, you manage to get it very easily. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P n] When I left school, I could walk into any job.
▸ walk off with PHRASAL VERB If you walk off with something such as a prize, you win it or get it very easily. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V P P n] The delighted pensioner walked off with a £2,000 prize.
▸ walk out
1 PHRASAL VERB If you walk out of a meeting, a performance, or an unpleasant situation, you leave it suddenly, usually in order to show that you are angry or bored. □ [V P + of ] Several dozen councillors walked out of the meeting in protest. □ [V P ] Mr. Mason walked out during the performance.
2 PHRASAL VERB If someone walks out on their family or their partner, they leave them suddenly and go to live somewhere else. □ [V P + on ] Her husband walked out on her.
3 PHRASAL VERB If workers walk out , they stop doing their work for a period of time, usually in order to try to get better pay or conditions for themselves. □ [V P ] Nationwide industrial action began earlier this week, when staff at most banks walked out.
▸ walk over PHRASAL VERB If someone walks over you, they treat you very badly. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P n] Do you think you can walk over me? Well, you won't, ever! SYNONYMS walk VERB 1
stride: He turned abruptly and strode off down the corridor.
wander: They wandered off in the direction of the nearest store.
strolclass="underline" Afterwards, we strolled back and settled down with the newspapers.
march: He marched into the kitchen without knocking.
walk|about /wɔː kəbaʊt/ (walkabouts ) N‑COUNT A walkabout is a walk by a king, queen, or other important person through a public place in order to meet people in an informal way. [mainly BRIT ] □ He was ambushed by angry protesters during a walkabout in Bolton. ● PHRASE If a king, queen, or other important person goes walkabout or goes on a walkabout , he or she walks through crowds in a public place in order to meet people in an informal way. [BRIT ] □ The Prime Minister insisted on going walkabout in Belfast.
walk|er /wɔː kə r / (walkers )
1 N‑COUNT A walker is a person who walks, especially in the countryside for pleasure or in order to keep healthy.
2 N‑COUNT A walker is a special kind of frame which is designed to help babies or people who are ill or who have a disability to walk. □ She eventually used a cane, then a walker, and finally was confined to the house.