wood|land /wʊ dlənd/ (woodlands ) N‑VAR Woodland is land with a lot of trees.
wood|louse /wʊ dlaʊs/ (woodlice /wʊ dla I s/) N‑COUNT A woodlouse is a very small grey creature with a hard body and fourteen legs. Woodlice live in damp places.
wood|pecker /wʊ dpekə r / (woodpeckers ) N‑COUNT A woodpecker is a type of bird with a long sharp beak. Woodpeckers use their beaks to make holes in tree trunks.
wood|pile /wʊ dpa I l/ (woodpiles ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A woodpile is a pile of wood that is intended to be burnt on a fire as fuel.
woo d pulp N‑UNCOUNT Wood pulp is wood that has been cut up into small pieces and crushed. Wood pulp is used to make paper.
wood|shed /wʊ dʃed/ (woodsheds ) N‑COUNT A woodshed is a small building which is used for storing wood for a fire.
woo d stove (wood stoves ) in AM, also use woodstove N‑COUNT A wood stove is a device that burns wood in order to heat a room.
wood|wind /wʊ dw I nd/ (woodwinds )
1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Woodwind instruments are musical instruments such as flutes, clarinets, and recorders that you play by blowing into them.
2 N‑SING The woodwind is the section of an orchestra which consists of woodwind instruments such as flutes and clarinets.
wood|work /wʊ dwɜː r k/
1 N‑UNCOUNT You can refer to the doors and other wooden parts of a house as the woodwork . □ I love the living room, with its dark woodwork, oriental rugs, and chunky furniture. □ He could see the glimmer of fresh paint on the woodwork.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Woodwork is the activity or skill of making things out of wood. □ I have done woodwork for many years.
3 PHRASE If you say that people are coming out of the woodwork , you are criticizing them for suddenly appearing in public or revealing their opinions when previously they did not make themselves known. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Since I've had this column, several people from my past have come out of the woodwork.
wood|worm /wʊ dwɜː r m/ (woodworms or woodworm )
1 N‑COUNT Woodworm are very small creatures which make holes in wood by eating it.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Woodworm is damage caused to wood, especially to the wooden parts of a house or to furniture, by woodworm making holes in the wood. □ …treating the ground floor of a house for woodworm.
woody /wʊ di/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Woody plants have very hard stems. □ Care must be taken when trimming around woody plants like shrubs and trees.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A woody area has a lot of trees in it. □ …the wet and woody Vosges mountains.
woof /wʊ f/ N‑SING ; N‑COUNT Woof is the sound that a dog makes when it barks. [INFORMAL ] □ She started going 'woof woof'.
wool /wʊ l/ (wools )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Wool is the hair that grows on sheep and on some other animals.
2 N‑VAR Wool is a material made from animal's wool that is used to make things such as clothes, blankets, and carpets. □ …a wool overcoat. □ The carpets are made in wool and nylon.
3 → see also cotton wool , steel wool , wire wool
4 PHRASE If you say that someone is pulling the wool over your eyes , you mean that they are trying to deceive you, in order to have an advantage over you. □ Stop trying to pull the wool over my eyes! What were you two fighting about just now?
wool|len /wʊ lən/ (woollens ) in AM, use woolen 1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Woollen clothes or materials are made from wool or from a mixture of wool and artificial fibres. □ …thick woollen socks.
2 N‑PLURAL Woollens are clothes, especially sweaters, that are made of wool. □ …winter woollens.
wool|ly /wʊ li/ (woollies ) in AM, also use wooly 1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is woolly is made of wool or looks like wool. □ She wore this woolly hat with pompoms.
2 N‑COUNT A woolly is a woollen piece of clothing, especially a sweater. [BRIT , INFORMAL ]
3 ADJ If you describe a person or their ideas as woolly , you are criticizing them for being confused or vague. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …a weak and woolly Government.
woozy /wuː zi/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you feel woozy , you feel rather weak and unsteady and cannot think clearly. [INFORMAL ] □ The fumes made them woozy.
word ◆◆◆ /wɜː r d/ (words , wording , worded )
1 N‑COUNT A word is a single unit of language that can be represented in writing or speech. In English, a word has a space on either side of it when it is written. □ The words stood out clearly on the page. □ The word 'ginseng' comes from the Chinese word 'Shen-seng'. □ …swear words.
2 N‑PLURAL [oft with poss] Someone's words are what they say or write. □ I was devastated when her words came true. □ [+ of ] The words of the young woman doctor echoed in his ears.
3 N‑PLURAL The words of a song consist of the text that is sung, in contrast to the music that is played. □ Can you hear the words on the album?
4 N‑SING If you have a word with someone, you have a short conversation with them. [SPOKEN ] □ [+ with ] I think it's time you had a word with him. □ James, could I have a quiet word?
5 N‑COUNT If you offer someone a word of something such as warning, advice, or praise, you warn, advise, or praise them. □ [+ of ] A word of warning. Don't stick too precisely to what it says in the book.