COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (Collins Cobuild)

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you choose the wrong thing, person, or method, you make a mistake and do not choose the one that you really want. □ He went to the wrong house. □ The wrong man had been punished. □ Could you have given them the wrong information by mistake? □ There is no right or wrong way to do these exercises. ● ADV [ADV after v] Wrong is also an adverb. □ You've done it wrong. □ I must have dialled wrong.

3 ADJ [ADJ n] If something such as a decision, choice, or action is the wrong one, it is not the best or most suitable one. □ I really made the wrong decision there. □ The wrong choice of club might limit your chances of success. □ We got married when I was 30 for all the wrong reasons.

4 ADJ If something is wrong , it is incorrect and not in accordance with the facts. □ How do you know that this explanation is wrong? □ 20 per cent of the calculations are wrong. □ …a clock which showed the wrong time. □ Lots of people got the questions wrong. ● ADV [ADV after v] Wrong is also an adverb. □ I must have added it up wrong, then. □ It looks like it's spelled wrong. □ I can see exactly where he went wrong. ● wrong|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ A child was wrongly diagnosed as having a bone tumour. □ Civilians assume, wrongly, that everything in the military runs smoothly.

5 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If something is wrong or goes wrong with a machine or piece of equipment, it stops working properly. □ [+ with ] We think there's something wrong with the computer. □ [+ with ] Something must have gone wrong with the satellite link.

6 ADJ [v-link ADJ , ADJ to-inf] If you are wrong about something, what you say or think about it is not correct. □ [+ about ] I was wrong about it being a casual meeting. □ It would be wrong to suggest that we are emotionally weaker than our forefathers. □ I'm sure you've got it wrong. Kate isn't like that. □ It's been very nice to prove them wrong. [Also + in ]

7 ADJ [ADJ to-inf] If you think that someone was wrong to do something, you think that they should not have done it because it was bad or immoral. □ She was wrong to leave her child alone. □ We don't consider we did anything wrong. ● N‑UNCOUNT Wrong is also a noun. □ …a man who believes that he has done no wrong.

8 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] Wrong is used to refer to activities or actions that are considered to be morally bad and unacceptable. □ Is it wrong to try to save the life of someone you love? □ They thought slavery was morally wrong. □ The only thing I consider wrong is when you hurt someone. □ [+ with ] There is nothing wrong with journalists commenting on the attractiveness of artists. ● N‑UNCOUNT Wrong is also a noun. □ Johnson didn't seem to be able to tell the difference between right and wrong.

9 N‑COUNT A wrong is an unfair or immoral action. □ I intend to right that wrong. □ [+ of ] The insurance company should not be held liable for the wrongs of one of its agents.

10 VERB If someone wrongs you, they treat you in an unfair way. □ [V n] You have wronged my mother. □ [V n] She felt she'd been wronged. □ [V ] Those who have wronged must be ready to say: 'We have hurt you by this injustice.'

11 ADJ [ADJ n] You use wrong to describe something which is not thought to be socially acceptable or desirable. □ If you went to the wrong school, you won't get the job.

12 PHRASE If a situation goes wrong , it stops progressing in the way that you expected or intended, and becomes much worse. □ It all went horribly wrong.

13 PHRASE If someone who is involved in an argument or dispute has behaved in a way which is morally or legally wrong, you can say that they are in the wrong . □ He didn't press charges because he was in the wrong.

14 not far wrong → see far

15 to get off on the wrong foot → see foot

16 to get hold of the wrong end of the stick → see stick ➊

17 to be barking up the wrong tree → see tree

wrong|doer /rɒ ŋduːə ^r , [AM ] rɔː ŋ-/ (wrongdoers ) N‑COUNT A wrongdoer is a person who does things that are immoral or illegal. [JOURNALISM ]

wrong|doing /rɒ ŋduː I ŋ, [AM ] rɔː ŋ-/ (wrongdoings ) N‑VAR Wrongdoing is behaviour that is illegal or immoral. □ The city attorney's office hasn't found any evidence of criminal wrongdoing.

wro ng-foo t (wrong-foots , wrong-footing , wrong-footed ) also wrong foot VERB If you wrong-foot someone, you surprise them by putting them into an unexpected or difficult situation. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V n] He has surprised his supporters and wrong-footed his opponents with his latest announcement.

wrong|ful /rɒ ŋfʊl, [AM ] rɔː ŋ-/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A wrongful act is one that is illegal, immoral, or unjust. □ He is on hunger strike in protest at what he claims is his wrongful conviction for murder. □ One of her employees sued her for wrongful dismissal. ● wrong|ful|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ People are being wrongfully imprisoned.

wro ng-hea ded ADJ If you describe someone as wrong-headed , you mean that although they act in a determined way, their actions and ideas are based on wrong judgments.

wrote /roʊ t/ Wrote is the past tense of write .

wrought /rɔː t/

1 VERB [only past] If something has wrought a change, it has made it happen. [JOURNALISM , LITERARY ] □ [V n] Events in Paris wrought a change in British opinion towards France and Germany.

2 → see also wreak

wrou ght i ron also wrought-iron N‑UNCOUNT Wrought iron is a type of iron that is easily formed into shapes and is used especially for making gates, fences, and furniture.

wrung /rʌ ŋ/ Wrung is the past tense of wring .

wry /ra I /

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If someone has a wry expression, it shows that they find a bad situation or a change in a situation slightly amusing. □ Matthew allowed himself a wry smile.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A wry remark or piece of writing refers to a bad situation or a change in a situation in an amusing way. □ There is a wry sense of humour in his work.

wt also wt. Wt is a written abbreviation for weight .

WTO /dʌ b ^ə ljuː tiː oʊ / N‑PROPER WTO is an abbreviation for World Trade Organization . □ The world desperately needs an effective WTO.

wuss /wʊ s/ (wusses ) N‑COUNT If you call someone a wuss , you are criticizing them for being afraid. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]

WWW /dʌ bljuː dʌbljuː dʌ bljuː/ WWW is an abbreviation for 'World Wide Web'. It appears at the beginning of website addresses in the form www . [COMPUTING ] □ Check out our website at www.collinsdictionary.com.

WYSIWYG /w I ziw I g/ WYSIWYG is used to refer to a computer screen display which exactly matches the way that a document will appear when it is printed. WYSIWYG is an abbreviation for 'what you see is what you get'. [COMPUTING ] □ …the first WYSIWYG application for creating documents on the Web.