A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
W
Wap
(wireless application protocol) phones
web, webpage, website, world wide web
weight
in kilograms with imperial conversion, eg 65kg (10st 2lb)
whereabouts
singular: her whereabouts is not known
who or whom?
From a Guardian report: “The US kept up the pressure by naming nine Yugoslav military leaders operating in Kosovo whom it said were committing war crimes.” The “whom” should have been “who”. That one was caught by the sub, but it is a common mistake.
If in doubt, ask yourself how the clause beginning who/whom would read in the form of a sentence giving he, him, she, her, they or them instead: if the who/whom person turns into he/she/they, then “who” is right; if it becomes him/her/them, then it should be “whom”.
In the story above, “they” were allegedly committing the crimes, so it should be “who”.
In this example: “Blair was attacked for criticising Howard, whom he despised” — “whom” is correct because he despised “him”.
But in “Blair criticised Howard, who he thought was wrong” — “who” is correct, because it is “he” not “him” who is considered wrong.
Use of “whom” has all but disappeared from spoken English, and seems to be going the same way in most forms of written English too. If you are not sure, it is much better to use “who” when “whom” would traditionally have been required than to use “whom” incorrectly for “who”, which will make you look not just wrong but wrong and pompous
wide-angle
as in lens: "include foreground interest when you use a wide-angle lens"
wipeout
noun wipe out verb
withhold
worldwide
but world wide web
wrack
seaweed
racked
with guilt, not wracked; rack and ruin
(wireless application protocol) phones
web, webpage, website, world wide web
weight
in kilograms with imperial conversion, eg 65kg (10st 2lb)
whereabouts
singular: her whereabouts is not known
who or whom?
From a Guardian report: “The US kept up the pressure by naming nine Yugoslav military leaders operating in Kosovo whom it said were committing war crimes.” The “whom” should have been “who”. That one was caught by the sub, but it is a common mistake.
If in doubt, ask yourself how the clause beginning who/whom would read in the form of a sentence giving he, him, she, her, they or them instead: if the who/whom person turns into he/she/they, then “who” is right; if it becomes him/her/them, then it should be “whom”.
In the story above, “they” were allegedly committing the crimes, so it should be “who”.
In this example: “Blair was attacked for criticising Howard, whom he despised” — “whom” is correct because he despised “him”.
But in “Blair criticised Howard, who he thought was wrong” — “who” is correct, because it is “he” not “him” who is considered wrong.
Use of “whom” has all but disappeared from spoken English, and seems to be going the same way in most forms of written English too. If you are not sure, it is much better to use “who” when “whom” would traditionally have been required than to use “whom” incorrectly for “who”, which will make you look not just wrong but wrong and pompous
wide-angle
as in lens: "include foreground interest when you use a wide-angle lens"
wipeout
noun wipe out verb
withhold
worldwide
but world wide web
wrack
seaweed
racked
with guilt, not wracked; rack and ruin
