These expressions are very often used in real-life English – knowing them will make your English flow naturally! So here you go!
1) to make a wish
= to try to make something happen by thinking about it
He blew out the candles on his cake and made a wish.
2) I wish! / You wish!
= You say this to show that something is (almost) impossible even if you’d like it to be possible.
You’ll save up enough money to buy a house soon. I wish!
3) wishful thinking
= the idea that something will happen although it is not true and not really possible
I think he likes me, but this could just be wishful thinking.
4) a wish list
= a list of all the things you’d like to have
I am writing a wish list for my birthday.
5) a wishing well
= a well (=a deep hole with water in it) or fountain that people drop coins into to make their wish come true
Do you have a dime? Here is a wishing well and I’d like to make a wish!
6) Your wish is my command!
= I’m ready to do whatever you say.
Would you like some more pancakes? Your wish is my command!
7) wish someone well
= to send good thoughts and wishes to someone
I wish you both well in this new chapter of your life.
8) wish something really hard
= to think that you want something very much
If you wish really hard, you may get what you want.
9) I wouldn’t wish something like that on my worst enemy!
= I wouldn’t want something bad/unpleasant like that to happen to anyone.
He was a terrible boss, he stressed me out every day while we worked together. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.
10) Be careful what you wish for! (You might just get it.)
= Your wish may come true, and you may realize that it’s not what you wanted!
Be careful what you wish for! Fame is not all that great.
Related posts:
Wish Quiz – Talking about present and past wishes
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