Synonyms

wheel and deal

[hweel, weel] Origin

wheel

[hweel, weel]
noun
1.
a circular frame or disk arranged to revolve on an axis, as on or in vehicles or machinery.
2.
any machine, apparatus, instrument, etc., shaped like this or having a circular frame, disk, or revolving drum as an essential feature: a potter's wheel; roulette wheel; spinning wheel.
4.
Nautical.
a.
a circular frame with an axle connecting to the rudder of a ship, for steering: He took the wheel during the storm.
c.
a propeller.
5.
Informal. a bicycle.
EXPAND
6.
a round object, decoration, etc.: a wheel of cheese; a design of red wheels and blue squares.
7.
an old instrument of torture in the form of a circular frame on which the victim was stretched until disjointed.
8.
a circular firework that revolves rapidly while burning; pinwheel.
9.
a rotating instrument that Fortune is represented as turning in order to bring about changes or reverses in human affairs.
10.
wheels,
a.
moving, propelling, or animating agencies: the wheels of commerce; the wheels of thought.
b.
Slang. a personal means of transportation, especially a car.
11.
a cycle, recurring action, or steady progression: the wheel of days and nights.
12.
a wheeling or circular movement: the intricate wheels of the folk dances.
13.
(formerly) a movement of troops, ships, etc., drawn up in line, as if turning on a pivot.
14.
Informal. someone active and influential, as in business, politics, etc.; an important person: a big wheel.
COLLAPSE
verb (used with object)
15.
to cause to turn, rotate, or revolve, as on an axis.
16.
to perform (a movement) in a circular or curving direction.
17.
to move, roll, or convey on wheels, casters, etc.: The servants wheel the tables out.
18.
to provide (a vehicle, machine, etc.) with wheels.

00:10

00:09

00:08

00:07

00:06

00:05

00:04

00:03

00:02

00:01

Wheel and deal is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
verb (used without object)
19.
to turn on or as on an axis or about a center; revolve, rotate, or pivot.
20.
to move in a circular or curving course: pigeons wheeling above.
21.
to turn so as to face in a different direction (often followed by about or around): He wheeled about and faced his opponent squarely.
22.
to change one's opinion or procedure (often followed by about or around): He wheeled around and argued for the opposition.
23.
to roll along on or as on wheels; travel along smoothly: The car wheeled along the highway.
EXPAND
24.
British Military. to turn: Right wheel!
COLLAPSE
25.
at the wheel,
a.
at the helm of a ship, the steering wheel of a motor vehicle, etc.
b.
in command or control: Her ambition is to be at the wheel of a large corporation by the age of 40.
26.
hell on wheels. hell (def. 19).
27.
spin one's wheels, Informal. to expend or waste effort to no avail: He spun his wheels on that project for two years.
28.
wheel and deal, Informal. to operate dynamically for one's own profit or benefit.
29.
wheels within wheels, an involved interaction of motives or agencies operating to produce the final result: Government agencies are a study of wheels within wheels.

Origin:
before 900; (noun) Middle English whel(e), Old English hwēol, hweohl; cognate with Dutch wiel, Old Norse hjōl; akin to Greek kýklos (see cycle); (v.) Middle English, derivative of the noun

wheel·less, adjective
un·der·wheel, noun
un·wheel, verb (used with object)
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To wheel and deal
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

wheel
O.E. hweol, hweogol, from P.Gmc. *khwekhwlan, *khwegwlan (cf. O.N. hvel, O.Swed. hiughl, O.Fris. hwel, M.Du. weel), from PIE *k(w)e-k(w)lo- "wheel, circle" (cf. O.C.S. kolo "wheel"), a reduplicated form from base *k(w)el- "to go round" (see cycle). Figurative sense is early
EXPAND
14c. The verb meaning "to turn like a wheel" is attested from early 13c.; trans. sense attested from late 14c. Slang wheels "a car" is recorded from 1959. Wheeler-dealer is from 1950s, a rhyming elaboration of dealer; wheelie is from 1966. Wheelchair first recorded c.1700.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Slang Dictionary

wheel definition


  1. tv. & in.
    to drive a car. : Let's wheel my heap over to Marty's place.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source

wheel and deal definition


  1. in.
    to negotiate, cajole, and connive—aggressively. (See also wheeler-dealer.) : If you can't wheel and deal, you can't run for elective office.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases

wheel and deal

Operate or manipulate for one's own interest, especially in an aggressive or unscrupulous way. For example, Bernie's wheeling and dealing has made him rich but not very popular. This term comes from gambling in the American West, where a wheeler-dealer was a heavy bettor on the roulette wheel and at cards. [Colloquial; c. 1940]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature