Bryson's Dictionary for Writers and Editors - Bill Bryson [129]
wizened. Shriveled.
Wobegon, Lake. Fictional town in stories by Garrison Keillor. The word itself is spelled woebegone.
Wodehouse, P. G. (1881–1975) Prolific comic novelist; formally Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse.
Wojciechowicz, Alex. (1915–1992) American professional football player.
Wolfe, Thomas. (1900–1938) American novelist.
Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
Wollstonecraft, Mary. (1759–1797) English author, mother of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley.
wondrous. Not -erous.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
woofer. Type of loudspeaker.
woolen, but woolly.
Woolf, Virginia. (1882–1941) English novelist.
Woollcott, Alexander. (1887–1943) American journalist and critic.
Woolley, Monty. (1888–1963) American actor.
Woolloomooloo for the euphonious district of Sydney, Australia. Note the single l in the last syllable.
Woonsocket, Rhode Island.
Woosnam, Ian. (1958–) British golfer.
Worcestershire. English county famous for its sauce.
workaholic.
World Bank. Officially the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, but that title is rarely used, even on first reference.
World Court. Officially the International Court of Justice, and that title should generally be used on first reference or soon thereafter.
Worrall Thompson, Antony. (1951–) British chef.
worshiped, worshiper.
worsted fabric. Not -stead.
would like. “I would have liked to have seen it” is a common construction and may be excused in conversation, but in writing it should be “I would like to have seen it” or “I would have liked to see it.”
wound, scar. The two are not as interchangeable as writers sometimes casually make them. A scar is what remains after a wound heals. Thus it is always wrong, or at least stretching matters, to talk about a scar healing, including in figurative senses.
Wozniak, Steve. (1950–) Computer engineer, co-founder of Apple Computer with Steve Jobs.
wrack, rack. Wrack means to wreck; rack to strain. The expressions are wrack and ruin, nerve-racking, and rack one’s brain.
Wrangell Mountains, Cape Wrangell, Wrangell–St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
wreak havoc.
Wroclaw, Poland; formerly Breslaw.
wunderkind, not wonder-, for a prodigy.
WWW. (Cap.) World Wide Web.
Wycherley, William. (1640–1716) English playwright.
Wyclif (or Wycliffe), John. (c. 1320–1384) English religious reformer.
Wylie, Elinor. (1885–1928) American poet and novelist.
Wynette, Tammy. (1942–1998) American country singer; born Virginia Wynette Pugh.
Xx
Xavier, St. Francis. (1506–1552) Spanish missionary, one of the founders of the Jesuit order.
XDR TB. Extensive drug-resistant tuberculosis.
Xenophon. (c. 430–c. 350 BC) Greek historian-soldier.
xerography. (No cap.) Photocopying process.
Xerox. (Cap.) Brand of photocopier and the copies it produces.
Xerxes. (519–465 BC) Persian king, defeated by Greeks at Salamis.
Xianggang. Pinyin name for Hong Kong, but use Hong Kong.
Xinhua. Chinese news agency; pronounced shin-hwa'.
Xizang. Pinyin name for Tibet, but use Tibet.
X-ray.
xylophone.
Yy
Yablonovy Range, Russia.
Yahoo! Computer search engine company. Note exclamation mark.
yakuza. (Not cap.) Japanese organized crime groups.
Yamaguchi, Kristy. (1971–) American figure skater.
Yamoussoukro. Capital of Côte d’Ivoire.
Yangon. Formerly Rangoon, capital of Burma.
Yangtze. China’s greatest river, now increasingly known by its Pinyin name, Chang Jiang. Until the relationship between the two names is more generally known, however, Yangtze should also be used on first reference.
Yaoundé. Capital of Cameroon.
Yar’Adua, Umaru. (1951–) President of Nigeria (2007–).
yarmulke. Skullcap worn by Jews.
yashmak. Veil worn by Muslim women.
Yastrzemski, Carl. (1939–) American baseball star.
Yerevan. Capital of Armenia.
Yesilköy Airport, Istanbul, Turkey.
Yevtushenko, Yevgeny. (1933–) Russian poet.
yoicks. Fox hunter’s call.
Yoknapatawpha County. Fictional county in William Faulkner novels.
Yokohama, Japan.
Yokosuka, Japan.
Yom Kippur. Jewish holy day, also called Day of