A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

in the white • in white
in the white —(of manufactured articles) in an unfinished or
undyed state: Violin makers often say that a violin sounds
better in the white than it does after it is varnished.
in white —
1
. wearing white clothes: The painting represents
a girl in white standing on a dune. 2. executed or finished in
white color: Our home is newly furnished and finished in
white for light.
in the whole • on the whole
in the whole —(also: as a whole) considered in its entirety;
in full: Council may approve the budget in part or in the
whole.
on the whole —
1
. in general; from every point of view: They
think Stalin maybe made a few mistakes but was on the whole
a great guy. 2. for the most part: National Health surgeons on
the whole remain disinclined to abort frivolously.
in the wild • in the wilds
in the wild —(of animals) living in an undomesticated state
in their natural surroundings: In the wild, giant pandas are
usually alone except for mothers with cubs.
in the wilds —
1
. far from normal habitation; remote from
urban life and culture: My family used to live out in the wilds
of Lynn Valley, in an old house. 2. = in the wild: These tour
packages are designed to let you have the best wildlife expe-
rience through watching animals in the wilds.
in the world • in this world
in the world —
1
. on earth; in existence: He was considered
to be one of the most famous artists in the world. 2. used as
an intensifier in interrogative and negative contexts: If your
actions tell an employee their job is too small for you to
bother, then why in the world should they care?
Note: 
The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with
the phrase in the wide world—
1
. = in the world 2: He would
never … dare mention this encounter to a living soul, for who
in the wide world would believe him? 2. is used to imply contrast
to one’s own home or country: A few years in the wide world
and then back to the home paddock.
in this world —
1
. = in the world 
1
: I feel that of all the people
in this world, the Indians could preserve this land and nature
the best. 2. during our life on earth (as distinguished from the
world beyond the grave): So long as we are in this world we
are exposed to temptations, and need ever to be on our watch
against them. Cf.: in another world —(also: in the next world)
used of a state of existence after death: The interest of the Mal-
abar widow, who burns herself with the corpse of her husband,
is to recover him in another world.