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

be well away • be well off
be well away —
1
. be a long way off (from a place): We truly
were well away from civilization, wild Africa at its very best!
2. (coll.) be very drunk: Bristow had a bottle of whisky and I
had one of gin so we were well away.
be well off —be financially comfortable: By central European
standards they are quite well-off. They have their own flat and
drive new cars.
be well connected • have a good connection
be well connected —have relatives who hold important posi-
tions: He learnt from other sources that the Ernscliffes were
well connected.
have a good connection —have many customers, clients, etc.:
He set up in business and soon had a good connection.
be whole of mind • be whole-minded
be whole of mind —(arch., formal) be mentally normal; be
of sound mind (used in wills and trusts): I Richard Ballard of
Orbye being whole of mind and perfect of remembrance make
my last will and testament.
Note:
a) The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the
phrase whole of mind and body— safe and sound; unharmed:
We just hoped that he would come home from his tour whole
of mind and body.
b) The expression is not antonymous in meaning to the phrase
have half a mind
— feel tempted or inclined to do something: I
had half a mind to drown myself then; but an odd wish to see
the whole adventure out … restrained me.
be whole-minded —be completely dedicated to smth.: Even
if Bu Kiwon was crazy (which, of course, he was not), he ob-
viously was whole-minded enough to create trouble for the
League!
be wide of the mark • come short of the mark
be wide of the mark —(also: be off the mark) be inaccurate or
erroneous in one’s judgment: The idea that the Israelis are
anxious to dictate a Carthaginian peace is ludicrously wide of
the mark.
come short of the mark —(also: fall short of the mark) fail to
attain some desired object or end: A perfectly good talk can
be ruined if your answers to questions come short of the mark.