wonder
♦♦ won|der /w'ʌndər/ (wonders wondering wondered)
1 [VERB] V wh, V about n, V
If you wonder about something, you think about it, either because it interests you and you want to know more about it, or because you are worried or suspicious about it.
I wondered what that noise was...
`He claims to be her father,' said Max. `We've been wondering about him.'...
But there was something else, too. Not hard evidence, but it made me wonder.
2 [VERB] V at n, V that
If you wonder at something, you are very surprised about it or think about it in a very surprised way.
Walk down Castle Street, admire our little jewel of a cathedral, then wonder at the castle...
We all wonder you're still alive.
3 [N-SING]
If you say that it is a wonder that something happened, you mean that it is very surprising and unexpected.
It's a wonder that it took almost ten years...
The wonder is that Olivier was not seriously hurt.
4 [N-UNCOUNT]
Wonder is a feeling of great surprise and pleasure that you have, for example when you see something that is very beautiful, or when something happens that you thought was impossible.
`That's right!' Bobby exclaimed in wonder. `How did you remember that?'...
5 [N-COUNT] usu the N of n/-ing
A wonder is something that causes people to feel great surprise or admiration.
...a lecture on the wonders of space and space exploration.
...the wonder of seeing his name in print...
6 [ADJ] ADJ n
If you refer, for example, to a young man as a wonder boy, or to a new product as a wonder drug, you mean that they are believed by many people to be very good or very effective.
Mickelson was hailed as the wonder boy of American golf...
7 [PHRASE] V inflects, usu PHR wh
You can say `I wonder' if you want to be very polite when you are asking someone to do something, or when you are asking them for their opinion or for information.
I was just wondering if you could help me...
8 [PHRASE] PHR that
If you say `no wonder', `little wonder', or `small wonder', you mean that something is not surprising.
No wonder my brother wasn't feeling well...
Under such circumstances, it is little wonder that they experience difficulties...
9 [PHRASE] PHR that
You can say `No wonder' when you find out the reason for something that has been puzzling you for some time.
Brad was Jane's brother! No wonder he reminded me so much of her!
10 [PHRASE] V inflects, oft PHR for n/-ing, PHR with/on n
If you say that a person or thing works wonders or does wonders, you mean that they have a very good effect on something.
A few moments of relaxation can work wonders...
1 [VERB] V wh, V about n, V
If you wonder about something, you think about it, either because it interests you and you want to know more about it, or because you are worried or suspicious about it.
I wondered what that noise was...
`He claims to be her father,' said Max. `We've been wondering about him.'...
But there was something else, too. Not hard evidence, but it made me wonder.
2 [VERB] V at n, V that
If you wonder at something, you are very surprised about it or think about it in a very surprised way.
Walk down Castle Street, admire our little jewel of a cathedral, then wonder at the castle...
We all wonder you're still alive.
3 [N-SING]
If you say that it is a wonder that something happened, you mean that it is very surprising and unexpected.
It's a wonder that it took almost ten years...
The wonder is that Olivier was not seriously hurt.
4 [N-UNCOUNT]
Wonder is a feeling of great surprise and pleasure that you have, for example when you see something that is very beautiful, or when something happens that you thought was impossible.
`That's right!' Bobby exclaimed in wonder. `How did you remember that?'...
5 [N-COUNT] usu the N of n/-ing
A wonder is something that causes people to feel great surprise or admiration.
...a lecture on the wonders of space and space exploration.
...the wonder of seeing his name in print...
6 [ADJ] ADJ n
If you refer, for example, to a young man as a wonder boy, or to a new product as a wonder drug, you mean that they are believed by many people to be very good or very effective.
Mickelson was hailed as the wonder boy of American golf...
7 [PHRASE] V inflects, usu PHR wh
You can say `I wonder' if you want to be very polite when you are asking someone to do something, or when you are asking them for their opinion or for information.
I was just wondering if you could help me...
8 [PHRASE] PHR that
If you say `no wonder', `little wonder', or `small wonder', you mean that something is not surprising.
No wonder my brother wasn't feeling well...
Under such circumstances, it is little wonder that they experience difficulties...
9 [PHRASE] PHR that
You can say `No wonder' when you find out the reason for something that has been puzzling you for some time.
Brad was Jane's brother! No wonder he reminded me so much of her!
10 [PHRASE] V inflects, oft PHR for n/-ing, PHR with/on n
If you say that a person or thing works wonders or does wonders, you mean that they have a very good effect on something.
A few moments of relaxation can work wonders...