Wac, WAC Wac is no longer used by the military but is an acceptable term in a reference to a woman who served in what used to be the Women’s Army Corps.

Waf, WAF Waf no longer is used by the military but is acceptable in a reference to a woman who served in the Air Force.

waiter (male) waitress (female)

Wales Use Wales after the names of Welsh communities in datelines.

See datelines and United Kingdom.

walk up (v.) walk-up (n. and adj.)

Wall Street When the reference is to the entire complex of financial institutions in the area rather than the actual street itself, the Street is an acceptable short form.

See capitalization.

war Capitalize when used as part of the name for a specific conflict: the Civil War, the Cold War, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the War of 1812, World War II, etc.

warden Capitalize as a formal title before a name. See titles.

wards Use figures. See political divisions.

war horse, warhorse Two words for a horse used in battle.

warrant officer See military titles.

washed-up (adj.)

Washington Abbreviate the state as Wash.

See state and state names.

Washington’s Birthday Capitalize birthday in references to the holiday.

waterspout See weather terms.

Wave, WAVES Wave no longer is used by the military but is acceptable in a reference to a woman who served in the Navy.

weapons Gun is an acceptable term for any firearm. Note the following definitions and forms in dealing with weapons and ammunition:

anti-aircraft A cannon that fires explosive shells. It is designed for defense against air attack. The form: a 105 mm anti-aircraft gun.

assault-style weapon Any semi- automatic pistol, rifle or shotgun originally designed for military or police use with a large ammunition capacity. Also, firearms that feature two or more accessories such as a detachable magazine, folding or telescopic stock, silencer, pistol grip, bayonet mount or a device to suppress the flash emitted while shooting in the dark.

artillery A carriage-mounted cannon.

automatic An autoloading action that will fire a succession of cartridges while the trigger is depressed or until the ammunition supply is exhausted. The form: a .22-caliber automatic.

buckshot See shot below.

bullet The projectile fired by a rifle, pistol or machine gun. Together with metal casing, primer and propellant, it forms a cartridge.

caliber A measurement of the diameter of the inside of a gun barrel except for most shotguns. Measurement is in either millimeters or decimal fractions of an inch. The word caliber is not used when giving the metric measurement. The forms: a 9 mm pistol, a .22-caliber rifle.

cannon A weapon, usually supported on some type of carriage, that fires explosive projectiles. The form: a 105 mm cannon.

carbine A short, lightweight rifle, usually having a barrel length of less than 20 inches. The form: an M-3 carbine.

cartridge See bullet above.

Colt Named for Samuel Colt, it designates a make of weapon or ammunition developed for Colt handguns. The forms: a Colt .45-caliber revolver, .45 Long Colt ammunition.

gauge This word describes the size of a shotgun. Gauge is expressed in terms of the number per pound of round lead balls with a diameter equal to the size of the barrel. The bigger the number, the smaller the shotgun.

howitzer A cannon shorter than a gun of the same caliber employed to fire projectiles at relatively high angles at a target, such as opposing forces behind a ridge. The form: a 105 mm howitzer.

machine gun An automatic gun that fires as long as the trigger is depressed. The form: a .50-caliber Browning machine gun.

Magnum A trademark for a type of high-powered cartridge with a larger case and a larger powder charge than other cartridges of approximately the same caliber. The form: a .357-caliber Magnum, a .44-caliber Magnum.

M-1, M-16 These and similar combinations of a letter and figure(s) designate rifles used by the military. The forms: an M-1 rifle, an M-16 rifle.

musket A heavy, large-caliber shoulder firearm fired by means of a matchlock, a wheel lock, a flintlock or a percussion lock. Its ammunition is a musket ball.

pistol Any handgun that does not hold its ammunition in a revolving cylinder. It may be a single shot, a semiautomatic or an automatic. Its measurement is in calibers. The form: a .38-caliber pistol.

revolver A handgun. Its cartridges are held in chambers in a cylinder that revolves. The form: a .45-caliber revolver.

rifle A firearm designed or made to be fired from the shoulder and having a rifled bore. It uses bullets or cartridges for ammunition. Its size is measured in calibers. The form: a .22-caliber rifle.

Saturday night special The popular name for the type of cheap pistol used for impulsive crimes.

shell The word applies to military or naval ammunition and to shotgun ammunition.

shot Small lead or steel pellets fired by shotguns. A shotgun shell usually contains 1 to 2 ounces of shot. Do not use shot interchangeably with buck-shot, which refers only to the largest shot sizes.

shotgun A small-arms gun with a smooth bore, sometimes double-barreled. Its ammunition is shot. Its size is measured in gauges. The form: a 12-gauge shotgun.

submachine gun A lightweight automatic gun firing handgun ammunition.

weather bureau See National Weather Service.

weatherman The preferred term is weather forecaster.

weather terms The following are based on definitions used by the National Weather Service. All temperatures are Fahrenheit.

blizzard Wind speeds of 35 mph or more and considerable falling and/or blowing of snow with visibility near zero.

coastal waters The waters within about 20 miles of the coast, including bays, harbors and sounds.

cyclone A storm with strong winds rotating about a moving center of low atmospheric pressure.

degree-day A unit of measurement describing how much the temperature differs from a standard average for one day. It is usually used to gauge the amount of heating or cooling needed for a building. If the standard average temperature for a day is 65 degrees, then a temperature of 10 below zero for 24 hours yields 75 degree-days.

dust storm Visibility of one-half mile or less due to dust, wind speeds of 30 mph or more.

flash flood A sudden, violent flood. It typically occurs after a heavy rain or the melting of a heavy snow.

flash flood warning Warns that flash flooding is imminent or in progress. Those in the affected area should take necessary precautions immediately.

flash flood watch Alerts the public that flash flooding is possible. Those in the affected area are urged to be ready to take additional precautions if a flash flood warning is issued or if flooding is observed.

flood Stories about floods usually tell how high the water is and where it is expected to crest. Such a story should also, for comparison, list flood stage and how high the water is above, or below, flood stage.

freeze Describes conditions when the temperature at or near the surface is expected to be below 32 degrees during the growing season. Adjectives such as severe or hard are used if a cold spell exceeding two days is expected.

freezing drizzle, freezing rain Synonyms for ice storm.

frost Describes the formation of thin ice crystals, which might develop under conditions similar to dew except for the minimum temperatures involved. Phrases such as frost in low places or scattered light frost are used when appropriate. The term frost seldom appears in state forecasts unless rather heavy frost is expected over an extensive area.

funnel cloud A violent, rotating column of air that does not touch the ground, usually a pendant from a cumulonimbus cloud.

gale Sustained winds within the range of 39 to 54 mph (34 to 47 knots).

heavy snow It generally means:

high wind Normally indicates that sustained winds of 39 mph or greater are expected to persist for one hour or longer.

hurricane or typhoon A warm-core tropical cyclone in which the minimum sustained surface wind is 74 mph or more.

hurricane categories Hurricanes are ranked 1 to 5 according to what is known as the Saffir-Simpson scale of strength:

hurricane eye The relatively calm area in the center of the storm. In this area winds are light and the sky often is covered only partly by clouds.

hurricane season The portion of the year that has a relatively high incidence of hurricanes. In the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, this is from June through November. In the eastern Pacific, it is June through Nov. 15. In the central Pacific, it is June through October.

hurricane tide Same as storm tide.

hurricane warning Warns that one or both of these dangerous effects of a hurricane are expected in specified areas in 24 hours or less:

hurricane watch An announcement for specific areas that a hurricane or incipient hurricane conditions may pose a threat to coastal and inland communities.

ice storm, freezing drizzle, freezing rain Describes the freezing of drizzle or rain on objects as it strikes them. Freezing drizzle and freezing rain are synonyms for ice storm.

ice storm warning Reserved for occasions when significant, and possibly damaging, accumulations of ice are expected.

National Hurricane Center The National Weather Service’s National Hurricane Center in Coral Gables, Fla., has overall responsibility for tracking and providing information about tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.

nearshore waters The waters extended to five miles from shore.

offshore waters The waters extending to about 250 miles from shore.

sandstorm Visibility of one-half mile or less due to sand blown by winds of 30 mph or more.

severe blizzard Wind speeds of 45 mph or more, great density of falling and/or blowing snow with visibility frequently near zero and a temperature of 10 degrees or lower.

severe thunderstorm Describes either of the following:

sleet (one form of ice pellet) Describes generally solid grains of ice formed by the freezing of raindrops or the refreezing of largely melted snowflakes. Sleet, like small hail, usually bounces when hitting a hard surface.

sleet (heavy) Heavy sleet is a fairly rare event in which the ground is covered to a depth of significance to motorists and others.

snow avalanche bulletin Snow avalanche bulletins are issued by the U.S. Forest Service for avalanche-prone areas in the western United States.

squall A sudden increase of wind speed by at least 16 knots and rising to 25 knots or more and lasting for at least one minute.

stockmen’s advisory Alerts the public that livestock may require protection because of certain combinations of cold, wet and windy weather, specifically cold rain and/or snow with temperatures 45 degrees or lower and winds of 25 mph or higher. If the temperature is in the mid-30s or lower, the wind speed criterion is lowered to about 15 mph.

storm tide Directional wave(s) caused by a severe atmospheric disturbance.

temperature-humidity index The temperature-humidity index indicates the combined effect of heat and air moisture on human comfort. A reading of 70 or below indicates no discomfort. A reading of 75 would indicate discomfort in half the population and all would feel uncomfortable with a reading of 79. The National Weather Service issues the THI between June 15 and Sept. 15.

tidal wave A term often used incorrectly for seismic sea wave. These waves are caused by underwater earthquakes, landslides or volcanoes and are sometimes referred to as great sea waves. Scientists call them tsunamis, a term that is not widely used and should be explained if used.

tornado A violent rotating column of air forming a pendant usually from a cumulonimbus cloud, and touching the ground. It usually starts as a funnel cloud and is accompanied by a loud roaring noise. On a local scale, it is the most destructive of all atmospheric phenomena.

tornado warning Warns the public of an existing tornado or one suspected to be in existence.

tornado watch Alerts the public to the possibility of a tornado.

travelers’ advisory Alerts the public that difficult traveling or hazardous road conditions are expected to be widespread.

tropical depression A tropical cyclone in which the maximum sustained surface wind is 38 mph (33 knots) or less.

tropical storm A warm-core tropical cyclone in which the maximum sustained surface winds range from 39 to 73 mph (34 to 63 knots) inclusive.

typhoon See hurricane or typhoon in this listing.

waterspout A tornado over water.

wind chill index Also known as the wind chill factor. No hyphen.

wind shear It is caused when a mass of cooled air rushes downward out of a thunderstorm in what is called a microburst, hits the ground and rushes outward in all directions. Wind shear itself is described as a sudden shift in wind direction and speed. A plane flying through a microburst at low altitude, as on final approach or take-off, would at first experience a strong headwind and increased lift, followed by a strong tailwind and sharply decreased lift.

winter storm warning Notifies the public that severe winter weather conditions are almost certain to occur.

winter storm watch Alerts the public to the possibility of severe winter weather conditions.

Webster’s New World College Dictionary See dictionaries.

Webster’s Third New International Dictionary See dictionaries.

Wednesday See days of the week.

weights Use figures: The baby weighed 9 pounds, 7 ounces. She had a 9-pound, 7-ounce boy.

Welcome Wagon A trademark of Welcome Wagon International Inc.

well Hyphenate as part of a compound modifier: She is a well-dressed woman.

See hyphen in the Punctuation chapter for guidelines on compound modifiers.

west, western See the directions and regions entry.

West As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, the 13-state region is broken into two divisions.

See North Central region; Northeast region; and South for the bureau’s other three regional breakdowns.

Western Hemisphere The continents of North and South America, and the islands near them.

Caribbean The islands from the tip of Florida to the continent of South America, plus French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname on the northeastern coast of South America.

Central America The narrow strip of land between Mexico and Colombia. Located there are Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.

Latin America The area of the Americas south of the United States where Romance languages (those derived from Latin) are dominant. It applies to most of the region south of the United States except areas with a British heritage: the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and various islands in the West Indies. Suriname, the former Dutch Guiana, is an additional exception.

North America Canada, Mexico, the United States and the Danish territory of Greenland. When the term is used in more than its continental sense, it also may include the islands of the Caribbean.

South America Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, and in a purely continental sense, French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname. Politically and psychologically, however, the latter three regard themselves as part of the Caribbean.

West Indies The term is no longer used extensively, but it applies to the Caribbean islands east of Puerto Rico southward to South America.

West Indies See Western Hemisphere.

West Point Acceptable on second reference to the U.S. Military Academy.

See military academies.

West Virginia Abbrev.: W.Va. (no space between W. and Va.). See state names.

wheat It is measured in bushels domestically, in metric tons for international trade.

whereabouts Takes a singular verb:

which See the essential clauses, nonessential clauses entry; the that, which entry; and the who, whom entry.

whip Capitalize when used as a formal title before a name. See legislative titles and titles.

whiskey, whiskeys Use the spelling whisky only in conjunction with Scotch.

See the Scotch whisky entry.

white-collar (adj.)

White House Do not personify it with phrases such as the White House said. Instead, use a phrase such as a White House official said.

white paper Two words, lowercase, when used to refer to a special report.

whitewash (n. and v. and adj.)

who, whom Use who and whom for references to human beings and to animals with a name. Use that and which for inanimate objects and animals without a name.

See the essential clauses, non essential clauses entry for guidelines on how to punctuate clauses introduced by who, whom, that and which.

wholesale price index A measurement of the changes in the average prices that businesses pay for a selected group of industrial commodities, farm products, processed foods and feed for animals.

who’s, whose Who’s is a contraction for who is, not a possessive: Who’s there?

wide- Usually hyphenated. Some examples:

-wide No hyphen. Some examples:

widow, widower In obituaries: A man is survived by his wife, or leaves his wife. A woman is survived by her husband, or leaves her husband.

widths See dimensions.

will See the shall, will entry and subjective mood.

Wilson’s disease After Samuel A. Wilson, an English neurologist. A disease characterized by abnormal accumulation of copper in the brain, liver and other organs.

Windbreaker A trademark for a brand of wind-resistant sports jacket.

wind chill index See weather terms.

window dressing The noun. But as a verb: window-dress.

wind up (v.) windup (n. and adj.)

winter See seasons.

wiretap, wiretapper The verb forms: wiretap, wiretapped, wiretap-ping.

Wisconsin Abbrev.: Wis. See state names.

-wise No hyphen when it means in the direction of or with regard to. Some examples:

Woman’s Christian Temperance Union Not women’s. WCTU is acceptable on second reference.

women Women should receive the same treatment as men in all areas of coverage. Physical descriptions, sexist references, demeaning stereotypes and condescending phrases should not be used.

See courtesy titles; divorcee; the man, mankind entry; and -persons.

Women’s Army Corps See the Wac, WAC entry.

Woolworth’s Acceptable in all references for F.W. Woolworth Co.

word-of-mouth (n. and adj.)

word processing (adj.) Do not hyphenate.

words as words The meaning of this phrase, which appears occasionally in this book and similar manuals that deal with words, is best illustrated by an example: In this sentence, woman appears solely as a word rather than as the means of representing the concept normally associated with the word.

See plurals.

word selection In general, any word with a meaning that universally is understood is acceptable unless it is offensive or below the normal standards for literate writing.

See also the obscenities, profanities, vulgarities entry.

working class (n.) working-class (adj.)

World Bank Acceptable in all references for International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

World Council of Churches This is the main international, interdenominational cooperative body of Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant and old or national Catholic churches.

World Court This was an alternate name for the Permanent Court of International Justice set up by the League of Nations.

See the entry for the International Court of Justice, which has replaced it.

World Health Organization WHO is acceptable on second reference.

World Series Or the Series on second reference. A rare exception to the general principles under capitalization.

World Wide Web In later references, the Web is acceptable. Also, Web site, Web page.

*worship, worshipped, worshipper (A change in AP style.)

would See the should, would entry.

wrack See the rack, wrack entry.

write in (v.) write-in (n. and adj.)

Wyoming Abbrev.: Wyo. See state names.