Slang and Idioms 06: Wherewithal

I heard this very common British and American term used in the second presidential debates. To have the wherewithal means to have all the means necessary to accomplish or do a task. In most cases, but not all, the expression refers to finances and money.

Take a look at some example sentences:

• I don’t know a lot of small manufacturers that have had the financing or wherewithal to set up shop in China.
• Many banks didn't have the wherewithal to survive the economic downturn.
• We need to prevent this terrorist group from obtaining the wherewithal for making chemical weapons.

For some non-financial examples: Wherewithal is also the title of a song by Clifford T Ward in which the lyrics state,

• I wish I had the wherewithal to attract your attention.

Some last non-financial examples:

• In choosing his vice president, a presidential candidate chooses someone with the wherewithal to replace him.
• We need to find someone who has the technical wherewithal to help us set up a company website.