News & Information: English Vocabulary List

(of information) from an accurate or valid source

"I heard it from the horse's mouth."

"The information came straight from the horse's mouth, so we knew it was completely accurate and reliable."

to inform the authorities about something secret or the breach of legalities, particularly because one is morally obliged to do so

"He blew the whistle on his boss."

"The employee decided to blow the whistle on his company for illegally dumping toxic waste into the river."

to hear something that was passed from one person to another, like a rumor or gossip

"I heard through the grapevine that you are moving."

"I heard through the grapevine that our boss is leaving the company to start his own business."

fully informed about or actively participating in something, such as a discussion or a process

"Keep me in loop."

"Please ensure that all team members are kept in the loop regarding the project's progress and any changes."

to stay informed about or completely in control of a situation and how it develops

"She keeps on top."

"It is crucial for the project manager to keep on top of all the moving parts to ensure timely completion."

to provide someone with sufficient and relevant information regarding someone or something

"Keep me posted."

"Please keep me posted on the progress of the project as soon as you have any updates."

to provide someone with information they require to handle or understand a situation

"Can you put me in the picture?"

"The manager called a meeting to put everyone in the picture about the new company policies."

(of news, information, or rumors) to quickly become known by the majority

"The news spread like wildfire."

"The exciting news about the engagement spread like wildfire through the small town."

with an extensive knowledge concerning current topics and events

"I am not up on the latest fashion."

"The professor is well up on the latest research in his field and reads all the new journals."

(of information) received without any intervention of other people or agencies

"I heard the story first hand from him."

"I saw the accident first hand so I can tell you exactly what happened to the police."

by telling others rather than writing or showing it to them

"I heard it by word of mouth."

"The small restaurant became popular entirely through word of mouth, without any advertising."

a warning or notification provided in advance to inform someone about a situation, often to prepare them for what is coming

"Thanks for the heads-up."

"The manager gave us a heads-up about the upcoming company restructuring and its potential impact."

an anonymous or unidentified source of information

"A little bird told me."

"A little bird told me that you are planning a surprise party for your boyfriend next weekend."

used to indicate that someone believes others are talking about them even when they are absent

"My ears are burning now."

"My ears were burning at the party because I suspected they were discussing my recent achievements."

a situation where a message gets passed from one person to another, but it often gets changed along the way

"The game of Chinese whispers distorted the message."

"The game of Chinese whispers distorted the message and the final sentence was nothing like the original."

a collection of documents that provide written or recorded version of someone's activities

"The auditor followed the paper trail."

"The auditor followed the paper trail and discovered that funds had been embezzled over several years."

an attempt made to find out the facts about something via collecting a lot of information, often secretly

"The investigation was a fishing expedition."

"The investigation was a fishing expedition and the police had no real evidence against the suspect."

(of a piece of information or news) recently received

"This news is hot off the press."

"The newspaper editor held up the hot off the press copy of today edition for everyone to see."

not having recent information regarding a certain thing, particularly an event

"My old friend and I are out of touch."

"The old politician is out of touch with young voters and does not understand their problems."