Certainty, Uncertainty, Unlikely Situations and 6 More Topics · English Idioms: Certainty

to express strongly and confidently that something is undoubtedly true or will certainly happen

"I bet my bottom dollar he is late."

"I would bet my bottom dollar that he forgets our anniversary again this year like he always does."

to be cautious and not assume that something will succeed or happen as planned, as there is always a possibility of unforeseen obstacles or problems

"Don't count your chickens yet."

"You should not count your chickens before they hatch because unexpected problems can always arise."

used when one can claim that something is true with all one's certainty

"He is guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt."

"The evidence proved his guilt beyond a shadow of a doubt and the jury took only one hour to reach their verdict."

used to show one's utmost certainty about something

"Dollars to doughnuts, it will rain today."

"I bet dollars to doughnuts that he will forget our anniversary again this year like he always does."

used to say that something is so obvious that there is no need for further explanation

"It goes without saying that I love you."

"It goes without saying that you should arrive on time for your job interview if you want to make a good impression on the employer."

used when one is certain that something will happen at some point in the future

"Mark my words — this will cause problems later."

"Mark my words, she told the board, cutting the training budget now will cost far more in the long run."

to do something that ensures that someone or something fails or something unpleasant happens to them

"His confession sealed his fate."

"His confession sealed his fate and the judge sentenced him to twenty years in prison without any possibility of parole."

denoting something that has been tested many times and proved to be reliable or effective

"This is a tried and true method."

"This tried and true recipe has been passed down through five generations of our family and never fails to impress our guests."

a way of proving the validity of a claim or determining the success rate of a plan

"The final game will be the acid test."

"The final game will be the acid test and we will see if the team is truly championship material."

a feeling of remorse, and reservation that one gets upon facing a challenge or finding oneself in an unexpected situation

"A backward glance."

"He took a backward glance at his past mistakes before starting his new venture."

to believe something strongly, even though one cannot explain why

"I feel it in my bones that something is wrong."

"She felt in her bones that something was wrong even though everyone told her not to worry."

in a way that is most clear or direct

"She told him no in no uncertain terms."

"The teacher told the students in no uncertain terms that cheating would not be tolerated in her classroom ever again."

a situation in which any decision made cannot be undone

"This is a one-way ticket."

"Quitting your job without a backup plan felt like buying a one-way ticket to uncertainty."

to certainly happen at some point in the future

"It is only a matter of time."

"With so many mistakes in the company, it was just a matter of time before the business finally collapsed."

used to imply that something is reliable, certain, and can be trusted completely

"You can take this to bank."

"Her consistent performance in exams means you can take her ability to succeed to the bank."

in a way that is free of all ambiguity or uncertainty

"She is hands down the best player."

"She is hands down the best singer in our school because her voice is absolutely incredible and unique."

something that is assumed to be true or already decided upon before any evidence or arguments are presented

"The election result seemed a foregone conclusion."

"The victory was a foregone conclusion long before the match even started yesterday."

almost impossible to predict who will win and who will lose, particularly in a competition

"The election is too close to call."

"The election results were too close to call until the final votes were counted early the next morning."

a feeling of uncertainty and doubt about something

"There is a question mark hanging over his future."

"A question mark hangs over the future of the factory after the company announced possible job cuts."

to correct a false story, misunderstanding, or incorrect belief by giving the true facts

"Let me set the record straight."

"He wrote a letter to the newspaper to set the record straight about what really happened during the incident."

used to say that even if the happening of something is unlikely, it is not impossible

"Try it — you never know!"

"Submit the application anyway — you never know, they may see exactly the kind of profile they have been looking for."

a situation that is hard to define or categorize and therefore unclear

"The legality of the action is a gray area."

"The legality of the action is a gray area and lawyers disagree about whether it is permitted."

to start doubting a decision and begin to wonder whether it is the right or best thing to do

"I am having second thoughts about this."

"She is having second thoughts about moving to a new city so far away from her family."

an attempt to guess or do something without having sufficient information or knowing the consequences

"It was a shot in the dark."

"Applying for that job without any experience was a complete stab in the dark, but surprisingly I got hired."

used to refer to something that is in an uncertain state

"His future is hanging in the balance."

"The future of the company hung in the balance as the board of directors debated whether to accept the takeover offer or not."

to be difficult or almost impossible to predict the outcome of a situation or event

"It's anybody's guess."

"With so many strong contenders, who will win the championship is anybody's guess."

to only accept a part of something or not take it seriously at all

"Take his advice with a grain of salt."

"You should take everything the salesman says with a grain of salt because he exaggerates."

a person or thing with uncertain or uncontrollable qualities or capabilities

"The new player is a wild card."

"The new player is a wild card and no one knows how he will perform under pressure."

a thing that is nowhere as good or strong as it appears

"This plan is rope of sand."

"Their alliance, built on shifting loyalties, proved to be nothing more than a rope of sand."

viewed with doubt or mistrust, even if not proven

"He is under a cloud of suspicion."

"The accountant worked under a cloud of suspicion after money went missing from the company safe."

used to say that it is impossible to answer a question concerning the size, length, or amount of something

"How long is a piece of string?"

"When asked how much time the project would take, the manager simply replied, "How long is a piece of string?""

used to say that the amount mentioned might be a little more or less than the exact amount

"The bag costs $50, give or take."

"The journey takes about two hours give or take a few minutes depending on the traffic conditions today."

used to describe a person or thing that is hard to describe or classify

"It's neither fish nor fowl."

"His artistic style was so unique that it was neither fish nor fowl, defying easy categorization."

a very little or no chance of success

"He has no dog's chance."

"With the opposing team's star player injured, our underdog team now has a dog's chance of winning."

(of a person) to be in a state of uncertainty or confusion

"I'm hanging in the wind."

"After the company announced layoffs, many employees were left hanging in the wind, unsure of their job security."

used to describe a situation where no clear advantage or resolution has emerged, leaving the final result uncertain

"They are neck and neck."

"The two candidates were running neck and neck in the polls until the very end."

to be a condition or requirement that is uncertain or potentially challenging to fulfill

"It will be a big if."

"Whether she agrees to join the team is a big if, but we should still prepare the presentation just in case."

a story that seems impossible, particularly one that is used as an excuse

"The cock-and-bull story convinces no one."

"Nobody believed the cock and bull story about aliens stealing his homework."

used to express anger and the fact that someone does not care about someone or something

"Forget that noise, I quit."

"Forget that noise; I am not going to tolerate your disrespectful behavior any longer."

used to say that one does not think that something will ever happen or has any chance of being true

"If that is true, I will eat my hat."

"She was so certain the proposal would be rejected that she said she would eat her hat if it passed."

to think about unlikely and unrealistic possibilities

"Don't cast beyond the moon."

"While dreaming big is good, you shouldn't cast beyond the moon and expect impossible outcomes."

used to refer to something that exceeds one's expectations in such ways that makes it hard to believe

"The job offer sounds too good to be true."

"The job offer seemed too good to be true and unfortunately it was because the company turned out to be a scam."

an attempt made without having any high hopes of achieving success

"Very long shot."

"Winning the lottery is a very long shot but many people still try every week."

used to refer to something that is extremely desirable yet nearly impossible to obtain

"Gold is at the end of the rainbow."

"Many people spend their whole lives searching for happiness at the end of the rainbow, never realizing it was within them all along."

a promise of something good or desirable that will never be fulfilled

"The promise of a raise was just jam tomorrow."

"The promise of a raise was just jam tomorrow and it never actually materialized."

to aim for goals that are unrealistic or extremely difficult to achieve

"He will swing for the fences."

"The ambitious entrepreneur decided to swing for the fences with his revolutionary new product launch."

used to express one's disbelief about something happening or being true

"Will he ever apologise? Pigs might fly."

"The two departments agreeing on a shared budget? Pigs might fly before that ever happens."

an impractical or impossible idea, plan, or wish

"Becoming a millionaire is a pipe dream."

"Becoming a millionaire is a pipe dream for most people who never win the lottery."

the slightest chance of succeeding or happening

"He does not have a ghost of a chance."

"The small team did not have a ghost of a chance against the heavily favoured champions who had won every match that season."

to make promises that are impossible to be fulfilled or be kept

"He promised her the moon yesterday."

"The politician promised the people the earth during the campaign, but once elected, he completely forgot about all his grand promises."

to have no desire or intention to return to past circumstances

"She started her own business and never looked back."

"After she moved to the big city she never looked back and completely forgot her small hometown."

to have no desire or intention to return to past circumstances

"I will not look back."

"Having overcome his past struggles, he vowed to not look back and focus solely on his future."

used to describe a person who is considered lucky

"The winner was a lucky Devil."

"The winner was a lucky Devil and his lottery ticket matched all six numbers."

used to emphasize how lucky a person is or how successful they are

"Her luck is in today, wow."

"After winning three competitions this month, everyone agrees that his luck is in and he should try for the championship next."

used to say that it is typical of a person to experience an unfortunate event

"Always losing my keys, that is the story of my life."

"I missed the bus again today which is the story of my life lately and very frustrating."

used to say that one is used to something bad happening to one, due to having bad luck

"Just my luck! It started raining."

"Just my luck! It started raining right when I left the house without my umbrella."

said after a positive statement to hypothetically assure the continuation of good luck

"Knock on wood for good luck, please."

"Knock on wood for good luck, please, because I need all the luck I can get."

something that solely depends on chance

"Getting a good partner is just the luck of the draw."

"Getting the best hotel room was just the luck of the draw for us."

to try to do or achieve something knowing that one might not succeed

"We took pot luck and ate at a random cafe."

"We did not have a reservation so we decided to take pot luck at the busy restaurant."

to do something by solely relying on one's instincts, due to a lack of proper knowledge or experience

"I will fly by the seat of my pants."

"With no prior experience, the new manager had to fly by the seat of his pants during the crisis."

to experience some luck

"I finally caught a break and got hired."

"The struggling actor finally caught a break when a famous director offered him a role."

to have great success with something, particularly something that brings one a lot of money

"They struck gold."

"The small startup company truly struck gold with its innovative new product."

extremely likely

"Ten to one, it will rain today."

"Ten to one he will be late for the meeting because he is never on time for anything."

used to say that there is nothing to prevent someone or something from achieving success

"You are talented and young — the sky is the limit!"

"With the new funding secured and a strong team in place, the sky was the limit for the young company."

before the opportunity to do or achieve something passes

"He quit while the getting was good."

"The smart investor sold his shares while the getting was good before the market crashed."

(of something good) to happen or become available to one

"Good luck will come my way."

"She was thrilled when an unexpected job offer came her way."

to get the feeling that something is about to happen

"There is excitement in the air tonight."

"There was a feeling of excitement in the air as the crowd waited for the concert."

used for saying if the worst possible or most difficult thing happens

"If worst comes to worst, we can sleep in the car."

"If worst comes to worst, the company can apply for emergency credit to cover the shortfall."

used to say that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen

"There is tension in the office — a storm is brewing."

"Analysts warned that a storm was brewing in the housing market well before the crash occurred."

used when a situation reaches a critical point and one must take action in order to deal with it

"When push comes to shove, he always helps."

"When push comes to shove he will always support his family even if it means sacrificing his own happiness."

to have a likelihood of success or achieving a desired outcome

"Do you stand a chance of winning?"

"If you don't study hard for the exam, you won't stand a chance of passing it successfully."

to be able to say or estimate what is about to happen in the future

"He read tea leaves."

"The analyst tried to read the tea leaves to predict the stock market's next move."

theoretically rather than practically

"It looks good on paper."

"The plan seemed brilliant on paper, but it failed when implemented in reality."

something that will be troublesome or problematic in the near future

"There is a cloud on the horizon regarding our funding."

"The only cloud on the horizon was the possibility that the main investor might pull out."

to secretly wait for the right time to catch or attack an enemy or prey

"The cat lies in wait."

"The tiger lay in wait behind the bushes for the perfect moment to attack its unsuspecting prey."

used to refer to the possibility of something happening or being true

"I came early on the off chance I could help."

"I took my umbrella with me on the off chance that it might rain later this afternoon."

‌a thing that is extremely likely to be true or happen

"Betting on him is a safe bet."

"Investing in renewable energy is a safe bet given the growing global demand for sustainability."

to have a high chance of happening or being true

"It's in the cards."

"Given their consistent effort and talent, a victory was definitely in the cards for the team."

to be very close or likely to achieve something, particularly something very good or desirable

"She is in line for a promotion."

"After years of hard work and dedication, the senior manager is in line for a significant bonus at the end of this quarter."

used to say that one doubts that something can ever happen or be true

"You think you'll win? Fat chance!" she scoffs."

"Fat chance of him apologizing because he never admitted he was wrong about anything."

(of something bad) to be about to happen to one

"Danger lies in wait."

"Unforeseen complications lie in wait for anyone attempting such a risky endeavor."

according to what is real or can be done

"Be down to earth."

"Her practical advice and sensible approach proved she was very down to earth."

to believe that someone is capable of doing something, especially something negative or unexpected, based on their past behavior or character

"I won't put past him."

"Knowing his mischievous nature, I wouldn't put it past him to play a prank on us."

to judge or evaluate others based on one's own standards, abilities, or achievements, without considering their unique circumstances or perspectives

"Don't measure others by your bushel."

"It is unfair to measure other people's corn by your own bushel, because everyone has different circumstances and challenges in life."

to meet expectations or perform satisfactorily in a given task or situation

"This new phone cuts the mustard."

"Despite his initial enthusiasm, his lack of experience meant he couldn't quite cut the mustard for the demanding role."

to succeed in reaching the desired result

"I will make the grade."

"Only the most dedicated students will make the grade in this challenging academic program."

(of a person or thing) having a flashy or showy exterior, but when examined closely or experienced fully, it fails to meet expectations or deliver on its promises

"It's all sizzle and no steak."

"The marketing campaign was impressive, but the product itself turned out to be all sizzle and no steak."

used of a situation, outcome, or behavior that is considered typical, expected, or unsurprising given the circumstances

"Traffic jams are par for the course in this city."

"Dealing with difficult customers is par for the course when you work in customer service every day."

to deliver what was promised or expected, especially when it comes to achieving a particular result or fulfilling an obligation

"He came up with the goods."

"Despite the tight deadline and limited resources, the development team managed to come up with the goods and delivered an outstanding product."

to find it difficult to believe what one has seen or heard

"I could not believe my ears when I heard the news."

"I could not believe my ears when my boss told me that I had been promoted to senior manager."

the act of quickly looking at something or someone twice, usually due to surprise, confusion, or disbelief

"The strange noise makes him do a double take."

"She did a double take when she saw her ex boyfriend sitting in the waiting room."

to prepare oneself for an event or situation that is expected to be exciting, intense, or unpredictable

"Hold on to your hat, this is going to be fast."

"Hold on to your hat because the roller coaster is about to start moving very fast now."

temporarily unable to think of what to say or how to express oneself, often due to shock, surprise, or intense emotion

"I was lost for words when I saw her."

"When she saw the beautiful ring she was completely lost for words and could not speak."

to cause surprise, curiosity, or mild shock among people due to something unconventional, unexpected, or controversial

"His actions raised eyebrows."

"The CEO's sudden resignation without explanation was enough to raise many eyebrows throughout the entire company."

news or an event that causes a great surprise

"The announcement came like a bolt out of the blue."

"The news that the company was closing came as a bolt from the blue because nobody suspected anything was wrong."

to survive or endure until a particular moment or event occurs, especially one that was uncertain, significant, or eagerly anticipated

"I never thought I would live to see the day."

"I never thought I would live to see the day when my son finally cleaned his room without being asked."

to be extremely surprised or shocked, causing one's mouth to open wide in astonishment

"The news almost made me drop my teeth."

"The old man dropped his teeth when he heard how much the repairs to his car were going to cost."

to cause a person to become very shocked, amazed, or confused

"The news knocked me down completely."

"When she announced she was quitting her stable job, it would have knocked anyone down with a feather."

used to say one is unable to say anything due to being extremely surprised, angry, or shocked

"I have no words — words fail me."

"When she saw the state of the accounts, words failed her — the losses were far beyond anything she had imagined."

to suddenly stop moving or doing something due to being extremely surprised, frightened, or impressed

"The deer stopped dead in its tracks."

"The beautiful sunset stopped me dead in my tracks and I could not look away from it."

in a quick and decisive manner without much hesitation

"I heard the noise and was out of bed like a shot."

"When the bell rang the children ran out of the classroom like a shot and headed straight for the playground."

to be absolutely sure that something is true

"I bet bottom dollar that he will be late."

"You can bet bottom dollar that he will be late for the meeting because he is never on time."

to be guaranteed or highly likely to occur or achieve success

"That horse is a dead cert to win."

"The new restaurant looked amazing online, but it was all sizzle and no steak when we actually visited."

something that is sure to happen

"For him the decision is a slam dunk."

"The new policy was a slam dunk that solved the problem quickly and pleased everyone involved."

to experience the negative consequences or effects of one's past actions or decisions

"His bad decisions are coming home to roost."

"All the lies he told over the years came home to roost when nobody believed his apology."

to be an integral part of a particular situation

"Stress comes with the territory of being a boss."

"Long hours and hard work come with the territory when you decide to become a doctor or a nurse."

to become affected by the outcomes of one's past actions

"My laziness finally bit me in the ass."

"His laziness bit him in the ass when he failed the exam and had to repeat the entire year."