Cautiousness, Posing a Risk, Out of Danger and 4 More Topics · English Idioms: Danger

to start acting in a risky way without caring about its consequences

"I threw caution to the wind and bought the car."

"She threw caution to the wind and quit her secure job to travel around the world for a year."

used to advise someone to proceed with caution or be careful with something

"Easy does it — that box is very fragile."

"Easy does it with the restructuring — rushing the process could seriously damage staff morale."

to consider all the possible outcomes of one's action before doing it

"You should always look before you leap."

"My father always told me to look before I leap and think carefully about the consequences of my actions."

constantly paying attention to a person or thing to prevent a problem, danger, etc.

"Always be on the lookout for danger."

"The police are on the lookout for a suspect who was seen near the crime scene last night."

to act in a careful manner to prevent any possible risks from happening

"You should play it safe always."

"Given the unpredictable weather conditions, the hikers decided to play it safe and postponed their mountain trip."

to be prepared to handle things properly in case of danger or unpleasant events

"Keep your wits about you in the big city."

"Driving in heavy fog requires you to keep all your wits about you because the conditions are extremely dangerous."

to be extra cautious about how one behaves or talks to avoid making someone offended or upset

"I am walking on eggshells around my angry boss."

"After the argument everyone in the office had to walk on eggshells around the boss because he was very angry."

to closely watch a person or thing, particularly in order to make sure they are safe

"Keep an eye on the kids."

"Please keep an eye on the oven while I step out to answer the door for a moment."

to make a person be constantly worried about or ready for any possible danger or threat

"My boss keeps me on toes."

"The demanding nature of the job kept the new intern on her toes at all times."

to decide not to deal with a problem directly out of the fear that it may make things worse

"We are tiptoeing around the topic of layoffs."

"We have to tiptoe around the sensitive issue of layoffs because nobody wants to cause panic."

to pay close attention to how to talk to someone or behave toward them because they can become offended or upset easily

"We tiptoe around dad when he is in a bad mood."

"The employees have to tiptoe around their manager because he gets offended by the smallest criticism or suggestion."

to stop being involved with a person or thing that might cause problems for one

"She dropped him like a hot potato."

"As soon as the scandal broke his friends dropped him like a hot potato and pretended not to know him."

to closely examine or assess the condition of something, particularly a vehicle or machinery

"I am just kicking the tires, not buying today."

"The customer spent an hour kicking the tires on the car but did not buy anything in the end."

to support both sides in a competition or conflict in order to protect oneself against loss

"He hedged his bets by applying to many colleges."

"The smart investor hedged his bets by putting his money into several different companies instead of just one."

used to indicate that someone has been warned or informed about something

"The team is on notice to improve their performance."

"The lazy employee was put on notice that his job would be at risk if his performance did not improve."

an observation that is done very carefully

"Use your eagle eye."

"The detective's eagle eye spotted the crucial clue that everyone else had missed."

to be in a situation where one has to be careful about every decision they make because even one mistake can pose a great risk

"He walks a tightrope."

"Managing the company's finances during the recession felt like walking a tightrope, with every decision carrying significant risk."

used for referring to a risky action that may fail or succeed

"Starting a business is a roll of the dice."

"Starting a new business is always a roll of the dice because you never know if it will succeed or fail."

a situation, plan, system, etc. that is not stable enough to continue succeeding and can easily fail or get out of control

"Their plan was a house of cards that soon fell."

"Their seemingly perfect marriage was a house of cards that collapsed when the truth about the affair came out."

the kind of excitement that comes from engaging in activities that are dangerous

"The motorcycle race was full of thrills and spills."

"The roller coaster offered plenty of thrills and spills for the brave children who were not afraid of heights."

a situation in which someone's words or actions must be chosen carefully or else they may cause serious problems

"Discussing politics at work is dangerous ground."

"Bringing up the topic of religion at a family dinner can be dangerous territory because people have very strong opinions."

to be in a state or situation so critical that even a minor mistake can lead to a failure or disaster

"His job is hanging by a thread."

"The patient's life hung by a thread as the doctors worked through the night to save him from a rare disease."

in a very critical situation where the outcome is uncertain and any sort of mistake can lead to serious consequences

"His life is on a razor's edge."

"The company's future is on a razor's edge because sales have dropped dramatically this quarter."

in a very dangerous or difficult situation in which a small change can lead to a failure

"The election result is on a knife-edge."

"The election results were on a knife-edge with both candidates receiving almost the same number of votes from the public."

a place or situation marked by confusion or chaos

"The meeting was a bear garden."

"The classroom devolved into a bear garden after the teacher left the room unexpectedly."

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."

an action that involves taking the risk to believe or trust something that may not be true or reliable

"Trusting him was a leap of faith."

"Moving to a new country without a job was a significant leap of faith for her."

to put something valuable or important at risk, often with the intention of assisting or helping someone

"He laid his career on the line."

"The whistleblower laid his entire career on the line to expose the company's illegal activities."

to be in or to get oneself into a situation that may result in an unpleasant or dangerous outcome

"Do not run the risk please."

"If you invest all your savings in one stock, you run the risk of losing everything in the market crash."

in a situation where there is potential danger or risk to one's safety or well-being

"The rescue team went in harm's way."

"The firefighters deliberately placed themselves in harm's way to rescue the trapped residents from the burning building."

to be involved with very dangerous or cunning people

"She was swimming with sharks."

"Entering that cutthroat industry without experience felt like swimming with sharks, full of deceitful competitors."

to predict a severe, harmful or catastrophic event or outcome

"This will spell disaster for them."

"A prolonged drought could spell disaster for the region's agricultural economy and its inhabitants."

in a way that involves danger yet is full of excitement and adventure

"He lives in the fast lane."

"She embraced a life in the fast lane, constantly seeking out extreme sports and dangerous adventures."

involving risk and uncertainty

"The surgery was touch and go."

"After the accident his condition was touch and go but the doctors managed to save his life."

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

"They lie in wait."

"The cunning predator decided to lie in wait near the watering hole for unsuspecting prey."

used for referring to a situation in which something dangerous is avoided just before it is too late for it to happen

"The accident was a close shave."

"The accident was a close shave and the car missed the pedestrian by mere inches."

to hastily leave a place, usually because of a possible danger or threat

"We got out of Dodge before the storm hit."

"When the police arrived the thieves decided to get out of Dodge as quickly as possible before they were caught."

not causing or involving any danger at all

"This place is safe as houses."

"Your money in this bank account is as safe as houses, so you should not worry at all."

to help a person get out of a situation that involves danger or difficulty

"He lied to save his own skin."

"The traitor saved his own skin by giving the enemy secret information about his former allies and friends."

as carefully as possible in order to avoid any risk

"I took an umbrella to be on the safe side."

"Let us leave ten minutes early to be on the safe side because there might be heavy traffic on the roads."

to escape or withdraw from a situation that is dangerous or unpleasant

"The army made a hasty retreat."

"When the angry dog started barking the children made a hasty retreat and ran back into the house."

to be out of a situation that is full of danger, trouble, or hardship

"He is out of the woods."

"Although the initial crisis has passed, the company is not yet out of the woods financially."

to unexpectedly provide someone with help when they face a danger or difficulty

"The call saved him by the bell."

"Just as he was about to confess, his lawyer arrived and saved him by the bell."

in the process of being taken care of or dealt with by someone who has the skill or experience

"Your children are in good hands here."

"Do not worry about your children because they are in good hands with our experienced babysitter."

to narrowly avoid a dangerous or undesirable situation

"I dodged a bullet by not buying that car."

"The company dodged a bullet when the competitor's product failed because it would have destroyed their sales completely."

used to say that everything is safe and someone can proceed to do something

"The coast is clear — come in now."

"The team waited until the coast was clear before presenting the proposal directly to the CEO."

to survive a danger or difficulty and be able to tell others about it

"He survived the accident to live to tell the tale."

"The hiker survived the avalanche and lived to tell the tale about his terrifying experience on the mountain."

in a place or position that is safe from danger or damage

"Put the glass out of harm's way."

"The mother moved her children out of harm's way when she saw the dangerous dog approaching."

to maintain control or prevent someone or something from advancing, causing harm, or becoming a threat

"He held his creditors at bay for a while."

"The mother bear fought bravely to keep the hungry wolves at bay and protect her cubs from danger."

a situation where one avoids a danger just before it is too late

"That was a close call."

"Swerving at the last second, the driver narrowly avoided a collision in a true close call."

no longer facing a difficulty, danger, or punishment

"You are off the hook this time."

"The evidence was weak so the suspect was let off the hook by the judge yesterday."

used when a person or thing is being looked after by a trustworthy and capable individual

"The baby is in good hands."

"With the experienced surgeon overseeing the operation, the patient was undoubtedly in good hands."

in a distance so short that may cause danger, problems, or annoyance

"The car came too close for comfort."

"The car missed the pedestrian by just a few centimetres which was far too close for comfort for everyone watching."

to put in great effort and take great risks to succeed or to fail trying

"It is a do or die situation for the team."

"The soldiers knew it was a do or die situation as they prepared to defend their position against the enemy attack."

to put everything at risk in order to achieve a particular goal

"We went for broke and invested all our money."

"The gambler decided to go for broke and bet all his remaining money on the last horse race of the day."

in a situation that involves a lot of risk and little support or evidence, especially one that arouses negative reactions in others

"I went out on a limb to support him."

"The politician went out on a limb by supporting the unpopular policy that most of his voters strongly opposed."

to do something that has the risk of death or serious injury

"Firefighters risk life and limb every day."

"The firefighter risked life and limb to rescue the family from the burning building late at night."

to say or do a thing that can put one in trouble or danger

"I stuck my neck out."

"He decided to stick his neck out and tell the manager that the whole project plan was completely wrong."

to be doing something that may get one into serious trouble or danger at any moment

"You are walking on thin ice by lying to her."

"You are walking on thin ice by criticising the boss because he has fired people for less than that."

to do something so risky that a person may lose their life because of it

"You take your life in your hands by speeding."

"He took his life into his own hands by climbing the mountain alone without any safety equipment or a guide."

by accepting the responsibility for all potential dangers and risks involved

"Enter the building at your own risk."

"Swimming in the dangerous river is at your own risk because there are no lifeguards on duty at all."

to increase the price of something

"The company upped the ante with a new offer."

"The new company upped the ante by offering better salaries than their competitors."

to sacrifice one's life so that someone or something can continue to exist

"He laid down his life for his country."

"The soldier was willing to lay down his life for his country and for the freedom of his people."

to take great risks that could result in one's own death

"He diced with death."

"The stuntman was known for his willingness to dice with death in every dangerous scene he performed."

to push the limits of safety or good fortune by doing something that may result in harm or disaster

"Don't tempt fate too much."

"Driving at excessive speeds in bad weather is a dangerous way to tempt fate and invite an accident."

to add to the risks or demands of a competition, dispute, etc. that will lead to either more benefits or losses

"They upped the ante."

"The poker player decided to up the ante, raising the stakes significantly with his remaining chips."

to cause fear or concern by showing a warning sign

"This sets the alarm bells ringing."

"The sudden drop in sales should ring alarm bells for the company's management team immediately."

used when a situation suddenly becomes very intense or chaotic

"All hell broke loose when the news came."

"All hell broke loose when the police announced that the concert had been cancelled at the last minute."

to worsen a situation to a point that it requires immediate action

"The fight brought things to a head."

"The escalating tensions between the two nations brought the conflict to a head, demanding urgent diplomatic intervention."

to become very dangerous or problematic in a way that demands immediate action

"The crisis came to a head."

"The long-standing dispute between the two countries finally came to a head last week."

used to refer to a situation in which someone is forced or committed to fulfill a responsibility, often due to prior agreements or expectations

"He is on the hook now."

"After agreeing to the terms, he found himself on the hook for the entire cost of the project."

to be killed or dead, typically conveying the body has been disposed of by being thrown into water

"The mobster is sleeping with the fishes."

"The gangster threatened to make his rival sleep with the fishes if he did not leave town immediately."

to cause significant damage or destruction to something by subjecting it to intense heat or fire

"The fire burned it crisp."

"I forgot the pizza in the oven and burned it to a crisp so we had to order takeout."

used to describe people who are easily targeted for criticism or are attracting significant negative attention

"The senator is in our crosshairs."

"The controversial politician found himself in the media's crosshairs after the scandal broke."

used when someone or something is subjected to a serious threat or danger

"My reputation is on the line with this deal."

"His reputation was on the line when he decided to publicly challenge the powerful politician during the televised debate."

(in reference to a business or relationship) in a difficult or troubled state, and may be at risk of falling apart

"It is on the rocks."

"Their marriage had been on the rocks for months, filled with constant arguments and lack of communication."

to cause significant damage or destruction to something by subjecting it to intense heat or fire

"Burn it to acrisp."

"The intense scrutiny threatened to burn the politician's reputation to a crisp."

used to threaten someone or seriously warn them

"Clean your room, or else."

"You need to finish your homework by dinner time or else you will not be allowed to watch television tonight."

used to refer to someone who is being targeted by another person or thing for a specific action, often with the intent to catch, arrest, stop, or harm

"He is in my crosshairs."

"The determined detective felt the fugitive was in her crosshairs after weeks of surveillance."

to be the one who shows courage and does something risky that benefits all members of a group

"Who will bell the cat?"

"Someone needs to bell the cat and confront the manager about the unfair workload distribution affecting everyone."

a risk or brave act taken without considering the consequences

"It was a leap in dark."

"Starting a business without any plan is like taking a leap in the dark that rarely ends well."

to continue to take risks because one has not faced any consequences so far

"Do not push your luck today."

"You got away with it once, but if you push your luck again, you will definitely get caught."

to do something that is dangerous, improper, or possibly illegal

"He sails close to the wind with his jokes."

"The politician sailed close to the wind by accepting donations from companies that were under investigation for corruption."

an action that is not beneficial to one in any way

"Gambling is a mug's game."

"Gambling is a mug's game because the odds are always stacked against you and you will eventually lose all your money."

to rely on chance in doing something

"I am ready to roll the dice on a new venture."

"The entrepreneur decided to roll the dice and invest all his savings into the new business venture without any guarantee."

to do something dangerous, risky, or foolish

"You are playing with fire now."

"Investing all your savings in a single risky stock is playing with fire, and you could lose everything overnight."

to behave in a way that is risky, dangerous, or reckless

"Riding a motorcycle without a helmet is like having a death wish."

"Cycling through the busy city without a helmet makes it look like you have a death wish because it is very dangerous."

to do something that is very likely to result in trouble or difficulty

"Driving in this storm is asking for trouble."

"Driving a car in this storm is asking for trouble because the roads are extremely slippery and dangerous."

to knowingly do what can get one into trouble

"You are cruising for a bruising."

"If you keep talking back to your boss like that you are cruising for a bruising and might get fired."

to have a life that involves one facing a lot of danger and taking great risks

"He loves to live on the edge."

"The extreme sports athlete loves to live on the edge by skydiving and climbing mountains without any safety equipment."

to suddenly fall on the ground, often as a way of avoiding danger

"Hit the dirt now."

"When the gunfire started the soldiers hit the dirt to avoid being shot by the enemy."

equipped with several weapons

"The soldiers were armed to the teeth."

"The soldiers were armed to the teeth with guns knives and grenades before they entered the dangerous enemy territory."

to shoot bullets from a gun

"The criminal threatened to bust a cap."

"The desperate robber, cornered by police, threatened to bust a cap if they didn't let him escape."

said to an enemy before shooting them dead with a gun

"You will eat lead now!"

"The outlaw sneered, "You've got nowhere to run, so eat my lead!" before firing his pistol."

someone or something that lacks enough defense or protection and is easy to be targeted

"The slow-moving soldier is a sitting duck for the sniper."

"The soldiers were sitting ducks as they crossed the open field without cover."

in the position or state of readiness for answering any attack or criticism

"The boxer went on the offensive."

"The boxer went on the offensive and attacked his opponent with a series of powerful punches in the third round."

used for referring to a recent war or conflict

"The country is recovering from a late unpleasantness."

"The country is recovering from a late unpleasantness and people are still healing from the war."

to use a sword in order to murder or execute someone

"The army put their enemies to the sword."

"The invading army put the entire village to the sword and spared nobody including women and children."

to die while actively engaged in one's work, often in a heroic or dedicated manner

"He died with his boots on."

"My grandfather was a true soldier who died with his boots on while serving his country bravely."

to become really annoyance to the point where one might do something stupid to get rid he anger or frustration

"He was annoyed greatly."

"The constant criticism made him so angry that he felt like he might blow his brains out."

to discharge a large number of bullets or explosives

"They let loose their guns."

"During the chaotic battle, the soldiers were ordered to let loose a barrage of artillery fire towards the enemy lines."

to fight one's enemies or attackers that pursue one

"The wolf stood at bay, cornered by the hunters."

"The cornered animal stood at bay and growled fiercely at the hunters who had trapped it against the cliff wall."

to argue or fight until a disagreement is resolved

"They will duke it out."

"The two boxers will duke it out in the ring for the world championship title tonight."

an area that is dangerous or not allowed for people to use for a particular purpose

"Stay out of the red zone."

"The construction site was declared a red zone due to the unstable scaffolding and potential collapse."

to shoot someone in their head and kill them

"They blew his brains out."

"The gangster was accused of violently blowing his brains out after a botched robbery."

to engage in a physical fight, typically using one's fists

"They will duke it out."

"The two rivals agreed to duke it out in the boxing ring to settle their long-standing feud."