Knowledge, Logic & Wisdom, Awareness or Unawareness and 8 More Topics · English Idioms: Knowledge

used to refer to the practice of providing information only to those who absolutely require that specific information to perform their tasks or duties effectively

"I only tell you things on a need-to-know basis."

"The government shares secret information on a need to know basis with only a few officials."

used to indicate one's complete knowledge or understanding of something

"I know this subject back to front."

"After years of studying, she understood the complex scientific principles back to front."

to be well-informed about or completely familiar with something

"I know this town like the back of my hand."

"I have lived in this city for thirty years so I know it like the back of my hand."

to have very good knowledge or understanding about someone or something

"She knows this town inside out."

"The tour guide knows the old city inside out and can show you all the hidden gems."

to have easy, immediate access to something, often information or resources

"She has facts at fingertips."

"With her extensive research skills, the historian had all the necessary primary sources at her fingertips."

to know something so perfectly that one can do it at anytime without having to focus or think

"She knows it down pat."

"He had the recipe down pat, so he cooked dinner perfectly every night."

a complete set of facts or details about how something is done or how it works

"He knows all the ins and outs of the system."

"After working here for ten years she knows all the ins and outs of the company."

to take advantage of the understanding and discoveries of influential figures who have been through the same or similar intellectual progress

"We stand on the shoulders of giants."

"The young scientist acknowledged that he stood on the shoulders of giants who came before him."

some pieces of information or knowledge that may be useful or relevant at a later time

"He can teach you a thing or two."

"The experienced mechanic can teach you a thing or two about fixing old cars."

to be well-informed about a particular situation, to the point where one is able to determine the outcome

"He knows the score about office politics."

"The experienced politician knows the score and understands how to negotiate difficult situations."

the knowledge or experience that is crucial for one to survive or succeed in urban environments

"He has street smarts from growing up in the city."

"He has street smarts from growing up in the city and knows how to handle dangerous situations."

in a state of being informed and knowledgeable about a particular topic or situation

"Get up to speed."

"Before the meeting, please read these documents to get up to speed on the latest market trends."

a person's ability to make good judgments and behave sensibly

"Her horse sense helped avoid trouble."

"Her horse sense helped avoid trouble and she trusted her instincts when something felt wrong."

(of an argument, theory, etc.) to be believable or supported by evidence

"His story does not hold water."

"The detective quickly realized that the suspect's alibi did not hold water under closer scrutiny and further questioning."

natural or instinctive intelligence and common sense that comes from personal experience and intuition rather than formal education or training

"He relied on mother wit to survive."

"He relied on mother wit to survive and figured out solutions without any formal training."

used when one does something even though one knows it is not sensible

"I took the job against my better judgment."

"Against my better judgment I lent my friend money that he never paid back."

to speak in a clear and reasonable manner

"Please talk sense now."

"After much confusion, the manager finally started to talk sense about the company's new strategic direction."

the mental state of actively engaging in thought or problem-solving, often with an emphasis on creativity or generating ideas

"Put your thinking cap on for this puzzle."

"Put your thinking cap on for this puzzle and be prepared to think outside the box."

to start thinking or acting in a way that seems foolish

"Have you taken leave of your senses?"

"The old man took leave of his senses and started walking down the highway in his pyjamas."

a young person or a child who talks and behaves like an older or more experienced person would

"He has wise head."

"My little sister is an old head on young shoulders because she always gives very mature and thoughtful advice."

exceptionally wise compared to most people at one's age

"He is wise beyond his years."

"The young pianist was wise beyond her years and played with the emotion of a much older musician."

a person's ability to learn or understand something

"Use your gray matter."

"Solving this complex puzzle requires a significant amount of gray matter and logical thinking."

in the part of the mind that holds thoughts and memories that are not often recalled or thought about

"It's at back mind."

"At the back of my mind, I always knew that I would eventually move to another country to pursue my dreams."

to recognize the reality of a situation, no matter how unpleasant it may be

"Wake up smell coffee."

"It's time for you to wake up and smell the coffee; your business is failing rapidly."

well aware of the difficulties of one's situation or its consequences

"I went into this deal with my eyes open."

"She went into the business deal with her eyes open knowing all the risks involved."

to be no longer in contact with a friend or acquaintance

"We lost touch after college."

"After she moved to another country we lost touch and I have not heard from her for years."

to completely forget about or fail to consider something, particularly due to being really busy

"Don't lose sight now."

"When you are busy with daily tasks, it is easy to lose sight of what truly matters in your life."

lacking awareness regarding the potential outcomes of a particular action

"I could do this with my eyes closed."

"I have made this recipe so many times that I could do it with my eyes closed."

to have the advantage by being fully aware of someone's real motives or character

"I have your number, so do not lie."

"The experienced teacher has the naughty student number and knows exactly how to handle his behaviour."

a situation or state in which someone does not know or wishes to avoid the unpleasant things that can normally happen to people in their ordinary lives

"The professor lives in an ivory tower."

"The professor lives in an ivory tower and has no idea how ordinary people struggle to survive."

(of a person) completely disconnected from reality

"That kid is away with the fairies."

"The daydreaming student is always away with the fairies and never pays attention in class."

something, such as a book, move clip, etc., that provides one with information about a variety of people, places, events, or things that one cannot physically interact with or experience

"The internet is a window to the world."

"The internet provides a window onto the world connecting people from different cultures instantly."

used to describe someone who is mentally sharp and fully aware

"Do not worry, he is all there."

"I am not sure my elderly neighbour is all there because he talks to his plants."

to not have knowledge or awareness about someone or something

"I lost touch with them."

"After moving abroad, she gradually began to lose touch with her old friends."

lacking awareness regarding the potential outcomes of a particular action

"He acted with his eyes closed."

"Investing all his savings without any research, he clearly acted with his eyes closed."

(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."

to intentionally ignore unpleasant facts about a situation and hope that the situation improves by doing so

"Don't bury your head in sand."

"The company's management has buried its head in the sand for too long and refused to acknowledge the declining sales figures."

in a state in which one is not informed about important things

"They kept me in the dark."

"The company kept its employees in the dark about the upcoming changes until the last minute."

not being aware of recent information about something

"I have been out of the loop all week."

"I have been out of the loop lately because I missed several important meetings at work."

to pretend as if one cannot hear someone complaining or asking one something

"She turned a deaf ear to my advice."

"The selfish manager turned a deaf ear to the employees complaints about low salaries."

(of statements, warnings, requests, etc.) to be completely ignored

"My advice fell on deaf ears."

"My warnings about the storm fell on deaf ears and nobody prepared for the bad weather."

(of information, advice, etc.) to not be taken seriously and hence immediately forgotten

"Advice went in one ear."

"He never listens to my advice; it just goes in one ear and out the other."

used to describe a situation in which an incompetent or inexperienced person is advising others who have no knowledge or experience at all

"This is like the blind leading the blind."

"Having inexperienced students teach the new ones is like the blind leading the blind and nobody learns anything useful."

(of a person) to be completely ignored, usually in a system or process

"He fell through the cracks."

"Without proper follow-up, vulnerable individuals can easily fall through the cracks of the social services system."

to pretend that something is not happening or is not the case

"They swept it under rug."

"The company tried to sweep the environmental concerns under the rug, but the public outcry was too loud."

to pretend as if one cannot see or notice something

"The teacher turned a blind eye to the cheating."

"The security guard turned a blind eye when his friend entered the building without showing identification."

a strategy in which a person chooses to ignore or evades the truth or potential problems about a particular situation

"Using an ostrich plan will not help."

"The company ostrich strategy of ignoring the competition led to its eventual bankruptcy."

(of a person) to be neglected or go unnoticed, particularly by a social or political system that should have been more responsible

"He slipped through the net again."

"Many vulnerable families slipped through the net because the government failed to provide adequate support during the crisis."

(of a person) to be completely ignored, usually in a system or process

"He fell through the cracks."

"Unfortunately, the desperate plea for help seemed to fall through the cracks of the bureaucracy."

(of something, particularly issues) to be completely overlooked

"The issue fell through the cracks."

"Due to poor communication, the critical safety concern unfortunately fell through the cracks."

(of a person) to be neglected or go unnoticed, particularly by a social or political system that should have been more responsible

"He slipped through the net."

"The suspect managed to slip through the net of law enforcement and evade capture."

(of something particularly an issue) to go unnoticed or to be overlooked within a system, plan, or organization, etc.

"The problem slipped through the net."

"Despite numerous checks, the faulty component managed to slip through the net of quality control."

to be able to show or recognize a difference between two individuals or things

"She knows a hawk from a handsaw."

"An experienced investor should know a hawk from a handsaw when evaluating risky opportunities in the stock market."

a person or a thing that is easy to understand or predict

"His life is an open book."

"His life is an open book and he is honest about his past mistakes and failures."

to be able to easily understand what someone is thinking about or what their intention is

"I can read him like a book."

"After years of friendship, she could read him like a book and always knew exactly what he was thinking."

to discover or determine the underlying cause of something, particularly an issue

"Get to the heart of it."

"We need to get to the bottom of this problem before it escalates further and causes more damage."

to get an understanding of what someone's true intention is or how they feel based on what they say or write

"She can read between the lines well."

"If you read between the lines of his letter, you will notice that he is actually quite unhappy."

to frequently repeat something to someone so that they finally learn or memorize it

"The teacher drummed grammar into our heads."

"The strict teacher drummed the multiplication tables into the students heads through constant repetition."

reacting quickly or immediately to an opportunity or situation

"He was quick off the mark with his answer."

"The clever student was quick off the mark and answered the question before anyone else."

in a tone or manner that can be understood by many

"Explain it in words of one syllable."

"The teacher explained the difficult concept in words of one syllable so even the slowest student understood."

to suddenly realize the truth about a situation

"After reading the report, the scales finally fell from his eyes."

"The investigation revealed what had really been happening — for many employees, it was the moment the scales fell from their eyes."

a sudden realization or understanding of something, often an idea or solution

"I had a light bulb moment and solved the problem."

"She had a light bulb moment in the shower and suddenly solved the difficult physics problem."

to provide clarification, understanding, or insight into a topic, situation, or problem

"This document sheds light on the mystery."

"The document sheds light on the secret negotiations that took place between the two countries last year."

an experience that is as very thrilling and memorable

"It was a head trip."

"The psychedelic concert was a complete head trip, altering everyone's perception of reality."

to carefully consider the facts of a situation in order to understand something, make a decision, or solve a problem

"Use your head now."

"Please use your head and consider all the consequences before you make such a rash decision."

in a very nervous or frustrating state of mind in face of a problem or situation one knows very little or nothing about

"I am out of my depth here."

"The new employee felt out of his depth during the technical meeting because he did not understand the terminology."

said when one does not have a definite answer to a particular question, similar to the questioner

"I have no idea — your guess is as good as mine."

"Nobody in the room knew how the error had occurred — your guess is as good as mine, admitted the lead developer."

to fail to understand or interpret or understand something correctly

"You got wrong end."

"I think you have got the wrong end of the stick because I never said anything like that."

to have no information regarding a particular subject

"I do not know beans about cars."

"I do not know beans about cars so you should ask my brother to help you fix yours."

used when one is incapable of understanding or remembering a particular thing

"For the life of me, I cannot remember."

"For the life of me I cannot remember where I parked the car in this huge lot."

someone or something one knows very little or nothing about

"The topic is a closed book to me."

"The topic is a closed book to me and I have no knowledge or interest in learning about it."

used to describe something that is complicated due to not being clearly described or shown

"The instructions were clear as mud."

"His explanation of the complex theory was as clear as mud, leaving everyone confused."

to be incapable of understanding even the simplest concepts

"He doesn't know his ass from his elbow."

"The new intern doesn't know his ass from his elbow, so nobody trusts him with important tasks yet."

the limits of human knowledge or understanding, representing areas that remain unknown or unexplored

"Space is often called the final frontier."

"Space exploration is often called the final frontier because there is still so much to discover out there."

confused and unable to think clearly

"I am still in a fog."

"I have been in a fog all day because I did not sleep well last night."

to fully understand something difficult, complicated, or strange

"I can't wrap my head around it."

"It took scientists years to wrap their minds around the complex theory that fundamentally changed our understanding of the universe."

to make an attempt to understand someone or something that is puzzling

"I cannot make head or tail."

"I have read the instructions three times, but I still cannot make head or tail of this complicated assembly manual."

to try one's best in order to solve a problem or to understand it

"I beat my brains out trying to solve it."

"I beat my brains out trying to solve the puzzle but I finally had to give up."

to confuse someone by using difficult or technical words while describing something to them

"Do not blind me with science, just explain simply."

"The expert witness tried to blind the jury with science using complicated technical language they could not understand."

used to describe a situation in which someone remains uninformed or unaware, typically after an event or the receipt of information

"I read the manual but am none the wiser."

"The criminal escaped without paying and the restaurant owner was none the wiser until the next morning."

to fail to correctly understand or interpret what someone said

"We got our wires crossed yesterday."

"I think we had our wires crossed about the meeting time, so I showed up an hour earlier than everyone else."

to be unable to comprehend what is happening around one

"He really lost the plot."

"After working for sixteen hours straight, I completely lost the plot and couldn't remember what I was doing."

used when one is completely unable to guess or understand something

"Beats me!"

"I have no idea why he acted that way; honestly, it just beats me."

used as a response to mean that one does not have any answer to a particular question

"Search me. I have no idea."

"Search me. I have no idea where your keys are because I did not see them anywhere."

in a state or place that is unknown or unseen, particularly referring to where people go after they die

"We cannot see what is beyond the veil."

"The old woman claimed she could see beyond the veil and communicate with dead relatives."

used to refer to something that is complicated or difficult beyond one's understanding or capability

"It was over my head."

"The advanced quantum physics lecture was completely over my head; I couldn't grasp any of it."

used for saying that one is unable to understand the meaning of something particular

"This math is all Greek to me."

"My husband tried to explain the tax forms to me but it was all Greek to me."

a state in which one does not understand the current situation due to being completely detached from reality

"He is in la-la land."

"He seemed to be in la-la land, completely unaware of the financial crisis unfolding around him."

a subject that is very challenging or boring to one

"Math is my blind spot."

"My blind spot in history is the late medieval period, making it difficult to grasp complex political nuances."

to think hard or make a great effort to remember or solve something

"I racked my brain for the answer."

"She had to rack her brain to recall the forgotten details of the event."

to make one feel a sense of familiarity or help one remember something

"That name rings a bell."

"When she mentioned the old song from our school days, it immediately rang a bell and brought back so many wonderful memories of our childhood."

to talk or write about one's enjoyable previous experiences

"We took a walk down memory lane looking at old photos."

"The old couple took a walk down memory lane by visiting the house where they first met."

to easily be able to remember things and rarely forget them

"She has a memory like an elephant."

"My grandmother has a memory like an elephant because she remembers every single detail from her childhood."

the unexpected appearance or remebrance of a person or thing that evokes nostalgic feelings within one

"Seeing my old friend was a blast from the past."

"Seeing my old childhood friend on the street was a real blast from the past for me."

a person's ability to visualize things that could happen

"In my mind's eye, I can still see my childhood home."

"In my mind eye I can still see my childhood home exactly as it looked forty years ago."

to make one think of something one saw or heard before

"His name has a familiar ring to it."

"The song has a familiar ring but I cannot remember where I have heard it before."

to help someone remember something they forgot

"This photo might jog your memory."

"Looking at the old photographs jogged my memory and I remembered details from my childhood that I had forgotten."

used to refer to events or experiences that have happened within the lifetime of people who are currently alive, particularly recently

"It happened in living memory."

"The last time it snowed this heavily was within living memory, and many older people still talk about it today."

(of a memory) to still be present in one's mind, particularly when one does not want to remember it

"Her words ring in my ears."

"The sound of that terrible accident still rings in my ears, and I cannot stop thinking about it every single day."

to bring up past painful or unresolved experiences, often leading to emotional distress or discomfort

"He opened old wounds again."

"Bringing up that painful divorce reopened old wounds for everyone at the family dinner last night."

as a way to remember or honor past experiences or relationships

"Let us visit that restaurant for old times' sake."

"The two old friends met for a drink for old times sake and laughed about their crazy college days."

used when one is trying to remember something, but is not sure whether one can remember it correctly

"If my memory serves me right, we met in 2019."

"If her memory served her correctly, the clause had been removed in the second draft, not the third."

to be unable to remember something clearly

"I drew a blank."

"Despite hours of searching through old files, the detective continued to draw a blank."

to often forget things due to one's exceptionally poor memory

"I have a brain like a sieve."

"My grandmother has a memory like a sieve, so she always writes everything down in her little notebook."

a time so long ago that one has difficulty remembering clearly

"That happened time out of mind."

"People have gathered at this ancient stone circle for festivals time out of mind."

to be very close to remembering or saying something but fail nevertheless

"Her name is on the tip of my tongue."

"The actor name is on the tip of my tongue but I just cannot remember it right now."

to be forgotten or disregarded

"I am sorry, your name slipped my mind."

"I completely forgot to call the doctor because the appointment totally slipped my mind."

to no longer be angry with someone who wronged one and act as if nothing happened

"It is best to forgive and forget."

"It is hard to forgive and forget when someone has hurt you deeply but it is necessary for moving on."

to fail to remember what one previously knew

"My mind went blank suddenly."

"During the exam, my mind went completely blank, and I couldn't remember anything I had studied the night before."

temporary loss of memory that is experienced by some people when they get old

"Grandpa had a senior moment."

"Grandpa had a senior moment and forgot where he parked the car in the large garage."

(of something that happened) really difficult to remember how long has passed since it happened to one

"The real story is lost in the mists of time."

"The true origin of the ancient monument has been lost in the mists of time."

to be unable to remember something clearly

"I draw a blank."

"Despite studying all night, I still draw a blank when asked about the complex historical dates."

used to describe a person who seems to be incapable of doing something due to a lack of necessary resources or skills

"Small dog, tall weeds."

"She was talented but inexperienced for the position — a clear case of small dog, tall weeds."

used to say that someone is extremely bad at doing something

"He's bad for toffee."

"My brother cannot sing for toffee but he loves to perform at family gatherings."

a person or thing that excels at doing only one thing

"That singer is a one-trick pony."

"The band is a one trick pony and all their songs sound exactly the same."

used to say that one did not have much experience with something and therefore is not very good at it

"I am out of practice."

"I used to play the piano well but I am out of practice now because I never play anymore."

having little knowledge or experience of a particular situation or activity

"The intern is wet behind ears."

"The new intern is still wet behind the ears and needs a lot of supervision."

to no longer be able to do a certain activity as well as one did in the past

"I'm losing my touch."

"The famous singer has lost his touch and his recent concerts are not very good."

to lack knowledge or understanding of a particular concept or term

"I don't know the meaning."

"Many young children do not even know the meaning of the word because they have never heard it before."

an unscientific or inaccurate estimate or method

"That's a finger in the air."

"His budget proposal was just a finger in the air, lacking any real financial analysis or planning."

a versatile and adaptable individual who can handle a variety of tasks effectively

"He's a jack of all trades."

"My father is a jack of all trades master of none because he can do many things but not very well."