Useful Idioms – part 29

Blow hot and cold = react in different , unpredictable ways , so people are confused about how you really feel.

  • He has been blowing hot and cold about the trip to Brazil.
  • He keeps blowing hot and cold on the question of moving to the country.
  • He blows hot and cold about this.  I wish he would make up his mind.

Get wind of something = hear about something secret.

  • I don’t want my colleagues to get wind of the fact that I’m leaving.
  • I don’t want the press to get wind of our plans at this stage.
  • He got wind of the invasion in August 1942.

See how/which way the wind is blowing = to see how a situation develops before making up your mind about it ;  to know other people’s opinion.

  • I think I will see which way the wind is blowing before I vote at the Board meeting.
  • Those politicians know which way the wind is blowing among their voters.
  • Sam failed to see how the wind was blowing and got himself caught up in an argument.

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