IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishhear something through the grapevine
Meaning: To hear a rumor that may or may not be true.
Example: “I heard through the grapevine that you're moving to Lisbon.”
Equivalents in other languages
French: Le téléphone arabe Literally: The Arab telephone
Origin: In 19th-century America, a telegraph line strung loosely between trees was nicknamed a "grapevine telegraph," and the name passed to the unofficial spread of rumors, notably among soldiers in the Civil War. Marvin Gaye's 1968 song "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" popularized the full phrase.
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