
IdiomDaily Life
English
out of the woods
Meaning: Out of danger; out of a very difficult situation.
Example: “The surgery went well, but she's not out of the woods yet.”
Equivalents in other languages
Czech: Je to za vodou Literally: It's past the water
French: Ne pas être sorti de l'auberge Literally: To not be out of the inn yet
Origin: The image is of travelers emerging from a dark, dangerous forest. A Roman proverb warned not to shout before being out of the woods, and in English the phrase is recorded from the late 18th century; Abigail Adams used a version in 1776.
More English idioms
- over the top Beyond expectations; outside normal or accepted boundaries; exaggerated.
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- pay the piper To pay for one's mistakes; to live with the consequences of one's (wrong) actions.
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- penny pincher A person that doesn't like to spend money.
- peter out To disappear gradually.
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