storm clouds are gathering

Meaning: Trouble is coming.

Language: English

Literally: (Already vivid in English)

Example: “With both sides refusing to talk, storm clouds are gathering over the negotiations.”

Category: Nature

Origin: Dark clouds forming before a storm. The figurative use for approaching conflict is common from the 19th century.

Equivalents in other languages

Spanish: oler a chamusquina — literally: to smell of a scorch or singe
French: Il y a de l'orage dans l'air — literally: There's a storm in the air
French: Il y a de l'eau dans le gaz — literally: There is water in the gas

terra firma — Solid ground, as opposed to the sea or the air.
a rolling stone gathers no moss — Someone who keeps moving never settles or accumulates anything; sometimes also, keeping a…
little strokes fell great oaks — Small, steady efforts achieve great results.
protect one's turf — To defend one's area of control or responsibility against others.
chase rainbows — To pursue something unrealistic.
left high and dry — Stranded or abandoned without help.

be rolling in it — To be very rich.
be worth one's weight in gold — To be extremely valuable or useful.
all bark and no bite — Threatening or boastful but not actually dangerous.
the flip side of the coin — The opposite, usually less pleasant, aspect of something.
the eighth wonder of the world — Something extraordinary, often said ironically.
a den of thieves — A place full of dishonest people.

Standers by see more than the gamesters. — Detached observers perceive patterns and opportunities that active participants miss thro…
The higher the standing the lower the fall. — Elevated positions carry greater vulnerability to catastrophic collapse due to accumulate…
Stars are not seen during sunshine. — Greatness becomes invisible when overwhelmed by more dominant presences or circumstances.