strings attached

Meaning: Hidden conditions or requirements that make something less advantageous than it first appears.

Example: “The free vacation came with strings attached: a three-hour timeshare presentation.”

Origin: The phrase pictures an agreement or offer with invisible strings attached to it—constraints that bind or restrict the recipient.

More English idioms

rhyme or reason Any logical sense or reasonable explanation.
drop in the bucket A contribution or action so small it is negligible compared to a massive problem.
bed of roses A situation or life that is entirely easy, comfortable, and free from hardship.
made in the shade Assured of comfort, success, or an effortless, favorable position.
blow up in one's face To fail spectacularly or cause a plan to collapse in an embarrassing way.
make a fist of To accomplish something with reasonable competence or success.

Short sayings of timeless wisdom from more than 50 cultures, each with its meaning and origin.

Make not fish of one, and flesh of another. Treat all people with consistent fairness; don't favor some while dismissing others arbit…
Fish are not to be caught by a birdcall. Wrong tools waste effort; match your methods to your actual target.
There's as good fish in the sea as were ever caught. Lost opportunities aren't final; future chances remain equally promising if you persevere.

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