the scales fall from one's eyes
Meaning: To suddenly see the truth after being deceived.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “When I saw his text messages, the scales fell from my eyes.”
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: From the Bible (Acts 9:18): when Saul regains his sight after his conversion, "there fell from his eyes as it had been scales."
Equivalents in other languages
- Swedish: fjällen falla från någons ögon — literally: the scales fall from someone's eyes
More idioms — Body & Senses
- feet of clay — A hidden weakness in someone or something admired.
- get to grips with something — To start dealing seriously with a problem.
- get one's hands on something — To obtain something, often with difficulty.
- have one's head screwed on — To be sensible and practical.
- put on a brave face — To look cheerful or confident while feeling otherwise.
- throw up one's hands — To show that one gives up, in despair or frustration.
More English idioms
- raze to the ground — To destroy a building or town completely.
- the law of the jungle — A situation where the strongest or most ruthless win.
- dig one's own grave — To cause one's own downfall.
- wouldn't hurt a fly — Is very gentle and harmless.
- in borrowed plumes — Pretending to qualities or achievements that belong to someone else.
- come in handy — To be useful when needed.
From our tongue twisters
- How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? — A 'w/ch/ck' drill that accelerates comically — and nobody really knows the answer.
- The sixth sick sheikh's sixth sheep's sick. — Believed by Guinness to be among the hardest in English — 'six/sick/sheikh/sheep' blur in…
- Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said the butter's bitter. — A 'b / t / tt' plosive drill that bounces between Betty, butter, and bitter.