Englishunder a cloud
Meaning: Less than entirely trustworthy; suspected of some wrongdoing.
Example: “The coach left the club under a cloud after the betting scandal.”
Origin: Works on shadow rather than storm. A cloud passing overhead darkens whatever lies beneath it without touching or damaging anything, and the darkening is both conspicuous and temporary — which is exactly the condition the phrase describes. Someone under a cloud has not been convicted or dismissed; they are under suspicion, visible to everyone as being under it, and waiting for it to pass or to settle into something worse. That unresolved quality is the whole point, and it distinguishes the phrase from expressions of outright disgrace. It is attested in English from the 1500s, and belongs to a family of idioms in which moral standing is described as light and its absence as shadow.
More English idioms
- ace in the hole A hidden but effective means of winning a conflict.
- Achilles' heel A person's weakness or the vulnerable spot in his or her character.
- acid test The most crucial or important test of worth.
- across the board Equally for everyone, for everything, or in all cases.
- all kidding aside Speaking seriously.
- all thumbs Uncoordinated and awkward, especially with one's hands.
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