Englishup in the air
Meaning: Unsettled or undecided.
Example: “Our summer plans are still up in the air.”
Origin: The idiom's modern figurative sense of something undecided or unresolved is documented in print by 1752, though "up" itself was only added to the earlier, simpler "in the air" in the first half of the 1900s. Exactly which image inspired the phrase remains genuinely unsettled. One theory points to dust or small particles floating freely, never settling firmly onto solid ground, offering a literal picture of something with no fixed, final resting place. A second, less certain theory reaches for a coin flip, with the outcome plainly unknowable for as long as the coin is still spinning in midair. A third simply notes the phrase's kinship with older, related expressions like "in mid-air" or "aloft," already common well before the specific figurative idiom took hold. No single explanation is confirmed over the others.
More English idioms
- wear the pants in the family To make the major decisions and have the greatest amount of power in a family.
- wet behind the ears Young and inexperienced.
- wet blanket A person who is seen as never wanting to take part in fun activities; a person who ruins…
- not what it's cracked up to be Not as good as its reputation; not as good as it is supposed to be.
- when the chips are down When the situation is critical; when things are going badly.
- whip someone or something into shape To mold or assemble something into its proper shape quickly.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
Short sayings of timeless wisdom from more than 50 cultures, each with its meaning and origin.
- 人不可貌相 (Rén bù kě mào xiàng) You can't judge people by their appearance.
- Mudam-se os tempos, mudam-se as vontades As times change, so do people's wishes and values.
- Devagar se vai ao longe Going slowly gets you far.
Keep exploring