handwriting\ on\ the\ wall
- handwriting\ on\ the\ wall
• writing on the wall
• handwriting on the wall
n. phr. literary
1. A warning; a message of some urgency.
"this nuclear plant is about to explode, I think," the chief engineer said. "We'd better get out of here in a hurry, the handwriting is on the wall."
2. A sign that something bad will happen.
When Bill's team lost four games in a row, he saw the handwriting on the wall.
John's employer had less and less work for him; John could read the handwriting on the wall and looked for another job.
Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань".
Оригинал: A.Маккей, М.Т.Боткер, Дж.И.Гейтс.
1997.
Look at other dictionaries:
handwriting on the wall — see under ↑write • • • Main Entry: ↑hand * * * handwriting (is) on the wall see ↑wall, 1 • • • Main Entry: ↑handwriting … Useful english dictionary
handwriting on the wall — {n. phr.} A sign that something bad will happen. * /When Bill s team lost four games in a row, he saw the handwriting on the wall./ * /John s employer had less and less work for him; John could read the handwriting on the wall and looked for… … Dictionary of American idioms
handwriting on the wall — {n. phr.} A sign that something bad will happen. * /When Bill s team lost four games in a row, he saw the handwriting on the wall./ * /John s employer had less and less work for him; John could read the handwriting on the wall and looked for… … Dictionary of American idioms
The handwriting on the wall — Handwriting Hand writ ing ( r[imac]t [i^]ng), n. 1. The cast or form of writing peculiar to each hand or person; chirography. [1913 Webster] 2. That which is written by hand; manuscript. [1913 Webster] {The handwriting on the wall}, a doom… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
(the) handwriting on the wall — the ˌhandwriting on the ˈwall idiom (NAmE) = writing on the wall Main entry: ↑handwritingidiom … Useful english dictionary
handwriting on the wall — a sign that something bad will happen The handwriting is on the wall. Business conditions are bad so probably nobody will get a pay raise this year … Idioms and examples
the handwriting on the wall — phrasal Etymology: so called fr. the mysterious handwriting in the Bible that appeared on the wall of Belshazzar s palace to foretell his doom (Dan 5) : a doom foreshadowed : an omen of one s fate usually unpleasant … Useful english dictionary
handwriting on the wall — Synonyms and related words: Friday, Friday the thirteenth, appointed lot, astral influences, astrology, book of fate, constellation, cup, danger sign, destination, destiny, dies funestis, doom, early symptom, end, falling barometer, fatality,… … Moby Thesaurus
handwriting on the wall — phrasal an omen of one s unpleasant fate … New Collegiate Dictionary
handwriting on the wall — noun A divine prediction or sentence to fate … Wiktionary
