🗓️ Idiom: Read Between the Lines (verb)
💬 Meaning
- To understand the hidden meaning or intention behind what is said.
- To notice information that is not openly stated.
🧠 Example Sentences
- She could read between the lines and understood that the deal might fail.
- Managers often need to read between the lines during performance reviews.
- He read between the lines of the email and realized the client was unhappy.
🏛️ Origin
The phrase comes from the idea of noticing words or messages “between the lines” of text. It emerged in English in the 19th century and became widely used to describe interpreting hidden meanings, especially in letters, reports, or negotiations.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
To understand his real feelings, she had to __________ between the lines.
Answer
read
2. Multiple choice:
What does “read between the lines” mean?
a) To literally look at text carefully
b) To understand hidden meaning
c) To ignore details in a document
Answer
b) To understand hidden meaning
3. Change the sentence using read between the lines:
He didn’t say it but but she noticed that he was unhappy with the proposal.
Answer
She read between the lines and noticed he was unhappy with the proposal.
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