Showing 41-43 of 43
Up in smoke
Up in smoke means that something has suddenly failed or disappeared. A plan or effort can collapse and leave nothing behind.The phrase comes from the image of smoke rising and fading into the air. Once it drifts away, nothing remains. The expression uses that image to describe something that vanishes or falls apart.
Months of careful planning went up in smoke when the event was canceled.
When the dust settles
The phrase when the dust settles means to wait until after confusion or trouble has passed. Things become calmer, and it is easier to think clearly.The idiom draws from the literal image of dust being kicked up while you are working, which then falls to the ground later.
We'll decide what to do next when the dust settles.
Where there's smoke, there's fire
Where there's smoke there's fire means that a rumor or warning is often based on some truth. If people keep hearing signs that something is wrong, there is probably a real problem behind it.The expression comes from the simple observation that smoke usually comes from a real fire. Because smoke is visible from far away, people learned to treat it as a sign that something important was happening.
When several employees started leaving suddenly, people began saying where there's smoke there's fire.