walking on eggshells
being careful not to offend anyone
TRANSLATION
walking on eggshells = sich auf dünnem Eis bewegen, jedes Wort auf die Goldwaage legen, einen Eiertanz aufführen
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
Christmas can be a very difficult time for some families. "It all comes to a head around Christmas day, everyone is WALKING ON EGGSHELLS just trying to keep the family together."
BBC News
BBC News
Did you
know?
walking on eggshells
idiom
- to be very careful not to offend someone or do anything wrong
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
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WORD ORIGIN
The idiom "walking on eggshells" generally describes a situation in which people must tread lightly around a sensitive topic, or make every effort not to offend a highly sensitive person.
Literally walking on eggshells would require exceptional caution and self-control, similar to the feeling of avoiding conflict with an easily disturbed friend, relative, or employer.
The origin of the idiom is a matter of dispute, but the general consensus is that it stemmed from the same place as other cautionary actions, such as walking on thin ice or broken glass. Some sources suggest that walking on eggshells came from an earlier idiom, "walking on eggs."
Certain situations can create the sense of walking on eggshells. Family members may walk on eggshells around a patient until the results of an important medical test are revealed, for example.
Or employees may feel as if they were walking on eggshells if the company is having financial difficulty, causing rumours of firings and layoffs.
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SYNONYMS
treading on thin ice, walking on broken glass, walking a tightrope, treading a thin line
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PRACTICE OWAD TODAY
"Talking with him was like walking on eggshells, I felt he would explode at any moment."
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QUICK, before you go, REFRESH YOUR BRAIN!
because next-day reviews boost memory by 70%
What was last Friday's OWAD?
Paare, deren Kinder ausgezogen sind = E____ N______
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idiom
- to be very careful not to offend someone or do anything wrong
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
---
WORD ORIGIN
The idiom "walking on eggshells" generally describes a situation in which people must tread lightly around a sensitive topic, or make every effort not to offend a highly sensitive person.
Literally walking on eggshells would require exceptional caution and self-control, similar to the feeling of avoiding conflict with an easily disturbed friend, relative, or employer.
The origin of the idiom is a matter of dispute, but the general consensus is that it stemmed from the same place as other cautionary actions, such as walking on thin ice or broken glass. Some sources suggest that walking on eggshells came from an earlier idiom, "walking on eggs."
Certain situations can create the sense of walking on eggshells. Family members may walk on eggshells around a patient until the results of an important medical test are revealed, for example.
Or employees may feel as if they were walking on eggshells if the company is having financial difficulty, causing rumours of firings and layoffs.
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SYNONYMS
treading on thin ice, walking on broken glass, walking a tightrope, treading a thin line
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PRACTICE OWAD TODAY
"Talking with him was like walking on eggshells, I felt he would explode at any moment."
---
QUICK, before you go, REFRESH YOUR BRAIN!
because next-day reviews boost memory by 70%
What was last Friday's OWAD?
Paare, deren Kinder ausgezogen sind = E____ N______
"The island of Mallorca is a popular place for E____ N______ from Germany"
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