Idioms — Set 35

Set 35 of Idioms covers 5 idioms: hit the ground running, read between the lines, hold your horses, sit on the fence, put your money where your mouth is. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. hit the ground running · idiom/hɪt ðə ɡraʊnd ˈrʌnɪŋ/

   to start something with enthusiasm and energy

   She hit the ground running on her first day and impressed everyone.

   Origin: Military slang — paratroopers and cavalry soldiers had to land and immediately start running into combat.

2. read between the lines · idiom/rid bɪˈtwin ðə laɪnz/

   to look beyond what is explicitly stated and understand the hidden meaning

   Reading between the lines, I think he’s not happy with the decision.

   Origin: From early cryptography — spies wrote secret messages with invisible ink between the visible lines of letters.

3. hold your horses · idiom/hoʊld jʊr ˈhɔrsɪz/

   to be patient and wait instead of rushing

   Hold your horses! We need to check everything before we make a final decision.

   Origin: From American horse-and-carriage days — drivers pulled their reins back to make excited horses pause.

4. sit on the fence · idiom/sɪt ɔn ðə fɛns/

   to avoid taking sides in a dispute or decision

   He’s always sitting on the fence when it comes to big debates.

   Origin: From the 1800s — sitting on a boundary fence between two fields means belonging to neither side.

5. put your money where your mouth is · idiom/pʊt jʊr ˈmʌni wɛr jʊr maʊθ ɪz/

   to back up your words with action or money

   If you really believe in your idea, put your money where your mouth is and invest in it.

   Origin: American 20th-century gambling expression — only put real money behind the talk if you genuinely believe.