put up a front, be a long shot, know which way the wind is blowing, be between a rock and a hard place , leave well enough alone: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 idioms from Idioms set 76. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. put up a front · idiom/pʊt ʌp ə frʌnt/

   to hide one's true feelings or intentions

   Even though he was struggling, he put up a front and pretended everything was fine.

   Origin: From the 1800s — 'front' described a fake building façade hiding what was actually behind, like a film set.

2. be a long shot · idiom/bi ə lɔŋ ʃɑt/

   an outcome that is very unlikely to happen

   Winning the lottery is a long shot, but someone has to win eventually.

   Origin: From early firearms — shots at long distances rarely hit their target, so success was unlikely.

3. know which way the wind is blowing · idiom/noʊ wɪtʃ weɪ ðə wɪnd ɪz ˈbloʊɪŋ/

   to understand the direction of a situation before taking action

   Before making any investments, it’s important to know which way the wind is blowing in the market.

   Origin: From sailing — wise sailors checked wind direction before setting sail to avoid disaster on the open sea.

4. be between a rock and a hard place · idiom/bi bɪˈtwin ə rɑk ənd ə hɑrd pleɪs/

   to be in a difficult situation with no easy solution

   She was between a rock and a hard place—quit her job or work for a boss she disliked.

   Origin: An American expression from the 1920s — a literal narrow space between rock walls allows no comfortable choice.

5. leave well enough alone · idiom/liv wɛl ɪˈnʌf əˈloʊn/

   to avoid changing something that is already working well

   The project is working fine as it is; let’s leave well enough alone and not complicate things.

   Origin: From the 1600s — old wisdom that meddling with things already functioning well usually makes them worse.