finger to the wind
1
8.7
- idiom
- Informal
:
sentir el ambiente
- A successful politician often puts his finger to the wind to gauge public opinion before making decisions.
I've always tried to kind of put my finger to the wind and feel what's going on right now.
- I've always tried to kind of put my finger to the wind and feel what's going on right now.
Examples
-
In business, it's important to have your finger to the wind to anticipate changes in the market.
-
I've always tried to kind of put my finger to the wind and feel what's going on right now.
-
To plan for the future effectively, she always keeps her finger to the wind regarding the latest trends.
Synonyms
To find out what most people think before you act
Antonyms
How Thorough
17
3.1
- Informal
40
2.1
- Informal
1
8.7
1
1.6
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase evokes the literal gesture of putting a finger up to test the wind, so a learner who knows 'finger' and 'wind' could partially infer a sense of checking direction or trend. However, the idiomatic extension to assessing mood or public opinion is a pragmatic/cultural metaphor that is not fully predictable from the parts, so prior exposure helps.
Etymology
The phrase finger to the wind comes from the simple act of holding a finger up into the wind to feel which way it blows. That's why it now means 'to check the mood or opinion' before making a decision.