Improve your speaking skills with instant feedback 🤖 Practice English with AI
English Idioms about "Communication"

Through the grapevine

English Idiom

Meaning: Hearing information indirectly, often through gossip or rumors, rather than from an official source. This kind of information usually spreads quickly among peers or within a community.
Origin: The phrase 'through the grapevine' originated in the 19th century in the United States. It was inspired by the telegraph system, often referred to as the 'grapevine telegraph,' which was a way of sending messages quickly but sometimes inaccurately. Over time, the term evolved to describe the rapid spread of information through informal networks.
Business professionals communicating in a network with megaphones on a blue circular background depicting collaboration
OpenAI's DALL-E generated image

Examples

  • I heard through the grapevine that the company is planning to launch a new product next month.
  • She found out through the grapevine that her colleagues were planning a surprise party for her.
  • It’s amazing how fast news travels through the grapevine in a small town.
  • He was shocked to learn about the merger through the grapevine rather than from his manager.
  • Rumors about the celebrity breakup spread like wildfire through the grapevine.
  • She discovered through the grapevine that her favorite store was having a massive sale.
  • He heard through the grapevine that his old friend had moved back to town.
  • The students knew about the teacher's sudden departure through the grapevine before it was officially announced.
  • I learned through the grapevine that the neighborhood is organizing a community clean-up event.
  • It was through the grapevine that she got wind of the job opening before it was posted online.