hear something on the grapevine
/ˌhɪə ˈsʌmθɪŋ ɒn ðə ˈɡreɪpvaɪn/INFORMAL · C1
Meaning
to learn news that people pass on informally
Examples
- 1Nobody told me officially that Sam was leaving; I heard it on the grapevine.
- 2You hear things on the grapevine, but you shouldn't believe all of them.
- 3When I asked how she knew about the wedding, Maria said she had heard it on the grapevine.
- 4Is it true the café is closing? I heard something on the grapevine but wasn't sure.
- 5I didn't hear it on the grapevine – the manager told me herself this morning.
Grammar
Only hear changes: hears, heard. The news goes between hear and on: heard it on the grapevine. through the grapevine is also used.
More idioms about communication
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →put in a good word forto praise someone to a person who can help themget a word in edgewaysto manage to speak while someone else keeps talkingfall on deaf earsto be ignored by the people who are told itkeep someone postedto tell someone the latest news as things changea slip of the tonguea small mistake when you say a different word by accidentlost for wordsso surprised or moved that you cannot speak
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
Here you get a couple of questions. The app gives you 16 practice modes, native equivalents and spaced repetition that tells you when it’s time to refresh.
