walk on eggshells
/ˌwɔːk ɒn ˈeɡʃelz/NEUTRAL · C1
Meaning
to be very careful not to upset someone
Examples
- 1Since Dad lost his job, we've all been walking on eggshells around him.
- 2You don't have to walk on eggshells with me — just tell me what you think.
- 3Mum is so stressed about the move that we're walking on eggshells to avoid an argument.
- 4Aisha's new flatmate gets upset so easily that everyone walks on eggshells at home.
- 5It's tiring to walk on eggshells every time my brother is in a bad mood.
Grammar
Only walk changes form; eggshells stays plural. Often followed by around or with and a person. British English also has tread on eggshells.
More idioms about food
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →make your mouth waterto create a strong desire to eat through the sight, smell or thought of foodput all your eggs in one basketto rely completely on a single plan or chancebite off more than you can chewto try to do more than you are able to managehave your cake and eat itto get two advantages that are usually impossible to combinehit the spotto be exactly what you wanted, especially food or drinkcry over spilt milkto be upset about something that cannot be changed
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
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