writing on the wall
An ominous warning; a prediction of bad luckAn ominous warning; a prediction of bad luck.
» I can read the writing on the wall.
Ich kann die Schrift an der Wand lesen. — carlosalberto
Я могу прочитать надпись на стене. — carlosalberto
CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
1 senses(countable, idiomatic, uncountable)An ominous warning; a prediction of bad luck.
He could see the writing on the wall months before the business failed.
She should have seen the writing on the wall when her boss suggested a change of career.
Menetekel
Examples
6 sentencesI can read the writing on the wall.
ruЯ могу прочитать надпись на стене. — carlosalberto
deIch kann die Schrift an der Wand lesen. — carlosalberto
Who was writing on the wall?
ruКто писал на стене? — marafon
Tom recognized the writing on the wall.
Tom saw the writing on the wall.
Bruno found writing on the walls of the hallway.
Translations
4 languagesBy meaning 1
Origin
From the Biblical story in Daniel 5, where, during a feast held by King Belshazzar, a handFrom the Biblical story in Daniel 5, where, during a feast held by King Belshazzar, a hand suddenly appears and writes on a wall the following Aramaic words: מְנֵא מְנֵא תְּקֵל וּפַרְסִין (mənē mənē təqēl ūp̄arsīn, “numbered, numbered, weighed, and they are divided”) (Daniel 5:25). Daniel interprets the words as pointing to the downfall of the Babylonian Empire.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: writings on the wall / writings on walls| Singular | writing on the wall |
|---|---|
| Plural | writings on the wall / writings on walls |
irregular · Lesson
Lessons for this word
2 lessons- A1Plural nouns — Because its plural is irregular
- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable