hɪr ɪt ɒn ðə ˈɡreɪpvaɪn
General
informal
intermediate
- Literally:
- To receive information via grapevines
What does "hear it on the grapevine" mean?
- To learn information through informal communication or gossip
- To hear rumors or unofficial news
Examples
- I heard on the grapevine that the company is being sold.
- She heard it through the grapevine that he was leaving.
- According to the grapevine, there's going to be layoffs.
Origin
From the American Civil War, when telegram wires were strung through trees like grapevines. Information passed this way was often unreliable. Popularized by the 1968 Motown song.
How to use it
Implies informal, potentially unreliable information. The source is typically unnamed or vague.
Similar expressions
hear through the rumor mill
word on the street
gossip
Opposites
official announcement
direct communication
Related idioms
- actions speak louder than words
What people do is more important than what they say
- better safe than sorry
It's better to be careful and prevent problems than to take risks
- so far so good
Things have gone well up to now
- easier said than done
Something is more difficult to do than to talk about
- make a long story short
To summarize or get to the point
- to make matters worse
In addition to existing problems
Use it in a practice answer
Try "hear it on the grapevine" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.