English Idioms and Expressions 

Idioms: Communication - Contact - Information
from:  'Chinese whispers'  to: 'word of mouth'

• Chinese whispers
  • This expression refers to a process by which a message or piece of information (especially gossip, rumours or scandalous news) is passed on from one person to another, and changes along the way, so that the final version is often very different from the original. The information often becomes distorted or exaggerated.
    "Rumours about the company being on the verge of bankruptcy are nothing more than Chinese whispers!"
    
    
• come to the point
  • When you come to the point, you stop speaking about general matters and start talking about the important issue.
    "After a long rambling introduction, he finally came to the point."
    
    
• cut a long story short
  • If you cut a long story short, you explain what happened in a few words, without giving any details.
    "To cut a long story short, his work was unsatisfactory so he was asked to leave."
    
    
• drop someone a line
  • If you drop someone a line, you write a (short) letter or card to someone.
    "I always drop her a line to wish her a Merry Christmas."
    
    
• engage your brain before you open your mouth
  • If someone tells you to engage your brain before you open your mouth, they are advising you to think carefully before you speak.
    "The guy is easily offended, so be careful what you say. Engage your brain before you open your mouth!"
    
    
• get hold of
  • If you obtain something, or manage to contact someone, you get hold of  them.
    "I'd like to contact the owner. Do you know where I can get hold of him?"
    
    
• get/give the low-down
  • If you get or give the low-down, you get or give complete information or facts about something.
    "I'll call you after the meeting and give you the low-down."
    
    
• get to the point
  • When someone gets to the point, they address the main issue or reach the most important part without unnecessary delay.
    "“We don’t have much time, so let’s get straight to the point."
    
    
• go viral
  • When something such as a video, picture or story goes viral, it circulates quickly and widely through social media and e-mail.
    "The video of the bridge collapsing has now gone viral with millions of views."
    
    
• (in) good part
  • Something done or said that is taken in good part is accepted good-naturedly, without taking offence
    "She took her colleagues' teasing in good part and laughed with them."
    
    
• hear through the grapevine
  • If you hear of something through the grapevine, you learn about it informally, for example through friends or colleagues.
    "How did you hear that?" "Oh, through the grapevine as usual!"
    
    
• hit the airwaves
  • When someone hits the airwaves, they go on radio and/or TV to be interviewed or to promote something.
    "The hospital was embarrassed when the patient hit the airways with his side of the story."
    
    
• hot off the press
  • If a news article, for example, is hot off the press, it has just been published and contains the most recent information on the subject.
    "I just got it hot off the press: another bank has gone bankrupt."
    
    
• keep someone posted
  • If someone asks you to keep them posted, they want you to keep them informed about a situation.
    "Our agent promised to keep us posted on developments in the negotiations."
    
    
• megaphone diplomacy
  • One country using international media to issue (threatening) statements, warnings and press releases in order to force the other country to comply with their position is known as megaphone diplomacy.
    "Recent communication between the United States and North Korea is an example of megaphone diplomacy".
    
    
• miss the point
  • When someone misses the point, they fail to understand the essential or most important part of what has been said or discussed.
    "The manager missed the point. It's not the job that's the problem, it's the amount of work it involves.".
    
    
• out of touch
  • If you are out of touch, you no longer communicate with someone, or you are unaware of recent developments.
    "I've been out of touch with Jenny since we left college."
    
    
• put it in a nutshell
  • We use the expression put it in a nutshell to say that we are going to describe something briefly, or in as simple a way as possible.
    "To put it in a nutshell, the couple's problems are essentially due to a lack of communication."
    
    
• put someone in the picture
  • If you give somebody all the information necessary to enable them to fully understand a situation, you put them in the picture.
    "Some changes were made during your absence. Let me put you in the picture. "
    
    
• speak for yourself
  • To say “speak for yourself” when someone comments on something means that what they have said is their personal opinion and does not necessarily apply to others. Your opinion is different.
    "The conference was totally boring.” “Speak for yourself!!"
    
    
• speak off the cuff
  • If you say something off the cuff, you say it spontaneously, without previous thought or preparation.
    "Politicians are usually careful not to speak off the cuff."
    
    
• speak out of turn
  • If someone speaks out of turn, either they intervene at the wrong moment or they say something tactless or inappropriate.
    "At the first meeting I was afraid of speaking out of turn."
    
    
• speak volumes
  • If something speaks volumes, it expresses a reaction or opinion very clearly, with no need for words.
    "The happy smile on the child's face when he opened the box spoke volumes about my choice of gift."
    
    
• speed networking
  • The term speed networking refers to a relatively new urban trend which consists in making a potential business contact by briefly talking to a series of people at an organised event and exchanging contact details.
    
    
• spread like wildfire
  • If something such as news, rumours or gossip spreads like wildfire, it becomes widely known very fast.
    "As soon as the nomination was announced, the news spread like wildfire."
    
    
• stool pigeon
  • A person who acts as an informer, especially one who gives information to the police or the authorities, is called a stool pigeon.
    "I don't trust Jack. I think he's a stool pigeon for the management. "
    
    
• on the stump
  • Before an election, when  politicians are campaigning for support and votes, they are on the stump.
    "On the stump for months, the candidates attended meeting after meeting."
    
    
• touch base
  • If you touch base with someone, you make contact or renew communication with them.
    "I'll try to touch base with you next week in London."
    
    
• word of mouth
  • Information passed on through conversation is transmitted by word of mouth.
    "No announcement was necessary - the news had already spread by word of mouth."