THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
Know which way the wind is blowing
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
To understand the direction in which a situation or people’s opinions are developing.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- It helps to know which way the wind is blowing before raising a sensitive proposal.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.
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Can you recall the expression?
Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.
It helps to ________ before raising a sensitive proposal.
Show the answer
Know which way the wind is blowing — To understand the direction in which a situation or people’s opinions are developing.
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Make it yours
Write one sentence using “Know which way the wind is blowing” about your own life.
Check your sentence
Does your sentence match this meaning?
To understand the direction in which a situation or people’s opinions are developing.
Compare: It helps to know which way the wind is blowing before raising a sensitive proposal.
Check the spelling and how the expression fits the sentence. Your example can be different.
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More ways to understand and use it
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When to use it
Use it when assessing attitudes or likely developments before acting. It suits conversational workplace and group discussions.
More examples in context
- She spoke to the volunteers so she would know which way the wind was blowing about the new timetable.
- We need to know which way the wind is blowing before choosing the next project.
Usage note
“See which way the wind is blowing” describes finding out the current mood or direction. In this figurative use, the subject is a situation or opinion, not the weather.
A short conversation
A: Shall we suggest moving the weekly meeting?
B: Let us find out which way the wind is blowing first. People may prefer the current day.
A: I will ask for feedback.
One more practice question
What is someone checking in this idiom?
A. The general direction of opinions or developments in a situation.
B. Only the physical wind speed outside the meeting room.
Check your answer
A. The wind represents the prevailing mood or direction of events.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.