out of the woods

Register · Neutral Neutral — appropriate in most situations, both spoken and written, without sounding too casual or too stiff. CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

past the worst of a danger or difficulty

Why this phrase?

Being lost in a forest is the danger; emerging from the trees means reaching safety at last.

Example

“The patient is improving, but she's not out of the woods yet.”

Dictionary details

Component words

wood

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

bury one's head in the sand Neutral · CEFR B1

to ignore an unpleasant reality hoping it will go away

land on your feet Neutral · CEFR B2

to recover safely from a difficult situation

on thin ice Neutral · CEFR B2

in a risky position where one mistake could cause trouble

pick up the pieces Neutral · CEFR B2

to rebuild one's life or restore order after a damaging event

touch and go Neutral · CEFR B2

very uncertain, with a chance of failure at any moment

a wolf in sheep's clothing Neutral · CEFR C1

A dangerous person who pretends to be harmless or friendly.

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

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