English idiom

out of the woods

Register · Neutral 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

to ignore an unpleasant reality hoping it will go away

land on your feet

to recover safely from a difficult situation

on thin ice

in a risky position where one mistake could cause trouble

pick up the pieces

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

touch and go

very uncertain, with a chance of failure at any moment

a wolf in sheep's clothing

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.

External links

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