read

read between the lines

to try to understand someone's real feelings or intentions from what they say or write. Reading between the lines, I'd say that Martin isn't very happy with the situation.

See also: between, line

read someone like a book

if you can read someone like a book, you know exactly what they are feeling or thinking without having to ask. You're bored, aren't you? I can read you like a book.

See also: book, like

read someone's mind (humorous)

to know what someone is thinking without being told. 'How about a drink, then?' 'You read my mind, Kev.'

See also: mind

Read my lips! (informal)

a slightly impolite way of telling someone to listen to what you are saying. Read my lips. You're not having any more ice-cream.

See also: lip

read (someone) the riot act

to speak angrily to someone about something they have done and warn them that they will be punished if they do it again. He'd put up with a lot of bad behaviour from his son and thought it was time to read him the riot act.

See also: act, riot

read the runes (British, formal)

to try to guess what is going to happen in the future by examining what is happening now. He was the first Eastern European leader to read the runes and make political changes to stay in power.

read/see the writing on the wall (British, American & Australian, American)

to understand that you are in a dangerous situation and that something unpleasant is likely to happen to you. They saw the writing on the wall and started to behave better. Those who failed to read the handwriting on the wall lost a lot of money.

See also: see, wall, writing

take it as read (British & Australian)

to accept that something is true without making sure that it is. We just took it as read that we were invited. (often + that)

See also: take

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read between the lines

to find a hidden meaning in something said or written. The report doesn't criticize the research directly, but you can read between the lines that the review committee wasn't impressed.

Usage notes: sometimes used without the verb: Leo read Melodie's letter again, hoping for some hidden message between the lines.

See also: between, line

read something (from) cover to cover

to read something from the beginning to the end.. The newspaper comes before breakfast and my husband reads it cover to cover while he's eating.

See also: cover

read something into something

to give your own meaning to something rather than what was intended. Experts warned against reading too much into Friday's election results. People can read into his comments anything they want to, but no decision has been made.

Usage notes: usually used with too much or anything, as in the examples

read your mind

to guess what you are thinking without being told. I was looking at the books, trying to choose, when Shirley apparently read my mind and handed me the one I wanted.

See also: mind

read the fine print

to know all the information contained in a document. This new law will disappoint a lot of voters once they have had a chance to read the fine print. You should always read the fine print before signing a contract.

Etymology: based on the idea that often what is printed in very small type in a document is the most important information

See also: fine, print

read someone the riot act

to strongly warn someone to stop behaving badly. Alice read Randi the riot act, telling her, “If you don't like it here, you can just go back where you came from.” The secretary of state said she plans to read the riot act to the country's leaders during meetings next week.

lay down the law

Etymology: based on the Riot Act (= an English law of 1715 that provided a way to deal with a crowd of people who were causing trouble)

See also: act, riot

read the small printSee: read the fine print

See also: print, small

read up on something

to learn about something by reading a lot. I've been reading up on Quebec's history.