be waiting for the other shoe to drop

be waiting for the other shoe to drop

To be waiting for the next, seemingly unavoidable thing to happen. This phrase often has a negative connotation. Mom said that Dad would punish us when he got home from work, so now we're just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

See also: drop, for, other, shoe, to, waiting

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

be waiting for the other shoe to drop

AMERICAN, INFORMAL

If you are waiting for the other shoe to drop, one very bad thing has already happened and you are expecting another bad thing to happen soon. People are already on edge, and they're waiting for the other shoe to drop. Note: The idea in this expression is that you almost never hear only one footstep; another usually follows.

See also: drop, for, other, shoe, to, waiting

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012