Skating on thin ice

This metaphor for engaging in risky behavior is remarkably literal in origin. Skating on ice that is too thin to safely support a person's weight is genuinely dangerous, and the phrase perfectly captures the precariousness of someone taking chances with potentially disastrous consequences. Ralph Waldo Emerson used the image in his essay "Prudence" in 1841.

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Read the riot act Keep it under your hat Rise and shine Turn a blind eye Pulling strings Pull someone's leg

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Many of the idioms explored here appear as hidden solutions in our daily cryptogram puzzle. Try solving today's cipher.

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