English · Work & Business
read between the lines
/riːd bɪˈtwiːn ðə laɪnz/
[/riːd bɪˈtwiːn ðə laɪnz/]
find hidden meaning
Intermediatephrase
Definition
To understand a hidden or implied meaning that is not stated directly.
Example
If you read between the lines of her polite email, she's clearly unhappy with the decision.
If you read between the lines of her polite email, she's clearly unhappy with the decision.
Etymology
From a 19th-century cryptography method where secret messages were written between visible lines.
How & Where It’s Used
Common for inferring meaning that is implied rather than stated.