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writing on the wall

An ominous warning; a prediction of bad luck.

Etymology:

  • From the Biblical story in Daniel 5, where, during a feast held by King Belshazzar, a hand suddenly appears and writes on a wall the following Aramaic words: מְנֵאמְנֵאתְּקֵלוּפַרְסִין. Daniel interprets the words as pointing to the downfall of the Babylonian Empire.
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He could see the writing on the wall months before the business failed.

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Submitted on July 10, 2018

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to writing on the wall

up the wallwall offwall upstare at the wallstare at the wallUp Against the Wallwall to wallthe writing is on the wallWall Streetthrow one's hat over the wallwall inwall of silencethrow enough mud at the wall and some o…wall to wall carpets

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