Certainty & Possibility - Certainty

Discover how English idioms like "go without saying" and "beyond a shadow of a doubt" relate to certainty in English.

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English idioms related to Certainty & Possibility

to bet one's life

[phrase]

to express strongly and confidently that something is undoubtedly true or will certainly happen

Ex: I'd bet my life he knew about the plan before the meeting.

to not count one's chickens

[phrase]

to be cautious and not assume that something will succeed or happen as planned, as there is always a possibility of unforeseen obstacles or problems

Ex: We're close to a deal, but let's not count our chickens yet.

beyond a shadow of a doubt

[phrase]

used when one can claim that something is true with all one's certainty

Ex: The evidence proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was there.

dollars to doughnuts

[phrase]

used to show one's utmost certainty about something

Ex: Dollars to doughnuts, he forgot the meeting again.

hands down

[phrase]

in a way that is free of all ambiguity or uncertainty

Ex: She is hands down the best teacher in the school.

to go without saying

[phrase]

used to say that something is so obvious that there is no need for further explanation

Ex: It goes without saying that safety comes first.

mark my word

[sentence]

used when one is certain that something will happen at some point in the future

Ex: Mark my word, he'll come back asking for help.

to seal one's fate

[phrase]

to do something that ensures that someone or something fails or something unpleasant happens to them

Ex: Lying to the board sealed his fate.

tried and true

[phrase]

denoting something that has been tested many times and proved to be reliable or effective

Ex: We used a tried and true method to train the new staff.

acid test

[noun]

a way of proving the validity of a claim or determining the success rate of a plan

Ex: The first month with real customers will be the acid test for the product.

a backward glance

[phrase]

a feeling of remorse, and reservation that one gets upon facing a challenge or finding oneself in an unexpected situation

Ex: She accepted the risky offer with hardly a backward glance.

to feel something in one's bones

[phrase]

to believe something strongly, even though one cannot explain why

Ex: I feel it in my bones that this plan is going to work.

foregone conclusion

[noun]

a result or decision that seems certain before it officially happens

Ex: Many voters saw his victory as a foregone conclusion.

in no uncertain terms

[phrase]

in a way that is most clear or direct

Ex: She told him in no uncertain terms that the behavior had to stop.

a one-way ticket

[phrase]

a situation in which any decision made cannot be undone

Ex: Signing that contract is a one-way ticket; you won't be able to back out later.

to be only a matter of time

[phrase]

to certainly happen at some point in the future

Ex: With that much pressure, it was only a matter of time before the pipe burst.

somebody can take something to the bank

[sentence]

used to imply that something is reliable, certain, and can be trusted completely

Ex: You can take it to the bank that she'll finish the project on time.

Certainty & Possibility
Certainty	Uncertainty	Unlikely Situations	Impossibility
Luck & Chance	Possibility	Likelihood	Expectations
Unexpected	Unbelievable	Definite or Unavoidable

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