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Danger - Asking for Trouble

Discover how English idioms like "sail close to the wind" and "play with fire" relate to asking for trouble in English.

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English idioms related to Danger
to [bell] the cat

to be the one who shows courage and does something risky that benefits all members of a group

Ex: Everyone knew the manager was wrong, but only Sara was willing to bell the cat. 
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(leap|jump) in the dark

a risk or brave act taken without considering the consequences

Ex: Quitting his job without another offer was a leap in the dark. 
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to [push] {one's} luck

to take a risk by going too far after already being fortunate

Ex: You got away with one warning; don't push your luck. 
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to [sail] close to the wind

to do something that is dangerous, improper, or possibly illegal

Ex: The company sailed close to the wind by hiding fees in the small print. 
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a mug's game
a mug's game
[phrase]

an action that is not beneficial to one in any way

Ex: Betting against professionals is a mug's game. 
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to [roll] the dice

to rely on chance in doing something

Ex: We don't know if the market will recover, but the company decided to roll the dice. 
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to [play] with fire

to do something dangerous, risky, or foolish

Ex: You're playing with fire if you lie to the auditors. 
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to [have] a death wish

to behave in a way that is risky, dangerous, or reckless

Ex: You must have a death wish if you're cycling on that highway at night. 
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to [ask] for trouble

to do something that is very likely to result in trouble or difficulty

Ex: Leaving your bike unlocked downtown is asking for trouble. 
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to [be] cruising for a bruising

to knowingly do what can get one into trouble

Ex: He keeps mocking the coach during practice; he's cruising for a bruising. 
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to [step] over the line

to go too far or do something inappropriate

Ex: His joke stepped over the line. 
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to [cross] a line

to go too far or do something inappropriate

Ex: His comment crossed a line. 
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to [borrow] trouble

to worry about problems before they actually happen

Ex: Don't borrow trouble before we know the results. 
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to [live] on the edge

to have a life that involves one facing a lot of danger and taking great risks

Ex: As a war photographer, she has lived on the edge for years. 
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