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Influence & Involvement - The Reason Why

Explore English idioms regarding the reason why with examples like "for the sake of it" and "pave the way for".

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English idioms related to Influence & Involvement
one thing [lead] to another

used when one wants to explain how a series of events made something happen without giving away many details

Ex: I just wanted to clean out the garage, but one thing led to another, and I ended up reorganizing the entire house. 
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to [open] the floodgates

(of an action or decision) to allow for many possibilities, particularly those that were previously unavailable

Ex: The company's new policy to allow employees to work from home opened the floodgates for a more flexible and diverse workforce. 
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to [pave] the way (for|to) {sth}

to create a situation in which it is easier for one to do something or for something to happen

Ex: Her years of hard work and dedication paved the way for her promotion to the role of department manager. 
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to [be] at the bottom of {sth}

to be the direct cause of something, particularly something unpleasant

Ex: The detective believed that a personal grudge was at the bottom of the crime. 
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to [be] down to {sb/sth}

to be heavily dependent on someone or something

Ex: He claimed his problems were down to the media. 
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for the sake of it

with no particular or apparent reason

Ex: He enjoys playing the piano for the sake of it, finding relaxation in the music. 
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to [put] {one's} finger on {sth}

to figure out why things are the way they are and be able to identify the reason

Ex: She couldn't quite explain what was wrong with the painting, but she could put her finger on the issue after a closer look. 
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where the shoe [pinch]

used to refer to where the all the trouble comes from or where things get difficult

Ex: When she talked about her struggles with time management, she pointed out where the shoe pinches – meeting deadlines for her assignments. 
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the finger of (suspicion|blame)

the strong belief of someone being responsible for or guilty of something

Ex: According to recent polls, the finger of blame is pointing squarely at the president for the recent economic downturn. 
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a chicken and egg situation

a situation in which one finds it impossible to determine which one of two things is responsible for the occurrence of another or existed before the other one did

Ex: You need experience to get a job, but you need a job to get experience. It's a chicken and egg situation. 
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to [point] the finger at {sb}

to blame someone or hold them accountable for something bad that has happened

Ex: Let's stop pointing fingers at each other and just solve the problem! 
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to [set] the stage for {sth}

to do something that makes it possible or easier for something else to occur

Ex: The successful negotiations set the stage for a new era of international cooperation. 
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to [sow|plant] the seeds of {sth}

to cause the development of a particular idea or feeling

Ex: His inspirational book sowed the seeds of hope in the hearts of readers, encouraging them to pursue their dreams. 
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