Knowledge & Understanding - Logic & Wisdom

Explore English idioms regarding logic and wisdom with examples like "hold water" and "talk sense".

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horse sense [noun]

a person's ability to make good judgments and behave sensibly

Ex: Common sense is just another term for horse sense .

to [hold] water [phrase]

(of an argument, theory, etc.) to be believable or supported by evidence

Ex: The proposal seems promising , but we need to see if it holds water in practice .

gray matter [noun]

a person's ability to learn or understand something

Ex: We need to put our collective gray matter to work in order to find a solution to this challenge .

mother wit [noun]

natural or instinctive intelligence and common sense that comes from personal experience and intuition rather than formal education or training

Ex: It 's not just book smarts that matter ; her mother wit helps her make wise decisions .

against {one's} better judgment [phrase]

used when one does something even though one knows it is not sensible

Ex: Against my better judgment , I decided to try that new restaurant even though the reviews were mixed .

to [talk] sense [phrase]

to speak in a clear and reasonable manner

Ex: He needs to talk sense to the team and explain why this strategy is the best choice .

thinking cap [noun]

the mental state of actively engaging in thought or problem-solving, often with an emphasis on creativity or generating ideas

Ex: She always puts on her thinking cap during our team meetings , and her ideas are consistently brilliant .

to start thinking or acting in a way that seems foolish

Ex:

(an old|a wise) head on young shoulders [phrase]

a young person or a child who talks and behaves like an older or more experienced person would

Ex: Despite being the youngest member of the team , Mark 's leadership and decision-making reflect an old head on young shoulders

wise (beyond|for) {one's} years [phrase]

exceptionally wise compared to most people at one's age

Ex: Sarah 's ability to analyze complex issues demonstrates that she is wise beyond her years .