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Behavior & Approach - Being Tactful

Explore English idioms that relate to being tactful, including "waiting game" and "kill two birds with one stone".

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English idioms related to Behavior & Approach
a bag of tricks

a combination of skills or techniques that can help in achieving one's goals

Ex: A good teacher needs a bag of tricks to keep students interested. 
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(more|another) string to {one's} bow

a variety of plans, ideas, etc. that one can use if need arises

Ex: Learning Spanish gave her another string to her bow when she applied for jobs. 
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waiting game

a strategy in which one deliberately refrains from taking any action in order to gain advantage later on

Ex: The company played a waiting game until its competitors lowered their prices. 
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to [weigh] {one's} words

to take a moment to ponder what one is about to say

Ex: She weighed her words before answering the reporter's question. 
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to [kill] two birds with one stone

to achieve two goals at the same time only by taking one action

Ex: I killed two birds with one stone by walking to work and getting my exercise. 
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to [see] which way the cat [jumps]

to refrain from making a decision or taking any action until one acquires more data on the situation or how it develops

Ex: Before we invest, let's see which way the cat jumps. 
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velvet glove

a very friendly and gentle manner that is used to hide one's firm determination or ruthless mindset

Ex: The new director had a velvet glove: she smiled through every meeting, but nobody doubted her decisions were final. 
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pester power

the influence children have on their parents or caregivers to buy or do something through continuous requests, demands, or persuasion

Ex: Toy companies know that pester power can turn a cheap plastic figure into a must-have item. 
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to [speak] softly (and|but) [carry] a big stick

to approach situations calmly and diplomatically while also having the strength and power to take action if necessary

Ex: The mayor spoke softly but carried a big stick during the strike talks. 
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the oldest trick in the book

an overused method that may still succeed

Ex: Pretending the price will go up tomorrow is the oldest trick in the book. 
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