"walk on eggshells" meaning in English

See walk on eggshells in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

IPA: /ˌwɔːk ɒn ˈɛɡʃɛlz/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˌwɔk ɑn ˈɛɡʃɛlz/ [General-American], /ˌwɑk-/ [General-American], /-ɔn-/ [General-American] Audio: En-au-walk on eggshells.ogg Forms: walks on eggshells [present, singular, third-person], walking on eggshells [participle, present], walked on eggshells [participle, past], walked on eggshells [past]
Etymology: 1800s usage, probably from the imagery that eggshells are easily broken when stepped upon. Head templates: {{en-verb|*}} walk on eggshells (third-person singular simple present walks on eggshells, present participle walking on eggshells, simple past and past participle walked on eggshells)
  1. (idiomatic) To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something. Tags: idiomatic Related terms: pussyfoot, tread lightly Related terms (walking): on thin ice Translations (to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone): վարվել շրջահայաց կերպով (varvel šrǰahayacʻ kerpov) (Armenian), գործել մեծագույն զգուշությամբ (gorcel mecaguyn zgušutʻyamb) (Armenian), действам внимателно (dejstvam vnimatelno) (Bulgarian), anar amb peus de plom (Catalan), 伴君如伴虎 (bàn jūn rú bàn hǔ) (note: for superiors only) (Chinese Mandarin), 謹慎行事 (Chinese Mandarin), 谨慎行事 (jǐnshèn xíngshì) (Chinese Mandarin), gå på æggeskaller (Danish), op eieren lopen (Dutch), pitää kuin kukkaa kämmenellä (Finnish), marcher sur des œufs (French), prendre des pincettes (French), ir cos pés de la (Galician), einen Eiertanz vollführen [idiomatic] (German), ללכת על ביצים (Hebrew), camminare sulle uova (Italian), andare coi piedi di piombo (Italian), obchodzić się jak z jajkiem (Polish), pisar em ovos [Brazil] (Portuguese), ходи́ть на цы́почках (xodítʹ na cýpočkax) (Russian), ходи́ть на цы́рлах (xodítʹ na cýrlax) (Russian), ходи́ть по яи́чной скорлупе́ (xodítʹ po jaíčnoj skorlupé) (Russian), ходи́ть по я́йцам (xodítʹ po jájcam) (Russian), ходати по јајима (Serbo-Croatian), носитися, як курка з яйцем (nosytysja, jak kurka z jajcem) (Ukrainian), бігати, як курка з яйцем (bihaty, jak kurka z jajcem) (Ukrainian)
    Sense id: en-walk_on_eggshells-en-verb-3NTRCtCv Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English predicates, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Armenian translations, Terms with Bulgarian translations, Terms with Catalan translations, Terms with Danish translations, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with Galician translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Hebrew translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Mandarin translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations, Terms with Ukrainian translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 94 6 Disambiguation of English predicates: 63 37 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 89 11 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 92 8 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 94 6 Disambiguation of Terms with Armenian translations: 81 19 Disambiguation of Terms with Bulgarian translations: 83 17 Disambiguation of Terms with Catalan translations: 82 18 Disambiguation of Terms with Danish translations: 90 10 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 84 16 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 82 18 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 85 15 Disambiguation of Terms with Galician translations: 82 18 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 87 13 Disambiguation of Terms with Hebrew translations: 82 18 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 90 10 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 88 12 Disambiguation of Terms with Polish translations: 79 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 82 18 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 90 10 Disambiguation of Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations: 81 19 Disambiguation of Terms with Ukrainian translations: 82 18 Disambiguation of 'walking': 64 36 Disambiguation of 'to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone': 66 34
  2. (idiomatic) To be careful and sensitive, in handling very sensitive matters. Tags: idiomatic Translations (to handle sensitive matters delicately): լինել նուրբ նկատառում պահանջող դրության մեջ (linel nurb nkataṙum pahanǰoġ drutʻyan meǰ) (Armenian), anar amb peus de plom (Catalan), 如履薄冰 (rú lǚ bó bīng) (Chinese Mandarin), op eieren lopen (Dutch), käsitellä silkkihansikkain (Finnish), prendre des pincettes (French), prendre des gants (French), mettre des gants (French), wie ein rohes Ei behandeln [idiomatic] (German), obchodzić się jak z jajkiem (Polish), pisar em ovos [Brazil] (Portuguese), ходи́ть на цы́почках (xodítʹ na cýpočkax) (Russian), ходи́ть по я́йцам (xodítʹ po jájcam) (Russian), ходати по јајима (Serbo-Croatian)
    Sense id: en-walk_on_eggshells-en-verb-7~lhAYuL Disambiguation of 'to handle sensitive matters delicately': 17 83

Inflected forms

{
  "etymology_text": "1800s usage, probably from the imagery that eggshells are easily broken when stepped upon.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "walks on eggshells",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "walking on eggshells",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "walked on eggshells",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "walked on eggshells",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "*"
      },
      "expansion": "walk on eggshells (third-person singular simple present walks on eggshells, present participle walking on eggshells, simple past and past participle walked on eggshells)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "94 6",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "63 37",
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          "_dis": "89 11",
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          "_dis": "81 19",
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        {
          "_dis": "83 17",
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        {
          "_dis": "82 18",
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          "name": "Terms with Catalan translations",
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "90 10",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "84 16",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Dutch translations",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "82 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "85 15",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "82 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Galician translations",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "87 13",
          "kind": "other",
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        {
          "_dis": "82 18",
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          "_dis": "90 10",
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          "_dis": "88 12",
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        {
          "_dis": "79 21",
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        {
          "_dis": "82 18",
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        {
          "_dis": "90 10",
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        {
          "_dis": "81 19",
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          "_dis": "82 18",
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        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something."
      ],
      "id": "en-walk_on_eggshells-en-verb-3NTRCtCv",
      "links": [
        [
          "careful",
          "careful"
        ],
        [
          "angry",
          "angry"
        ],
        [
          "offended",
          "offended"
        ],
        [
          "upset",
          "upset"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "64 36",
          "sense": "walking",
          "word": "on thin ice"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "96 4",
          "word": "pussyfoot"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "96 4",
          "word": "tread lightly"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "hy",
          "lang": "Armenian",
          "roman": "varvel šrǰahayacʻ kerpov",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "վարվել շրջահայաց կերպով"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "hy",
          "lang": "Armenian",
          "roman": "gorcel mecaguyn zgušutʻyamb",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "գործել մեծագույն զգուշությամբ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "dejstvam vnimatelno",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "действам внимателно"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "anar amb peus de plom"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "note": "for superiors only",
          "roman": "bàn jūn rú bàn hǔ",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "伴君如伴虎"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "謹慎行事"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "jǐnshèn xíngshì",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "谨慎行事"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "gå på æggeskaller"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "op eieren lopen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "pitää kuin kukkaa kämmenellä"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "marcher sur des œufs"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "prendre des pincettes"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "gl",
          "lang": "Galician",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "ir cos pés de la"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "tags": [
            "idiomatic"
          ],
          "word": "einen Eiertanz vollführen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "ללכת על ביצים"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "camminare sulle uova"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "andare coi piedi di piombo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "obchodzić się jak z jajkiem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "tags": [
            "Brazil"
          ],
          "word": "pisar em ovos"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "xodítʹ na cýpočkax",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "ходи́ть на цы́почках"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "xodítʹ na cýrlax",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "ходи́ть на цы́рлах"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "xodítʹ po jaíčnoj skorlupé",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "ходи́ть по яи́чной скорлупе́"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "xodítʹ po jájcam",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "ходи́ть по я́йцам"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "ходати по јајима"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "nosytysja, jak kurka z jajcem",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "носитися, як курка з яйцем"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "66 34",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "bihaty, jak kurka z jajcem",
          "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
          "word": "бігати, як курка з яйцем"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "glosses": [
        "To be careful and sensitive, in handling very sensitive matters."
      ],
      "id": "en-walk_on_eggshells-en-verb-7~lhAYuL",
      "links": [
        [
          "sensitive",
          "sensitive"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) To be careful and sensitive, in handling very sensitive matters."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "code": "hy",
          "lang": "Armenian",
          "roman": "linel nurb nkataṙum pahanǰoġ drutʻyan meǰ",
          "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
          "word": "լինել նուրբ նկատառում պահանջող դրության մեջ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
          "word": "anar amb peus de plom"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "rú lǚ bó bīng",
          "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
          "word": "如履薄冰"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
          "word": "op eieren lopen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
          "word": "käsitellä silkkihansikkain"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
          "word": "prendre des pincettes"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
          "word": "prendre des gants"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
          "word": "mettre des gants"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
          "tags": [
            "idiomatic"
          ],
          "word": "wie ein rohes Ei behandeln"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
          "word": "obchodzić się jak z jajkiem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
          "tags": [
            "Brazil"
          ],
          "word": "pisar em ovos"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "xodítʹ na cýpočkax",
          "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
          "word": "ходи́ть на цы́почках"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "xodítʹ po jájcam",
          "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
          "word": "ходи́ть по я́йцам"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
          "word": "ходати по јајима"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌwɔːk ɒn ˈɛɡʃɛlz/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌwɔk ɑn ˈɛɡʃɛlz/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌwɑk-/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-ɔn-/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-au-walk on eggshells.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/94/En-au-walk_on_eggshells.ogg/En-au-walk_on_eggshells.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/En-au-walk_on_eggshells.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "walk on eggshells"
}
{
  "categories": [
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    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English predicates",
    "English verbs",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Armenian translations",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Catalan translations",
    "Terms with Danish translations",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with Galician translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Hebrew translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Polish translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations",
    "Terms with Ukrainian translations"
  ],
  "etymology_text": "1800s usage, probably from the imagery that eggshells are easily broken when stepped upon.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "walks on eggshells",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "walking on eggshells",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "walked on eggshells",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "walked on eggshells",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "*"
      },
      "expansion": "walk on eggshells (third-person singular simple present walks on eggshells, present participle walking on eggshells, simple past and past participle walked on eggshells)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "sense": "walking",
      "word": "on thin ice"
    },
    {
      "word": "pussyfoot"
    },
    {
      "word": "tread lightly"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English idioms"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "careful",
          "careful"
        ],
        [
          "angry",
          "angry"
        ],
        [
          "offended",
          "offended"
        ],
        [
          "upset",
          "upset"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English idioms"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To be careful and sensitive, in handling very sensitive matters."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "sensitive",
          "sensitive"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) To be careful and sensitive, in handling very sensitive matters."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌwɔːk ɒn ˈɛɡʃɛlz/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌwɔk ɑn ˈɛɡʃɛlz/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌwɑk-/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-ɔn-/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-au-walk on eggshells.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/94/En-au-walk_on_eggshells.ogg/En-au-walk_on_eggshells.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/En-au-walk_on_eggshells.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "hy",
      "lang": "Armenian",
      "roman": "varvel šrǰahayacʻ kerpov",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "վարվել շրջահայաց կերպով"
    },
    {
      "code": "hy",
      "lang": "Armenian",
      "roman": "gorcel mecaguyn zgušutʻyamb",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "գործել մեծագույն զգուշությամբ"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "dejstvam vnimatelno",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "действам внимателно"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "anar amb peus de plom"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "note": "for superiors only",
      "roman": "bàn jūn rú bàn hǔ",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "伴君如伴虎"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "謹慎行事"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "jǐnshèn xíngshì",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "谨慎行事"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "gå på æggeskaller"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "op eieren lopen"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "pitää kuin kukkaa kämmenellä"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "marcher sur des œufs"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "prendre des pincettes"
    },
    {
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "ir cos pés de la"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "word": "einen Eiertanz vollführen"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "ללכת על ביצים"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "camminare sulle uova"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "andare coi piedi di piombo"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "obchodzić się jak z jajkiem"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "tags": [
        "Brazil"
      ],
      "word": "pisar em ovos"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "xodítʹ na cýpočkax",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "ходи́ть на цы́почках"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "xodítʹ na cýrlax",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "ходи́ть на цы́рлах"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "xodítʹ po jaíčnoj skorlupé",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "ходи́ть по яи́чной скорлупе́"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "xodítʹ po jájcam",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "ходи́ть по я́йцам"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "ходати по јајима"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "nosytysja, jak kurka z jajcem",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "носитися, як курка з яйцем"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "bihaty, jak kurka z jajcem",
      "sense": "to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone",
      "word": "бігати, як курка з яйцем"
    },
    {
      "code": "hy",
      "lang": "Armenian",
      "roman": "linel nurb nkataṙum pahanǰoġ drutʻyan meǰ",
      "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
      "word": "լինել նուրբ նկատառում պահանջող դրության մեջ"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
      "word": "anar amb peus de plom"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "rú lǚ bó bīng",
      "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
      "word": "如履薄冰"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
      "word": "op eieren lopen"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
      "word": "käsitellä silkkihansikkain"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
      "word": "prendre des pincettes"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
      "word": "prendre des gants"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
      "word": "mettre des gants"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "word": "wie ein rohes Ei behandeln"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
      "word": "obchodzić się jak z jajkiem"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
      "tags": [
        "Brazil"
      ],
      "word": "pisar em ovos"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "xodítʹ na cýpočkax",
      "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
      "word": "ходи́ть на цы́почках"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "xodítʹ po jájcam",
      "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
      "word": "ходи́ть по я́йцам"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "to handle sensitive matters delicately",
      "word": "ходати по јајима"
    }
  ],
  "word": "walk on eggshells"
}

Download raw JSONL data for walk on eggshells meaning in English (8.7kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-11-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-10-02 using wiktextract (fbeafe8 and 7f03c9b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.