test the water(s)
Definition
› to find out what people's opinions of something are before you ask them to do somethingQuestioning people and asking questions in generalCuriositySuspecting and questioning
(Definition of test the water(s) from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus
© Cambridge University Press)
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- Admitting & confessing
- Announcing, informing & stating
- Answering & responding
- Assertions & asserting
- Codes & decoding
- Communicating & keeping in touch
- Debate & discussion
- Defining & explaining
- Describing & telling stories
- Exaggerating & playing down
- Gestures & gesturing
- Giving advice
- Giving orders & commands
- Informal talking & conversation
- Insults & abuse
- Interrupting & preventing from speaking
- Inviting & summoning
- Lecturing & addressing
- Making & accepting apologies
- Making & breaking promises & commitments
- Making appeals & requests
- Meaning & significance
- Meeting people
- Official meetings
- People who reveal secrets & tell tales
- Quoting & making references
- Remarks & remarking
- Revealing secrets & becoming known
- Saying & uttering
- Saying again
- Speakers & talkers
- Stressing & emphasizing
- Suggestions & proposals
- Suspecting & questioning
- Threats & warnings
- Topics & areas of interest
- Welcoming, greeting & greetings
- Written greetings
- Yes, no & not
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Synonyms and related words:
- badger verb
- canvass verb (ASK)
- debrief verb
- enquire verb
- grilling noun
- inquirer noun
- interrogate verb
- interview noun
- interview verb
- opinion poll noun
- ply sb with sth phrasal verb
- put sb through the wringer idiom
- Q, q noun (QUESTION)
- questioner noun
- questioning noun
- roll noun (LIST)
- survey noun (QUESTIONS)
- survey verb (QUESTIONS)
- tie sb down phrasal verb (GET DECISION)
- what have you got to say for yourself? idiom
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