fly on the wall
English
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Noun
[edit]fly on the wall (plural flies on the wall)
- (idiomatic) A quiet, non-participating, or unseen observer; an eavesdropper or witness.
- 1918 August 9, “Clark Would Draft Even Men of 68”, in New York Times, retrieved 28 Oct. 2008, page 11:
- James W. Gerard, ex-Ambassador to Germany, the first speaker of the evening, said that at that moment he would like to be a fly on the wall of the palace at Potsdam to hear what the Potsdam gang were saying about our soldiers.
- 1979 February 3, Jil Clark, quoting Margareth Miller, “Major Court Decision Allows Lesbian Mother to Retain Custody”, in Gay Community News, volume 6, number 27, page 1:
- I wish I'd been a little fly on his chamber wall when he found out that he had to go through the Michigan Child Custody Act!
Translations
[edit]quiet, non-participating or unseen observer
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