driving at
Hinting at obliquely
When you ask what someone is driving at, you're asking what point they're trying to make or what they really mean.
The phrase suggests that someone's words are heading toward a conclusion they haven't yet stated directly.
I could tell she was driving at something, but she wouldn't just come out and say it.
It's most common in questions: What are you driving at?
- implyingSuggesting without stating directly
- getting atMeaning indirectly
- hintingSuggesting indirectly
- alludingReferencing indirectly
- suggestingOffering an idea indirectly
what you mean · trying to say · aiming · inferring · indicating · leading up to · pursuing · targeting · intimating · directing · guiding · insinuating · beating around · proposing · focusing · deducing · advancing · reasoning
driving atspelling out
Stating something explicitly
cutting to the chase · getting to the point · announcing · proclaiming · asserting
driving atconcealing
Keeping something secret
hiding · withholding · suppressing · saying nothing · evading
drive, drives, drove, driven, driver, drivers, driving, driveway, driveways