tested the waters
Checked the situation
To test the waters is to cautiously explore a situation before committing fully—checking for receptiveness, gauging reactions, or assessing risk.
The metaphor evokes dipping a toe in before diving: She tested the waters with a few freelance projects before quitting her job.
You might test the waters before proposing an idea, entering a market, or broaching a sensitive topic.
- tastedPerceived flavor of
- sampledTried a portion of
- triedMade an attempt
- exploringTraveling to learn firsthand
- gaugingMeasuring or estimating
tread lightly · experimenting · feel out · investigating · trial · dabble · take a stab · probing · put out feelers · weigh · sound out · pilot · evaluating · assessing · analyzing · scouting · scope it out · surveying
tested the waterstook the plunge
Made a bold decision
went all in · bet the farm · signed on the dotted line · fully committed · crossed the Rubicon
tested the watersheld back
Kept from advancing
stood pat · abstained · stayed in one's lane · buried one's head in the sand · chickened out
test, tested, testing, tests, tester, testers, testable, retest, retested