Communicators

Good and poor communicators

take sth in

understand, absorb, and remember new facts and information.

be at odds with sth

be in conflict with sth; contradict sth.

pick up on sth

notice sth and perhaps react to it.

on a need-to-know basis

so that sb is told only what they need to know and only when they need to know it.

get sb's back up

INF annoy sb.

win sb over/round (to sth)

get sb's support or approval by persuading them you are right or sth is right.

open up (to sb)

talk about what you really feel and think.

put sb in the picture

If you put sb in the picture, you give them the information they need to understand a situation.

keep sb in the picture

If you keep sb in the picture, you continue to give them the necessary information. SYN keep sb posted (about/on sth).

get the picture

If you get the picture, you understand a situation that somebody is describing to you.

mull sth over

spend time thinking carefully about a plan or proposal.

read between the lines

look for or discover a meaning that is suggested rather than actually stated.

give sth/sb away

make known sth that sb wants to keep secret.

let sb in on sth

INF allow sb to share a secret, or know what only a few people know.

get (hold of) the wrong end of the stick

INF understand sth in the wrong way.

occur to sb

(of an idea or a thought) come into sb's mind.

it makes no odds

INF used to say that sth makes no difference or is not important.

let on (to sb about sth)

INF tell sb sth, especially sth you have been keeping secret.

keep sth to yourself

If you keep sth to yourself, you don't tell others about it.

play/hold/keep your cards close to your chest

If you play/hold/keep your cards close to your chest, you keep your plans or ideas secret.

keep sb in the dark

If you keep sb in the dark, you don't tell them something because you want to keep it secret from them.