English Idiom – Swim with sharks.

Meaning – To operate among dangerous or risky people. The idiom swimming with sharks is used to describe a situation where someone is in a dangerous or risky environment, usually involving a lot of competition or potential for harm.

The literal meaning of this expression is – of course – to be swimming in the water with sharks.

A loan shark (idiom) is someone who lends people money and charges them an extremely high rate of interest.

Related ‘Dangerous’ Expressions:

Usage:

When could you use this idiom?

  • You are thinking of entering politics in an area with corrupt and immoral politicians.
  • An amateur poker player is competing against professional players for high stakes.
  • Someone is taking part in online dating for the first time!

Example:

  • “She’s not sure she’s ready to start swimming with sharks in the real estate market.”

In The News:

Dare to swim with the sharks: Shark Tank opens online casting

Discuss:

  • Is there an idiom like this in your country?

What is an idiom?

An idiom is a word or phrase that is not taken literally.  An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its individual words, but has a separate meaning of its own.

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