clear sailing
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- Easy, unobstructed progress: A situation where things proceed smoothly and successfully without any difficulties, problems, or obstacles.
Usage
- The phrase "clear sailing" is used to describe a period or situation where progress is easy and uninterrupted. It is often used after a difficult period has passed. It functions as a noun phrase, typically following a linking verb like , , or .
- It is frequently used with the definite article "the" (e.g., ).
Examples
- Noun:
- Once we secured the funding, it was clear sailing for the rest of the project.
- The negotiations were tough at first, but after the main agreement, it was clear sailing.
- Don't think that just because you passed the exam, it's clear sailing from now on.
Advanced Usage
- "to be clear sailing": To be a period of easy progress.
- After the initial setbacks, the development phase was clear sailing.
- "to look like/sound like clear sailing": To appear that progress will be easy.
- The plan looks like clear sailing on paper, but reality might be different.
Variants and Related Words
- Plain sailing (noun): This is a common variant, especially in British English, with the identical meaning of easy, unobstructed progress.
- Once we fixed the bug, the rest of the software testing was plain sailing.
Synonyms
- Smooth sailing
- Easy going
- A breeze
- A walk in the park
Related Idioms
- Smooth sailing: An idiom with the same meaning as "clear sailing," used interchangeably.
- We expect smooth sailing for the remainder of the voyage.
Noun
- easy unobstructed progress
- after we solved that problem the rest was plain sailing