Itchy feet

[0383] Gut feeling

🎲 Pain in the neck/ass
English Idioms
All Idioms

Explanation

  • An intuition, instinct, or strong sense about something that isn't based on conscious reasoning or evidence, but rather on a deep-seated, instinctive conviction.

Origin

  • Relates to the physiological sensation where strong emotions or instincts are felt in the stomach or 'gut' area (e.g., fear causing a 'knot' in the stomach).
  • The gut is viewed metaphorically as a source of primal, non-logical insight.
  • Popularized in the 20th century.

Synonyms & Related Expressions

  • Intuition
  • Instinct
  • Hunch
  • Sixth sense
  • Feeling in one's bones
  • Premonition (Often suggests a feeling about a future, possibly negative, event)
  • Vibe (Informal sense or feeling about a person/place/situation)

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

  • My spidey-sense is tingling (Humorous pop-culture reference to Spider-Man's intuition/danger sense)
  • Got a weird vibe / Getting bad vibes
  • Something feels off
  • Something smells fishy (Suggests suspicion of dishonesty or something wrong)

More Formal:

  • My intuition indicates...
  • I have an intuitive sense that...
  • Based on my instincts...
  • I harbor some reservations based on instinct.

Situational Appropriateness

  • Informal to semi-formal.
  • While acknowledged in business (My gut tells me...), it's usually presented with awareness that it's not data-driven (I know it's just a gut feeling, but...).
  • More readily accepted and discussed in personal decision-making.

Misunderstanding Warnings

  • Emphasize the metaphorical link to intuition, distinguishing it from physical stomach issues (like indigestion).

Examples

  • I can't explain why, but I have a bad gut feeling about this deal.
  • My gut feeling told me she was trustworthy, and it turned out I was right.
  • Sometimes you just have to go with your gut feeling.

Dialogue

Interviewer 1: Candidate B has amazing qualifications, checks all the boxes.

Interviewer 2: Agreed, on paper, she's perfect. But... I don't know, I have a weird gut feeling. Something just didn't click for me.

Interviewer 1: A gut feeling? Can you pinpoint anything?

Interviewer 2: Not really, just an intuition. Maybe it's nothing, but it makes me hesitate slightly.

Social Media Examples

  • Tweet: Decided not to take that job offer. Couldn't shake a bad gut feeling about the company culture. Trusting my instincts! #career #intuition
  • Instagram Poll: Making a tough choice: Follow the spreadsheet analysis 📊 or my gut feeling 🤔?
  • Blog Post: The Science Behind Your Gut Feeling: How Intuition Works.

Response Patterns

  • Really? What makes you say that? (Seeking elaboration, even if intuition-based)
  • You should trust your instincts. / Always listen to your gut.
  • Hmm, maybe you're onto something.
  • Let's think about it logically though. (Suggesting caution)
  • Don't be paranoid. (Dismissive)

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

  • Trying to articulate any subtle observations that might be informing the feeling (Is there anything specific, even small, that feels off?).
  • Discussing whether to trust the intuition or seek more concrete evidence.
  • Sharing personal experiences where gut feelings were right or wrong.

Conversation Starter

  • Yes. Can be used to introduce an opinion or suspicion about a situation, often leading to discussion.

Intonation

  • Stress typically on GUT and FEELING.
  • I have a GUT FEELING about this.

Generation Differences

  • Widely understood and used across generations.

Regional Variations

  • Common in all major English-speaking regions.
  • Hunch is also a very frequent synonym.
Itchy feet
🎲 Pain in the neck/ass