Expressions used in Everyday Spoken English in Social and Professional contexts
read between the lines
read between the lines
Meaning(s)
1) to pick up on subtext or a meaning that is not explicit
How to MemorizePopularity MediumProfessional MediumSocial
reading between the lines, I could tell he wasn't happy
Analysis
To 'read between the lines' means to pick up on subtext or a meaning that is not explicitly stated or revealed. When you read between the lines you use the information available, tone of voice or context to draw conclusions that are not obvious or communicated directly.
Social Examples (Basic)
If you read between the lines you can tell their marriage isn't a happy one.
Reading between the lines, I get the impression he could do with more help at home.
Professional Examples (Basic)
Reading between the lines in this report, I can tell that our accuracy needs to improve hugely to save on costs.
This client can be very guarded, so you will need to read between the lines to find out what they really want.