read someone like an open book, to
read someone like an open book, to - To discern someone’s thoughts with great accuracy. The analogy of a guileless person to an open book was made by Shakespeare.
“Read o’er the volume of young Paris’ face,” he wrote in Romeo and Juliet (1.3), and again, “O, like a book of sport thou’lt read me o’er,” in Troilus and Cressida (4.5).
A closely related turn of phrase is to read someone’s mind, which dates from the late nineteenth century.
Related and Similar Terms:
- Read between the lines - To understand the hidden meaning.
- Wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve - To show one’s emotions openly.
- An open book - To be very transparent and easy to understand.
- Psychic - Claiming to have the ability to mentally perceive information.
Synonyms:
- Discern
- Decipher
- Perceive
- Understand
Antonyms:
- Misunderstand
- Misread
- Confuse
Humor-filled Quotes:
“Reading her was easier than reading the instructions on instant noodles!” — An Anonymous Chef, probably.
Proverbs:
“Eyes are the windows to the soul.” — Traditional Proverb
Literary Suggestions:
- Books:
- “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen
- “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” by Carol S. Dweck
- Movies:
- “Sherlock Holmes” series
- “Inside Out” (animated film)
- Poetry:
- “The Road Less Traveled” by Robert Frost
- “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe
- Songs:
- “Every Breath You Take” by The Police
- “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash
Farewell from our book of thought. Whether you’re a hot-dogged detective or simply a keen observer of life’s open pages, never stop reading between the lines and beyond. Keep your eyes peeled and your heart open, for the adventure in reading humanity is just a page turn away.
— W. T. Wittywords
