Meanings
Origin
From the Biblical story in Daniel 5 where mysterious writing appearing on a wall during a feast held by King Belshazzar points to the downfall of the Babylonian Empire: see writing on the wall.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish katastrofin merkit ovat ilmassa
- katastrofin merkit ovat ilmassaTranslations
French les carottes sont cuites
- les carottes sont cuitesTranslations
Polish nieszczęście wisi w powietrzu
- nieszczęście wisi w powietrzuTranslations
Spanish cuando las barbas de tu vecino veas pelar, pon las tuyas a remojar
- cuando las barbas de tu vecino veas pelar, pon las tuyas a remojarTranslations
Cite this entry
APA
the writing is on the wall. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20writing%20is%20on%20the%20wall
MLA
“the writing is on the wall.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20writing%20is%20on%20the%20wall. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “the writing is on the wall,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20writing%20is%20on%20the%20wall.
Source: the writing is on the wall on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.