the writing is on the wall

Questions

What does the writing is on the wall mean?

Disaster is imminent.

Where does the writing is on the wall come from?

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.

How to pronounce the writing is on the wall

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “the writing is on the wall”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “the writing is on the wall”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “the writing is on the wall” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.