read between the lines

Meaning: (idiomatic)Toinfera meaning that is notstatedexplicitly.If youread between the linesa little, you will realize that he has deeper motives.1901,Jack London, “A Hyperborean Brew:[…]”, inThe Faith of Men and Other Stories, New York, N.Y.:The Macmillan Company; London:Macmillan & Co., Ltd., published September 1904,→OCLC,pages54–55:The next day he made incantation, and distorted the miracle of the loaves and fishes till it became prophecy, and I,reading between the lines, saw that it was aimed at the wealth of meat stored in my caches.1911,Edith Wharton,Xingu‎[1]:“I’m quite of your opinion,” Miss Van Vluyck came briskly to her support; “on condition, that is, that all grossness of language is avoided.”“Oh, I’m sure we shall understand without that,” Mrs. Leveret tittered; and Laura Glyde added significantly: “I fancy we canread between the lines,” while Mrs. Ballinger rose to assure herself that the doors were really closed.1919,Joseph Conrad, chapter IV, inThe Arrow of Gold: A Story between Two Notes, London:T[homas]Fisher Unwin,[…],→OCLC, part IV,page186:“Yes. And if you had as much sense as the talking parrot I owned once you would haveread between the linesthat all I wanted you here for was to tell you what I think of you.”1982,Andy Hill,Peter Sinfield, “Twentieth Century Hero”, inAre You Ready, performed byBucks Fizz:I know youread between the lines/ When them up there say it's all fine2022June 16, Kari Paul, quoting Elon Musk, “In rare move, Elon Musk meets Twitter employees to give ‘freedom of speech’ address”, inThe Guardian‎[2]:“Trust is as trust does. I tend to be extremely literal in what I say … One does not [need][sic]toread between the lines. One can simply read the lines,” Musk said in the meeting, according to a tweet from Nola Weinstein, Twitter’s global head of brand experiences and engagement.2024,Jackie Evancho, “Behind My Eyes”, inSolla‎[3]:If you could see behind my eyes / You'd see the truth inside the lies / And if youread between the lines/ You'd see I'm running from my mind

Examples:

EN: She writes that she's happy, but I can read between the lines.
ES: Puedo leer entre líneas cuando nos escribe.
EN: Well, I guess maybe I can read between the lines, Billy... but I wanna hear you say some more.
ES: Bueno, supongo que quizá sepa leer entre líneas, Billy... pero quiero oírte hablar más.
EN: My dear, don't read between the lines things that aren't there.
ES: Querida, no leas entre líneas cosas que no existen.
EN: - Chief, I can't read between the lines very well, but you don't mean to say that you want madame to divorce you? To lose her?
ES: Jefe, no se me da bien leer entre líneas, pero, ¿no estará insinuando que quiere que madame se divorcie de usted para perderla?
EN: - I can read between the lines.
ES: - Sé leer entre líneas.
EN: A woman must learn to read between the lines, my dear.
ES: Una mujer tiene que aprender a leer entre líneas, querida.
EN: 'Cause that's what people will read between the lines.
ES: Porque eso es lo que la gente leerá entre líneas.
EN: Can't you read between the lines what I'm saying?
ES: ¿No puedes leer entre líneas lo que te estoy diciendo?
EN: Maybe you should have read between the lines.
ES: Deberías haber leído entre líneas.
EN: Perhaps you didn't use the word, but I can read between the lines, anyway you were right
ES: Tal vez no con palabras, pero uno puede entender. De todos modos, tenías razón.
EN: - You have to read between the lines.
ES: - Debes leer entre líneas.
EN: As for this note, it's easy to read between the lines.
ES: En cuanto a esta nota, es fácil leer entre líneas.
EN: But you read between the lines, didn't you?
ES: Pero supiste leer entre lineas, ¿no?
EN: You ought to read between the lines by now.
ES: Usted deberia saber leer entre lineas.
EN: But do you read between the lines, general?
ES: ¿Pero está leyendo entre líneas, general?

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