Through the grapevine
Meaning
To hear information unofficially, by word-of-mouth communication, rather than through official channels.
Origin
The phrase first tangled itself into the English language during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Union soldiers quickly established crude telegraph lines, often strung haphazardly through trees and brush, their wires forming a chaotic, vine-like network. These early telegraphs were notoriously unreliable, prone to breakdowns and garbled messages, much like the unreliable nature of rumors. When official military dispatches were scarce or untrustworthy, soldiers began to refer to unofficial news or gossip as coming 'through the grapevine,' drawing a vivid parallel between the tangled wires and the winding path of word-of-mouth communication. The imagery stuck, and the phrase soon spread beyond the battlefields to describe any information gained unofficially.
Examples
- I heard through the grapevine that the company is planning a big reorganization next quarter.
- She found out about the surprise party through the grapevine, despite everyone's best efforts to keep it a secret.