how the land lies

Idioms and Phrases

see lay of the land .

Example Sentences

But as another week of Brexit disarray begins, all in Britain—the sovereign-in-waiting, the Prime Minister, and the subjects they aspire to lead and try to govern—will be hoping to see more clearly just how the land lies.

From The New Yorker

You can see how the land lies today by tracing the dispersal of U.S. troops around that badly bashed and lopsided globe or tracking the itinerary of President Obama, just back from an Asian trip that included a new agreement extending the reach of soldiers, not scholars.

From Salon

Which, of course, raises the question of how the land lies for people who want their content to be public, but not embeddable.

From The Guardian

I don't blame comedians for making jokes – that's their job – but the least they could do is have a quick peek online beforehand to see how the land lies.

From The Guardian

"I think you had better not let him know who you really are," replied Sir Edward Digby, "at least till we have seen how the land lies."

From Project Gutenberg