out on a limb

Idioms and Phrases

In a difficult, awkward, or vulnerable position, as in I lodged a complaint about low salaries, but the people who had supported me left me out on a limb . This expression alludes to an animal climbing out on the limb of a tree and then being afraid or unable to retreat. [Late 1800s]

Example Sentences

But while the players were invested, the sell to a wider audience was tougher, and amid reports of a shortfall of £3.2m in today's money, John says “we went out on a limb and took care of it”.

From BBC

I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that neither of those ideas can be considered viable at the moment, but in written testimony earlier this year for a U.S.

From Los Angeles Times

And then going outside of the bounds of that safety, I basically had a nervous breakdown in high school because I felt like I was defying so much within myself, that safety that I desired, by going out on a limb and and pursuing acting, pursuing a creative art.

From Los Angeles Times

“I’m going to go out on a limb here and say based on how much he’s complaining about conditions in the courtroom, he would hate jail.”

From New York Times

Maybe I’m going out on a limb here, but the hapless House Republicans have finally achieved something big: an end to tit-for-tat impeachments.

From Los Angeles Times