come out of shell
come out of (one's) shell
To become more outgoing. Usually said of a shy or introverted person. Wow, Anna has really come out of her shell lately. I remember when she wouldn't even talk to anyone, and now she's likely to be voted "Most Talkative."
See also: come, of, out, shell
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
come out of one's shell
Fig. to become more friendly; to be more sociable. (Alludes to a shy turtle putting its head out of its shell.) Come out of your shell, Tom. Go out and make some friends.
See also: come, of, out, shell
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
come out of one's shell, to
To overcome one’s shyness or inhibitions. Ebenezer Brewer believed this saying alludes to the tortoise, which hides from danger by retreating under its shell. It might equally well allude to a newly hatched bird. “The shell must break before the bird can fly,” wrote Tennyson (The Ancient Sage, 1885).
See also: come, of, out
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- come out of (one's) shell
- come out of one's shell
- come out of your shell
- get (one) out of (one's) shell
- bring (one) out of (one's) shell
- bring out of shell
- (you) coulda fooled me
- be wide of the mark
- be/fall wide of the mark
- (you) could have fooled me