The idiom "put out feelers" means to make subtle inquiries or to gather information in a cautious or indirect way. It is often used when someone wants to test the waters or explore a situation before making a decision or taking action.
For example, if you are interested in a job opportunity but are not sure if the company is hiring, you might "put out feelers" by asking someone who works there if they know of any open positions. Or if you are considering asking someone out on a date, you might "put out feelers" by casually mentioning a movie or restaurant you would like to try and seeing if they express interest.
The phrase "put out feelers" comes from the idea of an animal extending its tentacles or antennae to sense its surroundings before making a move. In human terms, it means to gather information and assess a situation before taking action.
• The politician put out feelers to gauge public opinion on her proposed policies before making an official announcement.
• The director put out feelers to see if any actors were interested in auditioning for the lead role in the upcoming film.
• After finishing my degree, I put out some feelers to see if I could find any job opportunities in my field.
• The company is considering expanding its operations overseas, so they have put out feelers to see if there is any interest in their products.
• The CEO put out feelers to find potential investors for the company's new project, and received interest from several major firms.
• I wanted to see if anyone was interested in coming to my birthday party, so I put out some feelers and asked a few friends.