Like a bolt from the blue
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
A sudden, shocking surprise, out of nowhere.
Origin
From 19th-century Britain, tied to storms; 'bolt from blue' meant shock, slang by 1830s in a Carlyle text for jolt. A 1850s 'Punch' uses it for a shock.
Variants
- From the blue
Usage Examples
- Her quit was like a bolt from the blue.
- Like a bolt from the blue; he won!
- Bolt from the blue; news hit hard.
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