Where does the saying out of the blue come from?

Another version of the idiom is a bolt out of the clear, blue sky. The earliest known use of the expression out of the blue was in The French Revolution, written by Thomas Carlyle in 1837: “Arrestment, sudden really as a bolt out of the Blue, has hit strange victims.”

Why do people say out the blue?

When something happens out of the blue, it is a complete surprise. If you get a phone call out of the blue from an old friend, it's utterly unexpected. Use the phrase out of the blue when you need a casual way to describe something that surprises you and possibly seems to come from nowhere.

What idiom is out of the blue?

COMMON If something happens out of the blue, it happens unexpectedly.

What does the phrase have your cake and eat it too mean?

: to have or enjoy the good parts of something without having or dealing with the bad parts They seem to think they can have their cake and eat it too by having excellent schools for their son without paying high taxes.

What does chip off the old block mean?

Definition of chip off the old block

An expression used of people who closely resemble their parents in some way: “Mark just won the same sailboat race his father won twenty years ago; he's a chip off the old block.”

Learn English Phrases - Out of the blue, Out of nowhere

What does yellow streak mean?

yellow streak. noun. informal a cowardly or weak trait, characteristic, or flaw in a person's nature. Slang.

What is the meaning of red carpet treatment?

red carpet. Honorary treatment, lavish hospitality, as in We'll have to get out the red carpet for the President's visit. This term comes from the literal practice of rolling out a carpet to welcome a royal or other esteemed guest, and indeed is often put as roll out the red carpet. [

What does green carpet mean?

the 'opposite' of red carpet? Explanation: Dignitaries are received on a red carpet. The green could mean a welcome, green is for 'go', red is for 'stop'.

What is the meaning of gift of gab?

Definition of gift of gab

: the ability to talk glibly and persuasively.

What is the meaning of idiom a red letter day?

Definition of red-letter day

informal. : a very happy and important day.

What does getting browned off mean?

(also ˌbrassed ˈoff (with somebody/something)) (British English, informal) bored, unhappy and/or annoyed: By now the passengers were getting browned off with the delay.

What does the idiom black sheep mean?

Definition of black sheep

: a disfavored or disreputable member of a group.

What does Pink health mean?

Used in greetings and blessings, the idiom 'in the pink of health' is often uttered with the meaning of good health and wellbeing.

Who coined the phrase out of the blue?

The earliest known use of the expression out of the blue was in The French Revolution, written by Thomas Carlyle in 1837: “Arrestment, sudden really as a bolt out of the Blue, has hit strange victims.”

What is another word for Out of the blue?

Synonyms for out of the blue in English

unexpectedly; blunt; suddenly; sudden; all of a sudden; out of the blue; abrupt; all at once; at once; brusque; quick; swift; rapid; speedy; fast. unforeseen; out of the blue; unanticipated; unlooked-for.

What does a bolt out of the blue mean?

Definition of bolt from the blue

: a complete surprise : something totally unexpected.

What does hitting the nail on the head mean?

DEFINITION: It means “to do or say something that is exactly right.” You can use this phrase when someone finds the exact answer of a problem or a question. EXAMPLE: “You hit the nail on the head with this color of wallpaper for the living room; it looks better than I expected!”

What is the meaning of hard nut to crack?

Definition of a hard/tough nut (to crack)

: a person or thing that is difficult to deal with, understand, or influence The team's defense is a tough nut to crack. The problem is a hard nut to crack. He's a tough nut, but I think I can get him to agree to the contract.

What is the meaning of idiom to smell a rat?

smell a rat. Suspect something is wrong, especially a betrayal of some kind. For example, When I didn't hear any more from my prospective employer, I began to smell a rat. This expression alludes to a cat sniffing out a rat. [

What means black balled?

1 : to vote against especially : to exclude from membership by casting a negative vote. 2a : to exclude socially : ostracize. b : boycott.

Have green fingers idiom meaning?

to be good at gardening and making plants grow well.

What is the meaning of the idiom Alpha and Omega?

alpha and omega. noun. the first and last, a phrase used in Revelation 1:8 to signify God's eternity. the basic reason or meaning; most important part.

What does the idiom a white elephant mean?

a possession unwanted by the owner but difficult to dispose of: Our Victorian bric-a-brac and furniture were white elephants. a possession entailing great expense out of proportion to its usefulness or value to the owner: When he bought the mansion he didn't know it was going to be such a white elephant.

What is the idiom of night owl?

(informal) somebody who feels more lively at night and usually goes to bed very late: She's a night owl and has always done her best work after midnight.