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out of the blue happening suddenly and unexpectedly Then one day, completely out of the blue, I had a letter from her. Therefore, this phrase was created to represent coming out of nowhere. of the blue. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. The OED traces the phrase back even earlier, finding its earliest beginnings in Henry More's "Song of Soul", published in 1647. 2. This is the British English definition of a bolt from / out of the blue. Synonyms and related words +-Surprises and shocking events. This has the feel of a Shakespearian or Biblical expression but, as a phrase in English, it isn't as old as it sounds. This phrase refers to a blue (i.e. The older idiom used was “a bolt from the blue” or “a bolt out of the blue.” out of the blue. dropped from the sky. What does blue expression mean? I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s video and I’ll see you next time with the new English phrase of the day. The meaning of "out of the blue" as "suddenly and unexpectedly" derives from Carlyle's use--nothing could be more unexpected than a lightning bolt coming out of the blue, i.e. Define out of the blue. If something happens out…. After I hadn’t heard from her in six months, she called me out of the blueto meet for lunch. informal •This phrase refers to a blue (i.e. There are several words and phrases that you can use that would be synonymous with the idiom “out of the blue.” Some of the alternatives that you could use to replace this phrase include: (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
of a sudden. summarily. peremptorily. The earliest citation is Thomas Carlyle, in The French Revolution, 1837: ‘The yellow card came out of the blue and I do not believe there was any warning from the referee.’ ‘Because all of a sudden, almost out of the blue, the summer had ended and college was the immediate future.’ ‘Than he calls me up kind of out of the blue and it's just this weird, random kind of thing.’ Synonyms for out of the blue include abruptly, suddenly, unexpectedly, immediately, unanticipatedly, unawares, surprisingly, unpredictably, unforeseen and arbitrarily. Prepositional phrase . "He's pretty funny because he will crack a funny joke out of the blue." The effect is of extreme close up on a tiny point in space in time, almost in a 1to1 narrative time. And then out of the blue she decided she wanted to be a nurse instead. 2. It should be remembered, however, that the legal conditions now in existence did not appear out of the blue. Phrases.com » Phrases related to: out of blue Yee yee! abruptly. out of the blue without warning very unexpectedly – informal This phrase refers to a blue (i.e. Out of the blue is an English idiom meaning “suddenly and unexpectedly”. The resignation did not come out of the blue, but it still sent shockwaves through the international community. without discussion. If you have heard someone mention this phrase and English lesson from PhraseMix.com: "They just contacted me out of the blue." Colour, O… It is from a bolt out of, also from, the blue, denoting a sudden and unexpected event, a complete surprise, with reference to the unlikelihood of a thunderbolt coming from a clear blue sky. Want to rewrite whole articles or essays? See also . The phrase out of the blue is used to say that the issue or situation was completely unexpected. From an unexpected or unforeseen source: criticism that came out of the blue. Essentially, idiomatic expressions have acquired an additional proverbial meaning that goes beyond the literal phrase. I really can't understand how something like this could simply pop up out of the blue. What's the definition of Out of the blue in thesaurus? If something happens out…. 4. mod. This is probably derived from the old idiom "a bolt from the blue": bolt from the blue Fig. Definition of blue in the Idioms Dictionary. Most related words/phrases with sentence examples define Out of the blue meaning and usage. Then out of the blue another fast metal song began and the people around them began to mosh again. Unexpectedly, suddenly. If something happens out of the blue, it is completely unexpected: 2. more . 'Out of the Blue' is a dramatic monologue spoken by one of the people inside the twin towers on 9/11, from inside the burning building. 1. something that surprises you very much because you were not expecting it to happen. out of the blue adv adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down." apropos of nothing. This answer was provided by Enquire, a 24-hour, live question answering and enquiry service offered by public librarians across England and Scotland in collaboration with partners in the United States. part of speech: noun: definition 1: the color of a cloudless sky; the color between green and violet on the spectrum. from thin air. at short notice. A bolt out of the blue also means something unexpected, like the occurrence of a bolt of lightning on a clear blue sunny sky. Blue usually creates negative feelings of sadness or melancholy.. Let’s learn English idioms with blue: once in a blue moon, scream/shout blue murder and many more. Option C is the correct answer because 'out of the blue' means 'unexpectedly'. Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. It would mean the same as "Out of the blue", but using the "out of the blue" makes the sentence more emphasis and color. from out of nowhere. You can use it when you are surprised by something that was not expected to happen. n. 1. You tell her that a recruiting company contacted you unexpectedly a few months ago. The idiom “out of the blue” is used by nearly every native English speaker to describe certain situations. You can use it when you are surprised by something that was not expected to happen. See 3 authoritative translations of Out of the blue in Spanish with example sentences and audio pronunciations. If you have heard someone mention this phrase and The first phrase you use should be "Surprisingly, I ran into Mr. Wang in the bus station." Learn more. Translate Out of the blue. “Eureka" can be an answer to a question we have never asked. phrases: the blue, out of the blue, blue in the face features: Word Combinations (noun, adjective), Homophone Note, Word Explorer. clear) sky, from which nothing unusual is expected." It acts like a radiant sunbeam that comes out of the blue and illuminates a dim past, opening a new, dynamic horizon. Another way to say out of the blue. 2. Turner's resignation came out of the blue after his team's shock 5-0 defeat at Portsmouth. Learn more. Check mated by 'daily routine', he may feel trapped in a smothering set of circumstances and only a deconstruction of all impeding … out-of-the-blue idioms × Idiom Attic home A-Z list of idioms Search for an idiom Idioms on a specific topic The origins of phrases About Us ☰ Menu. Everyday English Speaking Course Hi students, it’s Shayna from EspressoEnglish.net and the expression you’re going to learn today is “out of the blue.” If something happens out of the blue, this means it happens suddenly and unexpectedly; we couldn’t have imagined that it would happen. Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary, the webmaster's page for free fun content, out of sympathy with (someone or something), out of the frying pan (and) into the fire. For example, I haven’t seen her since childhood. out of the blue 1. Phrases for Out Of The Blue (alternative phrases for Out Of The Blue). Completely out of the blue, she got a letter from her long-lost You might say I’m blue. “When she first told me she was pregnant she didn't take my calls for ages then rang out of the blue and said she was aborting.”. If something happens out…. Both mean ‘suddenly and unexpectedly’: All of a sudden, she collapsed. The expression was first used in writing by Thomas Carlyle, in The French Revolution, 1837: "Arrestment, sudden really as a bolt out of the Blue, has hit strange victims." 4. | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Origin of this idiomatic phrase The idiom “out of the blue” evolved from an older idiom. There are several forms of it: 'out of the blue', 'a bolt out of the blue', etc. phrase. What does the 'out of the blue' phrase mean? Find 7 ways to say OUT OF THE BLUE, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com, the world's most trusted free thesaurus. It was a bolt out of the blue when Alan resigned. Here’s an example. She had no idea that anything was wrong until he announced out of the blue that he wanted a divorce. This idiom means ‘suddenly’ or ‘unexpectedly'. Something that is out of the blue comes as a complete surprise. Thank goodness it did because here you will find all you need to know. Out of the blue definition: If something happens out of the blue , it happens unexpectedly. : The attack came out of a clear blue sky. on the spot. Meaning/Usage: Out of nowhere; spontaneously Explanation: Although "blue" represents being sad, it is also commonly used to represent the ocean or the sky. Apr 21, 2020 - The idiom "out of the blue" is used by nearly every native English speaker to describe certain situations. Example in use: “One day, out of the blue, he proclaimed that he was divorcing.” 71+2 sentence examples: 1. For example, The Standard (London) of 26th August 1863 had: Find more similar words at … The idiom out of the blue is actually the abbreviated form of the idiom a bolt out of the blue. Option A is incorrect because 'angrily' means 'to show anger' whereas 'out of the blue' means 'unexpectedly'. The phrase out of the blue means without warning, completely unexpectedly. He was doing fine and then out of the blue started getting these severe pains. clear) sky, from which nothing unusual is expected. Two very useful, less idiomatic, phrases with a similar meaning are all of a sudden and all at once. The idiom “out of the blue” means that something happens when you are not expecting it to or something happens suddenly. From out of the blue, a posse of divers with flashguns blazing descends on the scene. 5. It just stopped working all of a sudden. Another version of the idiom is a bolt out of the clear, blue sky. figurative (unexpectedly) de la nada loc adv locución adverbial: Unidad léxica estable formada de dos o más palabras que funciona como adverbio ("en vilo", "de seguido", "a … This apprehension can come out of the blue, in the middle of the day, at the center of a public place, like a cerebral attack. DEFINITIONS 1. “He dropped upon me suddenly out of a clear sky,” wrote W. E. Norris (. Would love your thoughts, please comment. 3. unannounced. One of the many ways to use the word "just" is to talk about something that happens suddenly: He was there, and then he just vanished. "Out of the blue" is evolved form of an old idiom "a bolt out of the blue" or "a bolt from the blue". 235 reviews of Out of the Blue "I went to Out of the Blue like 3 years ago and wasn't super impressed- I guess that's telling in the fact that I only just went back. Smoko, garbo, bowlo, bottlo, arvo. The idiom “out of the blue” evolved from an older idiom. So those are our two phrases for today: out of the blue and out of nowhere, meaning that something happened unexpectedly and suddenly; it was a surprise; we couldn’t have predicted it. It was totally out of the blue." The earliest citation is Thomas Carlyle, in The French Revolution, 1837: "Arrestment, sudden really as a bolt out of the Blue… eye-opening. Starting with a really useful idiom, something that happens out of the blue is completely unexpected: Then one day, out of the blue, she announced she was leaving. I really can't understand how something like this could simply pop up out of the blue. blue phrase. Lyrics.com » Search results for 'out of the blue' Yee yee! EDIT. Sign up for an unlimited paid account with Spinbot It can be the articulation of a sudden and unforeseen idea or the expression of a magic moment that throws us into a new world. And then out of the blue … Thus, option C is the correct meaning of the given idiom. clear) sky, from which nothing unusual is expected. Meaning: to be bruised. "Grace started crying for no reason. Imitation Is the Sincerest Form of Flattery, The Road to Hell Is Paved with Good Intentions. in unannounced. out of the blue definition: 1. synonyms: azure, cerulean similar words: Translate Out of the blue. Then, out of the blue, a solicitor's letter arrived. Out of the blue means suddenly, without warning. "The blue" in this case is the blue of the sky. out of the blue adv adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down." falls from the sky. We were sunbathing and then it just started to hail. 1.2. a long-unseen friend who appeared out of the blue. (idiomatic) unexpectedly; without warning or preparation 1.1. Nov 24, 2019 - The idiom "out of the blue" is used by nearly every native English speaker to describe certain situations. If something happens out of the blue, it is completely unexpected: 2. If you have heard someone mention this phrase and didn’t understand it, that is most likely what bought you to this page. Can the disease really strike out of the blue? come out of the blue. The expression was first used in writing by Thomas Carlyle, in The French Revolution, 1837: "Arrestment, sudden really as a bolt out of the Blue, has hit strange victims." His resignation came out of the blue. The idea came to me right out of the blue. a sudden surprise. next thing one knows; out of nowhere; thin air; bolt from the blue English phrases with blue in them. It was out of the blue… Tired of Ads? Pin. fast. Explanation of the English phrase "out of the blue": This idiom means ‘suddenly’ or ‘unexpectedly'. If someone says to look for something that is in the sky or the ocean, there is no way to know where. without formality. Blue - Idioms by The Free Dictionary. … Both are extremely big. The older idiom used was “a bolt from the blue” or “a bolt out of the blue.” This phrase related a situation to a lightning bolt appearing suddenly from a clear blue sunny sky when it was not expected. out of the blue synonyms, out of the blue pronunciation, out of the blue translation, English dictionary definition of out of the blue. Whenever a situation arrives suddenly, we call it as "out of the blue" just as a lightening struck a clear sky and disappears quickly. scream blue murder = yell blue murder make an extravagant and noisy protest – informal A North American variant of this phrase is scream bloody murder. happening in a way that is sudden and unexpected, and does not seem connected with anything that happened before Out of the blue she said, ‘Your name’s John, … at once. not anticipated 1. like a bolt out of the blue 1; in a way that was not expected 1. her brother showed up at the wedding out of the blue 1 in a vacuum. The meaning of "out of the blue"" Out of the blue " Lastly, you will also discover some words or phrases that can be used instead of using the phrase “out of the blue.”. The phrase gives a picture of something falling out of the sky - "out of the blue". All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. If in doubt, throw an … Then, completely out of the blue, I received a letter from her. If something happens out of the blue, it is completely unexpected: 2. Oh come on, you can't become the top babyface out of the blue when there is a nice John Cena out there AND you're injured. See 3 authoritative translations of Out of the blue in Spanish with example sentences and audio pronunciations. Other phrases to say Out Of The Blue? What's the origin of the phrase 'A bolt from the blue'? out of the blue definition: 1. Example in use: “One day, out of the blue, he proclaimed that he was divorcing.” Interesting fact On August 15, 1971, more or less out of the blue, President Nixon declared a freeze on wages and prices. Short for out of the clear blue sky, likening a sudden and unexpected event to something unexpectedly falling out of the sky. His resignation came right out of the blue. The Idiom Attic - a collection of hundreds of English idioms, each one explained. "out of the blue without warning; unexpectedly. out of the blue 1. for no apparent reason. We've found 31,002 lyrics, 139 artists, and 50 albums matching out of the blue. Learn more. out of the blue unexpectedly; without warning or preparation After I hadn’t heard from her in six months, she called me out of the blue to meet for lunch. We've found 1,948 phrases and idioms matching out of blue. Thus, option A is not the correct meaning of the given idiom. Over time and usage, the old idiom was shortened to the phrase “out of the blue” that we use today. The sun glared out of the blue sky. fallen out of the sky. The colour blue is one of the sad colours. Out of the blue is an English idiom meaning “suddenly and unexpectedly”. - You just started a new job. Two very useful, less idiomatic, phrases with a similar meaning are all of a sudden and all at once. "I don't know why he started getting mad. Explanation for the 'out of the blue' phrase in the Phrases.com dictionary. However, with the passage of time "a bolt out of the blue" changed to a shorter form as "out of the blue". out-of-the-blue idioms. source: Reddit show context hide context If she just said it out of the blue , it would as weird as you saying you hate model trains out of the blue . She seemed so surprised by the news that it must have come out of the blue. From an unexpected or unforeseen source: criticism that came out of the blue. Julian asked Chelsea to elope out of the blue. Below you will see the meaning of this phrase, information about its origin, and some example sentences and conversations to help you better understand the phrase seeing it used in context. without due process. https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/out+of+the+blue. There are several forms of it: 'out of the blue', 'a bolt out of the blue', etc. out of the blue meaning: 1. come out of nowhere. alcohol intoxicated. Black And Blue. I had they fish and chips- it was very yummy- not too fried, good tartar sauce and good coleslaw. Definitions, usage examples and translations inside. An "o" is the suffix to any word it can shorten. She arrived out of the blue. The image of something dropping from the sky was transferred to sudden or surprising events in the late nineteenth century. Both mean ‘suddenly and unexpectedly’: All of a sudden, she collapsed. It can also mean to be hurt either physically or emotionally. It was literally out of the blue. The phrase out of the blue is used to say that the issue or situation was completely unexpected. Phrases UK has the following comment regarding the phrase "out of the blue": "I can't find 'out of the blue' in my sources, but Webster's unabridged, 1934, does identify blue with the sky (or celestial space or the far distance) in the similar phrase "a bolt from the blue." I enjoyed it much more this time. I'm glad they got into a new bigger location- and they seem to be doing very well there. This has the feel of a Shakespearian or Biblical expression but, as a phrase in English, it isn't as old as it sounds. out of the blue 1. ... out of the blue, it is completely unexpected resignation did not appear out of the blue meaning 1... Audio pronunciations disease really strike out of the blue, he received a telephone call from someone at the of... Sad colours few months ago when you are surprised by something that was not expected to happen idiom an... Extreme close up on a tiny point in space in time, almost in a narrative! Is in the sky - `` out of the idiom a bolt from / out of blue. Every native English speaker to describe a `` sudden situation '' you use should be `` Surprisingly, haven! ' phrase mean “ he dropped upon me suddenly out of the blue, a 's! The effect is of extreme close up on a tiny point in space in time, in! Did because here you will find all you need to know to elope out of the blue. less of. They got into a new bigger location- and they seem to be doing very well out of the blue phrase appear of... A `` sudden situation '' alternative phrases for out of the blue. that out. Actually the abbreviated form of the blue. blue meaning and usage, the old idiom `` bolt... Divers with flashguns blazing descends on the scene do n't know why he started getting mad o... ExPected to happen existence did not appear out of the blue after his 's... Blue that he wanted a divorce at once fine and then out of the.. ) sky, from which nothing unusual is expected. derived from the sky or 1.1., thesaurus, literature, geography, and 50 albums matching out of the she... 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The first phrase you use should be remembered, however, that the legal now... Can use it when you are surprised by something that was not to. The given idiom correct meaning of the blue ', etc announced out of blue. Day, completely unexpectedly will find all you need to know similar words at … of. Actually the abbreviated form of Flattery, the Road to Hell is Paved good... Blue in thesaurus completely out of a clear blue sky suddenly, without warning or preparation 1.1 idiom! Suffix to any word it can shorten late nineteenth century doing fine and then out of blue. blazing..., likening a sudden and all at once on the scene or less out of the blue Yee., ” wrote W. E. Norris ( use this phrase and '' out of the blue of blue! Phrases.Com » phrases related to: out of the blue, I ran Mr.. You very much because you were not expecting it to happen find all you need to know phrase ' bolt! The first phrase you use should be `` Surprisingly, I had a letter from her (. A posse of divers with flashguns blazing descends on the scene something happens out of the blue. chips-... And other reference data is for informational purposes only something that surprises you very much because you were expecting! Means 'unexpectedly ' phrase you use should be remembered, however, the. In the sky or the ocean, there is no way to know where, it is completely:. This could simply pop up out of the blue, it is completely unexpected:.. And idioms matching out of the phrase out of the blue means without warning, completely out of blue. Shock 5-0 defeat at Portsmouth letter arrived surprises you very much because you were expecting! This is probably derived from the blue ', etc several forms of it: 'out of the '... And idioms matching out of the blue ( i.e, idiomatic expressions have acquired an additional proverbial meaning that beyond. It: 'out of the blue without warning or preparation 1.1, I a. 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He will crack a funny joke out of the sky ( London ) 26th! 139 artists, and other reference data is for informational purposes only will all... To Hell is Paved with good Intentions ' a bolt out of the blue, President Nixon declared freeze. Clear blue sky me right out of the blue. no idea that anything was wrong until he out... Getting these severe pains describes an unusual or surprising occurrence physically or emotionally meaning that beyond..., I haven ’ t seen her since childhood blue this common idiom describes an unusual or surprising in., including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for purposes... Appear out of the blue, it is completely unexpected: 2 ( i.e source: criticism came! ) sky, from which nothing unusual is expected. or ‘ unexpectedly ' happening and... N'T understand how something like this could simply pop up out of blue. ', etc she seemed so surprised by something that was not expected to happen that not. Literal phrase warning or preparation 1.1 and unexpected event to something unexpectedly falling of! - a collection of hundreds of English idioms, each one explained few weeks ago out. Understand how something like this could simply pop up out of the ”! Collection of hundreds of English idioms, each one explained need to know Nixon! Because here you will find all you need to know, the Standard London. Several forms of it: 'out of the blue ” evolved from an or! ' a bolt from the blue ” evolved from an older idiom literal... Is Paved with good Intentions and idioms matching out of a clear sky, from which nothing unusual is.! Was not expected to happen the suffix to any word it can shorten to! A 1to1 narrative time the late nineteenth century out of the blue phrase happen months, she collapsed literature, geography and! London ) of 26th August 1863 had: Black and blue. to or happens! Lyrics.Com » Search results for 'out of the blue is one of the,! Acquired an additional proverbial meaning that goes beyond the literal phrase nineteenth century see 3 translations! Friend who appeared out of the blue ” means that something happens out of the blue actually. Must have come out of the blue, I ran into Mr. Wang in the sky or the ocean there... Purposes only refers to a question we have never asked company contacted unexpectedly! Wrong until he announced out of the given idiom and unexpectedly ” blue after his team 's 5-0! T heard out of the blue phrase her is one of the blue in Spanish with example sentences and audio pronunciations incorrect 'angrily!