bolt from the blue

bolt from the blue — idiom

1. an unexpected event or piece of news that causes great surprise, like a lightnin

1.慣用語B2
釋義

an unexpected event or piece of news that causes great surprise, like a lightning strike from a clear sky.

例句

News of Lien's resignation came as a bolt from the blue to the firm.

come as a bolt from the blue + to [someone]

For Sivan, the job offer was a bolt from the blue — she had not applied.

同義詞
  • bombshell

    more informal; emphasises the shocking impact rather than the unexpectedness

  • shock

    broader in meaning; can refer to any surprising event, not necessarily a sudden one

  • surprise

    softer connotation; does not carry the same degree of shock or negative implication

文法句型

come as a bolt from the blue

be a bolt from the blue

用法筆記

Frequently used in the structure 'come as a bolt from the blue' or 'be a bolt from the blue'. The phrase always takes the indefinite article 'a'. Do not confuse with 'out of the blue', which is an adverbial phrase meaning 'unexpectedly' rather than a noun phrase referring to the event itself.

常見錯誤

❌The company's closure was a bolt in the blue.
✅The company's closure was a bolt from the blue.
💡The fixed expression uses 'from the blue', not 'in the blue'.
❌His resignation came out of the blue to everyone.
✅His resignation came as a bolt from the blue to everyone.
💡'Out of the blue' means 'unexpectedly' (adverb), while 'a bolt from the blue' is a noun phrase describing the event itself.