knock someone over with a feather: Idiom Meaning and Origin
What does ‘knock someone over with a feather’ mean?
The idiom "knock someone over with a feather" means to greatly surprise or astonish someone to the point where they are rendered speechless or unable to react.
Idiom Explorer
The idiom "sweep someone off their feet" means to completely charm or impress someone, often leading them to quickly form an intense romantic attraction or emotional connection.
The idiom "knock someone off their perch" means to cause someone to lose their position of power, influence, or superiority.
The idiom "knock someone flat" means to cause someone to fall down or become unconscious by hitting them with great force.
The idiom "knock someone down with a feather" means to greatly surprise or shock someone. The use of the feather emphasizes how unexpected or unbelievable the news or event is.
The idiom "knock out of the box" means to surprise or astonish someone by doing or saying something unexpected or unconventional.
The idiom "knock out" means to defeat someone in a competition or fight, or to exhaust someone physically or emotionally.
The idiom "knock oneself out" means to exert a lot of effort or work extremely hard. It is often used to encourage someone to do something with great enthusiasm or without holding back.
The idiom "knock for a loop" means to surprise or shock someone, often to the point of feeling disoriented or confused.
The idiom "knock down a peg" means to humble or deflate someone's ego or pride. It is used when someone's self-importance or arrogance needs to be brought down to a more reasonable level.
The idiom "knock down" means to forcefully bring someone or something to the ground. It can also refer to reducing the price or value of something significantly.
Feather Felled Foes
The idiom "knock someone over with a feather" is a well-known phrase that expresses sheer surprise or astonishment. It dates back to the early 19th century and has become ingrained in our everyday language. This idiom is often used to emphasize the unexpectedness of a certain revelation or news. It implies that the person being surprised had such a low level of expectation or anticipation that even a light feather could cause them to lose their balance.
The image of someone being knocked over by a feather highlights how minimal effort or force is required to shatter their existing beliefs or assumptions. It signifies that an individual has been taken aback to such an extent that they are momentarily unable to recover or respond. This figurative expression is rooted in the concept of surprise, shock, or intense disbelief.
This idiom is widely used in various contexts, including everyday conversations, literature, movies, and journalistic writing. Its versatility and familiarity make it a powerful tool to convey the intensity of surprise in a concise and vivid manner. It can be used to emphasize the impact of unexpected or shocking news or events on an individual's perception or understanding of the world.
The phrase "knock someone over with a feather" is firmly established in the English lexicon and heard in colloquial conversations. It is frequently used in informal and casual settings, as well as in more formal situations when someone wants to convey a sense of astonishment. The idiom's familiarity ensures that its meaning is widely understood and relatable to both native and non-native English speakers.
The idiom "bowl over" is closely related to "knock someone over with a feather." It is used to convey the same sense of surprise or astonishment. When someone is "bowl over," they are so taken aback that it feels as if they have been physically knocked down by a bowling ball. This phrase, like "knock someone over with a feather," emphasizes the unexpectedness and intensity of the surprise.
Both of these idioms serve as powerful linguistic devices to express intense surprise or astonishment. They creatively combine imagery and language to convey the impact of unexpected events or revelations. While "knock someone over with a feather" focuses on the minimal effort required to surprise someone, "bowl over" uses the imagery of being physically knocked down by a bowling ball. These idioms have a long history and continue to be widely used in our everyday conversations.
Example usage
Examples of how the idiom *knock someone over with a feather* can be used in a sentence:
- When I told him he had won the lottery, he looked so shocked that you could have knocked him over with a feather.
- Her boss had always been very strict, so when he complimented her work, it almost knocked her over with a feather.
- After months of training, she finally passed the difficult exam, and it was enough to knock her over with a feather.
More "Surprise" idioms
