What does ‘a bolt from the blue’ mean?
To “a bolt from the blue” means to a sudden, unexpected event. The phrase is popularly linked to Thomas Carlyle's writings in the 19th century; the image is of lightning from a clear sky.
Origin
- The phrase is popularly linked to Thomas Carlyle's writings in the 19th century; the image is of lightning from a clear sky.
How to use it
- Common in describing shocking news.
- Example: Her resignation was a bolt from the blue.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.