Lexic.us

Definition of Out of the blue

1. Adjective. Not anticipated. "Like a bolt out of the blue"

2. Adverb. In a way that was not expected. "Her brother showed up at the wedding out of the blue"

Definition of Out of the blue

1. Adverb. (idiomatic) unexpectedly; without warning or preparation ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Lexicographical Neighbors of Out Of The Blue

out of place(p) out of play(p) out of pocket out of practice out of practice(p) out of print out of proportion out of reach(p) out of service out of shape

out of sight out of sight, out of mind out of sorts out of stock out of stock(p) out of the blue (current term) out of the blue(p) out of the box out of the chute out of the corner of one's eye

out of the frying pan, into the fire out of the frying pan and into the fire out of the frying pan into the fire out of the loop out of the money out of the mouths of babes out of the ordinary out of the picture out of the question out of the running

Literary usage of Out of the blue

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Constantinople, Old and New by Harrison Griswold Dwight (1915)
"... toward the Golden Gate A last marble tower stands superbly out of the blue and the Marmora, till a last marble tower stands superbly out of the blue. ..."

2. Report of the Annual Meeting (1857)
"... but refusing to pass out of the blue into the other colours. It was plain that the spot belonged both to the eye and to the blue part of the spectrum. ..."

3. Library of Southern Literature by Edwin Anderson Alderman, Joel Chandler Harris, Charles William Kent (1910)
"OUT OF THE SOUTH A migrant song-bird I, out of the blue, between the sea and the sky, Landward blown on bright, untiring wings; Out of the South I fly, ..."

4. The Seventh Report from the Select Committee of the House of Assembly of by William Lyon Mackenzie (1835)
"V>5, Executive Councillor £111, Commissioner for Bale of Clergy Reserves £500 1721 Thomas Merritt, [name left out of the Blue Book for 34. ..."

5. Sunset by Southern Pacific Company. Passenger Dept, Southern Pacific Company (1912)
"To the south, broadside on, the white wall of the Olympics rose out of the blue water. Black clouds were gathering about Mount Olympus in enormous ..."

6. The Cumulative Book Index by H.W. Wilson Company (1911)
"out of the blue grass. Dunlap, L. pa. 75o. Transylvania ptg. со., Lexington, Ky. Out of the briars. Newton, AH $1.25. AME Book concern, 631 Pine st., Phil. ..."

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