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out of the blue
出乎意料

Date: Mar 07 2013

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

“The other day Rachael Ray stopped by with chili out of the blue. I even got the recipe!”

- Actor Kevin Bacon on a surprise visitor to the set of his new TV show, The Following. (Us Weekly)

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

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without warning

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

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Imagine it’s a beautiful, sunny day. There’s not a cloud in the sky. You’re lying on your back in a beautiful field, looking up. Then a little dot appears in the sky, and suddenly you see a bird, or a plane. You hadn’t seen anything before. Out of the blue of the sky, where before there was nothing, an object has appeared.

Or maybe you’re lying in the field on that same beautiful day. The weather was supposed to be perfect, but, all of a sudden, the clouds come in, the sky gets dark, and it begins to rain. Before you know it, you’re soaking wet. Out of the blue sky came an unexpected rainstorm.

Simply put, if something happens out of the blue, it’s unexpected, like that airplane or that rainstorm. It could be positive or negative. You simply didn’t expect it to be coming, or at least not at the time it came.

Kevin Bacon was on set, working on his new TV show, when a visitor stopped by. It was chef Rachael Ray, with a meal for him. He hadn’t expected the visitor, or the meal. Both arrived out of the blue.

When was the last time something happened to you out of the blue? How do you feel about surprises?

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

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“She didn’t call to tell anyone she was coming. She just showed up out of the blue.”

“The hiring manager at my new company called me out of the blue. I hadn’t even been looking for a new job!”

“It was totally out of the blue when he asked me out. I didn’t think he liked me!”

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

	suddenly by goodmahsa
	It means unexpectedly,by surprise by Being_conscious
	suddenly by dearpesar
	Something unexpected by Manu4
	in an unexpected manner by Plx
	Suddenly. by a2020
	all of a sudden by kareem_10
	unexpected by samaneh64
	out of the blue means unexpectedly by Jeyran
	Completely unexpected, surprising, whithout noticing. by Cláudio
	apparently from nowhere; unexpectedly by Miss Talant
	All of a sudden. Suddenly by cubi1604
	It means unexpectedly. by Skywalker84

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Comments

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nikki_tx

Ukraine

one winter day i went to school and it was too slippery on the road and out of the blue i fell down…it was definitely painful:)

Erise

Poland

People! I loved your comments here, each and every is very characteristic.

I don’t like happenings “out of the blue” neither with good or bad outcome. I’d rather be prepared for something.

mandy-sz

China

Out of the blue make someone surprise

mandy-sz

China

Our Boss ask me to be the Secretary for him, it is out of blue to me.

seriousguy

Yemen

unexpectedly

Fiary

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

There are always some things which may happen out of the blue but it’s you who can accept it with open arms and take it as a saving grace or your bad luck ;)

Bubusara

Kyrgyzstan

when you are mixed up after being told or shown smth

julito

Argentina

a2020 . good luck with that girl . who knows ,it may be the beginning of a great romance.

ola33

Japan

Out of the blue, unexpected something, that comes your way bringing you undying joy or forever suffering. It has such a powerful effect that will stay forever in our memories. You’re totally unprepared for the news that might be so exalting and might be quite devastating as well. Let the “out of the blue” be more of a joy than grievance in our lives.

aoshibinxue

China

e, i think when we were interruptted by anything,it the same as out of the blue!

happiness1919

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I was playing soccer with my cousins but out of the blue I fell down and broke my leg but now after some months I’m as right as rain.

QueenP.

Turkey

good expression..it’s sound different from suddenly or unexpectedly..but nice..

julito

Argentina

Last month a distant cousin out of the blue showed up at my house and asked me if momentarily as he had no place to live could he stay in my apartment I had to refuse his request and adviced him to look for a hotel to stay in. puuufff.

rinushree

India

its like surprise

naira71

Azerbaijan

its a good expression.I like when something happens out of the blue,but if for better of course.

Dellsey

Slovakia

and out of the blue i got no work, no money, no life

or would be better to say.. and out of the blue she was there and i knew it straight away shes mine :D

Al-issawi

Iraq

“Out of the blue” This is very nice phrase that British people use always, I think Americans use out of the clear blue or out of the clear sky.

It was completely out of the blue when I woke up and found this lesson on Ebay website…...