Certainty & Possibility - Unbelievable

Dive into English idioms regarding the unbelievable, like "live to see the day" and "lost for words".

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to {not} [believe] {one's} (eyes|ears) [phrase]

to find it difficult to believe what one has seen or heard

Ex: When she told me she had won the lottery , I could n't believe my ears – it seemed too good to be true .

double take [noun]

the act of quickly looking at something or someone twice, usually due to surprise, confusion, or disbelief

Ex: The price of that luxury car was so unbelievably low that it made everyone passing by do a double take .

to [hold|hang] on to {one's} [hat] [phrase]

to prepare oneself for an event or situation that is expected to be exciting, intense, or unpredictable

Ex:

lost for words [phrase]

temporarily unable to think of what to say or how to express oneself, often due to shock, surprise, or intense emotion

Ex: The touching eulogy at the funeral left everyone in attendance lost for words .

to [raise] (some|a few|many|) eyebrows [phrase]

to cause surprise, curiosity, or mild shock among people due to something unconventional, unexpected, or controversial

Ex: The decision to move to a remote cabin in the woods without electricity or running water raised a few eyebrows , but it was a dream come true for them .

bolt (from|out of) the blue [phrase]

news or an event that causes a great surprise

Ex: Her sudden illness was a bolt from the blue , as she had always been healthy and active .

to live to see the day [phrase]

to survive or endure until a particular moment or event occurs, especially one that was uncertain, significant, or eagerly anticipated

Ex: After years of hard work and perseverance , he was thrilled to live to see the day he graduated from medical school .

to [drop] {one's} teeth [phrase]

to be extremely surprised or shocked, causing one's mouth to open wide in astonishment

Ex: Her incredible magic tricks made the children drop their teeth in wonder at the birthday party .

to [knock] {sb} down with a feather [phrase]

to cause a person to become very shocked, amazed, or confused

Ex: The news of their sudden engagement would knock anyone down with a feather ; no one saw it coming .

words [fail] {sb} [sentence]

used to say one is unable to say anything due to being extremely surprised, angry, or shocked

Ex: Upon receiving the prestigious award , she was so moved that words failed her during her acceptance speech .

to [stop] (dead|right|) in {one's} tracks [phrase]

to suddenly stop moving or doing something due to being extremely surprised, frightened, or impressed

Ex:

Certainty & Possibility
Certainty	Uncertainty	Unlikely Situations	Impossibility
Luck & Chance	Possibility	Likelihood	Expectations
Unexpected	Unbelievable	Definite or Unavoidable