Certainty & Possibility - Unbelievable

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

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English idioms related to Certainty & Possibility

to not believe one's eyes

[phrase]

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

Ex: When I saw the enormous cake they had baked for the party, I couldn't believe my eyes.

double take

[noun]

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

Ex: When I saw my friend's new, bright pink hair, I did a double take – it was such a dramatic change.

to hold on to one's hat

[phrase]

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

Ex: The weather forecast is predicting a storm, so you better hold onto your hat if you're going outside.

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: When I saw the breathtaking sunset over the ocean, I was completely lost for words.

to raise some eyebrows

[phrase]

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

Ex: Her irreverent chatter during the ceremony raised many people's eyebrows.

bolt from the blue

[phrase]

news or an event that causes a great surprise

Ex: The announcement of his resignation came as a bolt from the blue; no one had any inkling that he was planning to leave.

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: I bet you never thought you'd see the day, huh?

to drop one's teeth

[phrase]

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

Ex: When they announced the unbelievable prize, the entire audience dropped their teeth in amazement.

to knock somebody down with a feather

[phrase]

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

Ex: I was so taken aback when I found out I'd won the lottery that you could have knocked me down with a feather!

words fail somebody

[sentence]

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

Ex: When he saw the breathtaking sunset over the ocean, words failed him, and he simply gazed in awe.

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

to stop dead in one's tracks

[phrase]

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

Ex: The stunning performance by the magician stopped the audience dead in their tracks.

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

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