Englishthe wave of the future
Meaning: A strong, growing trend.
Example: “Electric scooters were supposed to be the wave of the future.”
Origin: Coined as the title of a 1940 essay by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, written to argue that the United States should stay out of the Second World War then raging in Europe. Lindbergh's central claim was that vast historical change was inevitable and irreversible — a wave that could be ridden or resisted but not stopped — and that resisting it was pointless. The essay was highly controversial, widely read at the time as an argument sympathetic to the totalitarian movements then rising abroad, but the phrase itself outlived the controversy, settling into general use for any trend or development seen as unstoppable and inevitably dominant.
More English idioms
- ace in the hole A hidden but effective means of winning a conflict.
- Achilles' heel A person's weakness or the vulnerable spot in his or her character.
- acid test The most crucial or important test of worth.
- across the board Equally for everyone, for everything, or in all cases.
- all kidding aside Speaking seriously.
- all thumbs Uncoordinated and awkward, especially with one's hands.
Explore another collection: False Friends
Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
- Oldtimer Actually means 'vintage car' or 'classic aircraft'. A veteran person is ein Veteran.
- Camera Actually means 'room'. A camera (device) is una macchina fotografica.
- Pretendere Actually means 'to demand' or 'to expect'. Pretende troppo = He demands too much.
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