well, I never!
Meaning: An exclamation of surprise or disbelief.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “She married him after all? Well, I never!”
Category: Daily Life
Origin: Short for something like "well, I never heard the like." The phrase is recorded from the 19th century and now sounds old-fashioned and slightly comic.
Equivalents in other languages
- German: Ich glaub mein Schwein pfeift — literally: I think my pig is whistling
More idioms — Daily Life
- luck out — To have unexpected good luck.
- put in one's two cents — To give one's opinion, whether or not it was asked for.
- crunch time — The decisive moment, when there is no more time left.
- get things back on track — To bring a situation back under control after it has gone wrong.
- be in for a rude awakening — To be about to discover an unpleasant truth.
- carry coals to Newcastle — To do something completely unnecessary.
More English idioms
- the heart of the matter — The most important part of an issue.
- play cat and mouse — To toy with someone one has power over.
- blow me down — An exclamation of complete surprise.
- hunky-dory — Perfectly fine.
- be over the moon — Absolutely delighted.
- the morning after the night before — A hangover, and the regret that comes with it.
From our compliments & insults
- Eres la leche — You're the best — absolutely fantastic.
- Eline sağlık — Praise and thanks to someone — especially a cook — for something made beautifully by hand.
- És uma joia — You're a gem — a precious, lovely person.