you could have knocked me down with a feather
Meaning: I was extremely surprised.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “When she said she was marrying my brother, you could have knocked me down with a feather.”
Category: Animals
Origin: So stunned that even a feather could knock one over. The phrase is found from the 19th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- Spanish: Quedarse de piedra — literally: To be left as stone
- Greek: Μου έφυγε το καφάσι — literally: My crate flew off
- French: En rester comme deux ronds de flan — literally: To be left like two rounds of custard
More idioms — Animals
- like a rat in a trap — Trapped with no way to escape.
- like the cat that got the cream — Very pleased with oneself.
- strong as an ox — Very strong.
- holy cow! — An exclamation of surprise.
- sly as a fox — Very cunning.
- count one's chickens before they hatch — To rely on something good before it has actually happened.
More English idioms
- swing the lead — To avoid work, especially by pretending to be ill.
- get on someone's nerves — To annoy someone.
- a fat lot of good that does me — That is of no use to me at all.
- knock someone's socks off — To impress or amaze someone greatly.
- no sweat — No problem; that's easy.
- dumb as a box of rocks — Very stupid.
From our proverbs
- Try your friend before you trust him. — Test a person's character through small, low-stakes interactions before depending on them…
- At twelfth-day the days are lengthened a cock's stride. — Winter daylight gains imperceptibly after the new year, measurable only in tiny increment…
- If things were to be done twice, all would be wise. — Hindsight reveals mistakes, but life allows no rehearsals—act carefully the first time.