All I could do was look on with my jaw dropped down to the floor

[JACEK1]

Hello everybody!

Is the sentence "All I could do was look on with my jaw dropped down to the floor" the right way to express being powerless to do anything?

Thank you.

 

[probus]

I don't think so. One's jaw drops when one is amazed or astounded. But jaw-dropping does not necessarily imply powerlessness.

 

[JACEK1]

You are right.

 

[Tdol]

And we don't use with my jaw dropped. You could say my jaw dropped to the floor when I saw....

 

[Barb_D]

I stood there with my jaw on the floor = I stood there as my face showed my amazement/surprise/shock.

I stood there frozen = I couldn't move. Perhaps from fear, suprise, or indecision. This may be closer to the idea of being "powerless."