[Idiom] idioms meaning "strike, amaze"

[Olenek]

Hi,

I've picked out a group of synonymous idioms meaning "strike, amaze":

1) "To take smb's breath away" - Fig. to overwhelm someone with beauty or grandeur; to surprise or astound someone (view, picture, person etc).

2) "To knock smb. sideways" - to surprise, confuse or upset someone very much.

3) "To throw smb. for a loop" - to upset someone unexpectedly and severely (for ex: accident and even prices in the shop and others).

4) Two-value "To blow smb's mind" -
1. to disturb or distract; to destroy the function of one's brain (often used with negative connotation, for ex: annoying situation, obsession etc.);
2. to overwhelm, to excite someone (with positive connotation, for ex: a friendly atmosphere, music etc.)

5) To knock/ hit smb. for six (British and Australian) has its roots in cricket (hit which sends the ball over the boundary of the ground gives six points) (often used with negative connotation - to surprise and upset someone, to chock).

6) To knock/ strike smb. all of a heap - to stun, to take aback, to strike someone (this may be a beautiful woman as well as bad news etc.).

7) To strike smb. dumb - render speechless by surprising or shocking (unexpected news, idea etc.).

Are they used in your country?
Do you know other idioms with the same sense? :?:

Many Thanks for all your replies!

 

[freezeframe]

blow one's mind -- I use this all the time. "Wow! You just (literally*) blew my mind!"
knock the/somebody's socks off


*I know some people find literally used as intensifier annoying :-D

 

[SanMar]

3 and 4
4 is always positive ( the second meaning).

Not a teacher.

 

[freezeframe]

I've never heard to knock somebody sideways but it sounds hysterical to me. It reminds me of another rather crass idiom. :-D

 

[SanMar]

Not as popular as anymore dumbf*cked .
When you are so bewildered by what someone has said they leave you dumbf*cked.

We also have a saying that if you can't blind them with brilliance, baffle them with bullsh*t.

Were you expecting this much swearing when you started this project?

Not a teacher.

 

[freezeframe]

Were you expecting this much swearing when you started this project?

Me and SanMar are really classing up this joint.

 

[Olenek]

Were you expecting this much swearing when you started this project?

Hi SanMar and Freezeframe,

The more I read your posts the more I see how strong the word can be! ;-)

 

[SanMar]

Hi SanMar and Freezeframe,

The more I read your posts the more I see how strong the word can be! ;-)

I am really enjoying your project. I love idioms.

Not a teacher.

 

[Mr_Ben]

*I know some people find literally used as intensifier annoying :-D

It literally makes me want to kill! Not really, I could care less what you write. For your amusement, here's a broadcaster who literally has no idea what literally means.

For Olenek:

to be left speechless
to be gobsmacked (your gob is your mouth in BrE), this means speechless

 

[freezeframe]

I could care less what you write.

It's very sweet of you to care. :-D

 

[Olenek]

to be gobsmacked (your gob is your mouth in BrE), this means speechless

"To be dumbfounded" is also used in BrE (not so often as the above one)

 

[SanMar]

"To be dumbfounded" is also used in BrE (not so often as the above one)

Here as well, to some extent.


Not a teacher.

 

[CutNGlass]

Well, shut my mouth!
Well, slap my mouth!

I never understood the meaning of "gob-smacked." It's a phrase one of my Aussie friend's used. I got the idea that it meant "surprised, in the extreme." Smacked in the mouth? Hmm. Something about that new piece of information connected up to some childhood memories.

Now, the meaning of several friend's grandmother's occasional exclamations, are more clear to me.

Picture a little old lady (usually with a very southern accent) waiving their hand up to cover their mouth and saying, "Well, shut my mouth!"

I always thought that it was a quaint (southern) way of:
1) covering their open mouth
2) apologizing for having opened their mouths in amazement.


Another friend's mother, would exclaim, "Well, slap my mouth!"

I never recall hearing a man say either one.

 

[SanMar]

Well, shut my mouth!
Well, slap my mouth!

I never understood the meaning of "gob-smacked." It's a phrase one of my Aussie friend's used. I got the idea that it meant "surprised, in the extreme." Smacked in the mouth? Hmm. Something about that new piece of information connected up to some childhood memories.

Now, the meaning of several friend's grandmother's occasional exclamations, are more clear to me.

Picture a little old lady (usually with a very southern accent) waiving their hand up to cover their mouth and saying, "Well, shut my mouth!"

I always thought that it was a quaint (southern) way of:
1) covering their open mouth
2) apologizing for having opened their mouths in amazement.


Another friend's mother, would exclaim, "Well, slap my mouth!"

I never recall hearing a man say either one.

This post just reminded me of another saying that I first saw on a bottle of hot sauce!
Well slap my a*s and call me Sally!
Don't know the origin of this, maybe Southern? Makes me laugh though.

Smack My Ass And Call Me Sally....The Slap

Not a teacher.

 

[Judge Brybe]

Well, I'm flabbergasted! (some old movie)

 

[luluxiu]

When you are confused what was said, they leave you dumbf * cked. We also have a saying that if they can not be blind with brilliance, baffle bullsh * T is that you expect so much bad language, when you start this project?

 

[Hedwig]

Is flummoxed still in use?

 

[SanMar]

Is the flummoxed still in use?

I've never heard of that one!


Not a teacher.