behold

a joy to behold

A thing, event, or experience that creates a profound sense of joy or elation in the spectator. The spring flowers in this part of the country are truly a joy to behold. The play was a joy to behold, full of beauty, warmth, and wit. Watching the kids' growth over a full year of kindergarten is truly a joy to behold.

See also: behold, joy, to

a marvel to behold

A person or thing that is particularly spectacular, wondrous, or exhilarating to witness. Their trapeze act is a marvel to behold—I can't believe that they do their routine without a safety net! It's easy to forget that the technology we take for granted today would be a marvel to behold just a few years ago. The meteor shower was truly a marvel to behold.

See also: behold, marvel, to

a sight to behold

cliché An especially impressive, noteworthy, or remarkable person, event, or thing; something or someone who is very much worth seeing. If you never go anywhere else in your life, make sure you see the Grand Canyon: it's a sight to behold. The new jazz singer is really a sight to behold. She's probably the best we've ever had at the club. That lavish new hotel is really a sight to behold. I swear, you'll feel like royalty when you're in there.

See also: behold, sight, to

lo and behold

A phrase used to indicate something surprising or unexpected. I'd been searching for my glasses all over the house when, lo and behold, they were on my head the whole time.

See also: and, behold, lo

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

Lo and behold!

Cliché Look here!; Thus! (An expression of surprise.) Lo and behold! There is Fred! He beat us here by taking a shortcut.

See also: and, lo

marvel to behold

someone or something quite exciting or wonderful to see. Our new high-definition television is a marvel to behold. Mary's lovely new baby is a marvel to behold.

See also: behold, marvel, to

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

ˌlo and beˈhold

(humorous) used when telling a story to introduce somebody’s unexpected appearance: I walked into the restaurant and, lo and behold, there was my boss with his wife.The phrase uses old words that tell you to look at something. It means ‘look and see’.

See also: and, behold, lo

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

lo and behold

What a surprise! Can you believe it! The very old word lo, which means “look” or “see,” today survives only in this tautological imperative, which dates from the mid-nineteenth century and is nearly always used lightly. As Edward Bulwer-Lytton wrote (Night and Morning, cited by the OED), “The fair bride was skipping down the middle . . . when lo and behold! the whiskered gentleman advanced.”

See also: and, behold, lo

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer