lightning

*quick as a wink and *quick as a flash; *quick as (greased) lightning; *swift as lightning

very quickly. (*Also: as ~.) As quick as a wink, the thief took the lady's purse. I'll finish this work quick as a flash. Quick as greased lightning, the thief stole my wallet.

See also: quick, wink

Lightning never strikes (the same place) twice.

Prov. The same highly unlikely thing never happens to the same person twice. Jill: I'm scared to drive ever since that truck hit my car. Alan: Don't worry. Lightning never strikes the same place twice. It's strange, but I feel safer since my apartment was robbed; I figure lightning never strikes the same place twice.

See also: never, strike, twice

like greased lightning

Rur. very fast. Once I get her tuned up, this old car will go like greased lightning. He's a fat kid, but he can run like greased lightning.

See also: grease, like

like hell and high lightning

Rur. very fast. The snowmobiles came zooming down the trail like hell and high lightning. The powerboat sped up the river like hell and high lightning.

See also: and, hell, high, like

---

a lightning rod  (American)

someone or something that takes all the blame for a situation, although other people or things are responsible too (often + for ) In a harsh economic climate, raises for teachers have become a lightning rod for criticism.

See also: rod

as quick as a flash/wink  also as quick as lightning

if you do something as quick as a flash, you do it very quickly Quick as a flash, he snatched the book and ran out of the room.

See also: flash, quick

Lightning does not strike twice.

something that you say which means that a bad thing will not happen to the same person twice I know the crash has scared you, but lightning doesn't strike twice.

See also: does, strike, twice

like greased lightning  (old-fashioned)

if someone does something like greased lightning, they do it very quickly I mentioned work and he was out of the room like greased lightning.

See also: grease, like