a (sudden) rush of blood (to the head)

A sudden feeling of excitement or anger that causes one to act in unexpected ways. It must have been a sudden rush of blood to the head that made Gary lash out at Ron, because he's usually so calm. What on earth provoked that tantrum? I guess Molly had a rush of blood to the head or something. Hey, I know you've had a sudden rush of blood to the head about all of this, but don't call the company in anger.

a quick drop and a sudden stop

Death from either falling from a great height or from hanging. I wouldn't get too close to the edge of that cliff if I were you, you'd have a pretty quick drop and a sudden stop. A: "You guys are already at the scene? OK, what do you think happened to our victim?" B: "Looks like a case of a quick drop and a sudden stop—we hear she had an apartment on the fifty-first floor." People around here used to take the law into their own hands and punish criminals with a quick drop and a sudden stop—if you know what I mean.

See also: and, drop, quick, stop, sudden

a short drop and a sudden stop

euphemism Death from hanging. Many a knave has been the recipient of a short drop and a sudden stop for less than the crime of which you have been accused, my young fellow. A: "You guys are already at the scene? OK, what do you think happened to our victim?" B: "Looks like a case of a short drop and a sudden stop—we hear she had an apartment on the fifty-first floor." People around here used to take the law into their own hands and punish criminals with a short drop and a sudden stop—if you know what I mean.

See also: and, drop, short, stop, sudden

all of a sudden

Unexpectedly and abruptly; suddenly. I was startled when the fire alarm went off all of a sudden. I thought Laura and I were friends, but all of a sudden, she stopped talking to me. The liquid in the vial is supposed to be clear, so why is it cloudy all of a sudden?

See also: all, of, sudden

hasty climbers have sudden falls

proverb Someone who advances or progresses too quickly or rashly in some endeavor is often subject to a reversal of fortune. I wouldn't worry about that jerk getting promoted over you. Remember, hasty climbers have sudden falls—and I heard that the boss who likes him is looking to leave the company anyway. When you think everyone except you is advancing in their careers, just remember that hasty climbers have sudden falls. She got demoted because she was never equipped to manage a team in the first place! And you know what they say—hasty climbers have sudden falls.

See also: climber, fall, hasty, have, sudden

have a (sudden) rush of blood to the head

To have a sudden feeling of excitement or anger that causes one to act in unexpected ways. It must have been a sudden rush of blood to the head that made Gary lash out at Ron, because he's usually so calm. What on earth provoked that tantrum? I guess Molly had a rush of blood to the head or something. Hey, I know you've had a sudden rush of blood to the head about all of this, but don't call the company in anger.

See also: blood, have, head, of, rush, to

sudden death

In sports, a period of play triggered by a tie at the end of a game or match in which the first team to score wins. Sometimes hyphenated if used as a modifier. I really hope they can win in regulation so the game doesn't go into sudden death. In the event of a tie, the game will be determined by sudden-death overtime.

all of a sudden

suddenly. All of a sudden lightning struck the tree we were sitting under. I felt a sharp pain in my side all of a sudden.

See also: all, of, sudden

all of a sudden

Entirely without warning, abruptly, as in All of a sudden the lights went out. In Shakespeare's day the common phrase was of a sudden, the word all being added in the late 1600s. Also see all at once, def. 2.

See also: all, of, sudden

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

all of a sudden

COMMON If something happens all of a sudden, it happens quickly and unexpectedly. All of a sudden she didn't look sleepy any more. I felt incredibly lonely all of a sudden.

See also: all, of, sudden

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

(all) of a sudden

suddenly.

As a noun sudden is now found only in this phrase, but from the mid 16th century to the early 18th century it was in regular use in the sense ‘an unexpected danger or emergency’.

ˌall of a ˈsudden

suddenly and unexpectedly: I was sitting reading my book when all of a sudden the lights went out.

See also: all, of, sudden

ˌsudden ˈdeath

a way of deciding the winner of a game when scores are equal at the end. The players or teams continue playing and the game ends as soon as one of them gains the lead: If no one scores in the next five minutes the game will go to sudden death. ♢ They won the match after an exciting sudden-death play-off.

sudden death

mod. having to do with something short, quick, and decisive. The game ended in a sudden death playoff.

all of a sudden

Very quickly and unexpectedly; suddenly.

See also: all, of, sudden

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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