jaw dropped
7
5.4
- idiom
- Informal
:
quedarse boquiabierto
- I stood with my jaw dropped and glared at him.
- jaw-dropping moment
- jaw dropped in amazement
- jaw dropped open
And I've never seen so many jaws drop all in unison, right?
- And I've never seen so many jaws drop all in unison, right?
- That that should be a little more jaw-dropping to the average American.
- And I could audibly hear his jaw drop on the phone because what do you mean?
- And it was just like, you know, sort of like our jaws dropped and we have yet to pick them back up.
- This foundation, when I first applied, I was like, my jaw dropped.
- In a sense, both of our jaws dropped at that moment.
- It's the the hypocrisy is jaw-dropping.
- So please help me in welcoming the man whose work has been said to have the unaccountable, jaw-dropping quality of genius.
- The lack of self-awareness is jaw-dropping.
- One of the biggest jaw-dropping moments of the night was when Trump, well, he said this.
- Every time when we go into the room for the first time, it is jaw-dropping for me.
- It is jaw-dropping that I'm incredulous.
- What it takes for me, the anger, the passion, the the, the, the jaw-dropping.
- And she goes and like jaw drops at me like I could I can't believe you just called me that.
Examples
-
Don't you know that she almost married my younger brother?" Scarlett's jaw dropped.
Fiction book (1991) -
When she heard the shocking news, her jaw dropped in disbelief.
-
When he saw who Michael was with, his jaw dropped.
Fiction book (1998) -
In a sense, both of our jaws dropped at that moment.
-
Errol's jaw dropped, as if this were incredible for a doctor to actually talk with a patient.
Fiction book (1997) -
Mitchell's jaw dropped for a brief second before she closed her mouth.
Fiction book (1994) -
After a beat, Lester's jaw drops, then he throws his head back.
Fiction book (1999) -
When we saw their eyes widen and their jaws dropped, Harvey and I said, "Surprise!"
Blog text (24) -
The others at the conference table stared at her, jaws dropping.
Fiction book (2001) -
Slate gets to his knees and looks out the window, and his jaw drops in astonishment.
Fiction book (1994)
Synonyms
357
1.0
Feeling sudden wonder when something unexpected happens
9
6.7
Very surprised and unable to speak
7
4.6
Very surprised and unable to speak
5
7.0
Very surprised and unable to speak or move
5
6.5
So shocked that you cannot speak
3
6.9
Having the mouth open because of surprise or wonder
1
4.1
With your mouth open because you are very surprised
With the mouth wide open in surprise or wonder
Having the mouth open wide because of surprise or wonder
A look of great surprise with the mouth open
Antonyms
How Surprised
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase literally evokes the image of the jaw ('jaw') falling ('drop'), so a learner who knows both words can likely infer the physical event of the mouth gaping. However, interpreting that physical image as the conventional emotional meaning 'to be very surprised' requires a metaphorical extension and some conventional knowledge, so it is only partially predictable.
Etymology
The expression jaw dropped comes from the image of someone's lower jaw falling open in surprise, like the jaw has 'dropped' from the face. That's why jaw dropped is used to say someone was 'very surprised'.