to knock over with a feather
1
8.8
- idiom
- Informal
:
dejar atónito
- Knock me over with a feather.
Examples
-
You could have knocked me over with a feather!
-
Well, knock me over with a feather.
Blog text (8) -
- You could knock me over with a feather.
-
"You could knock me over with a feather right now.
Blog text (4) -
You could knock me over with a feather.
Blog text (3) -
You could have knocked me over with a feather when I heard Clancy Jane's voice on the phone.
Fiction book (1990) -
You could knock over with a feather when I heard about the surprise party.
-
I was so shocked by the news that you could have knock over with a feather.
-
When I found out I won the lottery, you could have knock over with a feather.
Synonyms
321
7.8
To make someone feel confused or unsure
202
2.1
To cause someone to feel sudden surprise and distress
131
3.7
To make someone react suddenly because they feel surprised or afraid
107
4.4
To cause a sudden strong shock or upset to people
18
4.7
To impress someone strongly so they feel admiration
15
6.6
To surprise someone so much they cannot react
15
4.0
To surprise someone so they are not ready to react
11
3.0
To surprise someone so much they cannot react for a short time
9
7.9
To make someone unable to think or react after a very strong shock
8
4.3
To surprise someone and make them react
7
3.8
Surprise someone very much
7
4.8
To make someone so frightened that they cannot move or think
5
7.7
To be very surprised and move suddenly because of fear
4
5.4
To make someone feel confused or unsure after a sudden change
2
7.2
To make someone unable to speak because they are very surprised or shocked
2
8.1
To surprise someone suddenly and very strongly
1
7.4
To surprise someone very much so they cannot react
1
8.7
To surprise someone very much and leave them speechless
1
8.0
To feel a sudden strong shock or surprise
1
6.4
To react strongly because something is very funny or surprising
To hit or shock someone so they feel dazed
To feel so shocked for a short time that you cannot think or speak
To feel sudden shock or surprise
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
knock + over + with + a + feather
The verb phrase 'knock over' (to knock down) plus the instrument 'feather' creates a clear literal image whose absurdity signals hyperbole; a learner who knows the words can likely infer that something surprisingly strong or shocking is meant. However, the exact idiomatic sense (extreme surprise or stunned inability to react) depends on recognizing the figurative use of an impossible instrument and is a conventionalized expression, so full interpretation is not guaranteed for a B1 learner without exposure.
Etymology
The idiom knock over with a feather shows a person so surprised that even a light feather could knock them over. So it means 'to surprise or shock someone so much that they are almost unable to react'.