manna from heaven
2
7.5
- idiom
- /ˈmænə frʌm ˈhɛvən/
- Informal
:
un regalo del cielo
- When your subject utters quotes like "Everything I've let go of has claw marks on it," this is, for a writer, like manna from heaven.
It's a it's a little socialist society and the the income falls like manna from heaven.
- It's a it's a little socialist society and the the income falls like manna from heaven.
Examples
-
For a town stuck eating sardines, this is totally manna from heaven.
-
Hey, when you are hungry enough, a barbecue sauce sandwich is manna from heaven!
Blog text (15) -
From the options player's point of view, this is manna from heaven!
Blog text (27) -
Natural resources may seem like manna from heaven at first, providing new states the means to escape poverty and invest in schools and roads.
Academic text (2004) -
Unfortunately, there are "economists" such as Turnbull waiting in the wings to take charge of the Opposition party, and for whom this report is manna from heaven.
Blog text (15) -
But a possible .750 OPS from a middle infielder would seem like manna from heaven for this squad.
Blog text (32) -
They were delicious even without a garnish, and I savored each bite of bean as if it were manna from heaven.
Fiction book (1997) -
Lamenting the erosion of the boundary between church and state, Blanshard wrote that, "World War II, with its G.I. Bill of Rights, was like manna from heaven for understaffed Catholic colleges, as for many other institutions."
Academic text (2002) -
When the unexpected financial aid arrived, it felt like manna from heaven for the struggling students.
-
The new job offer came just when I needed it most; it was truly manna from heaven.
Synonyms
35
5.1
A large amount of money that you get unexpectedly
34
6.8
Help from God that people do not earn
28
4.9
Something very helpful that you did not expect when you needed it
25
7.1
A time that brings a large unexpected amount of money or success
20
1.6
A lucky event that brings relief and makes you thankful
18
7.3
An unexpected extra benefit or profit
7
6.1
A special natural talent someone is lucky to have
2
9.9
Food from heaven that God gave the Israelites during their desert journey
1
4.2
An unexpected good thing that feels like it comes from above
Antonyms
How Helpful
28
4.9
- Informal
2
7.5
38
4.4
∞
1.0
947
1.0
799
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'an unexpected benefit' is directly compositional from 'manna' (miraculous sustenance) plus 'from heaven' (a divine source); a learner who knows these constituent meanings can infer a gift/help arriving from heaven. While the expression is culturally biblical, the semantic combination is straightforward and recognizable across languages, so its sense is transparent to someone who knows the component words.
Etymology
Manna from heaven comes from the Bible, where God sent a miracle food called manna that appeared from heaven to feed the hungry people. Because it was a perfect, unexpected gift in a hard time, the phrase now means 'an unexpected help' or 'a welcome gift'.