on top of the world
29
2.8
- idiom
- Informal
:
estar en la cima del mundo
- I felt on top of the world after receiving the job offer I had dreamed about.
- feel on top of the world
And imagine that you're on top of the world.
- And imagine that you're on top of the world.
- Where do you see yourself on top of the world?
- I could be on top of the world and the next day crashed down, but vice versa.
- I'm kind of out of breath but hi am on top of the world.
- But then I guess then I should be on top of the world.
- Hey, the world, it works in a clear way and you know, I'm on top of the world and here's what I need from you.
- So I cannot I can I can relate any mind how he feels, how he's you feeling like you're on top of the world.
- Like on top of the world in terms of OK, where I'm at and from where I'm at compared to where I came from on top of the world, right.
- You know, I had AI was on top of the world, had this great job, had two beautiful children and of course, a wonderful husband.
Examples
-
You feel on top of the world.
Academic text (2012) -
Because I'm on top of the world, my baby.
-
I was on top of the world.
-
I felt like I was on top of the world, but this was just the beginning.
-
And I just feel on top of the world.
Academic text (2004) -
It's like we're sitting on top of the world.
Fiction book (2002) -
Do you want to be on top of the world again?
Blog text (15) -
I felt gorgeous, available, and on top of the world.
Fiction book (2000) -
One minute I'm on top of the world, and the next, I'm at rock bottom.
-
I chose Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive," and not only did I survive, I felt on top of the world!
Academic text (2010)
Synonyms
2
7.5
Feeling very happy and excited for no clear reason
Antonyms
How Happy
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase literally composes to 'on the top of the world' (being at the highest point), so the spatial image of being at a pinnacle maps naturally to feeling extremely happy or successful—an intuitively inferable metaphor. Because the meaning depends on this metaphorical mapping rather than a strictly literal combination, a B1 learner knowing the constituent words will often infer the sense but may still require minimal exposure, so it is best classified as semi-transparent.
Etymology
The idiom on top of the world creates the image of someone standing on a very high place, as if on the top of the world and looking down on everything. So, it means 'extremely happy or successful' because the person feels above their problems and full of joy.