to shot through the roof
2
5.7
- idiom
- Informal
- If there is more access to clean drinking water from the tap than ever before, then why are sales of bottled water shooting through the roof?
- prices shot through the roof
Examples
-
Put the guy in the Porsche and his T-levels shoot through the roof.
Academic text (2013) -
COINCIDENTALLY, YOUR APPROVAL RATING HAS SHOT THROUGH THE ROOF.
-
Her ACTH levels just shot through the roof!
-
You'll have more time for your own work, employees will be satisfied, and motivation will shoot through the roof.
Blog text (7) -
On the upside, Listerine's sales shot through the roof with the offer of giving Rosie's charities $1,000 for every kiss she got.
Blog text (26) -
His behavior and grades shot through the roof, simply because he did not have to expend energy figuring out what was acceptable and what was not.
Blog text (24) -
If Boehner (or some other big shot Republican) says "no" at (or after) this Friday's meeting, the odds of falling off the cliff will shoot through the roof.
Blog text (17) -
Customer satisfaction shot through the roof after the company improved its services.
-
So much so that his approval ratings shot through the roof following the announcement.
-
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and with gas prices shooting through the roof, folks are feeling the pinch.
Synonyms
91
3.4
To rise quickly to a very high level, for example prices or temperatures
90
2.1
To rise suddenly by a large amount
82
4.1
To rise very quickly to a high level
75
4.3
To increase very quickly in number or size
62
3.4
To rise suddenly and sharply
55
3.7
To rise suddenly and strongly in amount or number
25
5.9
To raise prices or rent suddenly by a lot
25
4.1
Rise quickly to a much higher level
15
4.1
To increase very quickly
7
2.7
To swell or become larger suddenly
6
4.1
Growing very quickly in size or cost
4
4.8
Raise prices or fees suddenly by a large amount
3
3.7
To rise very quickly in amount or value
2
3.8
Rise very quickly to a much higher level
2
4.4
Increase very quickly to a much higher level
1
5.9
Rise very quickly, for example prices or demand
1
3.4
Rise quickly to a much higher level, for example prices or temperatures
1
7.9
To move up quickly, often with strong feeling or liquid
Antonyms
How High
82
4.1
91
3.4
- Informal
2
5.7
90
2.1
161
2.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase combines 'shoot' (move or rush quickly) with 'through the roof' (passing the highest point/limit), so the meaning of a very sudden, dramatic increase is a metaphorical extension of the literal parts and is partly inferable. However, the specific sense of rapid and large increase is idiomatic/metaphorical rather than purely compositional, so a B1 learner might guess the upward/rapid sense but not fully predict the conventional usage without prior exposure.
Etymology
Shot through the roof comes from the image of something being shot straight up and breaking through a roof, so it jumps very suddenly to a much higher place. That's why we use it to say numbers, prices, or feelings 'rose very quickly' or became 'very high'.