a ton of bricks
3
5.5
- idiom
- Informal
:
como un balde de agua fría
- When he finally learned the truth about his family's past, it hit him like a ton of bricks.
- hit like a ton of bricks
And it just hit me like a ton of bricks.
- And it just hit me like a ton of bricks.
- I think when that comes, you're going to be ready and it's going to hit you like a ton of bricks in the best way possible.
- And man, I just, it hit me like a ton of bricks.
- It was a relationship in which you were hit with a ton of bricks.
- And he said, I think I will choose when the church comes down on me like a ton of bricks and do it later in my life after I'm retired.
Examples
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So it caught me completely off guard when, out of nowhere, not two steps past the door, it hit me like a ton of bricks, sharp and quick.
Blog text (19) -
It hit me like a ton of bricks and this was a profound moment for me.
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And it, it hit me like a ton of bricks when I read it.
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And it basically hit me like a ton of bricks.
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I feel like a ton of bricks just hit my head.
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That hit me like a ton of bricks.
Blog text (6) -
It hit me like a ton of bricks.
Blog text (26) -
Uhhh, that hit me like a ton of bricks in the gut.
Blog text (2) -
Maybe one day, like me, you'll realize what a fool you've been and it'll hit you like a ton of bricks.
Blog text (2) -
The news of her promotion hit her like a ton of bricks, leaving her speechless.
Synonyms
1
3.6
A sudden strong feeling that is hard to control
A sudden very strong feeling that you cannot control
Antonyms
How Overwhelming
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase literally evokes a very heavy object ('ton' + 'brick') delivering a sudden impact, so a learner who knows the constituents can plausibly infer a sense of strong, forceful effect. However, the shift to an emotional or figurative suddenness and the fixed simile structure ('hit like a ton of bricks') is a metaphorical extension whose exact nuance and usage are not fully predictable without exposure, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
A ton of bricks comes from the simple image of a huge, heavy pile of bricks weighing a ton suddenly falling on someone. That's why we say something hits you like that to mean a 'sudden, very strong' shock or feeling.