to light bulb go off
1
5.1
- idiom
- Informal
:
se encendió la bombilla
- He was struggling with the puzzle until suddenly a light bulb went off, and he figured out the solution.
- the light bulb went off in my head
I think I hear certain players and a light bulb goes off in my brain.
- I think I hear certain players and a light bulb goes off in my brain.
- So after that light bulb went off, I, I went all in on cruise immediately and got to work.
- At which point, like many light bulbs went off and we said, wait, China's going to invest overseas because they need natural resources.
- I'm not going to get scientific here with you, but a light bulb goes off and we start to go in reaction mode because the outcome that we thought would happen didn't happen.
- We were talking about this yesterday and like the light bulb went off with the webinar stuff to drive more subscribers to your e-mail list.
- But the light bulb went off in solitude.
- But when that light bulb went off over my head, money, civilian life, I was out of the Army in six months.
Examples
-
So when I read your photographer's link, a light bulb went off.
Blog text (20) -
We were talking about this yesterday and like the light bulb went off with the webinar stuff to drive more subscribers to your e-mail list.
-
As she listened to the teacher, a light bulb went off in her head, and she finally understood the complex topic.
-
When they explained the concept in simpler terms, a light bulb went off for him, and he realized what he had been missing.
Synonyms
57
3.9
A sudden short feeling or idea that comes quickly
52
6.6
A sudden clear idea that gives you new understanding
12
5.5
A sudden moment when you understand or discover something
8
4.8
A sudden clever idea or action that works very well
5
4.1
A sudden moment when you clearly understand something after confusion
2
5.1
A sudden clever idea that solves a problem
1
6.0
A sudden clever idea or action that solves a problem
1
3.9
A sudden time when you understand something clearly
How Clear
52
6.6
- Informal
1
5.1
- US
∞
1.1
∞
1.0
925
3.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
The components 'light bulb' evoke the common metaphor for an idea and 'go off' can mean to be triggered or start, so there is a clear conceptual link pointing toward a sudden realization; a learner who knows the parts may plausibly guess the general sense. However, 'off' is potentially misleading (often signals stopping) and the cartoon convention of a bulb representing an idea is culturally mediated, so the exact idiomatic meaning is not fully predictable without prior exposure.
Etymology
The expression light bulb go off comes from old cartoons where a light bulb appears above a person's head when they have a new idea. The bulb seems to go off and light up as a clear sign, so the phrase now means 'to suddenly understand'.