Etymology Journal · O
Over the moon
Meaning
- This expression means to be extremely happy or delighted about a piece of good news. It implies a level of excitement that makes one feel as though they are floating away.
Joyful, upbeat
Used in a sentence
- She was over the moon when she found out she got the promotion.
- The team was over the moon after winning the championship game in overtime.
- Dad was over the moon to see all of us home for the holidays.
The backstory
The phrase is famously rooted in the old nursery rhyme Hey Diddle Diddle, which features a cow jumping over the moon. It became a popular way to describe ecstasy in the 19th century.
Heard in
Nationwide
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