English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Drop like flies
Meaning
The idiom "drop like flies" means to suddenly become very ill or fall extremely sick. This phrase is often used to describe a sudden, mass outbreak of illness, such as a flu epidemic or food poisoning incident. The figurative meaning suggests that the sickness drops from the sky like flies, appearing out of nowhere and affecting many people at once.
Usage
- After the school trip to the amusement park, several students fell ill with stomachaches and vomiting. It's as if they dropped like flies after eating the funnel cakes.
- During the flu season, we saw a sudden spike in the number of cases reported. The doctor said it was as if the virus had dropped like flies from the sky.
- After consuming the tainted sushi at the restaurant, many people became nauseous and vomited. It's as if they dropped like flies after eating the raw fish.
- The sudden surge in COVID-19 cases can be compared to a swarm of locusts descending on an area, causing widespread damage and destruction.
- When the heat wave hit, many people fell ill with dehydration and heat exhaustion. It's as if they dropped like flies after spending too much time in the sun.
Roots and History
The phrase "drop like flies" can be traced back to the early 20th century, although the exact origin is unclear. One theory suggests that it may have originated from the sight of people falling like flies during a thunderstorm or other violent weather event. Another theory suggests that it may have been influenced by the sudden onset of the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918, which caused widespread illness and death around the world. Over time, the phrase has evolved to be used more broadly to describe any sudden outbreak of illness or disease. It has become a common idiom in contemporary language and is widely recognized by speakers of English.
Synonyms in English
- Fall ill suddenly
- Catch the flu
- Suffer from a sudden outbreak of illness
- Develop a sudden illness
- Become sick overnight
Synonyms in other languages
- Fall ill suddenly (Spanish: enfermarse repentinamente, French: se prendre mal rapidement, German: plötzlich krank werden)
- Catch the flu (German: das Grippe entdecken, Japanese: fluを漏れる, Spanish: contraer la gripa)
- Suffer from a sudden outbreak of illness (Spanish: sufrir un brote repentino de enfermedad, French: souffrir d'une épidémie soudaine, German: anstecken an eine Epidemie)
- Develop a sudden illness (Spanish: desarrollar una enfermedad repentina, French: se prendre mal rapidement, German: plötzlich krank werden)
- Become sick overnight (Spanish: enfermarse de noche, Japanese: 夜ごと悲しみが起きる, French: se prendre mal la nuit)