English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Page-turner
Meaning
The idiom "page-turner" refers to a book, movie, or other form of media that is highly engaging and keeps the audience's attention, often causing them to eagerly turn the pages or keep watching. It suggests something that is exciting, suspenseful, or simply hard to put down.
Usage
- I can't seem to stop reading "The Girl on the Train." It's such a page-turner!
- The latest season of Stranger Things has been a real page-turner for me.
- I heard that "Gone Girl" is a great page-turner, but I haven't read it yet.
- I can't wait to see the new Marvel movie - I heard it's a real page-turner!
- I recently read "The Da Vinci Code," and while it may not be everyone's cup of tea, it was definitely a page-turner for me.
Roots and History
The idiom likely originated in the early 20th century, as books were becoming more widely available to the public and people were looking for ways to make their reading experience more engaging. The phrase "page-turner" probably emerged to describe a book that was so exciting or suspenseful that readers couldn't put it down and kept turning the pages. Over time, the idiom has come to be used more broadly to refer to any form of media that is highly engaging and keeps the audience's attention.
Synonyms in English
- Thriller
- Suspenseful
- Engaging
- Captivating
- Compelling
Synonyms in other languages
- Español: Suspenso (Spanish for suspense)
- Français: Suspendu (French for suspended, which can also be used to describe something that is gripping or captivating)
- German: Suspenseful (similar meaning in English)
- Italian: Trascurabile (Italian for unforgettable, which can also suggest a high level of engagement)
- Japanese: 緊張のある (Japanese for suspenseful or tense, which can be used to describe media that is highly engaging and keeps the audience's attention)