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Learn the meaning and usage of the idiom once in a blue moon, which means not very often or rarely. See how it is used in sentences from the Cambridge English Corpus and other sources.
28. Dez. 2023 · Learn the meaning and origin of the idiom "once in a blue moon", which refers to an event that happens very infrequently. Find out how to use it in sentences, synonyms, and pop culture examples. Discover the origin of the term 'blue moon' and its astronomical meaning.
once in a blue moon. idiom. Add to word list Add to word list. not very often: My sister lives in Alaska, so I only see her once in a blue moon. Once in a blue moon, there's an issue I can't resolve. SMART Vocabulary: Verwandte Wörter und Ausdrücke. Rarely & infrequently. (every) now and then/again idiom.
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Let's start with 3. Very occasionally, the moon actually does appear to be blue. This sometimes occurs after a volcanic eruption, like that of Krakatao in 1883. Dust particles in the atmosphere are normally of a size to diffract blue light, making the moon appear reddish at sunset. Larger volcanic dust particles diffract red light, making the moon ...
Tempting as it is to suppose that something that happens very rarely, and which is mentioned by name in a phrase that means 'very rarely', is the source of the phrase, it probably isn't.
Actual examples of the moon appearing blue would in fact be the exception that proves the rule, as the 'blue moon' was originally something that was considered not rare but impossible. The two notions, 'a blue moon' and 'the moon is made of green cheese', were synonyms for absurdity, like 'pigs might fly'.
The 'blue moon' expression with the 'impossibility' meaning is old and dates back to medieval England; for example, a work by William Barlow, the Bishop of Chichester, the Treatyse of the Buryall of the Masse, 1528, included a sarcastic reference to a blue moon:
Moving on to answer No. 2. To explain that one we have to follow a long trail of etymological research, leading back to an American amateur astronomer called James Pruett.
Since 1819, The Maine Farmers' Almanac has listed the dates of forthcoming blue moons. The compilers of the almanac had their own definition of what blue moons are. This derives from the fact that lunar and calendar months aren't quite the same and that some years have 13 full moons. In a typical 12-moon year, the moons all have names, like the fam...
Two full moons in a month isn't really all that rare an occurrence - it happens approximately every three years. Despite it being both inaccurate and coined by mistake, Pruett's No. 2 answer is now widely accepted as a definition of 'blue moon'.
The phrase 'once in a blue moon' means very rarely, often used to describe something that happens very rarely, such as a blue moon. The origin of this phrase is not clear, but it may have different meanings depending on the context. Learn more about the history and usage of this phrase from Phrases.org.uk.
Learn the meaning, origin and usage of the phrase "once in a blue moon", which means very rarely or almost never. Find out how it relates to the rare appearance of the full moon and see some example sentences.
A cliché expression that means very rarely or very long ago. The term is based on the appearance of a second full moon in the same calendar month, which is rare. The term also has a skeptical origin and a different meaning in some places. See definitions from various sources and examples of usage.
During the 18th century, if someone said, “I’ll marry you when the moon is blue” it meant never... Once in a blue moon Meanings and origins of thousands of idioms, curious words, and slang.
