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3. all of a sudden

all of a sudden

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all of a sudden

Unexpectedly and abruptly; suddenly. I was startled when the fire alarm went off all of a sudden. I thought Laura and I were friends, but all of a sudden, she stopped talking to me.

See also: all, of, sudden

all of a sudden

suddenly. All of a sudden lightning struck the tree we were sitting under. I felt a sharp pain in my side all of a sudden.

See also: all, of, sudden

all of a sudden

happening or done quickly and without any warning all at once All of a sudden we heard a loud explosion that shook the building.

See also: all, of, sudden

all of a sudden

Entirely without warning, abruptly, as in All of a sudden the lights went out. In Shakespeare's day the common phrase was of a sudden, the word all being added in the late 1600s. Also see all at once, def. 2.

See also: all, of, sudden

all of a sudden

Very quickly and unexpectedly; suddenly.

See also: all, of, sudden