Idiom
a turn-up for the books
Meanings
A surprising or unexpected event or result, often one that seems unlikely.
Definition
An unexpected event, especially one that is surprising or unusual.
A turn-up for the books is something that happens unexpectedly and makes people surprised. It often refers to an outcome that seems unlikely or remarkable. People use it when reality does not match what was predicted or assumed.
Examples
- Her sudden promotion was a turn-up for the books.
- It was a turn-up for the books when the smallest company won the contract.
- The election result was a turn-up for the books for everyone watching.
- His recovery was a real turn-up for the books after months of bad news.
More at C1 level
- Monday morning quarterback A “Monday morning quarterback” is someone who criticizes decisions after the outcome is already kno…
- close but no cigar Used to say someone almost succeeded but did not quite achieve the goal.
- come hell or high water No matter what happens or how difficult things become.
- brass monkeys “Brass monkeys” is used in the expression “cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey,” mea…
- get down to brass tacks To get down to brass tacks means to start discussing the most important practical details of someth…
More idiom (noun phrase)s
- dog's dinner Something that is very messy, badly organized, or poorly done.
- neck of the woods A “neck of the woods” is a particular area or neighborhood someone comes from or is talking about.
- storm in a teacup A storm in a teacup is a lot of anger or worry about a small, unimportant problem.
- ace up your sleeve A secret advantage or plan you can use when needed.
- big fish in a small pond A big fish in a small pond is a person who is important or very successful in a small group or limi…