ONCE IN A BLUE MOON Definition & Meaning

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once in a blue moon

[wuhns in uh bloo moon]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

idiom

blue moon.

once in a blue moon

To do something “once in a blue moon” is to do it very rarely: “That company puts on a good performance only once in a blue moon.” The phrase refers to the appearance of a second full moon within a calendar month, which actually happens about every thirty-two months.

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of once in a blue moon¹

First recorded in 1830–40

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Idioms and Phrases

Rarely, once in a very long time, as in We only see our daughter once in a blue moon. This term is something of a misnomer, because an actual blue moon—that is, the appearance of a second full moon in the same calendar month—occurs every 32 months or so. Further, the moon can appear blue in color at any time, depending on weather conditions. [Early 1800s]

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Once in a blue moon, a person is willing to do the hard internal work that leads to real, sustainable change.

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Every once in a blue moon, our youngest daughter Amma has a Sunday soccer game; in that case, you’ll find me on the sidelines at her game.

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It's a phenomenon - or, to use Chappell's terminology, a Femininomenon - that only occurs once in a blue moon.

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As blue moons are not that common, it's thought where the phrase "once in a blue moon" comes from.

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Kovacic's 64th-minute strike against Luton was one of those goals you see a defensive midfield player score once in a blue moon - no pun intended.

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Once bitten, twice shy once in a lifetime

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