Have you ever experienced a feeling of total euphoria? Perhaps you are falling in love and need a way to describe the feeling of being lighter than air. If so, the idiom over the moon is an apt expression that explains just how you feel. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.<\/p>\n
The phrase over the moon refers to a feeling of intense happiness. It can also stand to mean that someone is delighted or pleased with a situation. A general feeling of pleasure or a heightened state of delight can also be considered \u201cover the moon\u201d. Any experience that is overwhelmingly pleasurable or marked by intense elation holds the same meaning as over the moon.<\/strong><\/p>\n Most modern usages of the phrase follow the same basic meaning, however, it is most often used to describe love. For example, it is often said that she was over the moon in love with her beau. Or, he was over the moon when she accepted his proposal. The phrase can and is still used to convey the feeling of extreme happiness outside of love or amorous feelings.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen my name was called for the managerial position, I was over the moon with joy\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThe kindergarten class was over the moon with excitement when they heard Clifford would visit their class today\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThe marching band was over the moon at having been selected to perform at the Super Bowl this year\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThe best way to describe how I felt when we closed on our new home is being over the moon\u201d.<\/p>\n The phrase over the moon can be traced back to the start of the 1700s. The first known use of the phrase was penned by a well-known writer at the time named Charles Molloy. In 1718, he wrote a book called The English Chevalier, though in some places it was titled The Coquet. In one section of the print, the phrase \u201cTis he! I know him now: I shall jump over the Moon for Joy!\u201d is found. In this way, the phrase became synonymous with the feeling of elation or extreme happiness.<\/p>\n The phrase was used liberally throughout history while maintaining the same meaning. In fact, it made its way into a well-known nursery rhyme \u201chey diddle diddle\u201d. In the rhyme, the cow in the story jumps over the moon as a way to express delight and share that delight with listeners.<\/p>\n Around the middle of the 1970s in Britain, football managers started using the phrase following successful matches. Even in modern times when a team wins a match in British Football, the managers will make use of the phrase over the moon. Outside of Britain, the phrase is still used to express vivid positive emotions.<\/p>\nExample Usage<\/h2>\n
Origin<\/h2>\n