Like greased lightning
Meaning
This phrase describes something moving or happening with extremely high speed and quickness.
Origin
The phrase "like greased lightning" bolts straight out of 19th-century America, first appearing in print around the 1830s. Imagine the sheer terror and awe inspired by a lightning strike—an instantaneous, unstoppable flash of energy. Now, picture trying to make something even faster, smoother, more frictionless. The addition of "greased" to this already formidable natural phenomenon wasn't about literal lubrication; it was a folksy, yet brilliant, way to emphasize an almost supernatural level of speed. It conjured an image of something so slick and swift, it defied friction itself, making the impossible seem a reality. This vivid metaphor quickly captured the American imagination, becoming a popular expression for anything moving with incredible, exhilarating haste.
Examples
- When the starting pistol fired, the sprinters shot out of their blocks like greased lightning.
- The new software update processes data like greased lightning, cutting down wait times significantly.