Strike gold
Meaning
To achieve sudden and unexpected success, often financially, or to discover something highly valuable and sought after.
Origin
The phrase comes directly from the literal act of discovering gold during the great gold rushes of the 19th century. Imagine a prospector, toiling for weeks, panning through riverbeds or digging deep into the earth, facing endless disappointment. Then, with a sudden glint in the pan or a pickaxe striking a vein, they would find it—pure gold! This moment of discovery, the immediate realization of immense wealth and success after arduous effort, became known as "striking gold," and quickly extended metaphorically to any sudden, valuable, or highly profitable discovery or achievement.
Examples
- After years of searching for a unique antique, she finally struck gold at a small village market.
- The start-up company thought they had a good idea, but they truly struck gold when their app went viral overnight.