Di punto in bianco
All of a sudden
This idiom means to do something suddenly and without warning. The origin of the phrase is rooted in military terminology. In the past, “di punto in bianco” referred to artillery fire aimed directly at a target without any elevation, corresponding to the zero position on the aiming device, which was marked in white. This method of firing was sudden and direct, leading to the phrase’s current usage to describe actions taken abruptly and unexpectedly.
Esempi
- Di punto in bianco, ha deciso di trasferirsi all’estero. – All of a sudden, he decided to move abroad.
- Stavamo parlando tranquillamente quando, di punto in bianco, ha iniziato a gridare. – We were talking calmly when, all of a sudden, he started yelling.
- Di punto in bianco, il direttore ha annunciato che l’azienda avrebbe chiuso. – All of a sudden, the director announced that the company would close.