1/8/2024 0 Comments Cloud nine meaning originThe early favourite was 'cloud seven' and many of the oldest citations use that form, as in this piece from The Dictionary of American Slang, 1960, which was the first printed definition of the term "That stuff is way up on Cloud Thirty-nine." "Mantovani's skilled use of reeds and strings puts this disc way up on Cloud Seven." "I think he has thought of everything, unless the authorities pull something new on him out of cloud nine."Īround the same period we find clouds seven and thirty-nine, in The San Mateo Times, April 1952 and Ross’s Hustlers, 1956, respectively: 'Cloud nine' comes a little later, for example, in The Oxnard Press-Courier, August 1946: "Cloud eight, befuddled on account of drinking too much liquor." The early references all come from mid 20th century USA and the earliest that I've found is in Albin Pollock's directory of slang, The Underworld Speaks, 1935: The imagery was originally of a 'cloud cuckoo land' or 'head in the clouds' dreaminess, induced by either intoxication or inspiration, rather than the 'idyllic happiness' that we now associate with the phrase. It seems that it is the clouds themselves, rather than the number of them, that were in the thoughts of those who coined this phrase. Early examples of 'cloud' expressions include clouds seven, eight, nine and even thirty-nine. Also, the fact that nine is far from the only number that has been linked with clouds, argues against those origins. To single out the last but one stage of either is rather like attributing the source of the 'whole nine yards' to American Football, where it is ten yards rather than nine that is a significant measure. To begin with, both the cloud classifications and the Buddhist stages to enlightenment have ten levels. Neither of these explanations holds water. Another explanation is that the phrase derives from Buddhism and that Cloud Nine is one of the stages of the progress to enlightenment of a Bodhisattva (one destined to become a Buddha). A commonly heard explanation is that the expression originated as one of the classifications of cloud which were defined by the US Weather Bureau in the 1950s, in which 'Cloud Nine' denotes the fluffy cumulonimbus type that are considered so attractive. There was even a yacht that took part in a race around Catalina Island in June 1947 was called Cloud Nine.Whenever a phrase includes a number, like the whole nine yards, at sixes and sevens etc., then attempts to find its derivation usually focus on the number. It seems as if the phrase gained popularity during this time. Subsequent to this, there are quite a few examples that can be found. “Let’s look in on Betty Hutton, who says she is hovering ‘ on Cloud No Nine‘ these days.” One of the first examples that can be found is from the Denton Record Chronicle, May 1949, when Betty Hutton – a woman who was happy to have been selected a film role. The most plausible origin of the phrase would be the actual relation to the cumulonimbus cloud. The origin might not be known but the phrase has been used since the 1950s. Thus, being on top of it would mean that you are in a sense “ on top of the world.” It is the highest reaching cloud and rises up to 10km into the sky. The cumulonimbus cloud was assigned the number 9. In the 1896 edition of the International Cloud Atlas, clouds were assigned numerical orders. However, there is little evidence to support this. One of the origin stories is linked to the ten steps to enlightenment in the Buddhist faith. There are various conflicting stories regarding the origin of the phrase. Do something which makes me feel floating on cloud nine.Maria was on cloud nine to see her husband back from a long business trip. The grandmother was on cloud nine to see her grandson after a long time.
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