English Reference
Idiom idiom

all of a heap


Into a sudden state of collapse or astonishment.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

The bad news knocked him all of a heap.

CONTEXTUAL

When she heard the sudden announcement, she fell all of a heap and had to sit down.

COMPLEX

The unexpected revelation left the seasoned detective all of a heap, forcing him to reconsider everything he thought he knew about the case.


Last updated August 10, 2026