cloud nine
Often in the phrase on cloud nine: a state of bliss, elation or happiness.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“She is on cloud nine after passing her exam.”
“He was on cloud nine when he finally received the job offer he had been waiting for all year.”
“After the long-awaited announcement of their engagement, the couple spent the entire evening on cloud nine, seemingly oblivious to the bustling crowd around them.”
first recorded 19th c. folk etymology
Mid-20th-century American; earlier versions used cloud seven and eight, so the popular link to cloud type 9 (cumulonimbus) in the 1896 International Cloud Atlas is probably folk etymology.
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cloud seven
Often in the phrase on cloud seven: a state of bliss, elation or happiness.
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dark cloud
A situation or future event that causes worry, problems or unhappiness, likened to such a cloud overhead in the sky.
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dressed to the nines
Very fancily or formally dressed; wearing very showy or splendid clothing.
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nine times out of ten
Very often, mostly, most of the time.
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wait till the clouds roll by
To await more favourable circumstances.
Last updated August 10, 2026