ENGLISH
REFERENCE

one's ship comes in

idiom
Meaning

One makes or comes into possession of a significant amount of money.


Origin

disputed origin

Merchants used to send goods abroad on ships to be sold, receiving the money when the ships returned.

Examples
SIMPLE

He plans to buy a boat once his ship comes in.

CONTEXTUAL

She invested all her savings in that small company, hoping that one day her ship would come in.

COMPLEX

After years of struggling to make ends meet, he finally received the inheritance that ensured his ship had truly come in.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    abound in one's own sense

    To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.

  2. 02

    ace up one's sleeve

    A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.

  3. 03

    act one's age

    To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.

  4. 04

    act one's age, not one's shoe size

    Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).

  5. 05

    afraid of one's own shadow

    Exceptionally timid.

  6. 06

    air one's dirty laundry in public

    To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.

  7. 07

    air one's dirty linen in public

    Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.

  8. 08

    albatross around one's neck

    A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.

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