drop a bombshell

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

drop a bombshell (third-person singular simple present drops a bombshell, present participle dropping a bombshell, simple past and past participle dropped a bombshell)

1. (idiomatic) To announce surprising or alarming information suddenly and without warning.
   • 2000, Dan McCaffery, Tommy Burns: Canada's Unknown World Heavyweight Champion‎, page 135:

     When the two men got together to discuss contract arrangements, the challenger dropped a bombshell.
     "If you lie down you can have the whole purse — $10,000," O'Brien told him.²³

   • 2002, Lisa Hickey, Design Secrets: Advertising: 50 Real-Life Projects Uncovered‎, page 64:

     John and Rick were knee-deep in pre-production when the client dropped a bombshell: Both of the tax services spots had been killed, but they still needed to air something in the same time frame.

   • 2009, Marion Brown III, The Worst Part of Me‎, page 116:

     "Yeah, you are my baby's daddy. Well I have to leave, but we'll be in touch."
     Asia dropped a piece of paper on my desk and walked out the door with a huge smile on her face. […] How could Asia just come in and drop a bombshell and then walk out like there was nothing to it?