stumble upon
2016.07.20
Meaning:
Sometimes we look for things, and we find them. Other times we are not looking for things, but we find them by luck! In this situation, we can use the expression ‘stumble upon’. For example, ‘I was playing Pokemon Go and looking for a Water Pokemon, but instead I stumbled upon a Fairy Pokemon!’ ‘to stumble’ means ‘to lose your balance; to almost fall’. So to ‘stumble upon’ something suggests finding something by almost falling on it! It can be positive or negative, depending on what you find.
Example:
A: Hey! Look! I was just cleaning my room, and I stumbled upon this $100 note! Let’s go out. I’ll buy you dinner.
B: What do you mean??? How did you stumble upon so much money?! Don’t you keep your money somewhere safe?
A: Oh, relax. I like a messy room. It makes every day an adventure!
Talking Point(s):
Have you ever found something by stumbling upon it?
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