catch/capture lightning in a bottle
phrase
chiefly US
: to succeed in a way that is very lucky or unlikely
He caught lightning in a bottle with the success of his very first book.
Cite this Entry
“Catch/capture lightning in a bottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catch%2Fcapture%20lightning%20in%20a%20bottle. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
