catch lightning in a bottle

[ kach lahyt-ning in uh bot-l ]

idiom

1. to accomplish something extraordinarily difficult; achieve rare success:

   So far we’re underdogs this season, and will have to catch lightning in a bottle to make the playoffs.

   The network is seeking to catch lightning in a bottle twice by rebooting the popular series.

Word History and Origins

Origin of catch lightning in a bottle¹

First recorded in 1905–10, in the literal sense