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• nine days' wonder
  nine days' wonder

  noun

  an event or thing that arouses considerable but short-lived interest or excitement.
• nine-days wonder
  nine-days wonder

  noun

  something that arouses great interest, but only for a short period

nine days' wonder

American  

noun

1. an event or thing that arouses considerable but short-lived interest or excitement.

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nine-days wonder British  

noun

1. something that arouses great interest, but only for a short period

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nine days' wonder Cultural  

1. Someone or something that is famous and celebrated for only a short time: “Last year the art critics praised Jonas as if he were a master, but he turned out to be a nine days' wonder.”

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Etymology

Origin of nine days' wonder

First recorded in 1585–95

Example Sentences

We do not, of course, allude to magnificent entertainments, such as are celebrated in the newspapers, and become a nine days' wonder; and are cited as costing, not hundreds, but thousands of dollars.

From The Ladies' Guide to True Politeness and Perfect Manners or, Miss Leslie's Behaviour Book by Leslie, Eliza

—Did any particular circumstance give rise to the saying, "A nine days' wonder?"

From Notes and Queries, Vol. IV, Number 98, September 13, 1851 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Various

I would know my Latin lesson so that it was a nine days’ wonder, and for weeks after would be told it was scandalous to be so clever and so idle.

From Reveries over Childhood and Youth by Yeats, W. B. (William Butler)

A "nine days' wonder" appears in the pages of the "Troilus" of Chaucer, as "Eke wonder last but nine daies never in towne."

From Proverb Lore Many sayings, wise or otherwise, on many subjects, gleaned from many sources by Hulme, F. Edward (Frederick Edward)

Her advent in Gila had been a nine days' wonder to the Gilaites; now, her presence there had come to be regarded as a matter of course.

From The Angel of the Gila: A Tale of Arizona by Marsland, Cora