ALL OF A SUDDEN

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does all of a sudden mean? 

• ALL OF A SUDDEN (adverb)
  The adverb ALL OF A SUDDEN has 2 senses:

1. without warning

2. happening unexpectedly

  Familiarity information: ALL OF A SUDDEN used as an adverb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ALL OF A SUDDEN (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Without warning

Synonyms:

all at once; all of a sudden

Context example:

all at once, he started shouting

Sense 2

Meaning:

Happening unexpectedly

Synonyms:

all of a sudden; of a sudden; suddenly

Context example:

suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her side

 Context examples 

Meg stopped there, remembering all of a sudden that she hadn't made up her mind, that she had told 'her John' to go away, and that he might be overhearing her inconsistent remarks.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

And then all of a sudden he was interrupted by a noise.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

If Peggotty were looking for a hole, all of a sudden, in the heel of that stocking, it must have been a very little one indeed, and not worth darning.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

All of a sudden, you have five different puzzles, and you must come up with five different theories to explain them.

(The Super-Earth that Came Home for Dinner, NASA)

And then all of a sudden he broke out in a great flame of anger, stamping with his foot, brandishing the cane, and carrying on (as the maid described it) like a madman.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

She travelled all the way post by herself, and knew nothing of coming till Saturday night; for General Tilney, from some odd fancy or other, all of a sudden grew tired of having her there, and almost turned her out of the house.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

They had received her doubtingly, if not coolly; and nothing beyond the merest commonplace had been talked almost all the time—till just at last, when Mrs. Martin's saying, all of a sudden, that she thought Miss Smith was grown, had brought on a more interesting subject, and a warmer manner.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

All of a sudden she stopped, caught up the two notes, and after looking at them closely, said decidedly, I don't believe Brooke ever saw either of these letters.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

So he issued his commands, which I breathlessly obeyed, till, all of a sudden, he cried, “Now, my hearty, luff!”

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

And so, there she had set, without an idea of any thing in the world, full ten minutes, perhaps—when, all of a sudden, who should come in—to be sure it was so very odd!—but they always dealt at Ford's—who should come in, but Elizabeth Martin and her brother!

(Emma, by Jane Austen)