Definition

Noun: 1. An unexpected and very welcome piece of good fortune or aid; a windfall. Refers to something beneficial that is received unexpectedly or as if by divine intervention. 2. (Biblical) The food miraculously supplied by God to the Israelites in the wilderness during their Exodus from Egypt. This is the original, literal meaning from the Old Testament.

Usage

The term is used to describe a much-needed benefit that arrives unexpectedly, often solving a problem or relieving a difficult situation. It emphasizes the sense of a miraculous or highly fortunate provision.

Examples

• The anonymous donation was manna from heaven for the struggling charity.
• Finding that lost wallet with all my documents was like manna from heaven.
• For the drought-stricken farmers, the early rains were manna from heaven.
• (Biblical) According to the Book of Exodus, manna from heaven appeared on the ground each morning to feed the Israelites.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is often used with verbs like "be," "seem like," "consider," or "receive."
  • The grant was manna from heaven for our research project.
  • They considered the new contract manna from heaven.

Variants and Related Words

• Manna (noun): Used on its own, often metaphorically, to mean an unexpected benefit or sustenance.
  • The tax refund was welcome manna.

Synonyms

• Windfall
• Godsent
• Boon
• Bonanza
• Blessing

Idioms and Related Phrases

• A gift from the gods: A very similar idiom meaning an unexpected piece of good fortune.
• A stroke of luck: An unexpected piece of good luck, though less emphatic than "manna from heaven."

Noun

1. a sudden happening that brings good fortune (as a sudden opportunity to make money)
   • the demand for testing has created a boom for those unregulated laboratories where boxes of specimen jars are processed like an assembly line
2. (Old Testament) food that God gave the Israelites during the Exodus