what's the meaning of "it washed over me."?
Hi,
In a tv show, there was a man who got fired, had financial troubles, and his wife cheated on him.
He was in very bad circumstances,
then he said "it washed over me. i went numb."
I searched for "washed over me" and I found that it means: [for a powerful feeling] to flood over a person.
But how does this meaning consistent with "I went numb"?
what does "washed over me" mean?
5 Answers
- busterwasmycatLv 73 weeks ago
gives a metaphorical idea of drowning, of being overwhelmed by events. One response to way too much input is to shut down for a while, to become numb in a way. It is sort of like how you can severely injure yourself and not feel anything for a while. The system goes into shock, refuses to even deal with all the information. It is just too much to handle.
In effect, this guy is saying he was hit with a catastrophe and went into shock. It is a pretty normal response.
- ∅Lv 73 weeks ago
"numb" as in emotionally. he was stunned by it. as if it all "washed over him", like a wave of things all "attacking" him at once.
it's poetic writing, and really just a bunch of mixed metaphors and poetic phrasings. try not to take it literally.
- GypsyfishLv 73 weeks ago
A strong emotion, especially a negative one, can make you go numb just as strongly spicy food can make your mouth go numb.
- yet-knish!Lv 73 weeks ago
He probably meant that he realized his situation; the realization washed over him. It would have been clearer if he'd said that it "sunk in" or that it hit him.
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- David SLv 73 weeks ago
It washed over him, and then he felt numb. The period separates the two feelings.