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Person from Porlock

What Does "Person from Porlock" Mean?

homeidiomsPerson from Porlock
"Person from porlock" is an English idiom. It is a term used to describe an unwelcome or disruptive visitor or interruption, especially when one is in the midst of creative or focused work.

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "person from porlock" used in a sentence:
  • He was deep in thought, working on his novel when he was interrupted by a person from Porlock who wanted to chat about trivial matters.
  • The unexpected phone call felt like a person from Porlock, disrupting her concentration during an important project.
  • The artist dreaded any person from Porlock who might interrupt her creative process.
meaning for person from porlock

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Person from Porlock" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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