An idiom describing a feeling of extreme happiness, euphoria, or elation that makes someone feel weightless or as if they're floating. It expresses joy so intense it seems to defy gravity.
This metaphorical expression emerged in English during the early 19th century, drawing on the universal human association between lightness and happiness. It reflects the physical sensation many people report during moments of intense joy - feeling buoyant, weightless, or disconnected from earthly concerns.
This idiom captures something remarkable about human emotion - how intense happiness can actually create physical sensations of lightness and floating. Neuroscientists have found that extreme joy does indeed affect our proprioception and balance, making the metaphor surprisingly literal.
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