nine-day wonder —(also: nine days wonder) said of smth. that causes great excitement for a few days but is likely to have been soon forgotten:
- She also predicted the scandal over her liaison with the former prime minister was a “nine-day wonder” which would soon blow over.
Cf.: one-hit wonder—said of a group or singer that has only one hit record before returning to obscurity:
- Classing Ms Shapiro as a one-hit wonder is a bit unfair. She was an entirely unintentional pop star, having already had a pretty healthy career in jazz.
ninety-day wonder —(also: ninety days wonder)
1. (U.S. Army) a graduate of the ninety-day officer training courses:
- I learned a lot from them. They were generous in their patience with a ninety-day wonder, second lieutenant.
2. (U.S. coll.) an inexperienced or temporary employee:
- Even a ninety-day wonder could discern the facts in this matter.
3. = nine-day wonder:
- Published by Dell, with Farmer on the back cover, the book was a ninety-day wonder.