A short-lived sensation. This term originated in a proverb dating from Chaucer’s time, “For wonder last but nine night nevere in toune.” It was recorded by John Heywood in 1546: “This wonder (as wonders last) lasted nine daies.” Another version is “A wonder lasts nine days, and then the puppy’s eyes are open,” referring to the fact that dogs are born blind, which may be the ultimate source of the analogy—that is, after nine days one’s eyes are open and the so-called wonder is seen for what it really is. The term continues to appear in all kinds of context, as in, “There is great risk in becoming involved in a product that is a nine-day wonder” (T. Lundberg, Starting in Business, 1985, writing about skateboards—he was clearly wrong).