(entered for 04.29.06)
Meaning: watching something won’t make it happen faster. Idiom and uses.
Rewrite 1: a watched phone never rings
Rewrite 2: a waited job never finishes
Rewrite 3: the hair on my head never grows
Rewrite 4: paint on the wall never fades
Comment: Of course it does – it just doesn’t seem to.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• The Big Fat List of TV Clichés: “The title says it all.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Cliché: six of one, half dozen of another
(entered for 04.28.06)
Meaning: different name, same thing. Uses.
Rewrite 1: six inches of one, half a foot of another
Rewrite 2: break it in half or divide it into two
Rewrite 3: half off here, 50 percent off there
Rewrite 4: a river, a stream, it’s all water to me
Comment: It’s a nit, but it really bugs me when an ad says “Save 50% off.” You can’t “save 50% off”! You save save 50%, or you can get 50% off, but you can’t do both!
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Tired Clichés: Toronto performance by TJ Dawe.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: different name, same thing. Uses.
Rewrite 1: six inches of one, half a foot of another
Rewrite 2: break it in half or divide it into two
Rewrite 3: half off here, 50 percent off there
Rewrite 4: a river, a stream, it’s all water to me
Comment: It’s a nit, but it really bugs me when an ad says “Save 50% off.” You can’t “save 50% off”! You save save 50%, or you can get 50% off, but you can’t do both!
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Tired Clichés: Toronto performance by TJ Dawe.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Cliché: nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof
Meaning: dancing around nervously
Rewrite 1: nervous as a dog on a short leash
Rewrite 2: nervous as a canary in a cage full of cats
Rewrite 3: teeth chattering like nervous skeletons
Rewrite 4: toes tapping nervously like boys before recess
Comment: Different kinds of nervousness, different ways of showing it.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
•JRRShop: Eccentric software ZK rhymes and clichés.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: nervous as a dog on a short leash
Rewrite 2: nervous as a canary in a cage full of cats
Rewrite 3: teeth chattering like nervous skeletons
Rewrite 4: toes tapping nervously like boys before recess
Comment: Different kinds of nervousness, different ways of showing it.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
•JRRShop: Eccentric software ZK rhymes and clichés.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Cliché: joined at the hip
(entered for 04.26.06)
Meaning: exceedingly close friendship or working relationship. Idiom.
Rewrite 1: coupled at the keyboard
Rewrite 2: attached by the phone line
Rewrite 3: connected at the coffee cup
Rewrite 4: wed at the water cooler
Comment: Alliteration isn’t necessary here, but it aids in the lyrical quality of the metaphor.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Brain Bender: Mixed up clichés.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: exceedingly close friendship or working relationship. Idiom.
Rewrite 1: coupled at the keyboard
Rewrite 2: attached by the phone line
Rewrite 3: connected at the coffee cup
Rewrite 4: wed at the water cooler
Comment: Alliteration isn’t necessary here, but it aids in the lyrical quality of the metaphor.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Brain Bender: Mixed up clichés.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Cliché: even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while
(entered for 04.25.06)
Meaning: even the disadvantaged excels on occasion. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: even a deaf pig answers the dinner bell occasionally.
Rewrite 2: even a color-blind man matches socks once in a while.
Rewrite 3: even a man who can’t smell can give beautiful roses.
Rewrite 4: A geek and his girl aren’t forever doomed lovers.
Comment: Rewrite 4 is a stretch, but it can still work in the right circumstance.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Facts on File: Dictionary of clichés.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: even the disadvantaged excels on occasion. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: even a deaf pig answers the dinner bell occasionally.
Rewrite 2: even a color-blind man matches socks once in a while.
Rewrite 3: even a man who can’t smell can give beautiful roses.
Rewrite 4: A geek and his girl aren’t forever doomed lovers.
Comment: Rewrite 4 is a stretch, but it can still work in the right circumstance.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Facts on File: Dictionary of clichés.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Monday, April 24, 2006
Cliché: clear as a bell
Meaning: pure sound or clear meaning. Idiom.
Rewrite 1: clear as a pristine glacial lake
Rewrite 2: clear as crisp2 alpine air
Rewrite 3: clear as the sight between towering peaksn2a
Rewrite 4: clarity of a cloudless sky
Comment: I would have liked to see something more about clarity of sound or taste. Perhaps something more like “clarity of a French claret…”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés Gifts: “…gifts from the CartoonStock directory - the world's largest on-line collection of cartoon gifts.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: clear as a pristine glacial lake
Rewrite 2: clear as crisp2 alpine air
Rewrite 3: clear as the sight between towering peaksn2a
Rewrite 4: clarity of a cloudless sky
Comment: I would have liked to see something more about clarity of sound or taste. Perhaps something more like “clarity of a French claret…”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés Gifts: “…gifts from the CartoonStock directory - the world's largest on-line collection of cartoon gifts.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Cliché: when all is said and done
Meaning: when everything possible has been covered. Idiom.
Rewrite 1: when everyone is finished pickingtv3b it to death
Rewrite 2: when you’ve exhausted the last option3
Rewrite 3: when the saying is said and the doing is done
Rewrite 4: in the end3
Comment: This cliché said it pretty well, so coming up with something clever may be difficult. I’d like to see what you can do with it.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Study Skills Writing: “Some examples of common clichés are highlighted below: How would you rewrite the examples to eliminate these clichés?”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: when everyone is finished pickingtv3b it to death
Rewrite 2: when you’ve exhausted the last option3
Rewrite 3: when the saying is said and the doing is done
Rewrite 4: in the end3
Comment: This cliché said it pretty well, so coming up with something clever may be difficult. I’d like to see what you can do with it.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Study Skills Writing: “Some examples of common clichés are highlighted below: How would you rewrite the examples to eliminate these clichés?”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Cliché: run circles around
(also, run rings around)
Meaning: easily and quickly surpass you. Origins.
Rewrite 1: do doughnuts around
Rewrite 2: do pretzels around
Rewrite 3: run around you like you’re standing still
Rewrite 4: make like a hare while you make like a snail2
Comment: Rewrites 1 and 2 are more like 3-D versions of the original, while rewrites 3 and 4 try to extend the metaphor to a brag. In the case of the pretzel, it’s a more complicated or intricate pattern to weave around someone or something than simply a circle or ring. In the case of the hare and the snail, I had originally thought to use the hare versus the turtle metaphor, then decided to change the turtle to a snail to avoid a reference to the lesson learned when the slower turtle actually beat the much faster hare.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Why Clichés are so annoying: CorrenteWire (political commentary).
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: easily and quickly surpass you. Origins.
Rewrite 1: do doughnuts around
Rewrite 2: do pretzels around
Rewrite 3: run around you like you’re standing still
Rewrite 4: make like a hare while you make like a snail2
Comment: Rewrites 1 and 2 are more like 3-D versions of the original, while rewrites 3 and 4 try to extend the metaphor to a brag. In the case of the pretzel, it’s a more complicated or intricate pattern to weave around someone or something than simply a circle or ring. In the case of the hare and the snail, I had originally thought to use the hare versus the turtle metaphor, then decided to change the turtle to a snail to avoid a reference to the lesson learned when the slower turtle actually beat the much faster hare.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Why Clichés are so annoying: CorrenteWire (political commentary).
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Cliché: money doesn't grow on trees
Meaning: money is earned, not picked. Use examples and meanings.
Rewrite 1: money doesn’t pop out as leaves in the garden
Rewrite 2: you can’t hand-pick money like fruit on a tree
Rewrite 3: money may seem like bulbs on a marquee, but it isn’t
Rewrite 4: money doesn’t flow like water from a faucet
Comment: There are lots of other metaphors to pick from – books from a shelf, cans from a grocery store shelf, toys from a chest, bolts from a bin, photons2 from the sun, etc…
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• AlterNet MediaCulture Please Pass the Clichés: “Pro sports are still fun to watch, but press conferences and players' remarks have become dry and inauthentic.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: money doesn’t pop out as leaves in the garden
Rewrite 2: you can’t hand-pick money like fruit on a tree
Rewrite 3: money may seem like bulbs on a marquee, but it isn’t
Rewrite 4: money doesn’t flow like water from a faucet
Comment: There are lots of other metaphors to pick from – books from a shelf, cans from a grocery store shelf, toys from a chest, bolts from a bin, photons2 from the sun, etc…
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• AlterNet MediaCulture Please Pass the Clichés: “Pro sports are still fun to watch, but press conferences and players' remarks have become dry and inauthentic.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Cliché: if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen
Meaning: if it’s too much for you, leave or quit. Origins.
Rewrite 1: if you can’t stand the heat, douse the flame
Rewrite 2: if the handle’s too hot, let go of the skillet
Rewrite 3: if you don’t like the smell, move to a different garden
Rewrite 4: most cooks who don’t like the taste use a different recipe
Comment: One way to rewrite or recast this metaphor is to stick to the senses. When even that fails to excite you, think of other extremes.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Sarah’s Bookarama: “All of us who joined in this discussion had great fun satirising these cliches, but as with all satire, there is a serious, morally-improving lesson here…”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: if you can’t stand the heat, douse the flame
Rewrite 2: if the handle’s too hot, let go of the skillet
Rewrite 3: if you don’t like the smell, move to a different garden
Rewrite 4: most cooks who don’t like the taste use a different recipe
Comment: One way to rewrite or recast this metaphor is to stick to the senses. When even that fails to excite you, think of other extremes.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Sarah’s Bookarama: “All of us who joined in this discussion had great fun satirising these cliches, but as with all satire, there is a serious, morally-improving lesson here…”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Cliché: his bark is worse than his bite
Meaning: he isn’t as dangerous as he sounds. Mentions and use examples.
Rewrite 1: his bark has no teeth
Rewrite 2: he’s all bark and no bite
Rewrite 3: he barks a good game, but he’s toothless
Rewrite 4: she yowls better than she maulstv1
Comment: This one was fairly easy, and I was able to keep a lot of the “bite” of the original. Don’t be afraid to explore more synonyms for “bark” and “bite.”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Tazlure Background Clichés: “There are some ideas for character backgrounds that have been done to death. These are the dreaded ‘background clichés’.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: his bark has no teeth
Rewrite 2: he’s all bark and no bite
Rewrite 3: he barks a good game, but he’s toothless
Rewrite 4: she yowls better than she maulstv1
Comment: This one was fairly easy, and I was able to keep a lot of the “bite” of the original. Don’t be afraid to explore more synonyms for “bark” and “bite.”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Tazlure Background Clichés: “There are some ideas for character backgrounds that have been done to death. These are the dreaded ‘background clichés’.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Cliché: back from the dead
Meaning: sleepy or way "out of it"
Rewrite 1: “out”a7 like the dead
Rewrite 2: still cold10 from the grave
Rewrite 3: walking like he’s wandering from the cryptn1
Rewrite 4: missed the right turn to heaven
Comment: Usually used to describe someone who is “dead tired” or who walks around in a zombie-like state.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Words and Wordplay from Yahoo! UK & Ireland: “Phrases to say (to yourself or to others) in times of trouble.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: “out”a7 like the dead
Rewrite 2: still cold10 from the grave
Rewrite 3: walking like he’s wandering from the cryptn1
Rewrite 4: missed the right turn to heaven
Comment: Usually used to describe someone who is “dead tired” or who walks around in a zombie-like state.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Words and Wordplay from Yahoo! UK & Ireland: “Phrases to say (to yourself or to others) in times of trouble.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Cliché: you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet
(entered for 04.17.06)
(Also, you can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.)
Meaning: reaching a goal may require some sacrifice or unpleasantness. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: you have to mess up a pan to fry an omelet
Rewrite 2: you may get an eggshell in the pan to turn an egg into an omelet
Rewrite 3: you have to slip on the ice a few times to learn to skate
Rewrite 4: you may have to sunburn a few times to get a good tan
Comment: There are many unpleasant results from seemingly innocuous causes.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• RPG Cliché List: “…the grand list of cliches and absurdities that occur (and occur, and occur...) in traditional RPGs and LARPs…”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
(Also, you can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.)
Meaning: reaching a goal may require some sacrifice or unpleasantness. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: you have to mess up a pan to fry an omelet
Rewrite 2: you may get an eggshell in the pan to turn an egg into an omelet
Rewrite 3: you have to slip on the ice a few times to learn to skate
Rewrite 4: you may have to sunburn a few times to get a good tan
Comment: There are many unpleasant results from seemingly innocuous causes.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• RPG Cliché List: “…the grand list of cliches and absurdities that occur (and occur, and occur...) in traditional RPGs and LARPs…”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Cliché: tilting at windmills
(entered for 04.16.06)
Meaning: doing battle with an imaginary enemy or going after overly-lofty goals. Origins and mentions.
Rewrite 1: battling griffins and dragons
Rewrite 2: chasing merry men in Sherwood
Rewrite 3: seeking sunsets to ride valiantly into
Rewrite 4: seeking world peace one tyrant at a time
Comment: Rewrite 2 borders on the obscure with its reference to Robin Hood’s merry men, but it can create a sense of going after the difficult to find.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Movie Clichés at The Z Review: “A list of our favourite clichés in the movies.” From the UK.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: doing battle with an imaginary enemy or going after overly-lofty goals. Origins and mentions.
Rewrite 1: battling griffins and dragons
Rewrite 2: chasing merry men in Sherwood
Rewrite 3: seeking sunsets to ride valiantly into
Rewrite 4: seeking world peace one tyrant at a time
Comment: Rewrite 2 borders on the obscure with its reference to Robin Hood’s merry men, but it can create a sense of going after the difficult to find.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Movie Clichés at The Z Review: “A list of our favourite clichés in the movies.” From the UK.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Cliché: one picture is worth a thousand words
Meaning: an image can say something better than can words. Mentions.
Rewrite 1: the picture told me more than a book could describe
Rewrite 2: a single picture can say more than a dozen essays
Rewrite 3: I could write an essay, but printing a picture is quicker
Rewrite 4: better you should draw a map than tell him directions
Comment: These don’t as easily fit into a metaphor, but they express the same idea.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Powell’s Books Death Sentences: Book by Don Watson, “How Clichés, Weasel Words and Management-Speak Are Strangling Public Language.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: the picture told me more than a book could describe
Rewrite 2: a single picture can say more than a dozen essays
Rewrite 3: I could write an essay, but printing a picture is quicker
Rewrite 4: better you should draw a map than tell him directions
Comment: These don’t as easily fit into a metaphor, but they express the same idea.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Powell’s Books Death Sentences: Book by Don Watson, “How Clichés, Weasel Words and Management-Speak Are Strangling Public Language.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Friday, April 14, 2006
Cliché: lay my cards on the table
Meaning: expose all my strengths and weaknesses. Meaning.
Rewrite 1: show you my cash drawer
Rewrite 2: open my books to the public
Rewrite 3: publish my programming code
Rewrite 4: open my medical records
Comment1: Think of secrets you wouldn’t normally show others but that would be meaningful to show to get something in exchange.
Comment2: My thanks to Doug for pointing out an embarrassing spelling error in rewrite 2, which I have corrected.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Magnetic Poetry Clichés: “… the Magnetic Poetry Mixed-Up Clichés kit brings conversational shortcuts into the spotlight, celebrating the world of worn out words.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: show you my cash drawer
Rewrite 2: open my books to the public
Rewrite 3: publish my programming code
Rewrite 4: open my medical records
Comment1: Think of secrets you wouldn’t normally show others but that would be meaningful to show to get something in exchange.
Comment2: My thanks to Doug for pointing out an embarrassing spelling error in rewrite 2, which I have corrected.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Magnetic Poetry Clichés: “… the Magnetic Poetry Mixed-Up Clichés kit brings conversational shortcuts into the spotlight, celebrating the world of worn out words.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Cliché: give the shirt off your back
Meaning: generosity to the point of giving what little you have. Meaning.
Rewrite 1: give your last ounce of water
Rewrite 2: give the shoes off your feet
Rewrite 3: give your last clean shirt
Rewrite 4: give the tien3 from round your neck
Comment: Think “what do I have only one left of” or “what can I least afford to part with,” and you get some idea of the sacrifice that’s implied in this cliché.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Dallas Sports Guide: “…clichés are more noticeable when used by athletes and other people involved in sports…”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: give your last ounce of water
Rewrite 2: give the shoes off your feet
Rewrite 3: give your last clean shirt
Rewrite 4: give the tien3 from round your neck
Comment: Think “what do I have only one left of” or “what can I least afford to part with,” and you get some idea of the sacrifice that’s implied in this cliché.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Dallas Sports Guide: “…clichés are more noticeable when used by athletes and other people involved in sports…”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Cliché: as dense as a London fog
Meaning: very slow to learn or understand. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: as dense5 as the heart of a black hole
Rewrite 2: the density8 of a block of ice
Rewrite 3: denser than marble
Rewrite 4: no smarter than a block of salt
Comment: We should be careful to ensure people understand we’re talking learning curve here, not geophysics.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Baylor University The Lariat Online: “Defining ‘men’ requires thinking outside the cliché.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: as dense5 as the heart of a black hole
Rewrite 2: the density8 of a block of ice
Rewrite 3: denser than marble
Rewrite 4: no smarter than a block of salt
Comment: We should be careful to ensure people understand we’re talking learning curve here, not geophysics.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Baylor University The Lariat Online: “Defining ‘men’ requires thinking outside the cliché.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Cliché: where there's smoke there's fire
(Also: There’s no smoke without fire)
Meaning: find an effect and you’ll usually find its cause. Origins.
Rewrite 1: when I see smoke, I know to look for fire
Rewrite 2: where there’s a burnn1,2 there’s fire
Rewrite 3: where there’s water there’s often a leak1
Rewrite 4: I don’t need to see horizontal rain to know I’m in a hurricane
Rewrite 5: When things look odd and I see smoke, I know mirrors must be nearby
Comment: I tried to vary both the effect and the cause to broaden the scope of this cliché. Rewrite 5 relates to a different use of the word "smoke," in this case we're talking about deception.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Last Holiday: When Old Clichés: Work performance by Queen Latifah, a movie review.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: find an effect and you’ll usually find its cause. Origins.
Rewrite 1: when I see smoke, I know to look for fire
Rewrite 2: where there’s a burnn1,2 there’s fire
Rewrite 3: where there’s water there’s often a leak1
Rewrite 4: I don’t need to see horizontal rain to know I’m in a hurricane
Rewrite 5: When things look odd and I see smoke, I know mirrors must be nearby
Comment: I tried to vary both the effect and the cause to broaden the scope of this cliché. Rewrite 5 relates to a different use of the word "smoke," in this case we're talking about deception.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Last Holiday: When Old Clichés: Work performance by Queen Latifah, a movie review.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Monday, April 10, 2006
Cliché: to sugarcoat something (also candy-coat something)
(entered for 04.10.06)
Meaning: be overly optimistic about something to lessen its impact.
Rewrite 1: coat it with cavity-inducing2b sweetness
Rewrite 2: a ripe lemon coated with sugar
Rewrite 3: sweeten the gruel with optimism
Rewrite 4: coat the medicine with a fine sheen1 of sugar
Comment: I’m optimistic you’ll find more ways to coat the unsavory with sugar.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Movie Clichés: “Software by Tom Crosley and others.” From the Freedownloadscenter.com.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: be overly optimistic about something to lessen its impact.
Rewrite 1: coat it with cavity-inducing2b sweetness
Rewrite 2: a ripe lemon coated with sugar
Rewrite 3: sweeten the gruel with optimism
Rewrite 4: coat the medicine with a fine sheen1 of sugar
Comment: I’m optimistic you’ll find more ways to coat the unsavory with sugar.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Movie Clichés: “Software by Tom Crosley and others.” From the Freedownloadscenter.com.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Cliché: out of gas
(entered for 4.09.06)
Meaning: run out of fuel or energy.
Rewrite 1: gas gauge is on “E”
Rewrite 2: ran out of fumes
Rewrite 3: fire is running on ashes
Rewrite 4: no kindling to fuel the fire
Comment: Rewrite 2 and 3 are plays on the “running on fumes” cliché.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Refuting The Top Ten Most Annoying Anti-War Clichés. From “Right Wing News.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: run out of fuel or energy.
Rewrite 1: gas gauge is on “E”
Rewrite 2: ran out of fumes
Rewrite 3: fire is running on ashes
Rewrite 4: no kindling to fuel the fire
Comment: Rewrite 2 and 3 are plays on the “running on fumes” cliché.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Refuting The Top Ten Most Annoying Anti-War Clichés. From “Right Wing News.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Cliché: knockout blow
Meaning: explosive hitting. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: hammer blow
Rewrite 2: bunker-buster punch
Rewrite 3: slug slam-fest
Rewrite 4: whack attack
Comment: What made this somewhat easier to pull off was to put the emphasis first on “blow” and then pick appropriate adjectives.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Sensitive ‘Hustle & Flow’ resists clichés: movie review from seattlepi.com
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: hammer blow
Rewrite 2: bunker-buster punch
Rewrite 3: slug slam-fest
Rewrite 4: whack attack
Comment: What made this somewhat easier to pull off was to put the emphasis first on “blow” and then pick appropriate adjectives.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Sensitive ‘Hustle & Flow’ resists clichés: movie review from seattlepi.com
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Friday, April 07, 2006
Cliché: hunker down
(entered for 04.07.06)
Meaning: to lower into a defensive posture . Meanings and translations.
Rewrite 1: squat and shiver in fear
Rewrite 2: roll up into a ball and hope no one notices
Rewrite 3: cower in a corner
Rewrite 4: let the wall cover your back and the floor cover your behind
Comment: Important in this cliché is the “defensive” element, although a case could be made for melting in fear.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Cricinfo: Reversing the Clichés: “This was a very good day for England and a rotten one for some threadbare cricketing clichés” (article about cricket).
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: to lower into a defensive posture . Meanings and translations.
Rewrite 1: squat and shiver in fear
Rewrite 2: roll up into a ball and hope no one notices
Rewrite 3: cower in a corner
Rewrite 4: let the wall cover your back and the floor cover your behind
Comment: Important in this cliché is the “defensive” element, although a case could be made for melting in fear.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Cricinfo: Reversing the Clichés: “This was a very good day for England and a rotten one for some threadbare cricketing clichés” (article about cricket).
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Cliché: a deer in headlights
(entered for 4.06.06)
Meaning: frozen by what surprises you. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: a raccoon in floodlights
Rewrite 2: a thief in security4a lights
Rewrite 3: your teen caught taking money from your wallet
Rewrite 4: a shopper caught stuffing products in his pockets
Comment: There are two examples of this cliché: one is to startle something with a bright light (floodlights, security lights, flash light); the other is to startle someone doing something wrong.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Avoid clichés – like the plague: “Whether you're writing or speaking, clichés will weaken your message and cause your audience to tune out.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: frozen by what surprises you. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: a raccoon in floodlights
Rewrite 2: a thief in security4a lights
Rewrite 3: your teen caught taking money from your wallet
Rewrite 4: a shopper caught stuffing products in his pockets
Comment: There are two examples of this cliché: one is to startle something with a bright light (floodlights, security lights, flash light); the other is to startle someone doing something wrong.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Avoid clichés – like the plague: “Whether you're writing or speaking, clichés will weaken your message and cause your audience to tune out.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Cliché: work your fingers to the bone
(re-entered for 04.05.06)
Meaning: Work extremely hard. Origins and meanings.
Rewrite 1: work the prints off your fingers
Rewrite 2: work the heel off your foot
Rewrite 3: run the treadn3 off your tires
Rewrite 4: work the handsn3a off your clock
Comment: This is about showing definitive results from extreme effort.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• GospelFlava.com: Gospel music (Clichés CD) review.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: Work extremely hard. Origins and meanings.
Rewrite 1: work the prints off your fingers
Rewrite 2: work the heel off your foot
Rewrite 3: run the treadn3 off your tires
Rewrite 4: work the handsn3a off your clock
Comment: This is about showing definitive results from extreme effort.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• GospelFlava.com: Gospel music (Clichés CD) review.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Cliché: rub salt in the wound
(entered for 4.04.06)
Meaning: make something painful worse. Meaning and uses.
Rewrite 1: rub lemon juice in the wound
Rewrite 2: torchtv the burn
Rewrite 3: icetv the cavity2
Rewrite 4: put pressure on a broken bone
Comment: De we really want to give ideas to torturers?
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Technorati Blog Finder: Clichés. This page shows blogs about cliches in order of authority (most site links). (On the day I looked this up, Cliché-a-Day was in the first spot on this results page.)
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: make something painful worse. Meaning and uses.
Rewrite 1: rub lemon juice in the wound
Rewrite 2: torchtv the burn
Rewrite 3: icetv the cavity2
Rewrite 4: put pressure on a broken bone
Comment: De we really want to give ideas to torturers?
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Technorati Blog Finder: Clichés. This page shows blogs about cliches in order of authority (most site links). (On the day I looked this up, Cliché-a-Day was in the first spot on this results page.)
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Monday, April 03, 2006
Cliché: no strings attached
Meaning: no hidden agendas. Meaning and uses.
Rewrite 1: no tiny type at the bottom of your screen
Rewrite 2: no legal-speak language
Rewrite 3: no disclaimers1b or footnotes
Rewrite 4: no loopholes2 attached
Comment: When I think of “strings attached,” I think of legal language and footnotes the average person can’t decipher.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Procrastination Clichés: “Overused phrases and often not that funny jokes and clichés about procrastination.” From procrastinationhelp.com.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: no tiny type at the bottom of your screen
Rewrite 2: no legal-speak language
Rewrite 3: no disclaimers1b or footnotes
Rewrite 4: no loopholes2 attached
Comment: When I think of “strings attached,” I think of legal language and footnotes the average person can’t decipher.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Procrastination Clichés: “Overused phrases and often not that funny jokes and clichés about procrastination.” From procrastinationhelp.com.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Cliché: it won't fly
Meaning: it won’t work. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: it’s got no wingsn8b
Rewrite 2: it won’t make it off the ground
Rewrite 3: it might look like a boat, but it won’t float
Rewrite 4: it lacks the means to “get up and go”
Comment: You could give this metaphor a hammer and some nails, but it won’t build a house. I’ve tried to provide several iterations to keep it from being just about flying.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Christian Science Monitor: “Finally: A Sept. 11 story without the clichés.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: it’s got no wingsn8b
Rewrite 2: it won’t make it off the ground
Rewrite 3: it might look like a boat, but it won’t float
Rewrite 4: it lacks the means to “get up and go”
Comment: You could give this metaphor a hammer and some nails, but it won’t build a house. I’ve tried to provide several iterations to keep it from being just about flying.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Christian Science Monitor: “Finally: A Sept. 11 story without the clichés.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Cliché: give them an inch and they'll take a mile
Meaning: people will take advantage of your generosity. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: give them a hand and they’ll take an arm
Rewrite 2: give them a dime and they’ll take a dollar
Rewrite 3: give them what little you have and they’ll take the rest, too
Rewrite 4: for some, a dime in your hand is worth two in their pocket
Comment: The last rewrite is another way of looking at rewrite 2. It’s also kind of a retake on “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” although not a literal rewrite of it.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• GetAmused: “A Funny List of Movie Clichés.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: give them a hand and they’ll take an arm
Rewrite 2: give them a dime and they’ll take a dollar
Rewrite 3: give them what little you have and they’ll take the rest, too
Rewrite 4: for some, a dime in your hand is worth two in their pocket
Comment: The last rewrite is another way of looking at rewrite 2. It’s also kind of a retake on “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” although not a literal rewrite of it.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• GetAmused: “A Funny List of Movie Clichés.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
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