Meaning: when impossible things happen. Meaning and uses.
Rewrite 1: when trees dance (can you imagine them in Riverdance?)
Rewrite 2: when cats drive
Rewrite 3: when horses skip rope (they can jump but can they skip?)
Rewrite 4: when penguins fly
Rewrite 5: when cars parallel-park themselves
Comment: It sounds awkward when you add many words, as in rewrites 3 and 5, so simpler statements may work better. However, I encourage more imaginative statements, more impossible combinations.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Cheats, Cliches, Cartoons, Anime…: “…many ways to cut corners in creating animation.”
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Cliché: toot your own horn
(entered for 12.13.05)
Meaning: make a big deal about something that is yours. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: beep your own horn7a or 7b
Rewrite 2: ring2* your own bell
Rewrite 3: gush over your own accomplishments
Rewrite 4: write your own performance review**
Rewrite 5: make much ado*** about your own nothing
Comment: Not to throw accolades my own way, but I really like rewrite 5, which is a play on one of Shakespeare’s great comedies. The further we can get away from the original the better.
Notes: *Scroll down to the second use of ring. **Go to the “p’s” then scroll about a quarter of the way down the page to find “performance review.” ***See “Shakespeare’s Words”, a Shakespeare glossary, by David Crystal, for more meaning on The Bard’s words and phrases.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Sundance Creativity: “Poetic Cliches: …clichés are rampant in poetry today, particularly among new or younger poets.”
Meaning: make a big deal about something that is yours. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: beep your own horn7a or 7b
Rewrite 2: ring2* your own bell
Rewrite 3: gush over your own accomplishments
Rewrite 4: write your own performance review**
Rewrite 5: make much ado*** about your own nothing
Comment: Not to throw accolades my own way, but I really like rewrite 5, which is a play on one of Shakespeare’s great comedies. The further we can get away from the original the better.
Notes: *Scroll down to the second use of ring. **Go to the “p’s” then scroll about a quarter of the way down the page to find “performance review.” ***See “Shakespeare’s Words”, a Shakespeare glossary, by David Crystal, for more meaning on The Bard’s words and phrases.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Sundance Creativity: “Poetic Cliches: …clichés are rampant in poetry today, particularly among new or younger poets.”
Cliché: swim against the tide
(entered for 12.12.05; writer's apology: technical difficulties interfered with posting earlier.)
Meaning: oppose popular thought or trend. Sources.
Rewrite 1: swim out as the tiden2 moves in
Rewrite 2: move against the flow
Rewrite 3: blowis2 against the gale
Rewrite 4: cuttv1 across the grainn6
Comment: I thought this one would be easier to recast, but it was something like climbing up a limp rope.
More reading about clichés:
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Flickr: Monterey Aquarium Clichés: “…pictures from the [Monterey] aquarium should only be posted if they have a very high cliché potential.”
Meaning: oppose popular thought or trend. Sources.
Rewrite 1: swim out as the tiden2 moves in
Rewrite 2: move against the flow
Rewrite 3: blowis2 against the gale
Rewrite 4: cuttv1 across the grainn6
Comment: I thought this one would be easier to recast, but it was something like climbing up a limp rope.
More reading about clichés:
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Flickr: Monterey Aquarium Clichés: “…pictures from the [Monterey] aquarium should only be posted if they have a very high cliché potential.”
Cliché: not the ghost of a chance
(entered for 12.11.05; writer's apology: technical difficulties interfered with posting earlier)
Meaning: not the slimmest possibility. Origins and mentions.
Rewrite 1: not a demon’s hope of heaven
Rewrite 2: not a snow cone’s chance in the ocean
Rewrite 3: not an iceberg’s chance in the Sahara
Rewrite 4: a bat has a better chance in a blinding snowstorm
Comment: Most similarities to ghosts are difficult to parse for a rewrite, so I tended to other, more substantial lost causes.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Chester Novello: “Clichés is a prelude, fugue and blues for jazz sextet and has undergone two bouts of revision since its première by the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group in October 2001 (conducted by Pierre-André Valade).”
Meaning: not the slimmest possibility. Origins and mentions.
Rewrite 1: not a demon’s hope of heaven
Rewrite 2: not a snow cone’s chance in the ocean
Rewrite 3: not an iceberg’s chance in the Sahara
Rewrite 4: a bat has a better chance in a blinding snowstorm
Comment: Most similarities to ghosts are difficult to parse for a rewrite, so I tended to other, more substantial lost causes.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Chester Novello: “Clichés is a prelude, fugue and blues for jazz sextet and has undergone two bouts of revision since its première by the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group in October 2001 (conducted by Pierre-André Valade).”
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Cliché: like night and day
Meaning: contrast or comparison through opposites3.
Rewrite 1: like black and white
Rewrite 2: like good and evil
Rewrite 3: like shadow and saturation4
Rewrite 4: like war and peace
Rewrite 5: like God and devil
Comment: Do you suppose we soon will run out of opposites? At least meaningful ones?
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Australian World Map (Macquarie Dictionary): “It takes courage to write about clichés, not least because of the fear of turning out more clichés. But here goes.”
Rewrite 1: like black and white
Rewrite 2: like good and evil
Rewrite 3: like shadow and saturation4
Rewrite 4: like war and peace
Rewrite 5: like God and devil
Comment: Do you suppose we soon will run out of opposites? At least meaningful ones?
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Australian World Map (Macquarie Dictionary): “It takes courage to write about clichés, not least because of the fear of turning out more clichés. But here goes.”
Friday, December 09, 2005
Cliché: knee-high to a grasshopper
Meaning: something very small, short, or young. Use examples. Origins.
Rewrite 1: knee-high to a cricket
Rewrite 2: no taller than a gnome’s knees
Rewrite 3: no higher than putting green grass
Rewrite 4: no bigger than a barrel full of fleas
Rewrite 5: he’d grown no bigger than a chipmunk’s left thumb
Comment: I’ve always wanted to use rewrite 2, it’s so vivid.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés Exercise: “To illustrate how dull and predictable clichés are, see how easy it is to fill in the missing words in the last half of the examples below.”
Rewrite 1: knee-high to a cricket
Rewrite 2: no taller than a gnome’s knees
Rewrite 3: no higher than putting green grass
Rewrite 4: no bigger than a barrel full of fleas
Rewrite 5: he’d grown no bigger than a chipmunk’s left thumb
Comment: I’ve always wanted to use rewrite 2, it’s so vivid.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés Exercise: “To illustrate how dull and predictable clichés are, see how easy it is to fill in the missing words in the last half of the examples below.”
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Cliché: the 800-pound gorilla
Meaning: something of great (exaggerated) weight or size. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: the 500-pound canary
Rewrite 2: the 6-ton birthday cake
Rewrite 3: the eight-story bungalow
Rewrite 4: a gorilla with enough muscle to lift a tree house
Comment: I can’t resist telling a couple of jokes here: What does a 500-pound canary say? “Here kitty-kitty…” Where does an 800-pound cat sleep? Anywhere he wants to. What don’t you tell a centipede to hurry it up? Shake a leg. (You’d want it to shake all of its legs.) You can have a lot of fun with this one, and I encourage you to do so.
Note: "800-pound" (and similar constructions) is often written out as "eight-hundred pound."
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• CISAB Animal Proverbs and Cliches: Animal Proverbs and Clichés from the Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, USA.
Rewrite 1: the 500-pound canary
Rewrite 2: the 6-ton birthday cake
Rewrite 3: the eight-story bungalow
Rewrite 4: a gorilla with enough muscle to lift a tree house
Comment: I can’t resist telling a couple of jokes here: What does a 500-pound canary say? “Here kitty-kitty…” Where does an 800-pound cat sleep? Anywhere he wants to. What don’t you tell a centipede to hurry it up? Shake a leg. (You’d want it to shake all of its legs.) You can have a lot of fun with this one, and I encourage you to do so.
Note: "800-pound" (and similar constructions) is often written out as "eight-hundred pound."
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• CISAB Animal Proverbs and Cliches: Animal Proverbs and Clichés from the Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, USA.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Cliché: born with a silver spoon in his mouth
Meaning: born into wealth2 or great luck. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: born with a silver dollar under his tongue
Rewrite 2: conceived in a mansion and delivered in a Rolls-Royce
Rewrite 3: gave birth to a bouncing baby billionaire
Rewrite 4: never had to worry from the moment he came out of the womb
Comment: The third rewrite is stretching the metaphor in that it doesn’t talk about the person being born but rather to the mother giving birth. However, it still works to convey the life of privilege the baby is born into.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés: The Sleeping Puppies. “These viruses infect songs, television, movies, and commercials, not to mention everyday conversations.”
Rewrite 1: born with a silver dollar under his tongue
Rewrite 2: conceived in a mansion and delivered in a Rolls-Royce
Rewrite 3: gave birth to a bouncing baby billionaire
Rewrite 4: never had to worry from the moment he came out of the womb
Comment: The third rewrite is stretching the metaphor in that it doesn’t talk about the person being born but rather to the mother giving birth. However, it still works to convey the life of privilege the baby is born into.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés: The Sleeping Puppies. “These viruses infect songs, television, movies, and commercials, not to mention everyday conversations.”
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Cliché: you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink
Meaning: you can help someone find something but you can’t make him take advantage of it. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: you can take a horse to the hay, but you can’t make him eat it
Rewrite 2: you can lead a cat to the litter box, but you can’t make her use it
Rewrite 3: even a dog on a leash doesn’t always want to walk
Rewrite 4: you can make some people leaders but they still want to follow
Comment: Rewriting this cliché can open a slew of different possibilities, and they don’t all have to follow the logical course. Rewrites 3 and 4 are good examples.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Business phrases, jargon and business clichés, “Said what is an online database of quotes and quotations, covering politics, celebrities, models, famous quotations and topical articles, competitions.”
Rewrite 1: you can take a horse to the hay, but you can’t make him eat it
Rewrite 2: you can lead a cat to the litter box, but you can’t make her use it
Rewrite 3: even a dog on a leash doesn’t always want to walk
Rewrite 4: you can make some people leaders but they still want to follow
Comment: Rewriting this cliché can open a slew of different possibilities, and they don’t all have to follow the logical course. Rewrites 3 and 4 are good examples.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Business phrases, jargon and business clichés, “Said what is an online database of quotes and quotations, covering politics, celebrities, models, famous quotations and topical articles, competitions.”
Monday, December 05, 2005
Cliché: something to sink your teeth into
Meaning: something big and “meaty2” to get a hold of. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: something to grab a hold of
Rewrite 2: something you can set a trap onto
Rewrite 3: that one’s got some meat3 to it
Rewrite 4: that’s got the quality of a good thick steak
Comment: On the one hand, you want to associate it with something hardy to eat. On the other, you want to move over to something of substantial quality.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Business Buylines, an “extensive collection of advertising clichés, mottos and slogans may help get you out of a creative slump!”
Rewrite 1: something to grab a hold of
Rewrite 2: something you can set a trap onto
Rewrite 3: that one’s got some meat3 to it
Rewrite 4: that’s got the quality of a good thick steak
Comment: On the one hand, you want to associate it with something hardy to eat. On the other, you want to move over to something of substantial quality.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Business Buylines, an “extensive collection of advertising clichés, mottos and slogans may help get you out of a creative slump!”
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Cliché: play with the big boys (or girls)
Meaning: move up to bigger or better things. Usage examples.
Rewrite 1: play with the big kids
Rewrite 2: sit at the adult table
Rewrite 3: work with the pros2a
Rewrite 4: get a job with real payn2
Comment: This one can easily be tied to specific jobs or professions.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Nerd clichés, “a sad page from weirdity.com”
Rewrite 1: play with the big kids
Rewrite 2: sit at the adult table
Rewrite 3: work with the pros2a
Rewrite 4: get a job with real payn2
Comment: This one can easily be tied to specific jobs or professions.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Nerd clichés, “a sad page from weirdity.com”
Cliché: don’t reinvent the wheel
(entered for 12.03.05)
Meaning: don’t remake something so simple and so successful. Usage examples.
Rewrite 1: don’t squaretv1 the circle
Rewrite 2: don’t reinvent the flame1
Rewrite 3: you can only replace a wheel with another wheel
Rewrite 4: a wheel is a wheel is a wheel; to redesign it is redundant1c
Rewrite 5: a “better” window is still a window
Comment: It’s easy to get sidetracked by this rewrite. Keep it simple … and don’t reinvent the wheel.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Not-so-grand List of Overused Fantasy Cliches, “a special subset of cliches I like to call the Van Helsing Rules”.
Meaning: don’t remake something so simple and so successful. Usage examples.
Rewrite 1: don’t squaretv1 the circle
Rewrite 2: don’t reinvent the flame1
Rewrite 3: you can only replace a wheel with another wheel
Rewrite 4: a wheel is a wheel is a wheel; to redesign it is redundant1c
Rewrite 5: a “better” window is still a window
Comment: It’s easy to get sidetracked by this rewrite. Keep it simple … and don’t reinvent the wheel.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Not-so-grand List of Overused Fantasy Cliches, “a special subset of cliches I like to call the Van Helsing Rules”.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Cliché: I could whip you with one arm tied behind my back.
Meaning: I can beat you even with disadvantages. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: I could whip you even with my arm in a sling.
Rewrite 2: I could whip you while hopping on one leg.
Rewrite 3: I could whip you with both arms tied behind my back.
Rewrite 4: you couldn’t beat me if I had my back turned toward to you.
Comment: This is something most often recited by children, so you can afford to be extravagant with your claims, even a bit adventurous.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• In Cliches in Action Scenes, “Author Network offers a number of helpful articles on the business of writing - Clichés in Action Scenes by Linda Adams.”
Rewrite 1: I could whip you even with my arm in a sling.
Rewrite 2: I could whip you while hopping on one leg.
Rewrite 3: I could whip you with both arms tied behind my back.
Rewrite 4: you couldn’t beat me if I had my back turned toward to you.
Comment: This is something most often recited by children, so you can afford to be extravagant with your claims, even a bit adventurous.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• In Cliches in Action Scenes, “Author Network offers a number of helpful articles on the business of writing - Clichés in Action Scenes by Linda Adams.”
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Cliché: got off on the wrong foot
Meaning: got started badly. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: got off on somebody else's foot
Rewrite 2: put my worst foot forward
Rewrite 3: restart on the right foot
Rewrite 4: point me to the better foot
Rewrite 5: Right foot but wrong hand still gave me a bad start
Comment: Not much variety here, but you can get the idea across without going too far astray of the original metaphor.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled "clichés":
Common film music clichés, "A lighthearted look at some of the clichés used in film music and sometimes classical music too."
Rewrite 1: got off on somebody else's foot
Rewrite 2: put my worst foot forward
Rewrite 3: restart on the right foot
Rewrite 4: point me to the better foot
Rewrite 5: Right foot but wrong hand still gave me a bad start
Comment: Not much variety here, but you can get the idea across without going too far astray of the original metaphor.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled "clichés":
Common film music clichés, "A lighthearted look at some of the clichés used in film music and sometimes classical music too."
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Cliché: a cash cow
Meaning: dependable source for value. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: a walking ATM
Rewrite 2: your own personal money machine
Rewrite 3: a domesticated2 drive-thru bank
Rewrite 4: the family cat made of rolledvt11 coins
Rewrite 5: a dog that eats scraps but craps cash
Comment: There are some interesting possibilities here for rewrites. Watch that last one – it might offend some.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• “25 Cinematic Clichés I Never Wanna See Again,” by Robin Bougie, The Cultural Gutter.
Rewrite 1: a walking ATM
Rewrite 2: your own personal money machine
Rewrite 3: a domesticated2 drive-thru bank
Rewrite 4: the family cat made of rolledvt11 coins
Rewrite 5: a dog that eats scraps but craps cash
Comment: There are some interesting possibilities here for rewrites. Watch that last one – it might offend some.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• “25 Cinematic Clichés I Never Wanna See Again,” by Robin Bougie, The Cultural Gutter.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Cliché: works like a dog
Meaning: hard, diligent worker
Rewrite 1: works like a rottweiler gnawing on a leg
Rewrite 2: digging with all four legs and a tail
Rewrite 3: more dogged than a terrier after a rat
Rewrite 4: focused like a pointern2 on a pheasant
Rewrite 5: after a job like a sheppard on a drug bust
Comment: I don’t know many dogs that actually do “work,” so maybe it’s the right time to rewrite this dog of a cliché. I tried to stick with dogisms for this cliché, focusing on breeds that work hard at their specialty.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Boing Boing: TV clichés catalogued by BoingBoing, “a directory of wonderful things.”
Rewrite 1: works like a rottweiler gnawing on a leg
Rewrite 2: digging with all four legs and a tail
Rewrite 3: more dogged than a terrier after a rat
Rewrite 4: focused like a pointern2 on a pheasant
Rewrite 5: after a job like a sheppard on a drug bust
Comment: I don’t know many dogs that actually do “work,” so maybe it’s the right time to rewrite this dog of a cliché. I tried to stick with dogisms for this cliché, focusing on breeds that work hard at their specialty.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Boing Boing: TV clichés catalogued by BoingBoing, “a directory of wonderful things.”
Monday, November 28, 2005
Cliché: on the same page
(entered for 11.28.05)
Meaning: in the same frame of reference or starting point. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: on the same map
Rewrite 2: using the same page
Rewrite 3: looking at the same data
Rewrite 4: looking through the same window
Rewrite 5: standing in the same boat or on the same dock
Comment: The difficulty here is finding ample general reference points.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Sucker Swallows Clichés, October 2005 review of “Thumbsucker” (film) by the Yale Daily News, by Makda Asrat
Meaning: in the same frame of reference or starting point. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: on the same map
Rewrite 2: using the same page
Rewrite 3: looking at the same data
Rewrite 4: looking through the same window
Rewrite 5: standing in the same boat or on the same dock
Comment: The difficulty here is finding ample general reference points.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Sucker Swallows Clichés, October 2005 review of “Thumbsucker” (film) by the Yale Daily News, by Makda Asrat
Cliché: stuck out like a sore thumb
(entered for 11.27.05)
Meaning: very evident or easily seen. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: stuck out1b like a missing tooth
Rewrite 2: stuck out like an extra thumb
Rewrite 3: as noticeable as a third leg
Rewrite 4: as easy to miss as a building with no windows
Comment: Lots of imaginative possibilities makes this a fun rewrite, especially if you’re looking at appendages or things on the face. It’s not quite so easy to rewrite based on other missing or excessive things.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Cliches: The Great Ear closers from The Playwriting Seminars. “…you had better change the words if you can't change actors.”
Meaning: very evident or easily seen. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: stuck out1b like a missing tooth
Rewrite 2: stuck out like an extra thumb
Rewrite 3: as noticeable as a third leg
Rewrite 4: as easy to miss as a building with no windows
Comment: Lots of imaginative possibilities makes this a fun rewrite, especially if you’re looking at appendages or things on the face. It’s not quite so easy to rewrite based on other missing or excessive things.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Cliches: The Great Ear closers from The Playwriting Seminars. “…you had better change the words if you can't change actors.”
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Cliché: like a kid in a candy store
Meaning: like someone let loose where their desires can run wild. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: like a dad in a hardware store
Rewrite 2: like a mom in a department store
Rewrite 3: like a kid in a Disney store
Rewrite 4: like a lion loose in a zoo
Comment: We need to be careful about reinforcing stereotypes, which is all too easy to fall prey to in this cliché.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Thundering Cliches: “By the fiction editors of the Thrilling Detective Web Site… …here's the kinda stuff we'd be just as happy not seeing ever again.”
Rewrite 1: like a dad in a hardware store
Rewrite 2: like a mom in a department store
Rewrite 3: like a kid in a Disney store
Rewrite 4: like a lion loose in a zoo
Comment: We need to be careful about reinforcing stereotypes, which is all too easy to fall prey to in this cliché.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Thundering Cliches: “By the fiction editors of the Thrilling Detective Web Site… …here's the kinda stuff we'd be just as happy not seeing ever again.”
Friday, November 25, 2005
Cliché: flat as a pancake
Meaning: especially flat or thin. Origin and uses.
Rewrite 1: flat as a lid
Rewrite 2: flat as a snowflake
Rewrite 3: flat as a stamp
Rewrite 4: thin as the space between two dimes
Comment: There are a lot of flat, thin things, making this metaphor rife with opportunities for comparison. Have some fun with it.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• “All Eyes Are On…” Broadcast Writing Cliches – Using a tired cliché can give viewers eye strain.
Rewrite 1: flat as a lid
Rewrite 2: flat as a snowflake
Rewrite 3: flat as a stamp
Rewrite 4: thin as the space between two dimes
Comment: There are a lot of flat, thin things, making this metaphor rife with opportunities for comparison. Have some fun with it.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• “All Eyes Are On…” Broadcast Writing Cliches – Using a tired cliché can give viewers eye strain.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Cliché: rock the boat
Happy Thanksgiving!
Cliché Meaning: upsetting the status quo. Origins and uses.
Rewrite 1: tilttv1* the game
Rewrite 2: jiggle the pitcher
Rewrite 3: juggle the glass
Rewrite 4: splittv2a the plank
Comment: Answers.com gives “disturb a stable situation” for meaning, but I see a wider application here in terms of the effects of disturbing the situation.
*Note: In rewrite 1 above, in addition to inclining the game, I meant the sense of “tilt” in which you cause the game to freeze up during play because you inclined or jiggled it too much. This denotation was more in-use with arcade games back in the 20th century.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• List of movie clichés by genre. “Each cinematic genre generally has its own litany of clichés”
Cliché Meaning: upsetting the status quo. Origins and uses.
Rewrite 1: tilttv1* the game
Rewrite 2: jiggle the pitcher
Rewrite 3: juggle the glass
Rewrite 4: splittv2a the plank
Comment: Answers.com gives “disturb a stable situation” for meaning, but I see a wider application here in terms of the effects of disturbing the situation.
*Note: In rewrite 1 above, in addition to inclining the game, I meant the sense of “tilt” in which you cause the game to freeze up during play because you inclined or jiggled it too much. This denotation was more in-use with arcade games back in the 20th century.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• List of movie clichés by genre. “Each cinematic genre generally has its own litany of clichés”
Cliché: another nail in the coffin
Meaning: one more thing to ensure something. Origins and uses.
Rewrite 1: another lock on the door
Rewrite 2: one more knot1nb in the noose
Rewrite 3: one more second off the recordn4
Rewrite 4: another quarter in the meter
Comment: Although some would attribute this cliché to ensuring death, it can apply to many more situations. Thus, I’ve tried to broaden the examples.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Cliché Challenge: “How various clichés of our times are faring based on the number of references on Google.”
Rewrite 1: another lock on the door
Rewrite 2: one more knot1nb in the noose
Rewrite 3: one more second off the recordn4
Rewrite 4: another quarter in the meter
Comment: Although some would attribute this cliché to ensuring death, it can apply to many more situations. Thus, I’ve tried to broaden the examples.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Cliché Challenge: “How various clichés of our times are faring based on the number of references on Google.”
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Cliché: under a microscope
Meaning: a very close look. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: at the atomica4 level
Rewrite 2: under a watchmaker’s eye
Rewrite 3: with a proofreader’s eye
Rewrite 4: at the printer-dotn1c level
Comment: Here, we are trying to convey a very minute or highly magnified level to look deeply into something.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Explain this cartoon. “Use examples from your own writing.” (A class exercise.)
Rewrite 1: at the atomica4 level
Rewrite 2: under a watchmaker’s eye
Rewrite 3: with a proofreader’s eye
Rewrite 4: at the printer-dotn1c level
Comment: Here, we are trying to convey a very minute or highly magnified level to look deeply into something.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Explain this cartoon. “Use examples from your own writing.” (A class exercise.)
Monday, November 21, 2005
Clické: send up a trial balloon
Meaning: to try something out to test it. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: shove it off a cliff and see if it fliesvis6
Rewrite 2: windvt6 it up and see if it runs
Rewrite 3: see how it fares in some market research
Rewrite 4: plug it in and see if it goes10a
Comment: You should be able to come up with plenty of “trial balloons” to test.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés about the French language.
Rewrite 1: shove it off a cliff and see if it fliesvis6
Rewrite 2: windvt6 it up and see if it runs
Rewrite 3: see how it fares in some market research
Rewrite 4: plug it in and see if it goes10a
Comment: You should be able to come up with plenty of “trial balloons” to test.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés about the French language.
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Cliché: play the hand you're dealt
Meaning: use what you have or are given. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: play the cards in your hands
Rewrite 2: play the dice you’ve rolled
Rewrite 3: play your position on the gameboard
Rewrite 4: stick with the gifts under your tree
Comment: You might be tempted to stay with game metaphors, but there are plenty of other situations in life where you must use what is at hand, like “use every advantage life deals you.”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• BusinessBalls: Etymology of Cliches: “free expressions, words, phrases, origins and derivations…”
More reading about cards
• Idioms that use “cards”
Rewrite 1: play the cards in your hands
Rewrite 2: play the dice you’ve rolled
Rewrite 3: play your position on the gameboard
Rewrite 4: stick with the gifts under your tree
Comment: You might be tempted to stay with game metaphors, but there are plenty of other situations in life where you must use what is at hand, like “use every advantage life deals you.”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• BusinessBalls: Etymology of Cliches: “free expressions, words, phrases, origins and derivations…”
More reading about cards
• Idioms that use “cards”
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Cliché: last but not least
Meaning: my last example but not the least-important one. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: finally, and just as important,
Rewrite 2: bringing up the end and equally important
Rewrite 3: lastly, but not as least on the list,
Rewrite 4: of equal importance even if it’s the last on the list,
Comment: Here is a cliché that at its inception was probably the best it could be expressed, which makes rewriting or recasting more difficult. There is an equally effective alternative to place the “not least” statement at the beginning of the statement. For instance, you might say: “Here is my list, offered in no particular order of importance. First…” or “I offer the following not in order of importance. First…”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• A Crop of Clichés: “Clichés, phrases, one liners, sayings, similes, adages, proverbs in gardening and farming.” [Author revised from original entry to better reflect what you will find here.]
Rewrite 1: finally, and just as important,
Rewrite 2: bringing up the end and equally important
Rewrite 3: lastly, but not as least on the list,
Rewrite 4: of equal importance even if it’s the last on the list,
Comment: Here is a cliché that at its inception was probably the best it could be expressed, which makes rewriting or recasting more difficult. There is an equally effective alternative to place the “not least” statement at the beginning of the statement. For instance, you might say: “Here is my list, offered in no particular order of importance. First…” or “I offer the following not in order of importance. First…”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• A Crop of Clichés: “Clichés, phrases, one liners, sayings, similes, adages, proverbs in gardening and farming.” [Author revised from original entry to better reflect what you will find here.]
Friday, November 18, 2005
Cliché: off kilter
Meaning: off form or condition; missing the mark. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: off his keen edge or his edge has gone softa5
Rewrite 2: off her guidesn4
Rewrite 3: he’s wide of his goalposts
Rewrite 4: she’s working from the wrong recipe
Comment: Ever wonder what “kilter” is in other countries? Go to Answers.com and scroll down to “Translations” to see the word in 14 languages.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Judicial Cliches on Terrorism: Washington Post article on what “have become judicial cliches to be invoked in arguments about how the global struggle against terrorism is to be prosecuted.”
Rewrite 1: off his keen edge or his edge has gone softa5
Rewrite 2: off her guidesn4
Rewrite 3: he’s wide of his goalposts
Rewrite 4: she’s working from the wrong recipe
Comment: Ever wonder what “kilter” is in other countries? Go to Answers.com and scroll down to “Translations” to see the word in 14 languages.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Judicial Cliches on Terrorism: Washington Post article on what “have become judicial cliches to be invoked in arguments about how the global struggle against terrorism is to be prosecuted.”
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Cliché: jump the gun
Meaning: get out ahead of the official start. Origins and uses.
Rewrite 1: beat the whistlen5
Rewrite 2: lead the starting pistol
Rewrite 3: start without the refereen2
Rewrite 4: push the stopwatch*
*This one is a little less clear since it's a "stop" watch and not a "start" watch. You could use "timer" or "official clock" but you would probably have a similar challenge.
Comment: This one needs some sense that you are launching or starting ahead of the agreed official start time. It isn’t about being "ahead of your time."
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Book of Cliches – “Phrases to say in times of trouble.”
Rewrite 1: beat the whistlen5
Rewrite 2: lead the starting pistol
Rewrite 3: start without the refereen2
Rewrite 4: push the stopwatch*
*This one is a little less clear since it's a "stop" watch and not a "start" watch. You could use "timer" or "official clock" but you would probably have a similar challenge.
Comment: This one needs some sense that you are launching or starting ahead of the agreed official start time. It isn’t about being "ahead of your time."
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Book of Cliches – “Phrases to say in times of trouble.”
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Cliché: home is where you hang your hat
Meaning: home is where you go at the end of your day. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: home is where you put to rest the struggles of the day
Rewrite 2: home is where you can claim* all the things therein
Rewrite 3: your troubles stop at the doorstep to your home
Rewrite 4: you can “go to the office” but you can “stay at home”
*See under “Idiom”
Comment: This cliché has a nostalgic feel to it and it most often reflects the special place “home” is in all of our lives. Thus, the rewrites try to pick up on that feel.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés used in Narcotics Anonymous: Phrases from a hard life’s experiences? Push button to retrieve additional phrases.
Rewrite 1: home is where you put to rest the struggles of the day
Rewrite 2: home is where you can claim* all the things therein
Rewrite 3: your troubles stop at the doorstep to your home
Rewrite 4: you can “go to the office” but you can “stay at home”
*See under “Idiom”
Comment: This cliché has a nostalgic feel to it and it most often reflects the special place “home” is in all of our lives. Thus, the rewrites try to pick up on that feel.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés used in Narcotics Anonymous: Phrases from a hard life’s experiences? Push button to retrieve additional phrases.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Cliché: a chip off the old block
Meaning: someone who closely resembles another person. Origins and uses.
Rewrite 1: a chipn5b out of the old cookie
Rewrite 2: a twig off the old tree
Rewrite 3: a stone out of the solid earth
Rewrite 4: a thread out of fine cloth
Comment: My sense is that this is usually used in referring to someone who resembles someone else of quality or solid character, but it doesn’t have to. I avoided some similar “size” comparisons that could have negative connotationsn2, like “crumb” or “crust”, but using them could easily refer to someone of less character, on either side of the comparison.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Los Angeles Clichés: “Canards and clichés, L.A. through the N.Y. Times looking glass.”
Rewrite 1: a chipn5b out of the old cookie
Rewrite 2: a twig off the old tree
Rewrite 3: a stone out of the solid earth
Rewrite 4: a thread out of fine cloth
Comment: My sense is that this is usually used in referring to someone who resembles someone else of quality or solid character, but it doesn’t have to. I avoided some similar “size” comparisons that could have negative connotationsn2, like “crumb” or “crust”, but using them could easily refer to someone of less character, on either side of the comparison.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Los Angeles Clichés: “Canards and clichés, L.A. through the N.Y. Times looking glass.”
Monday, November 14, 2005
Cliché: what a zoo – or – this place is a zoo
Meaning: a place of disorder and chaos. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: this place must be run by monkeys2
Rewrite 2: this is the Chucky Cheese for adults
Rewrite 3: it’s like a fire drill run by Keystone Cops
Rewrite 4: this reminds me of a kidn3 on a sugar buzzn4b
Comment: If you’ve never been to a Chucky Cheese, you ought to get to one. Kids run wild between dozens of games and tables full of pizza and birthday cakes. It’s the perfect example of a place in chaos, just what you need to rephrase this cliché.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Grand List of Fantasy Clichés: “…like the SF list that inspired it, [this list] is intended only to list various clichés common to the fantasy genre.”
Rewrite 1: this place must be run by monkeys2
Rewrite 2: this is the Chucky Cheese for adults
Rewrite 3: it’s like a fire drill run by Keystone Cops
Rewrite 4: this reminds me of a kidn3 on a sugar buzzn4b
Comment: If you’ve never been to a Chucky Cheese, you ought to get to one. Kids run wild between dozens of games and tables full of pizza and birthday cakes. It’s the perfect example of a place in chaos, just what you need to rephrase this cliché.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Grand List of Fantasy Clichés: “…like the SF list that inspired it, [this list] is intended only to list various clichés common to the fantasy genre.”
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Cliché: take a long walk off a short pier
Meaning: leave and don’t come back, or get lost. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: take a slow walk through fast traffic
Rewrite 2: take a walk and forget where you started from
Rewrite 3: take a jogis2b through a rottweiler’s yard
Rewrite 4: have a good runn21 through a bad neighborhood
Comment 1: There is in this cliché a hint of someone who doesn’t like to whomever the comment is addressed, more as a curse than a blessingn3. It’s about leaving and being careless about where you go.
Comment 2: In rewrite 2 above, I end the sentence with a preposition (from). Before I receive a host of e-mails in complaint, you should know that the requirement* to never end a sentence with a preposition is a guideline based on a myth. So says Copy Editor, a newsletter for professional editors. Furthermore, since clichés are based on the vernacular, moving the preposition into the body of the sentence (e.g., take a walk and forget from where you came) would sound awkward and forced.
*See usage note
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Business Jargon Protest Mugs Copy Contest: “Short lines to protest the ridiculous jargon and clichés that permeate business language...”
Rewrite 1: take a slow walk through fast traffic
Rewrite 2: take a walk and forget where you started from
Rewrite 3: take a jogis2b through a rottweiler’s yard
Rewrite 4: have a good runn21 through a bad neighborhood
Comment 1: There is in this cliché a hint of someone who doesn’t like to whomever the comment is addressed, more as a curse than a blessingn3. It’s about leaving and being careless about where you go.
Comment 2: In rewrite 2 above, I end the sentence with a preposition (from). Before I receive a host of e-mails in complaint, you should know that the requirement* to never end a sentence with a preposition is a guideline based on a myth. So says Copy Editor, a newsletter for professional editors. Furthermore, since clichés are based on the vernacular, moving the preposition into the body of the sentence (e.g., take a walk and forget from where you came) would sound awkward and forced.
*See usage note
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Business Jargon Protest Mugs Copy Contest: “Short lines to protest the ridiculous jargon and clichés that permeate business language...”
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Cliché: no pain, no gain
Meaning: progress requires effort and sacrifice. Origins
Rewrite 1: no aches, no results
Rewrite 2: to break the recordsn4 you have to bust7 some buns*
Rewrite 3: learning to walk requires some rug burns** along the way
Rewrite 4: we had to burn some fingers to light the first fires
*scroll down to “buns”
**see “abrasion”
Comment: There are few direct corollaries to the original cliché. But the message can be stated just as eloquently without them.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Animé Clichés: Common character attributes an animé cartooning.
Rewrite 1: no aches, no results
Rewrite 2: to break the recordsn4 you have to bust7 some buns*
Rewrite 3: learning to walk requires some rug burns** along the way
Rewrite 4: we had to burn some fingers to light the first fires
*scroll down to “buns”
**see “abrasion”
Comment: There are few direct corollaries to the original cliché. But the message can be stated just as eloquently without them.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Animé Clichés: Common character attributes an animé cartooning.
Friday, November 11, 2005
Cliché: lock, stock, and barrel
(Entered for Nov. 11, 2005. I entered this at 11:30 pm EST on 11.11.05!)
Meaning: the whole thing. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: cup, saucer, and spoon
Rewrite 2: spoon, fork, and knife
Rewrite 3: trunk, branches, and leaves
Rewrite 4: bulb, lamp, and shade
Rewrite 5: the whole gun, including the trigger
Comment: There are lots of possibilities, but you have to be selective when naming the parts. For instance, in rewrite 4, there are other parts of a lamp, but the ones that seem to connect everything into a single whole are the bulbn3, the lamp itself, and the lampshade. And you don’t want to go overboardi in naming parts. Three parts seems like plenty, and citing more than three becomes laborious.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Movie Clichés: It’s as its title describes. And Movie Clichés: From Harris Online. And Film Clichés: “A funny list of movie clichés.”
Meaning: the whole thing. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: cup, saucer, and spoon
Rewrite 2: spoon, fork, and knife
Rewrite 3: trunk, branches, and leaves
Rewrite 4: bulb, lamp, and shade
Rewrite 5: the whole gun, including the trigger
Comment: There are lots of possibilities, but you have to be selective when naming the parts. For instance, in rewrite 4, there are other parts of a lamp, but the ones that seem to connect everything into a single whole are the bulbn3, the lamp itself, and the lampshade. And you don’t want to go overboardi in naming parts. Three parts seems like plenty, and citing more than three becomes laborious.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Movie Clichés: It’s as its title describes. And Movie Clichés: From Harris Online. And Film Clichés: “A funny list of movie clichés.”
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Cliché: good things come to he who waits
Meaning: those who wait are well rewarded. Origin.
Rewrite 1: regret the wait but relishv2 the reward
Rewrite 2: patience is rewarded with prizes
Rewrite 3: no one regrets speed more than he whose reward is rushed
Rewrite 4: the longer the wait the more cherished the prize
Comment: A wise saying with few alternatives.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Christian Clichés: “Christians often use clichés among themselves and even with non-Christians, but there may be a need to give thought to the meanings of these oft-repeated phrases.” And The Christian Clichés, from a separate source. Scroll down to get to the actual list.
Rewrite 1: regret the wait but relishv2 the reward
Rewrite 2: patience is rewarded with prizes
Rewrite 3: no one regrets speed more than he whose reward is rushed
Rewrite 4: the longer the wait the more cherished the prize
Comment: A wise saying with few alternatives.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Christian Clichés: “Christians often use clichés among themselves and even with non-Christians, but there may be a need to give thought to the meanings of these oft-repeated phrases.” And The Christian Clichés, from a separate source. Scroll down to get to the actual list.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Cliché: the blind leading the blind
Meaning: someone leading others who have similar limitations. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: the deaf singing to the deaf
Rewrite 2: the mute pontificating to the deaf
Rewrite 3: a glutton giving a pep talk to a dietern2
Rewrite 4: an adulterer promoting monogamy to an adulteress
Comment: You might imagine all the really strange things people with limitations could try to do for others who have equal limitations.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• TV Sitcom Clichés: From “The Web's largest collection of clichés, euphemisms, sayings and figures of speech.”
Rewrite 1: the deaf singing to the deaf
Rewrite 2: the mute pontificating to the deaf
Rewrite 3: a glutton giving a pep talk to a dietern2
Rewrite 4: an adulterer promoting monogamy to an adulteress
Comment: You might imagine all the really strange things people with limitations could try to do for others who have equal limitations.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• TV Sitcom Clichés: From “The Web's largest collection of clichés, euphemisms, sayings and figures of speech.”
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Cliché: you make a better door than a window
Meaning: you’re blocking my view. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: I could see [the TV or whatever] if you’d open the door in your back
Rewrite 2: when did you grow that door in your back?
Rewrite 3: what if people were windows – think I could see through you right now?
Rewrite 4: did you just grow a foot wider, or are you actually standing in my way?
Comment: This cliché isn’t as much about writing as it is speaking to someone. Still, there are a lot more creative ways to tell someone you can’t see through them.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Big Fat List of TV Clichés: “…basically a situation used often in writing plotlines. Sometimes, such situations get used so often, it comes to the point where you actually expect it to happen.”
Rewrite 1: I could see [the TV or whatever] if you’d open the door in your back
Rewrite 2: when did you grow that door in your back?
Rewrite 3: what if people were windows – think I could see through you right now?
Rewrite 4: did you just grow a foot wider, or are you actually standing in my way?
Comment: This cliché isn’t as much about writing as it is speaking to someone. Still, there are a lot more creative ways to tell someone you can’t see through them.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Big Fat List of TV Clichés: “…basically a situation used often in writing plotlines. Sometimes, such situations get used so often, it comes to the point where you actually expect it to happen.”
Monday, November 07, 2005
Cliché: with one hand tied behind my back
(entered on/for Nov. 07, 2005)
Meaning: I’ll do this thing while giving myself a disadvantage. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: while hopping on one foot
Rewrite 2: with my good eye closed
Rewrite 3: while standing on my head
Rewrite 4: while turning one-handed cartwheels
Comment: This one can be fun to rewrite – think of something really ridiculous and then twisttiv2 it one more time, as I did in rewrites 2 and 4.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• The Most Annoying Workplace Clichés: “15 most annoying clichés as identified by the Accountemps survey of 150 senior executives.”
Meaning: I’ll do this thing while giving myself a disadvantage. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: while hopping on one foot
Rewrite 2: with my good eye closed
Rewrite 3: while standing on my head
Rewrite 4: while turning one-handed cartwheels
Comment: This one can be fun to rewrite – think of something really ridiculous and then twisttiv2 it one more time, as I did in rewrites 2 and 4.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• The Most Annoying Workplace Clichés: “15 most annoying clichés as identified by the Accountemps survey of 150 senior executives.”
Cliché: too many chefs spoil the broth
(entered for Nov. 06, 2005 at 11:55 pm EST)
Meaning: too many people involved will mess things up. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: too many artists spoil the fresco
Rewrite 2: too many generals spoil the battle
Rewrite 3: one more handyman and the walls will fall
Rewrite 4: one politician too many spoils the campaign
Comment: The must be many more examples of too much of something spoiling another thing. What would too many teachers spoil? Too many bullies2a? Too many doctors? What would be an absurd example? Have fun with it!
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• From FindCliches.com: “The Web’s Largest Collection of Cliches, Euphamisms, Sayings, and Figures of Speech.”
Meaning: too many people involved will mess things up. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: too many artists spoil the fresco
Rewrite 2: too many generals spoil the battle
Rewrite 3: one more handyman and the walls will fall
Rewrite 4: one politician too many spoils the campaign
Comment: The must be many more examples of too much of something spoiling another thing. What would too many teachers spoil? Too many bullies2a? Too many doctors? What would be an absurd example? Have fun with it!
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• From FindCliches.com: “The Web’s Largest Collection of Cliches, Euphamisms, Sayings, and Figures of Speech.”
Saturday, November 05, 2005
Cliché: put that in your pipe and smoke it
Meaning: take that, examples
Rewrite 1: take a bite of that and see how easy it is to swallow
Rewrite 2: chew on that one for a while
Rewrite 3: wrestle with that for a bit
Rewrite 4: step in that and see how it feels
Comment: There’s a “do this and see how you like it” quality to this cliché, maybe even a tinge of revenge.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Adverjism: Is there a copywriter’s bible of advertising clichés as must-includes? British sourced.
Rewrite 1: take a bite of that and see how easy it is to swallow
Rewrite 2: chew on that one for a while
Rewrite 3: wrestle with that for a bit
Rewrite 4: step in that and see how it feels
Comment: There’s a “do this and see how you like it” quality to this cliché, maybe even a tinge of revenge.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Adverjism: Is there a copywriter’s bible of advertising clichés as must-includes? British sourced.
Friday, November 04, 2005
Cliché: know which side your bread is buttered on
(entered for Nov. 4, 2005)
Meaning: find a strategic advantage
Rewrite 1: know which trees give the best fruit
Rewrite 2: know which end of the ship sinks last
Rewrite 3: know your lenders and your borrowers
Rewrite 4: know the best mileage and the biggest tank
Comment: This is an exercise in comparative strategic one-upmanship*.
*also spelled as oneupmanship.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• A user’s guide to journalistic clichés: “…a cut-out-and-keep glossary of journalistic clichés.” Australian sourced by “Crikey.”
Meaning: find a strategic advantage
Rewrite 1: know which trees give the best fruit
Rewrite 2: know which end of the ship sinks last
Rewrite 3: know your lenders and your borrowers
Rewrite 4: know the best mileage and the biggest tank
Comment: This is an exercise in comparative strategic one-upmanship*.
*also spelled as oneupmanship.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• A user’s guide to journalistic clichés: “…a cut-out-and-keep glossary of journalistic clichés.” Australian sourced by “Crikey.”
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Cliché: he’s all thumbs
(entered for Thursday, Nov. 3, 2005)
Meaning: he is clumsy
Rewrite 1: he’s all toes
Rewrite 2: he has a hand full of thumbs
Rewrite 3: he has the agility of a brick glove
Comment: This one’s about awkwardness and creating the visualization of someone with physical limitations.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Top 10 Game Clichés: “After nearly 200 issues of gaming goodness, we've noticed that the more things change, the more they stay the same.”
Meaning: he is clumsy
Rewrite 1: he’s all toes
Rewrite 2: he has a hand full of thumbs
Rewrite 3: he has the agility of a brick glove
Comment: This one’s about awkwardness and creating the visualization of someone with physical limitations.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Top 10 Game Clichés: “After nearly 200 issues of gaming goodness, we've noticed that the more things change, the more they stay the same.”
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Cliché: dot the I's and cross the T's
Meaning: make sure everything is in order or proofread for errors
Rewrite 1: check for signatures and typos
Rewrite 2: check for tools and supplies
Rewrite 3: lock the doors and pull the blinds
Rewrite 4: cross the eyes and flosstv the teeth
Comment: While I am tempted to try to find additional letter checks, the ones I can think of are already clichés, like “mind your p’s and q’s”. Same for b’s and d’s, although not as often-used. The last rewrite isn’t strictly about assuring order or that something is error-free, but it is a play on the original that used in the right way could be seen as a humorous reference.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Circle of Clichés: “Tom Payne’s guide to the words that reviewers and publishers love too much.” Scroll down to see a more compact list.
Rewrite 1: check for signatures and typos
Rewrite 2: check for tools and supplies
Rewrite 3: lock the doors and pull the blinds
Rewrite 4: cross the eyes and flosstv the teeth
Comment: While I am tempted to try to find additional letter checks, the ones I can think of are already clichés, like “mind your p’s and q’s”. Same for b’s and d’s, although not as often-used. The last rewrite isn’t strictly about assuring order or that something is error-free, but it is a play on the original that used in the right way could be seen as a humorous reference.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Circle of Clichés: “Tom Payne’s guide to the words that reviewers and publishers love too much.” Scroll down to see a more compact list.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Cliché: until the cows come home
Meaning: waiting for something to take its own sweet time
Rewrite 1: until the leaves fall from the trees
Rewrite 2: until it’s covered in bureaucratic red tape
Rewrite 3: until the spots fall off a Dalmatian
Rewrite 4: after the paint dries and the bumpers rust
Comment: None. There are lots of things that take their own sweet time from which to choose.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Phrases with Origins: “Clichés, phrases, one liners, sayings, similies, adages…”
Rewrite 1: until the leaves fall from the trees
Rewrite 2: until it’s covered in bureaucratic red tape
Rewrite 3: until the spots fall off a Dalmatian
Rewrite 4: after the paint dries and the bumpers rust
Comment: None. There are lots of things that take their own sweet time from which to choose.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Phrases with Origins: “Clichés, phrases, one liners, sayings, similies, adages…”
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