Monday, April 08, 2013

cliché: a barn burner

Meaning: something that causes a lot of interest or excitement (definition).

Example: The championship game between the top two contenders was a real barn burner.


Origins: American 1835-45, reference to burning down a barn to get rid of rats and the attention it causes. (Source.)


Rewrites:

  • a barn razer
  • a tower toppler
  • a bridge dropper
  • a roof collapser
  • a sky blazer
  • a river blocker

Discussion: While these don’t all have the same origins as a barn burning, they likely would all get public attention and acclaim.



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