Cliché: isn't all it's cracked up to be

Meaning: it's disappointing (example)


Rewrite 1: isn't the egg the goose gaggled over
Rewrite 2: isn't the omellette the chef's commotion stirred up
Rewrite 3: isn't the pile-up the four-mile backup promised
Rewrite 4: isn't the gift all the wrapping presents
Rewrite 5: isn't the raise the boss's praises implied




Comment: "Cracked up" means "praise" in its original though seldom-used form, but it's difficult to find another way to repeat that, so I went for other things that "crack up" that might create a similar intention. Thus, the egg references and the pile up. Can you think of another way to bring back the original sense of praise in this idiom?


Say hellow on Twitter: @a_copywriter
___


Playing devil's advocate this once
(commission may be paid on purchase)

Cliché: Is it soup yet?

Meaning: is it ready? (example)


Rewrite 1: soup poured?
Rewrite 2: done cookin'?
Rewrite 3: table set yet?
Rewrite 4: still in the oven?
Rewrite 5: pie still cooling?


Comment: I've maintained the food or eating metaphor, but there should be plenty of others you could use. For instance, building: Walls up? Decorating: Paint dry? Programming: Code up?


When you're on Twitter, say howdy: @a_copywriter
___


Food on your keyboard
(commission may be paid on purchase)

Cliché: skating on thin ice

Meaning: taking a big risk (example)


Rewrite: swimming in deep waters
Rewrite: walking on ice
Rewrite: upstaging a diva 
Rewrite: running with scissors
Rewrite: skipping a stiff rope


Comment: This cliché was the suggestion of Jacques. Thanks, Jacques! I tried to come up with different risky scenarios without sounding too rediculous.


Follow me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
___


More on metaphors
(commission may be paid on purchase)

Cliché: in your dreams

Meaning: a challenge of disbelief (example)


Rewrite: in your mind's eye
Rewrite: in the world of make-believe
Rewrite: as the fantasy flies
Rewrite: with your imaginary friends
Rewrite: when you're on meds


Comment: This is usually said as a taunt, so think more in terms of sarcasm.


Connect with me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
___
More on dreams
(commission may be paid on purchase)

Cliché: in the nick of time

Meaning: just in time (example)


Rewrite 1: in the tick of a tock
Rewrite 2: before the zeroes clicked over
Rewrite 3: before the bell buzzed
Rewrite 4: before a spark becomes a flame
Rewrite 5: before he could hit "send" 


Comment: The last couple of examples are more moments than time, yet I think they equally apply.


Join me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
___
More on idioms
(commission may be paid on purchase)

Cliché: in the hot seat

Meaning: difficult position (example)


Rewrite: in the frying pan
Rewrite: in the flood plain
Rewrite: in a war zone
Rewrite: on the nail head
Rewrite: over an open manhole
Rewrite: holding a live wire


Comment: I tried to not just concentrate on "hot" situations, but also included difficult circumstances.


Give me a shout on Twitter: @a_copywriter
___
Words of conflict
(commission may be paid on purchase)

Cliché: in the clear

Meaning: blameless or innocent (example 1)(example 2)


Rewrite 1: passed clean suspect inspection
Rewrite 2: traveling barrier-free
Rewrite 3: the fog surrounding you has lifted
Rewrite 4: the dark cloud hovering over you just rained out
Rewrite 5: the trash talk has shifted to somebody else


Comment: There is an other use for this idiom related to cashflow, but all the references I found online were to blamelessness.


Join me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
___

Cliché: in on the ground floor

Meaning: involved from the beginning (example)


Rewrite 1: in at the lobby level
Rewrite 2: entering before the crowd arrives
Rewrite 3: begin where everything is "up"
Rewrite 4: start with the hand-over of the keys
Rewrite 5: Getting to 60 from zero


Comment: The last one was inspired by Top Gear (UK), which I was watching at the time.


Come say hello on Twitter: @a_copywriter
___