Meaning: back to hard labor. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: back to labor camp
Rewrite 2: back to the plantationorigins
Rewrite 3: back to the ol’ 9-to-5
Rewrite 4: back to punching keys in the binaryn3 mine
Comment: In rewrite 3, I was going more for the sense of the tyranny of the 9-to-5 job which is often perceived to be benal, with few mental challenges. In rewrite 4, I was going for the programming job which is often very demanding, offers long hours, and frequently occurs in deep, dark, dank work areas crowded with people with few social graces and little time to realize any.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Around the Oval: “College football teams as Internet Clichés.”
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Cliché: as useful as a lead balloon
(entered for 01.26.06)
Meaning: not very useful.
Rewrite 1: as useful as a mitt with no fingers
Rewrite 2: as practical as a balloon full of holes
Rewrite 3: as functional as a door without hinges
Rewrite 4: as useful as an planen4 with no wings
Comment: Think not only inconvenient or useless, but also mightily so. This is a good cliché for sarcasm.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Design clichés: “A run through the most tired and overuse cliches in logo designs…”
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Meaning: not very useful.
Rewrite 1: as useful as a mitt with no fingers
Rewrite 2: as practical as a balloon full of holes
Rewrite 3: as functional as a door without hinges
Rewrite 4: as useful as an planen4 with no wings
Comment: Think not only inconvenient or useless, but also mightily so. This is a good cliché for sarcasm.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Design clichés: “A run through the most tired and overuse cliches in logo designs…”
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Cliché: to pound the pavement
(entered for 01.25.06)
Meaning: to get busy on something. Idiom.
Rewrite 1: leave treadn6 marks on the pavement
Rewrite 2: make smoke on the track
Rewrite 3: light a fire under the skillet
Rewrite 4: whip some air into the soufflé
Comment: Although this cliché is often used to describe effort in finding employment, it can also mean getting busy. It’s easy to get sidetracked in this one to connote energy rather than action.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Caught in Historical Clichés: By Praful Bidwai. “The current debate on school textbooks, especially history textbooks…”
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Meaning: to get busy on something. Idiom.
Rewrite 1: leave treadn6 marks on the pavement
Rewrite 2: make smoke on the track
Rewrite 3: light a fire under the skillet
Rewrite 4: whip some air into the soufflé
Comment: Although this cliché is often used to describe effort in finding employment, it can also mean getting busy. It’s easy to get sidetracked in this one to connote energy rather than action.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Caught in Historical Clichés: By Praful Bidwai. “The current debate on school textbooks, especially history textbooks…”
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Cliché: put it on the back burner
(entered for 01.24.06)
Meaning: stopped working on it or gave it lower priority. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: buried it deep in storagen1b
Rewrite 2: moved from the oven to the freezer
Rewrite 3: put it back in its plastic packaging
Rewrite 4: locked it in a storage box and mailed myself the key by way of the Amazon
Comment: In some of the rewrites, I put the emphasis on being out of circulation for a long time, such as “deep in storage” or “by way of the Amazon.” It’s probably more standard to simply take it out of circulation or set it aside without the lengthy wait.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés – Penguin Websites New Zealand: “Some clichés, dead metaphors and overworked expressions in business and government.”
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Meaning: stopped working on it or gave it lower priority. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: buried it deep in storagen1b
Rewrite 2: moved from the oven to the freezer
Rewrite 3: put it back in its plastic packaging
Rewrite 4: locked it in a storage box and mailed myself the key by way of the Amazon
Comment: In some of the rewrites, I put the emphasis on being out of circulation for a long time, such as “deep in storage” or “by way of the Amazon.” It’s probably more standard to simply take it out of circulation or set it aside without the lengthy wait.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés – Penguin Websites New Zealand: “Some clichés, dead metaphors and overworked expressions in business and government.”
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Cliché: you lost me
(entered for 01.23.06)
Meaning: I’m not following your train of thought. Related terms and uses.
Rewrite 1: you left me way back there
Rewrite 2: did I just get off a train running late?
Rewrite 3: you must have arrived way before me, because I don’t get it
Rewrite 4: may I submit a missing-idea report?
Rewrite 5: Could you put my face on a milk carton, because I’m way lost?
Comment: This one provides a hint of sarcasm, which can be run to write.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Thundering Clichés: “By The Fiction Editors of The Thrilling Detective Web Site.”
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Meaning: I’m not following your train of thought. Related terms and uses.
Rewrite 1: you left me way back there
Rewrite 2: did I just get off a train running late?
Rewrite 3: you must have arrived way before me, because I don’t get it
Rewrite 4: may I submit a missing-idea report?
Rewrite 5: Could you put my face on a milk carton, because I’m way lost?
Comment: This one provides a hint of sarcasm, which can be run to write.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Thundering Clichés: “By The Fiction Editors of The Thrilling Detective Web Site.”
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Cliché: reopen an old wound
(entered for 01.22.06)
Meaning: remind us of a painful past. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: reopen an old incision
Rewrite 2: dig for a bullet long ago removed
Rewrite 3: search for a cut healed long ago
Rewrite 4: remind us of a hurt already healed
Comment: Although this cliché relates to physical injuries, it can also mean psychological ones.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• A Zillion Kajillion Rhymes and Clichés: “Eccentric Software, home of A Zillion Kajillion Rhymes and Clichés for Windows and Mac.”
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Meaning: remind us of a painful past. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: reopen an old incision
Rewrite 2: dig for a bullet long ago removed
Rewrite 3: search for a cut healed long ago
Rewrite 4: remind us of a hurt already healed
Comment: Although this cliché relates to physical injuries, it can also mean psychological ones.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• A Zillion Kajillion Rhymes and Clichés: “Eccentric Software, home of A Zillion Kajillion Rhymes and Clichés for Windows and Mac.”
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Cliché: old as dirt
Meaning: extremely old. More on dirt.
Rewrite 1: old as the rocks
Rewrite 2: old as Abraham
Rewrite 3: old as last month’s jokes
Rewrite 4: the Egyptian antiquities are younger than this
Comment: This cliché is close to the stuff of “he’s so old…” jokes, so it depends on your intent as a writer how serious you make the rewrites. Also, I used “Abraham” in rewrite 2 to span the three main religious groups: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity to broaden the appeal and the understanding. He was also about 125 years old, old by any human standards.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Caught in historical clichés: from India’s national magazine.
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Rewrite 1: old as the rocks
Rewrite 2: old as Abraham
Rewrite 3: old as last month’s jokes
Rewrite 4: the Egyptian antiquities are younger than this
Comment: This cliché is close to the stuff of “he’s so old…” jokes, so it depends on your intent as a writer how serious you make the rewrites. Also, I used “Abraham” in rewrite 2 to span the three main religious groups: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity to broaden the appeal and the understanding. He was also about 125 years old, old by any human standards.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Caught in historical clichés: from India’s national magazine.
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Friday, January 20, 2006
Cliché: a pox on both your houses
(also: a plague on both your houses)
Meaning: the same suffering befall everyone involved. Origins and uses.
Rewrite 1: may both of your eyes go blind
Rewrite 2: may you suffer like two cats with tails tied over a clothes line
Rewrite 3: an illness overcome you all
Rewrite 4: you’ve drunk from the same cup, may you suffer the same fate
Comment: It’s been quoted numerous times recently on news programs covering the Jack Abramoff scandal to describe public opinion on whether the scandal is a bigger problem for Republicans or Democrats.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• I Support Meaningless Jingoistic Cliches: White House parody gift shop.
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Meaning: the same suffering befall everyone involved. Origins and uses.
Rewrite 1: may both of your eyes go blind
Rewrite 2: may you suffer like two cats with tails tied over a clothes line
Rewrite 3: an illness overcome you all
Rewrite 4: you’ve drunk from the same cup, may you suffer the same fate
Comment: It’s been quoted numerous times recently on news programs covering the Jack Abramoff scandal to describe public opinion on whether the scandal is a bigger problem for Republicans or Democrats.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• I Support Meaningless Jingoistic Cliches: White House parody gift shop.
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Cliché: knock it out of the park
Meaning: a successful effort. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: hit it beyond the reach of the “Green Monster”
Rewrite 2: knock it into the parking lot
Rewrite 3: over the roof and out of reach
Rewrite 4: hit it out of state
Rewrite 5: hit it to the moon and back
Comment: It’s fairly easy to pick up sports and space analogies, so be careful you don’t drop one cliché to pick up another.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Adholes Posting: The ultimate list of advertising clichés. (May require logging in or registering.)
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Rewrite 1: hit it beyond the reach of the “Green Monster”
Rewrite 2: knock it into the parking lot
Rewrite 3: over the roof and out of reach
Rewrite 4: hit it out of state
Rewrite 5: hit it to the moon and back
Comment: It’s fairly easy to pick up sports and space analogies, so be careful you don’t drop one cliché to pick up another.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Adholes Posting: The ultimate list of advertising clichés. (May require logging in or registering.)
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Cliché: couldn't hit the broad side of a barn
Meaning: lousy aim. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: couldn’t hit the wide side of a broad barn
Rewrite 2: couldn’t find the Great Wall of China if you were standing right next to it
Rewrite 3: couldn’t hit a bull’s eye a mile across
Rewrite 4: couldn’t hit a turkey the size of Texas
Comment: You’d have to have pretty bad aim if you couldn’t hit any of these. What else would make a hard target to miss?
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• 24/7 With the Cliché Expert: “Between 1935 and 1952, the humorist Frank Sullivan wrote a series of essays for The New Yorker in which Mr. Arbuthnot, the cliche expert, testified on the trite expressions and hackneyed phrases of the day.”
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Rewrite 1: couldn’t hit the wide side of a broad barn
Rewrite 2: couldn’t find the Great Wall of China if you were standing right next to it
Rewrite 3: couldn’t hit a bull’s eye a mile across
Rewrite 4: couldn’t hit a turkey the size of Texas
Comment: You’d have to have pretty bad aim if you couldn’t hit any of these. What else would make a hard target to miss?
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• 24/7 With the Cliché Expert: “Between 1935 and 1952, the humorist Frank Sullivan wrote a series of essays for The New Yorker in which Mr. Arbuthnot, the cliche expert, testified on the trite expressions and hackneyed phrases of the day.”
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right. To search the page using Internet Explorer, just go to “Edit” in the top menu bar, select “Find”, then enter the cliché or a word from it.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Cliché: cooking with gas now
Meaning: moving ahead with all due speed. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: cooking with copper now
Rewrite 2: tapped into propane now
Rewrite 3: plugged into current* now
Rewrite 4: we’ve gone nucleara3 so watch us move now
*scroll down to “current”
Comment: There are lots of different ways to say we’ve turbocharged our efforts and we’re making exceptional progress.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Wine marketing clichés we can do without: MercuryNews.com, “a sampling of the most popular cliches and what the sad realities are.”
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: cooking with copper now
Rewrite 2: tapped into propane now
Rewrite 3: plugged into current* now
Rewrite 4: we’ve gone nucleara3 so watch us move now
*scroll down to “current”
Comment: There are lots of different ways to say we’ve turbocharged our efforts and we’re making exceptional progress.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Wine marketing clichés we can do without: MercuryNews.com, “a sampling of the most popular cliches and what the sad realities are.”
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Monday, January 16, 2006
Cliché: what's wrong with this picture?
Meaning: something’s wrong here or what are you missing? Alternative use*.
Rewrite 1: what do I see that you don’t?
Rewrite 2: What’s missing from this picture?
Rewrite 3: This picture’s got four sides and you only see three.
Rewrite 4: who said there is something wrong with this picture?
Rewrite 5: What isn’t in this picture that should be?
Comment: This rewrite presented some challenges. Recasting the idea isn’t as simple as it looks.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Adholes Posting: The ultimate list of advertising clichés. (May require logging in or registering.)
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available at the bottom of the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: what do I see that you don’t?
Rewrite 2: What’s missing from this picture?
Rewrite 3: This picture’s got four sides and you only see three.
Rewrite 4: who said there is something wrong with this picture?
Rewrite 5: What isn’t in this picture that should be?
Comment: This rewrite presented some challenges. Recasting the idea isn’t as simple as it looks.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Adholes Posting: The ultimate list of advertising clichés. (May require logging in or registering.)
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available at the bottom of the archive list at the right.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Cliché: a tongue-lashing
Meaning: a stiff talking-to. Definition and uses.
Rewrite 1: a word lashing
Rewrite 2: a vent lashing
Rewrite 3: getting their word’s worth
Rewrite 4: getting their 2-cents worth with a side of jalapeño
Comment: How many ways can you think to receive (or deliver) a good tongue-lashing?
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Asia Times: First-person account of devastating tsunami in December 2004, citing the clichés that came to mind at the time.
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available at the bottom of the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: a word lashing
Rewrite 2: a vent lashing
Rewrite 3: getting their word’s worth
Rewrite 4: getting their 2-cents worth with a side of jalapeño
Comment: How many ways can you think to receive (or deliver) a good tongue-lashing?
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Asia Times: First-person account of devastating tsunami in December 2004, citing the clichés that came to mind at the time.
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available at the bottom of the archive list at the right.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Cliché: no skin off my nose
Meaning: it won’t hurt me. Definitions and uses.
Rewrite 1: no skin off my shin
Rewrite 2: it won’t break any of my bones
Rewrite 3: no knee in the groin here
Rewrite 4: no burned fingers from this one
Comment: This cliché is often given as a response to a threat or warning, so the rewrite needs to play off as such a response.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• IWJ Journal: Article about website that offers a searchable database of clichés.
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliche rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: no skin off my shin
Rewrite 2: it won’t break any of my bones
Rewrite 3: no knee in the groin here
Rewrite 4: no burned fingers from this one
Comment: This cliché is often given as a response to a threat or warning, so the rewrite needs to play off as such a response.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• IWJ Journal: Article about website that offers a searchable database of clichés.
Check out the new alphabetical list of all my cliche rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Cliché: is it soup yet?
Meaning: is it ready? Use examples.
Rewrite 1: is it soufflé yet?
Rewrite 2: is it off the grilln2 yet?
Rewrite 3: can I ring the dinner bell yet?
Rewrite 4: can I call all-hands yet?
Comment: These rewrites skew to asking about meals, but they can also be a general reference to anything else you’re waiting for.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Handling the common Weight Loss and Dieting cliches and insults: “Overweight and obese people looking to cope with criticism and wanting to learn how to handle the glib clichés and discrimination from their critics…”
Rewrite 1: is it soufflé yet?
Rewrite 2: is it off the grilln2 yet?
Rewrite 3: can I ring the dinner bell yet?
Rewrite 4: can I call all-hands yet?
Comment: These rewrites skew to asking about meals, but they can also be a general reference to anything else you’re waiting for.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Handling the common Weight Loss and Dieting cliches and insults: “Overweight and obese people looking to cope with criticism and wanting to learn how to handle the glib clichés and discrimination from their critics…”
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Cliché: get cleaned out
Meaning: to lose everything, especially financially. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: have a financial enema
Rewrite 2: fed my cash to the trash
Rewrite 3: my wallet’s been turned inside out
Rewrite 4: lost everything but my mind
Comment: As pedestrian as this cliché is, almost anything else will seem creative, which is where you want to go with this rewrite.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Blogging with Bryan C. Hanks: “Sports clichés. Best prep softball facilities.”
Rewrite 1: have a financial enema
Rewrite 2: fed my cash to the trash
Rewrite 3: my wallet’s been turned inside out
Rewrite 4: lost everything but my mind
Comment: As pedestrian as this cliché is, almost anything else will seem creative, which is where you want to go with this rewrite.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Blogging with Bryan C. Hanks: “Sports clichés. Best prep softball facilities.”
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Cliché: burn your bridges
Meaning: resort to an irreversible decision or sever your attachments. Definitions.
Rewrite 1: nail your doors shut
Rewrite 2: flatten the tires to your ride home
Rewrite 3: leave yourself without options
Rewrite 4: destroy your maps back
Comment: This cliché also has a component of severing relationships.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Literary Voice: Don’t Panic Cliches, but Do Read, Read, Read: “So trying to become aware of the cliches in the language and the ones you use yourself.”
Rewrite 1: nail your doors shut
Rewrite 2: flatten the tires to your ride home
Rewrite 3: leave yourself without options
Rewrite 4: destroy your maps back
Comment: This cliché also has a component of severing relationships.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Literary Voice: Don’t Panic Cliches, but Do Read, Read, Read: “So trying to become aware of the cliches in the language and the ones you use yourself.”
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Cliché: when hell freezes over
Meaning: when the impossible or improbable happens
Rewrite 1: when hell floods out
Rewrite 2: when heaven welcomes Satan
Rewrite 3: when the sun shuts down
Rewrite 4: when ice flows in the Amazon
Comment: You can be creative here, but it becomes unbelievable if you push the boundaries too far. Also, heaven and hell are often but not always capitalized.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés – English (ESL) Weblog: “A cliché is a group of words that have special meaning…”
Rewrite 1: when hell floods out
Rewrite 2: when heaven welcomes Satan
Rewrite 3: when the sun shuts down
Rewrite 4: when ice flows in the Amazon
Comment: You can be creative here, but it becomes unbelievable if you push the boundaries too far. Also, heaven and hell are often but not always capitalized.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés – English (ESL) Weblog: “A cliché is a group of words that have special meaning…”
Monday, January 09, 2006
Cliché: sweep it under the rug
(entered for 1-09-06)
Meaning: hide something for nefarious reasons. Definitions and uses.
Rewrite 1: sweeptv2 it under the sofa
Rewrite 2: drop it into a heating grate
Rewrite 3: take it AWOL
Rewrite 4: sweep it into a black hole
Comment 1: The hard part of this rewrite is to keep the cliché’s sense of intrigue.
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• CISAB Animal Proverbs & Cliches: “…from the Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior…”
Meaning: hide something for nefarious reasons. Definitions and uses.
Rewrite 1: sweeptv2 it under the sofa
Rewrite 2: drop it into a heating grate
Rewrite 3: take it AWOL
Rewrite 4: sweep it into a black hole
Comment 1: The hard part of this rewrite is to keep the cliché’s sense of intrigue.
Comment 2: When I tried to find a link to a definition for "black hole" for rewrite 4, I went to the California Space Institute website, the link provided by www.answers.com. The results page I received was "Object not found!" How ironic.
More reading about clichésWhat I found when I googled “clichés”:
• CISAB Animal Proverbs & Cliches: “…from the Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior…”
Cliché: making money hand over fist
(entered for 01.08.06)
Meaning: earning cash fast. Meaning and examples.
Rewrite 1: making changen4 with a magnet
Rewrite 2: taking in money with a vacuum cleaner
Rewrite 3: making money faster than the mint can print it
Rewrite 4: raking in cash faster than a pickpocket at a charity event
Comment: Think dollar signs and think speed, then be creative.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés in Advertising: “BBC News provide a list of some of the more common clichés in television.”
Meaning: earning cash fast. Meaning and examples.
Rewrite 1: making changen4 with a magnet
Rewrite 2: taking in money with a vacuum cleaner
Rewrite 3: making money faster than the mint can print it
Rewrite 4: raking in cash faster than a pickpocket at a charity event
Comment: Think dollar signs and think speed, then be creative.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés in Advertising: “BBC News provide a list of some of the more common clichés in television.”
Cliché: like a knife through hot butter
(for 01.07.06)
Meaning: acts with little resistance.
Rewrite 1: like a prow through the water
Rewrite 2: like a spoon through hot soup*
Rewrite 3: like a squeal amid silence
Rewrite 4: like scissors through fabric
Comment: Nothing cuts through baloney like a hot metaphor.
*Updated 5-27-17 with thanks to William Phillips.
Meaning: acts with little resistance.
Rewrite 1: like a prow through the water
Rewrite 2: like a spoon through hot soup*
Rewrite 3: like a squeal amid silence
Rewrite 4: like scissors through fabric
Comment: Nothing cuts through baloney like a hot metaphor.
*Updated 5-27-17 with thanks to William Phillips.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Cliché: waiting for the other shoe to drop
Meaning: expecting the next step to occur, usually with negative consequences. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: waiting for the other door to slam
Rewrite 2: waiting for the over-weighted shelf to fall
Rewrite 3: waiting to see where lightning strikes next
Rewrite 4: waiting in line at the will-call window, but hoping they're sold out
Comment 1: The more explanation you have to build into the phrase for it to make sense the less effective it is as a metaphor. Rewrite 2 above is close to being too long, although I think it still works.
Comment 2: This cliché has shown up most recently in the wake of the Jack Abramoff scandal. It was frequently used to describe the fear members of the U.S. Congress and many of their staff feel as a result of Mr. Abramoff’s plea bargain with prosecutors. It was used so frequently, I decided it was an appropriate time to offer some alternative phrases. Thus, this entry.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Cliché Quotes: “Clichés quotes and quotations from BrainyQuote.”
Rewrite 1: waiting for the other door to slam
Rewrite 2: waiting for the over-weighted shelf to fall
Rewrite 3: waiting to see where lightning strikes next
Rewrite 4: waiting in line at the will-call window, but hoping they're sold out
Comment 1: The more explanation you have to build into the phrase for it to make sense the less effective it is as a metaphor. Rewrite 2 above is close to being too long, although I think it still works.
Comment 2: This cliché has shown up most recently in the wake of the Jack Abramoff scandal. It was frequently used to describe the fear members of the U.S. Congress and many of their staff feel as a result of Mr. Abramoff’s plea bargain with prosecutors. It was used so frequently, I decided it was an appropriate time to offer some alternative phrases. Thus, this entry.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Cliché Quotes: “Clichés quotes and quotations from BrainyQuote.”
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Cliché: stop on a dime
Meaning: stop short or suddenly. Definition and uses.
Rewrite 1: stop on a chip
Rewrite 2: stop on the head of a flea
Rewrite 3: stop on the tip of a straight pin
Rewrite 4: stop on a crackn2a
Comment: Think very small, but also think simple and imaginable.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Steve’s Clichés: “Steve’s mixed cliché list.”
Rewrite 1: stop on a chip
Rewrite 2: stop on the head of a flea
Rewrite 3: stop on the tip of a straight pin
Rewrite 4: stop on a crackn2a
Comment: Think very small, but also think simple and imaginable.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Steve’s Clichés: “Steve’s mixed cliché list.”
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Cliché: not playing with a full deck
(entered for 01.04.06)
Meaning: mentally deficient. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: working short a tool or two
Rewrite 2: shuffling with only half a deck
Rewrite 3: walking on legs with no feet
Rewrite 4: powered by half a battery
Comment: You can have a lot of fun with this one, imagining all the ways someone could be working without a full deck.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Statistical Modeling: “Seven statistical clichés used by baseball announcers.”
Meaning: mentally deficient. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: working short a tool or two
Rewrite 2: shuffling with only half a deck
Rewrite 3: walking on legs with no feet
Rewrite 4: powered by half a battery
Comment: You can have a lot of fun with this one, imagining all the ways someone could be working without a full deck.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Statistical Modeling: “Seven statistical clichés used by baseball announcers.”
Cliché: madder than a wet hen
(entered for 01.03.06)
Meaning: extremely upset. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: madder than a pig in dry mud
Rewrite 2: madder than a politician with no pork2
Rewrite 3: more upset than a cook without a stove
Rewrite 4: more distressed than a dog with no bark
Comment: I tried to stay away from strictly animals, but they make some of the more imaginative metaphors.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• ESL (English as a Second Language) Test: Clichés: test your knowledge of clichés of the English language.
Meaning: extremely upset. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: madder than a pig in dry mud
Rewrite 2: madder than a politician with no pork2
Rewrite 3: more upset than a cook without a stove
Rewrite 4: more distressed than a dog with no bark
Comment: I tried to stay away from strictly animals, but they make some of the more imaginative metaphors.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• ESL (English as a Second Language) Test: Clichés: test your knowledge of clichés of the English language.
Cliché: get over the hump
(entered for 01.02.06) (Sorry, I was sick over New Years and missed some entries.)
Meaning: get past the hardest part. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: get beyond Wednesday
Rewrite 2: make it past payday
Rewrite 3: get over the mountain
Rewrite 4: clear the construction and get to the open road
Comment: There are lots of things with humps, some of which are harder to get over than others. A camel, or instance, has a hump, but you really need to ride the hump rather than get over it.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Literary Voice: Don’t Panic Cliches, but Do Read, Read, Read: “So trying to become aware of the cliches in the language and the ones you use yourself.”
Meaning: get past the hardest part. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: get beyond Wednesday
Rewrite 2: make it past payday
Rewrite 3: get over the mountain
Rewrite 4: clear the construction and get to the open road
Comment: There are lots of things with humps, some of which are harder to get over than others. A camel, or instance, has a hump, but you really need to ride the hump rather than get over it.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Literary Voice: Don’t Panic Cliches, but Do Read, Read, Read: “So trying to become aware of the cliches in the language and the ones you use yourself.”
Cliché: a fly in the ointment
(entered for 01.01.06) (Sorry, I was sick over New Years and missed some entries.)
Meaning: something that detracts from something else. Definitions and uses.
Rewrite 1: a fly in the omelet
Rewrite 2: a mark on the page
Rewrite 3: a scratchn1a on the bumper
Rewrite 4: too much salt in the pudding
Comment: This cliché replaces a duplicate that I just discovered. It had become a fly in the ointment of this weblog, so I expunged it.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Downpour of Media Cliches Threatens to Flood Nation: (1995) “Once you decode the main cliches, the torrents of media blather will roll off you like water off a duck's back.”
Meaning: something that detracts from something else. Definitions and uses.
Rewrite 1: a fly in the omelet
Rewrite 2: a mark on the page
Rewrite 3: a scratchn1a on the bumper
Rewrite 4: too much salt in the pudding
Comment: This cliché replaces a duplicate that I just discovered. It had become a fly in the ointment of this weblog, so I expunged it.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Downpour of Media Cliches Threatens to Flood Nation: (1995) “Once you decode the main cliches, the torrents of media blather will roll off you like water off a duck's back.”
Cliché: a diamond in the rough
(entered for 12.31.05) (Sorry, I was sick over New Years and missed some entries.)
Meaning: not refined or just formed. Definition and use examples.
Rewrite 1: a plank badly needing some sanding
Rewrite 2: a gem with no sparkle1b
Rewrite 3: a tree with its roots still in a ball
Rewrite 4: a road full of potholes
Comment: The challenge here is to recast about things that aren’t simply broken.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Diana Hacker: Language Debates: Cliches: The Bedford Handbook “On the matter of clichés, usage experts take a moderate stance.”
Meaning: not refined or just formed. Definition and use examples.
Rewrite 1: a plank badly needing some sanding
Rewrite 2: a gem with no sparkle1b
Rewrite 3: a tree with its roots still in a ball
Rewrite 4: a road full of potholes
Comment: The challenge here is to recast about things that aren’t simply broken.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Diana Hacker: Language Debates: Cliches: The Bedford Handbook “On the matter of clichés, usage experts take a moderate stance.”
Friday, December 30, 2005
Cliché: one man's garbage is another man's treasure
Meaning: value is in the eye of the beholder. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: one man’s garbage is another man’s four-star meal
Rewrite 2: one man’s treasure is another man’s trash
Rewrite 3: what is junk to you may be treasure to me
Rewrite 4: you see junk I see jonque (“dressed-up” version of junk)
Rewrite 5: junk by any other name is treasure by another
Comment 1: You may be familiar with this cliché using "trash" or "junk" instead of "garbage."
Comment 2 : There are lots of ways to position both “garbage” and “treasure.” There are also lots of ways to twist and turn the phrase to praise either trash or treasure.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• This is Broken – Advertising Cliches: “This Is Broken is a project to make companies more aware of their customer experience. Submit your own entry.”
Rewrite 1: one man’s garbage is another man’s four-star meal
Rewrite 2: one man’s treasure is another man’s trash
Rewrite 3: what is junk to you may be treasure to me
Rewrite 4: you see junk I see jonque (“dressed-up” version of junk)
Rewrite 5: junk by any other name is treasure by another
Comment 1: You may be familiar with this cliché using "trash" or "junk" instead of "garbage."
Comment 2 : There are lots of ways to position both “garbage” and “treasure.” There are also lots of ways to twist and turn the phrase to praise either trash or treasure.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• This is Broken – Advertising Cliches: “This Is Broken is a project to make companies more aware of their customer experience. Submit your own entry.”
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Cliché: just the tip of the iceberg
(entered for 12.29.05)
Meaning: only the most visible part of a much bigger whole. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: just a jewel of a buried treasure
Rewrite 2: only a penny of a pocketful of change
Rewrite 3: just the street entrance of a 40-storynoun3 building
Rewrite 4: but the flower of a long-rooted dandelion
Comment: I first established a larger whole then decribed on a smaller part; it helps to stick with something most people would recognize rather than something more obscure, although if you’re addressing a special audience you can most certainly pick an object perhaps known mostly or only to them.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Colonial Clichés in a German Zoo? “Many zoos put on special exhibits in order to attract visitors. Most also attract little notice much less controversy. But one zoo in southern Germany is…”
Meaning: only the most visible part of a much bigger whole. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: just a jewel of a buried treasure
Rewrite 2: only a penny of a pocketful of change
Rewrite 3: just the street entrance of a 40-storynoun3 building
Rewrite 4: but the flower of a long-rooted dandelion
Comment: I first established a larger whole then decribed on a smaller part; it helps to stick with something most people would recognize rather than something more obscure, although if you’re addressing a special audience you can most certainly pick an object perhaps known mostly or only to them.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Colonial Clichés in a German Zoo? “Many zoos put on special exhibits in order to attract visitors. Most also attract little notice much less controversy. But one zoo in southern Germany is…”
Cliché: go against the grain
(entered for 12.28.05)
Meaning: do something opposite to the established or accepted way. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: row against the tide
Rewrite 2: steer against the curve
Rewrite 3: walk against the flow
Rewrite 4: talk over the conversation
Comment: Think of going against something that everyone does automatically, like walking up the downstairs or driving the wrong way on a one-way street.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Great Movie Clichés: 'Auteur Movie Clichés'. “'Broadway Movie Musical Clichés'. 'Television Drama Cliches'”
Meaning: do something opposite to the established or accepted way. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: row against the tide
Rewrite 2: steer against the curve
Rewrite 3: walk against the flow
Rewrite 4: talk over the conversation
Comment: Think of going against something that everyone does automatically, like walking up the downstairs or driving the wrong way on a one-way street.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Great Movie Clichés: 'Auteur Movie Clichés'. “'Broadway Movie Musical Clichés'. 'Television Drama Cliches'”
Cliché: ants in his pants
(entered for 12.27.05)
Meaning: excited or energized. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: statica3 in his shorts
Rewrite 2: an itch on his spine
Rewrite 3: a scorpion in his shoe
Rewrite 4: a spider dangling in front of his face
Comment: I thought of things that might make me jump around excitedly or make me get up quickly and run away.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Leadership & Practical Theology: “Tom Payne's guide to the words that reviewers and publishers love too much…”
Meaning: excited or energized. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: statica3 in his shorts
Rewrite 2: an itch on his spine
Rewrite 3: a scorpion in his shoe
Rewrite 4: a spider dangling in front of his face
Comment: I thought of things that might make me jump around excitedly or make me get up quickly and run away.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Leadership & Practical Theology: “Tom Payne's guide to the words that reviewers and publishers love too much…”
Monday, December 26, 2005
Cliché: you could have knocked me over with a feather
Meaning: extremely weak. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: you could have knocked me over with a leaf
Rewrite 2: so beat, a feather could have knocked me out
Rewrite 3: such a wuss I was afraid a dandelion seed would push me over
Rewrite 4: so weak, I couldn’t stand straight on a windless day
Comment: This is really a metaphor about weakness, whether it’s physical or mental.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Web Design Tips, “The purpose of this web site is to help out new web developers by going over some of the tips of how to put together a top-quality, professional web site.”
Rewrite 1: you could have knocked me over with a leaf
Rewrite 2: so beat, a feather could have knocked me out
Rewrite 3: such a wuss I was afraid a dandelion seed would push me over
Rewrite 4: so weak, I couldn’t stand straight on a windless day
Comment: This is really a metaphor about weakness, whether it’s physical or mental.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Web Design Tips, “The purpose of this web site is to help out new web developers by going over some of the tips of how to put together a top-quality, professional web site.”
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Cliché: season’s greetings
Meaning: best wishes for the holiday. More on the greeting.
Rewrite 1: wishing you the most wonderful time of the year
Rewrite 2: wishing you many cheerful holiday moments
Rewrite 3: here's hoping your holiday is full of cherished memories
Rewrite 4: may your holiday stocking be full of wonderful surprises
Rewrite 5: may all that you desire come true this joyous holiday
Comment: More to the point, however, it may be more sincere to say "Merry Christmas!", "Happy Hanukah!", or "Happy Kwanzaa!" if that's what you really mean. And so, I wish you the merriest of Christmases, the most happy of Hanukahs, and the most splendid of Kwanzaas.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “holiday clichés”:
• Poynter Online – Forums, holiday clichés.
Rewrite 1: wishing you the most wonderful time of the year
Rewrite 2: wishing you many cheerful holiday moments
Rewrite 3: here's hoping your holiday is full of cherished memories
Rewrite 4: may your holiday stocking be full of wonderful surprises
Rewrite 5: may all that you desire come true this joyous holiday
Comment: More to the point, however, it may be more sincere to say "Merry Christmas!", "Happy Hanukah!", or "Happy Kwanzaa!" if that's what you really mean. And so, I wish you the merriest of Christmases, the most happy of Hanukahs, and the most splendid of Kwanzaas.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “holiday clichés”:
• Poynter Online – Forums, holiday clichés.
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Cliché: rotten to the core
Meaning: bad throughout. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: rotten4 through to the center
Rewrite 2: bad, bad, really bad
Rewrite 3: a core made of rotted heart
Rewrite 4: so full of corruptionn1b there's no room for a soul
Comment: Just think of Dr. Seuss's "Grinch" (the nasty green fellow who stole Christmas) before his conversion. Which reminds me! Happy holidays to all: Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Kwanzaa!
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Some past and future clichés regarding GNU/Linux: “Some past and future clichés regarding (GNU/) LINUX. Originally printed in Mute Magazine.”
Rewrite 1: rotten4 through to the center
Rewrite 2: bad, bad, really bad
Rewrite 3: a core made of rotted heart
Rewrite 4: so full of corruptionn1b there's no room for a soul
Comment: Just think of Dr. Seuss's "Grinch" (the nasty green fellow who stole Christmas) before his conversion. Which reminds me! Happy holidays to all: Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Kwanzaa!
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Some past and future clichés regarding GNU/Linux: “Some past and future clichés regarding (GNU/) LINUX. Originally printed in Mute Magazine.”
Friday, December 23, 2005
Cliché: firing on all cylinders
Meaning: maximum performance. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: using all 10 fingers
Rewrite 2: counting on all 10 toes
Rewrite 3: using both sides of the brain
Rewrite 4: playing all 88 keys
Comment: Metaphors with numbers enhance the essence of this statement.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Sport clichés press: “As featured in Sports Illustrated, ESPN, USA Today, Fox & Friends.”
Rewrite 1: using all 10 fingers
Rewrite 2: counting on all 10 toes
Rewrite 3: using both sides of the brain
Rewrite 4: playing all 88 keys
Comment: Metaphors with numbers enhance the essence of this statement.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Sport clichés press: “As featured in Sports Illustrated, ESPN, USA Today, Fox & Friends.”
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Cliché: everything’s coming up roses
(entered 11:46 pm ET, 12.22.05; updated 04.02.06)
Meaning: things are turning out wonderfully. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: everything’s coming up aces
Rewrite 2: we’re seeing white linensn2 and no spotsn2c
Rewrite 3: I plant weeds and what I get are petunias
Rewrite 4: all I get are sunny days and starry nights
Rewrite 5: my garden is nothing but roses
Rewrite 6: everything’s coming up lilies
Rewrite 7: nothing but sunshine and warm breezes
Rewrite 8: it’s all coming in hundred-dollar bills
Comment: There are lots of opportunities to paint pretty, spotless images. This is about trouble-free life, so think about the perfect day and what you’d like to see on that day.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• SparkNotes: Ultimate Style: Cliches: “It’s easy to fill your writing with clichés.”
Meaning: things are turning out wonderfully. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: everything’s coming up aces
Rewrite 2: we’re seeing white linensn2 and no spotsn2c
Rewrite 3: I plant weeds and what I get are petunias
Rewrite 4: all I get are sunny days and starry nights
Rewrite 5: my garden is nothing but roses
Rewrite 6: everything’s coming up lilies
Rewrite 7: nothing but sunshine and warm breezes
Rewrite 8: it’s all coming in hundred-dollar bills
Comment: There are lots of opportunities to paint pretty, spotless images. This is about trouble-free life, so think about the perfect day and what you’d like to see on that day.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• SparkNotes: Ultimate Style: Cliches: “It’s easy to fill your writing with clichés.”
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Cliché: the lights are on but there's nobody home
Meaning: someone who isn’t very smart. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: the lights are running on a weak generator3
Rewrite 2: the door is open but it leads nowhere
Rewrite 3: the draperies are open but no light’s coming in through the window
Rewrite 4: the faucet is open but no water’s coming out
Comment: A parallel rewrite is difficult to do without sounding pretentious, but there are a number of other ways to say “this light’s working on low wattage.”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Dan Schneider on Redeeming Clichés: “…a 10 line poem with at least 8½ seeming clichés…”
Rewrite 1: the lights are running on a weak generator3
Rewrite 2: the door is open but it leads nowhere
Rewrite 3: the draperies are open but no light’s coming in through the window
Rewrite 4: the faucet is open but no water’s coming out
Comment: A parallel rewrite is difficult to do without sounding pretentious, but there are a number of other ways to say “this light’s working on low wattage.”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Dan Schneider on Redeeming Clichés: “…a 10 line poem with at least 8½ seeming clichés…”
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Cliché: the whole enchilada (new entry)
(re-entered at 1:39 pm ET on 12.23.05)
Meaning: the whole package. Multiple clichés for a similar idea.
Rewrite 1: the doughnut and the doughnut hole (also donut)
Rewrite 2: bed, box spring, and mattress
Rewrite 3: the whole car, from the tires to the rag top*
Rewrite 4: the whole car, from headlight to taillight
*Scroll down to rag-top; also applies to American and Canadian English.
Comment: I had to replace my original here because, without intending to, I had repeated a cliché. My apologies to my readers. (I discovered the repeat when I tried to organize the list of clichés alphabetically.)
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés and journalism: “Quickchés: New source of tired writing.”
Meaning: the whole package. Multiple clichés for a similar idea.
Rewrite 1: the doughnut and the doughnut hole (also donut)
Rewrite 2: bed, box spring, and mattress
Rewrite 3: the whole car, from the tires to the rag top*
Rewrite 4: the whole car, from headlight to taillight
*Scroll down to rag-top; also applies to American and Canadian English.
Comment: I had to replace my original here because, without intending to, I had repeated a cliché. My apologies to my readers. (I discovered the repeat when I tried to organize the list of clichés alphabetically.)
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés and journalism: “Quickchés: New source of tired writing.”
Monday, December 19, 2005
Cliché: fall head over heels
Meaning: go all goo-goo over something. Mentions and use examples.
Rewrite 1: danceiv2a around like doing a pirouette in free-fall3
Rewrite 2: do cartwheels on a tightrope
Rewrite 3: frolicvi like a frog on caffeine
Rewrite 4: make like Goofy in love
Comment: Just think about your friends on their first date and how strangely they acted. In using “Goofy” in rewrite 4, I wanted to impart a vision of the Disney character who acts, well, goofy, even more so when he’s in love.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• A fist full of Euros: National Clichés:”…how many of these national touchstones I’ve been completely ignorant about…”
Rewrite 1: danceiv2a around like doing a pirouette in free-fall3
Rewrite 2: do cartwheels on a tightrope
Rewrite 3: frolicvi like a frog on caffeine
Rewrite 4: make like Goofy in love
Comment: Just think about your friends on their first date and how strangely they acted. In using “Goofy” in rewrite 4, I wanted to impart a vision of the Disney character who acts, well, goofy, even more so when he’s in love.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• A fist full of Euros: National Clichés:”…how many of these national touchstones I’ve been completely ignorant about…”
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Cliché: barking up the wrong tree
Meaning: talking to the wrong person; making the wrong choice. Origins.
Rewrite 1: planting a weed where you want a flower
Rewrite 2: picking a rotten apple
Rewrite 3: taking home an empty bag
Rewrite 4: ringingiv3 your own doorbell
Rewrite 5: singing in the wrong key
Comment: This rewrite is fun and easy – just think of a creative way of saying, “You’re making a bad choice.”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés” [NOTE: I’m already on page 15 of the results pages!]:
• Not so grand Cliché List: “Modern (sometimes painfully modern) jokes/clichés/conventions of society…”
Rewrite 1: planting a weed where you want a flower
Rewrite 2: picking a rotten apple
Rewrite 3: taking home an empty bag
Rewrite 4: ringingiv3 your own doorbell
Rewrite 5: singing in the wrong key
Comment: This rewrite is fun and easy – just think of a creative way of saying, “You’re making a bad choice.”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés” [NOTE: I’m already on page 15 of the results pages!]:
• Not so grand Cliché List: “Modern (sometimes painfully modern) jokes/clichés/conventions of society…”
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Cliché: in two shakes of a lamb's tail
Meaning: very quickly. Further on meaning.
Rewrite 1: in two heartbeats
Rewrite 2: quicker than you can shake a lamb’s tail
Rewrite 3: quicker than you can say, “lamb’s tail”
Rewrite 4: faster than you can say, “Get it.”
Comment: This one was a little harder that I thought it would be to rewrite. Perhaps because you want it to be short but some things need more language to explain or set up the comparison.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• The 15 most annoying IT-speak clichés: “The 15 most annoying IT-speak clichés, buzzwords ever used…”
Rewrite 1: in two heartbeats
Rewrite 2: quicker than you can shake a lamb’s tail
Rewrite 3: quicker than you can say, “lamb’s tail”
Rewrite 4: faster than you can say, “Get it.”
Comment: This one was a little harder that I thought it would be to rewrite. Perhaps because you want it to be short but some things need more language to explain or set up the comparison.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• The 15 most annoying IT-speak clichés: “The 15 most annoying IT-speak clichés, buzzwords ever used…”
Friday, December 16, 2005
Cliché: hit pay dirt
Meaning: reach a valued goal. Definition and mentions.
Rewrite 1: striketv16a a gold vein6
Rewrite 2: mint silver
Rewrite 3: deliveriv1 coin
Rewrite 4: take downtv3 a piñata full of diamonds
Rewrite 5: hittv6c CEO pay
Rewrite 6: mineiv1a the mother load1
Comment: I overdid myself, but in doing so I hope I demonstrated that there are many ways to say the same thing.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind: “Gimmicks, like cliches, reveal a lack of craft or imagination, or sometimes downright,” by a writer of crime fiction.
Rewrite 1: striketv16a a gold vein6
Rewrite 2: mint silver
Rewrite 3: deliveriv1 coin
Rewrite 4: take downtv3 a piñata full of diamonds
Rewrite 5: hittv6c CEO pay
Rewrite 6: mineiv1a the mother load1
Comment: I overdid myself, but in doing so I hope I demonstrated that there are many ways to say the same thing.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind: “Gimmicks, like cliches, reveal a lack of craft or imagination, or sometimes downright,” by a writer of crime fiction.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Cliché: at the drop of a hat
Meaning: immediately or easily. Origins and mentions.
Rewrite 1: at the drop of a name
Rewrite 2: at the toss of a coin
Rewrite 3: as sudden as a sneeze
Rewrite 4: faster than the snapis3a of a whip
Rewrite 5: easier than licking a stamp
Comment: What else is quick or easy, so quick or easy it will come immediately to mind?
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• John August: “a ton of useful information about screenwriting.” How to avoid clichés in story writing.
Rewrite 1: at the drop of a name
Rewrite 2: at the toss of a coin
Rewrite 3: as sudden as a sneeze
Rewrite 4: faster than the snapis3a of a whip
Rewrite 5: easier than licking a stamp
Comment: What else is quick or easy, so quick or easy it will come immediately to mind?
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• John August: “a ton of useful information about screenwriting.” How to avoid clichés in story writing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
