Meaning: eager to leave or stop doing something (example 1, example 2)
Rewrite 1: watching the sweep hand
Rewrite 2: listening for the timer to beep
Rewrite 3: watching for the sun to set
Rewrite 4: looking for "the end"
Rewrite 5: looking for an article stop
Comment: I looked for things besides an actual clock that represented the end to something, thus: the sweep hand of a clock that ticked off minutes, the sound of a timer that signaled the end of a specific time, the words that often signal the end of a movie, and the graphic device some publications use to show that an article stops.
Find me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
...
Help recasting trouble words
(commission may be paid on purchase)
Monday, March 22, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Cliché: up the ante
Meaning: increase the cost, size, or importance of something especially something of risk (example 1, example 2)
Rewrite 1: up the price of admission
Rewrite 2: increase the down payment
Rewrite 3: accelerate your buy-in
Rewrite 4: tinker with the ticket
Rewrite 5: graduate the anxiety level
Rewrite 6: pump up the game
Comment: Most of these involve the cost, but there is far more room to recast size or importance.
Catch me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
...
Empower your word power
(commission may be paid on purchase)
Rewrite 1: up the price of admission
Rewrite 2: increase the down payment
Rewrite 3: accelerate your buy-in
Rewrite 4: tinker with the ticket
Rewrite 5: graduate the anxiety level
Rewrite 6: pump up the game
Comment: Most of these involve the cost, but there is far more room to recast size or importance.
Catch me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
...
Empower your word power
(commission may be paid on purchase)
Monday, March 15, 2010
Cliché: take the bull by the horns
Meaning: confront a difficult problem head on or confidently tackle a difficult problem (example 1, example 2)
Rewrite 1: Take the rhino by the horn
Rewrite 2: Take the lion by the mane
Rewrite 3: Grab the rottweiler by the whiskers
Rewrite 4: Stand your ground against the tremor
Rewrite 5: Face the gale and damn the flood
Comments: Obviously, these are all metaphorical. I wouldn't want any of you to stand before an approaching tornado in the hope of out-nerving it, for instance.
Don't forget to check the alphabetic listing of cliches I've already rewritten. Look in the nav bar just below the title.
Find me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
...
Help for rewriting clichés
(commission may be paid for purchase)
Rewrite 1: Take the rhino by the horn
Rewrite 2: Take the lion by the mane
Rewrite 3: Grab the rottweiler by the whiskers
Rewrite 4: Stand your ground against the tremor
Rewrite 5: Face the gale and damn the flood
Comments: Obviously, these are all metaphorical. I wouldn't want any of you to stand before an approaching tornado in the hope of out-nerving it, for instance.
Don't forget to check the alphabetic listing of cliches I've already rewritten. Look in the nav bar just below the title.
Find me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
...
Help for rewriting clichés
(commission may be paid for purchase)
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Cliché: take the gloves off
Meaning: play or act more aggressively, less guardedly (example)
Rewrite 1: take the padding off
Rewrite 2: shed the wuss pads
Rewrite 3: drop the kiddie protectors
Rewrite 4: play to lose some skin
Rewrite 5: resort to roughy rules
Comment: I've written to the idea of dropping artificial protectants, using more sarcastic language, but it doesn't have to be that way. You could just as easily work it toward more natural conditions or more agile play. Ask yourself what the gloves represent and what taking them off means in your circumstance.
Check out the new alphabetic list, now built into the navigation in my blog. I'm still working with the format.
Join me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
...
Another resource on clichés
(commission may be paid on purchases)
Rewrite 1: take the padding off
Rewrite 2: shed the wuss pads
Rewrite 3: drop the kiddie protectors
Rewrite 4: play to lose some skin
Rewrite 5: resort to roughy rules
Comment: I've written to the idea of dropping artificial protectants, using more sarcastic language, but it doesn't have to be that way. You could just as easily work it toward more natural conditions or more agile play. Ask yourself what the gloves represent and what taking them off means in your circumstance.
Check out the new alphabetic list, now built into the navigation in my blog. I'm still working with the format.
Join me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
...
Another resource on clichés
(commission may be paid on purchases)
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Cliché: shoestring budget
Meaning: limited resources or of lowest financial means (example)
Rewrite 1: second-hand budget
Rewrite 2: single-flower budget
Rewrite 3: staples funds
Rewrite 4: hand-me-down reserves
Rewrite 5: do-it-yourself plan
Comment: This cliché is full of opportunity for rewrites and recasting, and in today's economy there is likely ample reason to, with so many stories of people cutting back on spending or trimming luxuries.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with my archived list.
Find me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
...
Explore more about clichés
(commissions may be paid on purchases)
Rewrite 1: second-hand budget
Rewrite 2: single-flower budget
Rewrite 3: staples funds
Rewrite 4: hand-me-down reserves
Rewrite 5: do-it-yourself plan
Comment: This cliché is full of opportunity for rewrites and recasting, and in today's economy there is likely ample reason to, with so many stories of people cutting back on spending or trimming luxuries.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with my archived list.
Find me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
...
Explore more about clichés
(commissions may be paid on purchases)
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Cliché: a real toad strangler
Meaning: overwhelmingly heavy rain or other overwhelming circumstance
Rewrite 1: a real guppy gusher
Rewrite 2: a real worm drowner
Rewrite 3: a real line snapper
Rewrite 4: a real bag burster
Comment: The idiom here suggests that the rain is so heavy it could overwhelm even an amphibian used to living in or near water. It could be used to suggest other things that might overwhelm something otherwise at home in that environment. So, a rewrite should fit in that sense. A recast could take an opposite tack or simply suggest a different kind of overwhelming circumstance.
Find me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
...
More reading on clichés
(commission may be paid on purchases)
Rewrite 1: a real guppy gusher
Rewrite 2: a real worm drowner
Rewrite 3: a real line snapper
Rewrite 4: a real bag burster
Comment: The idiom here suggests that the rain is so heavy it could overwhelm even an amphibian used to living in or near water. It could be used to suggest other things that might overwhelm something otherwise at home in that environment. So, a rewrite should fit in that sense. A recast could take an opposite tack or simply suggest a different kind of overwhelming circumstance.
Find me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
...
More reading on clichés
(commission may be paid on purchases)
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Cliché: quiet as a mouse
Meaning: nearly noiseless (example 1, example 2)
Rewrite 1: quiet as a worm
Rewrite 2: silent as a spider
Rewrite 3: calamitous as a cotton ball
Rewrite 4: noisy as drying paint
Comment: Sometimes said as "still as a mouse," so you could also use that as another variation. Also note that in the third and fourth rewrites that I took an opposite tack.
Find me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
. . .
Learn more about clichés
(Commissions may be paid on purchases)
Rewrite 1: quiet as a worm
Rewrite 2: silent as a spider
Rewrite 3: calamitous as a cotton ball
Rewrite 4: noisy as drying paint
Comment: Sometimes said as "still as a mouse," so you could also use that as another variation. Also note that in the third and fourth rewrites that I took an opposite tack.
Find me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
. . .
Learn more about clichés
(Commissions may be paid on purchases)
Monday, March 08, 2010
Cliché: pass the buck
Meaning: avoid responsibility by passing it along to another (example 1, example 2)
Rewrite 1: pass the deal
Rewrite 2: pass the trouble
Rewrite 3: hand off the dynamite
Rewrite 4: string you some worry beads
Comment: The key to recasting this cliché is recognizing its origins and playing around with its essence, then try to take it as far from the original as possible.
Find me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
Rewrite 1: pass the deal
Rewrite 2: pass the trouble
Rewrite 3: hand off the dynamite
Rewrite 4: string you some worry beads
Comment: The key to recasting this cliché is recognizing its origins and playing around with its essence, then try to take it as far from the original as possible.
Find me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
[...]
Are you a Facebook Fan yet? Join today!
Have you nominated Grand Rapids yet? We need your support.
Friday, March 05, 2010
Cliché: off the cuff
Meaning: impromptu response; quick response with little thought (example 1, example 2)
Comment: There are two senses of this idiom. One is of the quick response to something, the "off the cuff remark."
Rewrite 1: off the sunbeam
Rewrite 2: out of the clouds
Rewrite 3: brain spark
Another is the seeming impromptu response that is actually the result of more cunning thinking, the "off the cuff quote."
Rewrite 4: off the palm (notes in your palm)
Rewrite 5: off the ceiling (figuring in your head and looking at the ceiling while calculating)
Rewrite 6: one-eye count (a facial expression assumed while calculating)
The recast depends more on the sense you're using. How would you rewrite it?
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with my archived list.
Find me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
Comment: There are two senses of this idiom. One is of the quick response to something, the "off the cuff remark."
Rewrite 1: off the sunbeam
Rewrite 2: out of the clouds
Rewrite 3: brain spark
Another is the seeming impromptu response that is actually the result of more cunning thinking, the "off the cuff quote."
Rewrite 4: off the palm (notes in your palm)
Rewrite 5: off the ceiling (figuring in your head and looking at the ceiling while calculating)
Rewrite 6: one-eye count (a facial expression assumed while calculating)
The recast depends more on the sense you're using. How would you rewrite it?
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with my archived list.
Find me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Cliché: nerves of steel
Meaning: unwavering courage (example 1, example 2)
Rewrite 1: nerves of neutronium
Rewrite 2: titanium resolve
Rewrite 3: concrete courage
Rewrite 4: hard-wired will
Comments: Think unyielding metal or rocky resolve.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with my archived list.
Rewrite 1: nerves of neutronium
Rewrite 2: titanium resolve
Rewrite 3: concrete courage
Rewrite 4: hard-wired will
Comments: Think unyielding metal or rocky resolve.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with my archived list.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Cliché: make ends meet
Meaning: to live within one's means.
Rewrite 1: make dollar bills cover the paper bills
Rewrite 2: hope coins cover charges
Rewrite 3: ensure pluses equal minuses
Rewrite 4: keep the bottom line above the bottom line
Rewrite 5: make the sums cover the differences
Rewrite 1: make dollar bills cover the paper bills
Rewrite 2: hope coins cover charges
Rewrite 3: ensure pluses equal minuses
Rewrite 4: keep the bottom line above the bottom line
Rewrite 5: make the sums cover the differences
Comments: The origins of this idiom are a little obscure. Are they from bookkeeping or tailoring? How you recast such a cliché may be affected by its origins, although in this instance I've aimed more at its literal meaning.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with my archived list.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Cliché: look what the cat dragged in
Meaning: Surprised (sometimes feigned) reaction to a mess or uncomfortable situation either brought in or caused by someone. (example)
Rewrite 1: Look what the dog dumped on our doorstep
Rewrite 2: Look what Poppa brought home
Rewrite 3: Look what the birds dropped on the window
Rewrite 4: Look what scurried under the door
Comment: Often considered simply an idiom instead of a cliché, but it's still overused and could be rewritten.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with my archived list.
Rewrite 1: Look what the dog dumped on our doorstep
Rewrite 2: Look what Poppa brought home
Rewrite 3: Look what the birds dropped on the window
Rewrite 4: Look what scurried under the door
Comment: Often considered simply an idiom instead of a cliché, but it's still overused and could be rewritten.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with my archived list.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Cliché: knock your socks off
Meaning: metaphorically, powerful enough to explosively remove clothing
Rewrite 1: knock your boxers off
Rewrite 2: knock your bra off
Rewrite 3: blow the shutters off
Rewrite 4: spin the tires off
Comment: Extend the metaphor to the house or other things.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with my archived list.
Find books on clichés through my online book store affiliated with Amazon.com. They can help you identify clichés and what they mean.
Rewrite 1: knock your boxers off
Rewrite 2: knock your bra off
Rewrite 3: blow the shutters off
Rewrite 4: spin the tires off
Comment: Extend the metaphor to the house or other things.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with my archived list.
Find books on clichés through my online book store affiliated with Amazon.com. They can help you identify clichés and what they mean.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Cliché: beats picking cotton
Meaning: this is better than menial work
Rewrite 1: It beats pitting olives
Rewrite 2: It beats cleaning sewers
Rewrite 3: It beats stuffing prunes
Rewrite 4: It’s better than dusting road mines
Comment: The use has gotten away from the sense of hot, painful work picking cotton could be to the more mundane, unenviable effort. I’ve extended it even further.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list.
Find books on clichés through my online book store affiliated with Amazon.com. They can help you identify clichés and what they mean.
Rewrite 1: It beats pitting olives
Rewrite 2: It beats cleaning sewers
Rewrite 3: It beats stuffing prunes
Rewrite 4: It’s better than dusting road mines
Comment: The use has gotten away from the sense of hot, painful work picking cotton could be to the more mundane, unenviable effort. I’ve extended it even further.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list.
Find books on clichés through my online book store affiliated with Amazon.com. They can help you identify clichés and what they mean.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Cliché: the pot calling the kettle black
Meaning: in short, accusations of hypocrisy
Rewrite 1: the fire engine calling the barn red
Rewrite 2: the leopard calling the Dalmatian spotted
Rewrite 3: the emerald calling the coke bottle jaded
Rewrite 4: the yew calling the holly unruly
Rewrite 5: the spiked do calling the beard unkempt
Comment: It's easy enough to pick up the same sense by simply changing colors, but there are many other sense in which this cliche can work and in which you can extend the metaphor for seeing something in another person that you fail to see in yourself.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list at the right.
Find books on clichés through my online book store affiliated with Amazon.com. They can help you identify clichés and what they mean.
Rewrite 1: the fire engine calling the barn red
Rewrite 2: the leopard calling the Dalmatian spotted
Rewrite 3: the emerald calling the coke bottle jaded
Rewrite 4: the yew calling the holly unruly
Rewrite 5: the spiked do calling the beard unkempt
Comment: It's easy enough to pick up the same sense by simply changing colors, but there are many other sense in which this cliche can work and in which you can extend the metaphor for seeing something in another person that you fail to see in yourself.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list at the right.
Find books on clichés through my online book store affiliated with Amazon.com. They can help you identify clichés and what they mean.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Cliché: in hot water
Meaning: in a lot of trouble
Rewrite 1: in boiling water
Rewrite 2: in raging water
Rewrite 3: in hot soup
Rewrite 4: in tepid waters
Comment: The first rewrite may be an extreme case of being in hot water, so you may want to bring the heat down a notch or wait until things get way out of hand before describing it.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: in boiling water
Rewrite 2: in raging water
Rewrite 3: in hot soup
Rewrite 4: in tepid waters
Comment: The first rewrite may be an extreme case of being in hot water, so you may want to bring the heat down a notch or wait until things get way out of hand before describing it.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list at the right.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Cliché: dead as a doornail
Meaning: dead like an inanimate object
Rewrite 1: dead as a paperweight
Rewrite 2: dead as a drill bit
Rewrite 3: dead as a casket
Rewrite 4: alive as an icecycle
Comment: The first two rewrites courtesy of John Shoemaker, a writer and editor in the Greater New York City Area via LinkedIn, the professional networking site, with permission.
John was one of several who responded to a question I posed on LinkedIn, “Do clichés bother you?” Most who answered were very tolerant of clichés and those who use them. Most responders were writers or editors or both. None thought using clichés were the best first option of a writer, but most thought there was a place for using clichés.
What I have attempted to show in this Web log is that as writers and editors we are all better off avoiding clichés, although it is certain there are times when we can’t avoid them or when using them can be an advantage. Better is learning to rewrite or recast the original idea, which I do in each case by example. I think my colleagues agree in principle with that. In that case, the advantage is usually yours.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: dead as a paperweight
Rewrite 2: dead as a drill bit
Rewrite 3: dead as a casket
Rewrite 4: alive as an icecycle
Comment: The first two rewrites courtesy of John Shoemaker, a writer and editor in the Greater New York City Area via LinkedIn, the professional networking site, with permission.
John was one of several who responded to a question I posed on LinkedIn, “Do clichés bother you?” Most who answered were very tolerant of clichés and those who use them. Most responders were writers or editors or both. None thought using clichés were the best first option of a writer, but most thought there was a place for using clichés.
What I have attempted to show in this Web log is that as writers and editors we are all better off avoiding clichés, although it is certain there are times when we can’t avoid them or when using them can be an advantage. Better is learning to rewrite or recast the original idea, which I do in each case by example. I think my colleagues agree in principle with that. In that case, the advantage is usually yours.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list at the right.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Cliché: go with the flow
Meaning: be one with the flood
Rewrite 1: move with the crowd
Rewrite 2: wander the path
Rewrite 3: follow the lights
Rewrite 4: stay in the ruts
Comment: This could almost be a plea to not "rock the boat," but its roots are in the 1960s, and it was really a suggestion to go along or play along with whatever was happening at the moment rather than plan and scheme or resist the temptation to play.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: move with the crowd
Rewrite 2: wander the path
Rewrite 3: follow the lights
Rewrite 4: stay in the ruts
Comment: This could almost be a plea to not "rock the boat," but its roots are in the 1960s, and it was really a suggestion to go along or play along with whatever was happening at the moment rather than plan and scheme or resist the temptation to play.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list at the right.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Cliché: like a fish out of water
Meaning: something or someone out of their comfort zone
Rewrite 1: like a bird out of the nest
Rewrite 2: like a cow out of the pasture
Rewrite 3: like a horse out of the barn
Rewrite 4: like a dude out of beer
Comment: The last one’s pushing the allusion, but I wanted to take you beyond the animal metaphor.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: like a bird out of the nest
Rewrite 2: like a cow out of the pasture
Rewrite 3: like a horse out of the barn
Rewrite 4: like a dude out of beer
Comment: The last one’s pushing the allusion, but I wanted to take you beyond the animal metaphor.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list at the right.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Cliché: eat my hat
Meaning: as in, if the sun don’t shine tomorrow I’ll eat my hat
Rewrite 1: eat my socks
Rewrite 2: eat the mower
Rewrite 3: eat the potato peelings
Rewrite 4: wear Dad's toupé
Comment: I tried to vary the last one so it shows the same sense of confidence that it won’t happen and the absurdity of the event if it does.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: eat my socks
Rewrite 2: eat the mower
Rewrite 3: eat the potato peelings
Rewrite 4: wear Dad's toupé
Comment: I tried to vary the last one so it shows the same sense of confidence that it won’t happen and the absurdity of the event if it does.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list at the right.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Cliché: dropping like flies
Meaning: falling fast and copiously
Rewrite 1: dropping like failed pick-up lines
Rewrite 2: dropping like missed opportunities
Rewrite 3: dropping like names in Hollywood
Rewrite 4: falling like autumn leaves
Comment: You could probably have more fun with this one … falling like love at a freshman dance?
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: dropping like failed pick-up lines
Rewrite 2: dropping like missed opportunities
Rewrite 3: dropping like names in Hollywood
Rewrite 4: falling like autumn leaves
Comment: You could probably have more fun with this one … falling like love at a freshman dance?
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list at the right.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Cliché: can’t see the forest for the trees
Meaning: can’t see the whole for observing the details
Rewrite 1: can’t see the garden for the flowers
Rewrite 2: can’t see the street for the traffic
Rewrite 3: can’t see the home for the house plan
Rewrite 4: missing the curve for the plot points
Comment: I threw you a curve with the last rewrite.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: can’t see the garden for the flowers
Rewrite 2: can’t see the street for the traffic
Rewrite 3: can’t see the home for the house plan
Rewrite 4: missing the curve for the plot points
Comment: I threw you a curve with the last rewrite.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of my cliché rewrites with the archive list at the right.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Cliché: behind the times
Meaning: not aware of current trends or recent news
Rewrite 1: two fads back
Rewrite 2: last year’s fashion statement!
Rewrite 3: so last hour
Rewrite 4: yesterday’s dateline
Comment: These smack of the put down, but “behind the times” doesn’t have to be a cruel comment.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: two fads back
Rewrite 2: last year’s fashion statement!
Rewrite 3: so last hour
Rewrite 4: yesterday’s dateline
Comment: These smack of the put down, but “behind the times” doesn’t have to be a cruel comment.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Cliché: the icing on the cake
Meaning: something added to something good to make it even better
Rewrite 1: the sprinkles on the sundae
Rewrite 2: the chocolate on the strawberries
Rewrite 3: the bonus with the paid holiday
Rewrite 4: the personalized autograph in the first edition classic
Comment: It’s hard to keep it simple the more extravagant you go.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: the sprinkles on the sundae
Rewrite 2: the chocolate on the strawberries
Rewrite 3: the bonus with the paid holiday
Rewrite 4: the personalized autograph in the first edition classic
Comment: It’s hard to keep it simple the more extravagant you go.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Cliché: as easy as falling off a log
Meaning: little to no effort required
Rewrite 1: as easy as tripping on a crack
Rewrite 2: as simple as crossing a "t" or dotting an "i"
Rewrite 3: as smooth as pushing a ball down a hill
Rewrite 4: as natural as running with the wind
Comment: As usual I tried to vary both the example and the meaning of the root word, in this case “easy.” Additional root words I could have used include graceful, painless, and effortless, although they are more cumbersome.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: as easy as tripping on a crack
Rewrite 2: as simple as crossing a "t" or dotting an "i"
Rewrite 3: as smooth as pushing a ball down a hill
Rewrite 4: as natural as running with the wind
Comment: As usual I tried to vary both the example and the meaning of the root word, in this case “easy.” Additional root words I could have used include graceful, painless, and effortless, although they are more cumbersome.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Back After a Long, Unplanned Absence
What a road I have traveled since I last posted! I apologize to anyone who has visited and seen how long it's been since I last made an entry.
I suffered a series of health set-backs, the last of which -- prostate cancer surgery -- I am still recovering from. As a result, I wasn't able to give any time to rewriting cliches. I am trying to begin again.
In addition, just before the health set-backs, I lost most of my research as a result of the faulty diskettes on which I had stored my data, because I had to totally erase my hard drive and reload all my software and data. Only afterward did I discover that my data was lost! So I have had to begin gathering material again. I have also since started storing data on X-drive as my external drive. Fool me once...but only once!
So, if you have been a fan of the site and wondered where I have been... or if you have stumbled onto the site and would like more of what I have produced, let me assure you I am working on it again.
I am a freelance writer and editor and rely on that freelance work for a living, so I am doing this blog as I have time and energy. Recovering from prostate surgery at age 57 takes a long, long time. But I want to get this site back in gear, even if it isn't on a daily basis as it once was.
Thank you for your patience.
Alan
I suffered a series of health set-backs, the last of which -- prostate cancer surgery -- I am still recovering from. As a result, I wasn't able to give any time to rewriting cliches. I am trying to begin again.
In addition, just before the health set-backs, I lost most of my research as a result of the faulty diskettes on which I had stored my data, because I had to totally erase my hard drive and reload all my software and data. Only afterward did I discover that my data was lost! So I have had to begin gathering material again. I have also since started storing data on X-drive as my external drive. Fool me once...but only once!
So, if you have been a fan of the site and wondered where I have been... or if you have stumbled onto the site and would like more of what I have produced, let me assure you I am working on it again.
I am a freelance writer and editor and rely on that freelance work for a living, so I am doing this blog as I have time and energy. Recovering from prostate surgery at age 57 takes a long, long time. But I want to get this site back in gear, even if it isn't on a daily basis as it once was.
Thank you for your patience.
Alan
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Cliché: drive me to drink
(entered for 05.03.06)
Meaning: make me take extreme or dangerous measures
Rewrite 1: force me to do drugs
Rewrite 2: drive me to mainline vitamins
Rewrite 3: make me pinch snuff
Rewrite 4: push me to scarf Pop-Tarts and Tic-Tacs
Comment: The last one is for the really little kids. They’ll appreciate the effort.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• April 05, 2006: “Better investing through clichés.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: make me take extreme or dangerous measures
Rewrite 1: force me to do drugs
Rewrite 2: drive me to mainline vitamins
Rewrite 3: make me pinch snuff
Rewrite 4: push me to scarf Pop-Tarts and Tic-Tacs
Comment: The last one is for the really little kids. They’ll appreciate the effort.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• April 05, 2006: “Better investing through clichés.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Cliché: get in on the ground floor
(entered for 5.02.06)
Meaning: get in at the very beginning or while the getting in is still good
Rewrite 1: get on while the elevator’s still taking passengers
Rewrite 2: take the stairs at the first floor
Rewrite 3: use the door while the handle still works
Rewrite 4: plant your garden before the ground dries up
Comment: Somehow these all seem silly, but then so does the concept of getting into something “on the ground floor” these days.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• ClicheSite.com: “The largest collection of clichés, phrases, and sayings with definitions and explanations.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: get in at the very beginning or while the getting in is still good
Rewrite 1: get on while the elevator’s still taking passengers
Rewrite 2: take the stairs at the first floor
Rewrite 3: use the door while the handle still works
Rewrite 4: plant your garden before the ground dries up
Comment: Somehow these all seem silly, but then so does the concept of getting into something “on the ground floor” these days.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• ClicheSite.com: “The largest collection of clichés, phrases, and sayings with definitions and explanations.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Cliché: don’t rain on my parade
(entered for 05.01.06)
Meaning: don’t spoil my celebration
Rewrite 1: don’t sprinkler my yard party
Rewrite 2: don’t sneeze on my cake
Rewrite 3: don’t heckle my thank you speech
Rewrite 4: don’t close the gate as my guests arrive
Comment: I don’t suppose “sprinkler” is a verb, but there also isn’t a very easy way to say, “Don’t turn on the oscillating sprinkler, drag out the hose, and stretch it among the lawn chairs while we party in the yard.”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Ephems of BLB: “Political discourse in this country has surely never been more infested with clichés.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: don’t spoil my celebration
Rewrite 1: don’t sprinkler my yard party
Rewrite 2: don’t sneeze on my cake
Rewrite 3: don’t heckle my thank you speech
Rewrite 4: don’t close the gate as my guests arrive
Comment: I don’t suppose “sprinkler” is a verb, but there also isn’t a very easy way to say, “Don’t turn on the oscillating sprinkler, drag out the hose, and stretch it among the lawn chairs while we party in the yard.”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Ephems of BLB: “Political discourse in this country has surely never been more infested with clichés.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Cliché: you do the math
(entered for 04.30.06)
Meaning: you figure it out or do the work. Relatively new.
Rewrite 1: you do the algebra
Rewrite 2: you do the logic
Rewrite 3: you work the gears
Rewrite 4: you add the ones and tens
Comment: I hate this one so much, I hesitate to suggest alternatives – but here goes anyway.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Herbert’s Peak Clichés or New Energy Storm: Nuclear energy lecture, Purdue University (see attachment).
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: you figure it out or do the work. Relatively new.
Rewrite 1: you do the algebra
Rewrite 2: you do the logic
Rewrite 3: you work the gears
Rewrite 4: you add the ones and tens
Comment: I hate this one so much, I hesitate to suggest alternatives – but here goes anyway.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Herbert’s Peak Clichés or New Energy Storm: Nuclear energy lecture, Purdue University (see attachment).
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Cliché: a watched pot never boils
(entered for 04.29.06)
Meaning: watching something won’t make it happen faster. Idiom and uses.
Rewrite 1: a watched phone never rings
Rewrite 2: a waited job never finishes
Rewrite 3: the hair on my head never grows
Rewrite 4: paint on the wall never fades
Comment: Of course it does – it just doesn’t seem to.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• The Big Fat List of TV Clichés: “The title says it all.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: watching something won’t make it happen faster. Idiom and uses.
Rewrite 1: a watched phone never rings
Rewrite 2: a waited job never finishes
Rewrite 3: the hair on my head never grows
Rewrite 4: paint on the wall never fades
Comment: Of course it does – it just doesn’t seem to.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• The Big Fat List of TV Clichés: “The title says it all.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Cliché: six of one, half dozen of another
(entered for 04.28.06)
Meaning: different name, same thing. Uses.
Rewrite 1: six inches of one, half a foot of another
Rewrite 2: break it in half or divide it into two
Rewrite 3: half off here, 50 percent off there
Rewrite 4: a river, a stream, it’s all water to me
Comment: It’s a nit, but it really bugs me when an ad says “Save 50% off.” You can’t “save 50% off”! You save save 50%, or you can get 50% off, but you can’t do both!
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Tired Clichés: Toronto performance by TJ Dawe.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: different name, same thing. Uses.
Rewrite 1: six inches of one, half a foot of another
Rewrite 2: break it in half or divide it into two
Rewrite 3: half off here, 50 percent off there
Rewrite 4: a river, a stream, it’s all water to me
Comment: It’s a nit, but it really bugs me when an ad says “Save 50% off.” You can’t “save 50% off”! You save save 50%, or you can get 50% off, but you can’t do both!
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Tired Clichés: Toronto performance by TJ Dawe.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Cliché: nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof
Meaning: dancing around nervously
Rewrite 1: nervous as a dog on a short leash
Rewrite 2: nervous as a canary in a cage full of cats
Rewrite 3: teeth chattering like nervous skeletons
Rewrite 4: toes tapping nervously like boys before recess
Comment: Different kinds of nervousness, different ways of showing it.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
•JRRShop: Eccentric software ZK rhymes and clichés.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: nervous as a dog on a short leash
Rewrite 2: nervous as a canary in a cage full of cats
Rewrite 3: teeth chattering like nervous skeletons
Rewrite 4: toes tapping nervously like boys before recess
Comment: Different kinds of nervousness, different ways of showing it.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
•JRRShop: Eccentric software ZK rhymes and clichés.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Cliché: joined at the hip
(entered for 04.26.06)
Meaning: exceedingly close friendship or working relationship. Idiom.
Rewrite 1: coupled at the keyboard
Rewrite 2: attached by the phone line
Rewrite 3: connected at the coffee cup
Rewrite 4: wed at the water cooler
Comment: Alliteration isn’t necessary here, but it aids in the lyrical quality of the metaphor.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Brain Bender: Mixed up clichés.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: exceedingly close friendship or working relationship. Idiom.
Rewrite 1: coupled at the keyboard
Rewrite 2: attached by the phone line
Rewrite 3: connected at the coffee cup
Rewrite 4: wed at the water cooler
Comment: Alliteration isn’t necessary here, but it aids in the lyrical quality of the metaphor.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Brain Bender: Mixed up clichés.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Cliché: even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while
(entered for 04.25.06)
Meaning: even the disadvantaged excels on occasion. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: even a deaf pig answers the dinner bell occasionally.
Rewrite 2: even a color-blind man matches socks once in a while.
Rewrite 3: even a man who can’t smell can give beautiful roses.
Rewrite 4: A geek and his girl aren’t forever doomed lovers.
Comment: Rewrite 4 is a stretch, but it can still work in the right circumstance.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Facts on File: Dictionary of clichés.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: even the disadvantaged excels on occasion. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: even a deaf pig answers the dinner bell occasionally.
Rewrite 2: even a color-blind man matches socks once in a while.
Rewrite 3: even a man who can’t smell can give beautiful roses.
Rewrite 4: A geek and his girl aren’t forever doomed lovers.
Comment: Rewrite 4 is a stretch, but it can still work in the right circumstance.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Facts on File: Dictionary of clichés.
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Monday, April 24, 2006
Cliché: clear as a bell
Meaning: pure sound or clear meaning. Idiom.
Rewrite 1: clear as a pristine glacial lake
Rewrite 2: clear as crisp2 alpine air
Rewrite 3: clear as the sight between towering peaksn2a
Rewrite 4: clarity of a cloudless sky
Comment: I would have liked to see something more about clarity of sound or taste. Perhaps something more like “clarity of a French claret…”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés Gifts: “…gifts from the CartoonStock directory - the world's largest on-line collection of cartoon gifts.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: clear as a pristine glacial lake
Rewrite 2: clear as crisp2 alpine air
Rewrite 3: clear as the sight between towering peaksn2a
Rewrite 4: clarity of a cloudless sky
Comment: I would have liked to see something more about clarity of sound or taste. Perhaps something more like “clarity of a French claret…”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Clichés Gifts: “…gifts from the CartoonStock directory - the world's largest on-line collection of cartoon gifts.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Cliché: when all is said and done
Meaning: when everything possible has been covered. Idiom.
Rewrite 1: when everyone is finished pickingtv3b it to death
Rewrite 2: when you’ve exhausted the last option3
Rewrite 3: when the saying is said and the doing is done
Rewrite 4: in the end3
Comment: This cliché said it pretty well, so coming up with something clever may be difficult. I’d like to see what you can do with it.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Study Skills Writing: “Some examples of common clichés are highlighted below: How would you rewrite the examples to eliminate these clichés?”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: when everyone is finished pickingtv3b it to death
Rewrite 2: when you’ve exhausted the last option3
Rewrite 3: when the saying is said and the doing is done
Rewrite 4: in the end3
Comment: This cliché said it pretty well, so coming up with something clever may be difficult. I’d like to see what you can do with it.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Study Skills Writing: “Some examples of common clichés are highlighted below: How would you rewrite the examples to eliminate these clichés?”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Cliché: run circles around
(also, run rings around)
Meaning: easily and quickly surpass you. Origins.
Rewrite 1: do doughnuts around
Rewrite 2: do pretzels around
Rewrite 3: run around you like you’re standing still
Rewrite 4: make like a hare while you make like a snail2
Comment: Rewrites 1 and 2 are more like 3-D versions of the original, while rewrites 3 and 4 try to extend the metaphor to a brag. In the case of the pretzel, it’s a more complicated or intricate pattern to weave around someone or something than simply a circle or ring. In the case of the hare and the snail, I had originally thought to use the hare versus the turtle metaphor, then decided to change the turtle to a snail to avoid a reference to the lesson learned when the slower turtle actually beat the much faster hare.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Why Clichés are so annoying: CorrenteWire (political commentary).
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Meaning: easily and quickly surpass you. Origins.
Rewrite 1: do doughnuts around
Rewrite 2: do pretzels around
Rewrite 3: run around you like you’re standing still
Rewrite 4: make like a hare while you make like a snail2
Comment: Rewrites 1 and 2 are more like 3-D versions of the original, while rewrites 3 and 4 try to extend the metaphor to a brag. In the case of the pretzel, it’s a more complicated or intricate pattern to weave around someone or something than simply a circle or ring. In the case of the hare and the snail, I had originally thought to use the hare versus the turtle metaphor, then decided to change the turtle to a snail to avoid a reference to the lesson learned when the slower turtle actually beat the much faster hare.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Why Clichés are so annoying: CorrenteWire (political commentary).
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Cliché: money doesn't grow on trees
Meaning: money is earned, not picked. Use examples and meanings.
Rewrite 1: money doesn’t pop out as leaves in the garden
Rewrite 2: you can’t hand-pick money like fruit on a tree
Rewrite 3: money may seem like bulbs on a marquee, but it isn’t
Rewrite 4: money doesn’t flow like water from a faucet
Comment: There are lots of other metaphors to pick from – books from a shelf, cans from a grocery store shelf, toys from a chest, bolts from a bin, photons2 from the sun, etc…
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• AlterNet MediaCulture Please Pass the Clichés: “Pro sports are still fun to watch, but press conferences and players' remarks have become dry and inauthentic.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: money doesn’t pop out as leaves in the garden
Rewrite 2: you can’t hand-pick money like fruit on a tree
Rewrite 3: money may seem like bulbs on a marquee, but it isn’t
Rewrite 4: money doesn’t flow like water from a faucet
Comment: There are lots of other metaphors to pick from – books from a shelf, cans from a grocery store shelf, toys from a chest, bolts from a bin, photons2 from the sun, etc…
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• AlterNet MediaCulture Please Pass the Clichés: “Pro sports are still fun to watch, but press conferences and players' remarks have become dry and inauthentic.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Cliché: if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen
Meaning: if it’s too much for you, leave or quit. Origins.
Rewrite 1: if you can’t stand the heat, douse the flame
Rewrite 2: if the handle’s too hot, let go of the skillet
Rewrite 3: if you don’t like the smell, move to a different garden
Rewrite 4: most cooks who don’t like the taste use a different recipe
Comment: One way to rewrite or recast this metaphor is to stick to the senses. When even that fails to excite you, think of other extremes.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Sarah’s Bookarama: “All of us who joined in this discussion had great fun satirising these cliches, but as with all satire, there is a serious, morally-improving lesson here…”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: if you can’t stand the heat, douse the flame
Rewrite 2: if the handle’s too hot, let go of the skillet
Rewrite 3: if you don’t like the smell, move to a different garden
Rewrite 4: most cooks who don’t like the taste use a different recipe
Comment: One way to rewrite or recast this metaphor is to stick to the senses. When even that fails to excite you, think of other extremes.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Sarah’s Bookarama: “All of us who joined in this discussion had great fun satirising these cliches, but as with all satire, there is a serious, morally-improving lesson here…”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Cliché: his bark is worse than his bite
Meaning: he isn’t as dangerous as he sounds. Mentions and use examples.
Rewrite 1: his bark has no teeth
Rewrite 2: he’s all bark and no bite
Rewrite 3: he barks a good game, but he’s toothless
Rewrite 4: she yowls better than she maulstv1
Comment: This one was fairly easy, and I was able to keep a lot of the “bite” of the original. Don’t be afraid to explore more synonyms for “bark” and “bite.”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Tazlure Background Clichés: “There are some ideas for character backgrounds that have been done to death. These are the dreaded ‘background clichés’.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: his bark has no teeth
Rewrite 2: he’s all bark and no bite
Rewrite 3: he barks a good game, but he’s toothless
Rewrite 4: she yowls better than she maulstv1
Comment: This one was fairly easy, and I was able to keep a lot of the “bite” of the original. Don’t be afraid to explore more synonyms for “bark” and “bite.”
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Tazlure Background Clichés: “There are some ideas for character backgrounds that have been done to death. These are the dreaded ‘background clichés’.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Cliché: back from the dead
Meaning: sleepy or way "out of it"
Rewrite 1: “out”a7 like the dead
Rewrite 2: still cold10 from the grave
Rewrite 3: walking like he’s wandering from the cryptn1
Rewrite 4: missed the right turn to heaven
Comment: Usually used to describe someone who is “dead tired” or who walks around in a zombie-like state.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Words and Wordplay from Yahoo! UK & Ireland: “Phrases to say (to yourself or to others) in times of trouble.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Rewrite 1: “out”a7 like the dead
Rewrite 2: still cold10 from the grave
Rewrite 3: walking like he’s wandering from the cryptn1
Rewrite 4: missed the right turn to heaven
Comment: Usually used to describe someone who is “dead tired” or who walks around in a zombie-like state.
More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• Words and Wordplay from Yahoo! UK & Ireland: “Phrases to say (to yourself or to others) in times of trouble.”
Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.
Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
