What a glorious subject. I love cliches. I just believe that the world is more fun and interesting when we pepper our daily communications with the appropriate, or in some cases, the inappropriate cliché. We are all exposed to these little gems and have heard many of them throughout our lives. Some we hear and they are never mentioned again, others stick with us and we use them over and over again to the point that our loved ones wish we would stop using them. Having said that, do we ever think about where these phrases came from? Was someone trying to be funny or clever? Who came up with the first cliches? Do any of us really care? This is not a class in the history of cliches, simply a place where I can safely mention them without someone rolling their eyes or sighing. That is one of the best things about a blog. I am somewhat insulated from the unkind and sarcastic remarks about what I say. It is not really a cliché but when I say something in the blog, “it is what it is”.
Cliché is defined as “a phrase or opinion that is overused and demonstrates a lack of original thought”. I don’t like that. Who came up with that definition? Whoever wrote that obviously doesn’t appreciate cliches and their use.
Let us start delving into this delicious subject. Some of the most common ones are… “you can’t judge a book by its cover”, “a stitch in time saves nine”, or “read between the lines.” These we have heard over the years and have a pretty good sense of what they mean.
When you are having a difficult time it is probably going to be “an uphill battle”. You may succeed in that endeavor if “you play your cards right.”
You probably don’t want to make that person mad so… “don’t poke the bear” or better yet, “let sleeping dogs lie”.
If you want to keep things under control don’t let “the horses out of the barn”.
If something seems really easy it might be like, “shooting fish in a barrel”. I have tried to picture that one. It seems really unfair to the fish.
When you want to be close to someone it would be like you are “two peas in a pod.”
When it seems unlikely that you would be successful at something you probably have as much of a chance as, “a snowball in hell”.
When you are ill or maybe in the hospital and the doctor says “he’s not out of the woods yet”. Was I hiking in the woods when this happened? As a practical matter there are no woods around us.
When you are dealing with a lot of bills and other problems you might say, “I am just trying to keep my head above water.” Swim references always resonate with me.
When there are several solutions to solve a problem you realize that “there is more than one way to skin a cat”. Eew!
He’s… “bleeding like a stuck pig”. I have heard that one, but I really don’t know or have ever seen a pig in that particular predicament.
If you think someone is smart then that person is probably… “as sharp as a tack” or “the sharpest tool in the shed”.
I don’t know if my opinion counts because I… “don’t have any skin in the game?” I guess that’s important.
If there is something that you would not like to come in contact with then, “you would avoid that like the plague”.
This is one of my favorites…. when something is amazing, then it might be… “the greatest thing since sliced bread”.
When I am having difficulty solving a problem or finding the right solution I take comfort in… “even a blind hog will find an acorn if he keeps his nose to the ground.” I guess you had to go on a field trip to a pig farm to appreciate that one.
When you want to achieve a quick or easy success go for “the low-hanging fruit”.
When there is more than one way to go, take the less dangerous path because, “you are better safe than sorry.” Also “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”.
When deciding if you should take that new job or not, remember, “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”.
Bill acts just like his dad because we all know that, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”.
It’s not so bad to be clueless because, “ignorance is bliss”.
How did those two get together? “love is blind”.
That car almost hit me… just remember… “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”. Not so sure about that one.
When something is really easy it can be… “a piece of cake” or “easy as pie.” Why do we reference cake and pie when we think that something is easy to do?
Now there are the cliches that tend to compare things to suggest how hot or cold or heavy something is… “cold as ice”, “light as a feather”, “colder than a Witches tit”, “cool as a cucumber”, “strike while the iron is hot” or “hot off the press”. Does anyone really know how cold a Witches tit is?
When things look bad remember… “every cloud has a silver lining”.
He doesn’t get it…. he’s “dumb as a stump”.
When I suggest that I should become a synchronized swimmer you might say that would happen… “when pigs fly”. Not very nice.
One of my favorites is when I go into a store like Home Depot or a sporting goods store, I feel like … “a kid in a candy store.”
When things are really coming at you and it doesn’t seem like you will be able to handle all that is happening it could be like… “spitting into the wind”. I don’t want to picture that one.
We use cliches all the time. It can be fun and interesting. These little phrases convey meanings in very few words, and as long as they are not overused, usually work well in everyday conversations. Remember “all that glitters isn’t gold”, “laughter is the best medicine”, “don’t cry over spilled milk”, “only time will tell”, “what goes around comes around”, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade”, and finally “all’s well that ends well”.
Cliches are very interesting to me. They are a part of all of our lives and certainly a part of our everyday conversations. If you have a favorite one that I didn’t mention please share it with me. Enjoy shorter conversations by abbreviating what you mean with carefully crafted cliches.
