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Phrases or quotations that don't mean what they literally say.
February 5th, 2015 at 10:36:09 AM permalink | |
terapined Member since: Aug 6, 2014 Threads: 73 Posts: 11822 | Person at work needs to squeeze by me. They say "Excuse me" I answer "You're excused" Sometimes we live no particular way but our own - Grateful Dead "Eyes of the World" |
February 5th, 2015 at 10:42:33 AM permalink | |
TheCesspit Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 23 Posts: 1929 |
Twain lost a tonne of money on the Paige Typesetting machine, which promised much, but delivered very little. He had to shut down his big house and go back as a touring author in his later years. "Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry" It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die.... it's called Life |
February 5th, 2015 at 11:31:50 AM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25013 |
In the late 80's Bill Gates couldn't see the value of the internet, so he let others develop software for that. He said in 1997 that if you told him in 1988 that McDonalds was going to have their internet address of their commercials, he would have said you were nuts. I forgive Twain. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
February 5th, 2015 at 12:25:47 PM permalink | |
Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 | The "hoi polloi" 1837. Almost always used with a preceding "the" even though "hoi" means "the" in Greek. Despite the word "polloi" being related to the commonly used prefix "poly-", the phrase "hoi polloi" is frequently misused to mean the opposite of it's true meaning. It means "the many" so be inference refers to the common man. Often it is misused to refer to "the elite". It is similar to polygon=="many angled". |
February 5th, 2015 at 2:17:23 PM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25013 |
I always took it as term meant to be derogatory against unwashed masses. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
February 5th, 2015 at 6:15:00 PM permalink | |
Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 | Phrases that literally mean what they say can be very funny. Groucho Marx was a master at this: "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read." "I've had a wonderful time. but this wasn't it." And his famous paradoxical: "I would never join a club that would have me as a member." Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
February 5th, 2015 at 6:45:36 PM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25013 | In the same vein he said: I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it. and A child of five would understand this. Send someone to fetch a child of five. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
February 5th, 2015 at 7:44:26 PM permalink | |
Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 | The gods are on the side of the stronger. The gods help them that help themselves. Good examples of skepticism even before there was monotheism. |