as in code word
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Recent Examples of dead metaphor
Many of our emotion terms are references to states of the body—we’re downcast, bent out of shape, head over heels, shaken up, down in the mouth—which have slowly rigidified into dead metaphor.
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Nikhil Krishnan, The New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2022
This shift reminds us that dead metaphors aren’t always terminally dead.
—Rob Nixon, Smithsonian, 23 Mar. 2018
Nikhil Krishnan, The New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2022
This shift reminds us that dead metaphors aren’t always terminally dead.
—Rob Nixon, Smithsonian, 23 Mar. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dead metaphor
Noun
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As Jamie divulges the details of the enterprise, including the special code words staff must use in the presence of The Butcher, Cooper gets increasingly nervous.Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Aug. 2024
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Kingsley suggests having a code word with your friends and family to verify their identity.Betty Lin-Fisher, USA TODAY, 4 June 2024
Noun
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The media has deployed every euphemism imaginable to describe the former president’s public usage of bad words like ****, **** and ****.Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2024
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But the rest has been, in the British political euphemism of the moment, missteps.Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2024
Noun
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So there's no doubt that there is sort of an arms race or a Cold War, like, pick your analogy.Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 4 Nov. 2024
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But the analogy to the entertainment industry breaks apart on the matter of what the fans are paying for.Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 2 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Every generation of kids deserves a live-action series in which awkward magical powers become the obvious metaphor for puberty, and, thankfully, Waverly Place is once again stepping in to fill that void.Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2024
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This concept can be beautifully illustrated by thinking of a jazz combo as a metaphor for work-life harmony.Brian Bartes, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Later, when asked about his evolution as a coach, Harbaugh described himself as open to change and used a mall-entrance simile to make his point.Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2024
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As the simile suggests, the pen could be used as a weapon, producing militant verses that would advance the nationalist cause.Maggie Doherty, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Dead metaphor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead%20metaphor. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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