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What are some idioms that no longer make sense? Can you think of a modern replacement? (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 day ago* by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world
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I was thinking about the phrase 'The pot calling the kettle black'. It comes from a time where cooking was done over open fires and cookware would become visibly ashy. (Fun fact: It first appears and was perhaps coined by Cervantes in Don Quixote!)

What are some other idioms that have lost their literal connection to time? What would be a good modern replacement?

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[–] 4 points 12 hours ago* (4 children)

Eating a dead horse - not unless you buy the budget beef mince at Tesco

Read like rabbits - rabbits can't read or even hold books

Nip it in the butt - that's sexual assault, you're not allowed to do that any more

Get down off your high horse - you're not allowed to get animals high either

Kids should be shorn and not herd - goats have hair, not wool, and can't be shorn. Their natural tendency to herd is a difficult behaviour to break.

Under the weather - unless you're a pilot you're going to be under the weather most of the time

A blessing in the skies - unless your bishop is a pilot too, that's not going to happen.

Fight off more than you can chew - I don't know where to start with this one,

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