Sometimes bemuse me, as in '_____ _____ You're toast' Why toast? What shade of toast? Burned toast French toast Buttered or dry toast? Why am I (for cause) told "You're toast"? "Warm as toast" perhaps? "All toasty"? Rye toast if I'm being a wise ass? I just don't get some of those idioms. "Off your rocker! So what? "I'm head over heels for her!" Huh? What am I a contortionist "Look before you leap" doesn't make sense because, "He who hesitates is lost". This is why you should never look to idioms for advice. Out of sight, out of mind vs. Absence makes the heart grow fonder Pen is mightier than the sword vs Actions speak louder than words What you see is what you get vs. Don't judge a book by its cover Many hands make light work vs. Too many cooks spoil the broth Birds of a feather flock together vs. Opposites attract. http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=705994
Lol ! How true ! So funny too I recall as a child - Absence makes the heart grow fonder, gave me hope Then I heard - out of sight, out of mind ..............
How 'bout 'Don't bite the hand that feeds you.' vs 'Take what you can get.' or 'The cat's got your tongue?' vs 'Say what you want to say.' and 'Put your foot in your mouth.' vs 'Just don't say anything.'
There are certainly conflicting sayings that give a wide opportunity for usage. But while we're at it.. Dumb Sayings I am in shape. Round is a shape. Brain cells come and brain cells go, but fat cells live forever. Time may be a great healer, but it's also a lousy beautician. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic. Conscience is what hurts when everything else feels so good. Talk is cheap because supply exceeds demand. Stupidity got us into this mess ... why can't it get us out? Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there. Politicians and diapers have one thing in common. They should both be changed regularly...and for the same reason. I don't mind going nowhere as long as it's an interesting path. Anything free is worth what you pay for it. Indecision is the key to flexibility. It hurts to be on the cutting edge. If it ain't broke, fix it till it is. In just two days, tomorrow will be yesterday. I always wanted to be a procrastinator, never got around to it. I am a nutritional overachiever. My inferiority complex is not as good as yours. I am having an out-of-money experience. I plan on living forever. So far, so good. I'm not afraid of heights, just afraid of widths. Practice safe eating, always use condiments. I have kleptomania, but when it gets bad I take something for it. If marriage were outlawed, only outlaws would have in-laws. I am not a perfectionist. My parents were, though. You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster. An optimist thinks that this is the best possible world. A pessimist fears that this is true. People will accept your ideas much more readily if you tell them that Benjamin Franklin said it first. The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. Age doesn't always bring wisdom. Sometimes age comes alone.
Sticks and stones may break your bones but names will never hurt you..... not in my case...I could always fight a physical battle if I had to I was raised that way, but the insensitivity to me of cruel words cut deep, and never heal...
So true. When the idiom was coined bullying aka verbal abuse was in its infancy..or thought to be of little consequence.
About equal to a N.Y. minute plus time to rustle up a passel of ice cubes fer ta put inta yer soda pop. CPM= 60sec + (H/2) Where H is the relative % humidity. Humidity rather than temperature had a great impact on the rate of cotton picked by those harvesting the crop by hand, as you can well imagine. Thus it plays an integral role in determination of how long a CPM is. Like a NYM, a CPM is ultimately influenced by environmental factors, and therefore it's value can vary.
I suppose that equation, with a few tweaks, can answer the question, Exactly how clear is "Clear As Mud"