Strange Sayings

[Mikoyan]

I recall listening to the radio today, and a commentator talking about the recent election on Ted Kennedy's seat said that, for Democrats, the appointment of a Republican is "not just a canary in the mineshaft but dead ravens landing on the lawn." This struck me as an odd metaphor, and it reminded me of other things I've heard, such as "The team members made and broke bonds like underwear without detergent." Then the next idea that came to me was to make a topic on NSF about this.

So what strange sayings have you heard throughout your lifetime? I'm pretty sure that there are some sites with those but I doubt that they catalog all of those created in the English language.

[Macawmoses]

hi lat ilu

Three sheets to the wind. How that associates with drunk is beyond me.

[JrDude]

"Cold as hell"
Hell is hot.

[Mikoyan]

hi lat ilu

Three sheets to the wind. How that associates with drunk is beyond me.

ilu2 Mack

Also I dug this up: "Sailors at that time had a sliding scale of drunkenness; three sheets was the falling over stage; tipsy was just 'one sheet in the wind', or 'a sheet in the wind's eye'."

[BOREDFOREVER]

When I was a kid watching the Andy Griffith show with my Dad, Andy said "If I had my druthers . . ."

I had to have my Dad explain it.  I think that's one of the stranger phrases I've heard consistently.  Those in the OP are almost nonsense, especially the underwear one. The first one is really just clunky.

[Kilroy]

"Cold as hell"
Hell is hot.

These general sayings.

"This tastes like poop." How do you know what poop tastes like?

"It's cold as poop." I'm fairly sure poop is warm.

etc. etc. etc.

[THEBIRD]

"Cold as hell"
Hell is hot.

you've obviously never read The Inferno.

the only one i can think of at the moment is, "They want to touch the old man."

[Gwen Khan]

Six Of One, A Half Dozen Of The Other


it means they are the same

[Anarchy_Jas]

Diarrhea of the mouth... Means you talk a lot/too much. 0.o; Drawing 2 teacher said it today.

[Light]

"I couldn't care less", and how it's interchangeable with "I could care less".

[Allegretto]

Why don't you make like a tree, and get the FffffUck out of here!!!!!

[Rayquarian]

How people can get fed up over people saying "same difference," even though the phrase actually makes sense, unlike some phrases like "I could care less" when you can not care less.

[JrDude]

How people can get fed up over people saying "same difference," even though the phrase actually makes sense, unlike some phrases like "I could care less" when you can not care less.

It is possible to care less.
Like someone tells you randomly that they want to go on a walk, and you don't care. Then they say they really don't want you going, so you care even less.

[BOREDFOREVER]

While it is possible to care less, it's a phrase that is not typically accurate in describing the speakers level of care.  A mother who would give her life for her children could care less about them as well.  The speaker should use a phrase that more accurately describes their position at the lower threshold of care, even if it involves some slight hyperbole.  "I couldn't care less" is one such phrase.  While it is possible for the speaker to care less, it would be difficult, and the change would be very slight.  This more accurately describes care at or close to its lowest threshold.

[JrDude]

While it is possible to care less, it's a phrase that is not typically accurate in describing the speakers level of care.  A mother who would give her life for her children could care less about them as well.  The speaker should use a phrase that more accurately describes their position at the lower threshold of care, even if it involves some slight hyperbole.  "I couldn't care less" is one such phrase.  While it is possible for the speaker to care less, it would be difficult, and the change would be very slight.  This more accurately describes care at or close to its lowest threshold.

It's said when people are too lazy to include the "n't".
They usually mean "couldn't care less"