Dead metaphor facts for kids

A dead metaphor is a special kind of figure of speech where the original picture or idea behind the words has been forgotten. This happens because the phrase has been used so much, or because it refers to something old that people don't use or remember anymore. Even though the original meaning is lost, we still understand what the dead metaphor means today.

What Are Dead Metaphors?

A metaphor is a way of describing something by saying it *is* something else, even if it's not literally true. For example, if you say "the classroom was a zoo," you don't mean there were actual animals, but that it was very noisy and chaotic.

A dead metaphor is a metaphor that has been used so often that its original, imaginative meaning has faded away. It's like a word that used to paint a vivid picture, but now it just means something else directly. Think of it as a word or phrase that started as a creative comparison but has become an everyday expression.

How Words Change Over Time

Words and phrases are always changing! This process is called a semantic change, which simply means a change in a word's meaning. When a metaphor becomes "dead," it's often because its original meaning has become so common that it's now taken literally.

For example, the "legs" of a chair don't make us think of human legs anymore. The word "leg" has simply expanded to mean any support for an object. Similarly, the "wings" of an airplane don't usually make us think of a bird's wings. The word "wing" now includes parts of planes too. These are no longer seen as creative comparisons but as standard uses of the words.

Why Are They Called "Dead"?

Some people wonder if "dead metaphors" are truly "dead" or if they are still metaphors. When we use a phrase like "falling in love," we don't usually picture someone physically falling. However, the idea of suddenly being overwhelmed or losing control, like a fall, is still there in the background.

Some experts believe that if the original image is completely forgotten, the phrase just becomes a new word or a new way of saying something. Others argue that even if we don't think about the original picture, a tiny bit of that old meaning might still influence how we understand the phrase. It's a fun debate about how language works!

Cool Examples of Dead Metaphors

Here are some common phrases that started as metaphors but have become everyday expressions:

• Brand new: This phrase used to refer to something that was fresh from the "brand" or fire, like a newly forged sword. Now it just means completely new.
• Beyond the pale: This phrase once referred to being outside a physical boundary fence, like the "Pale" in Ireland. Today, it means something is outside the accepted rules or limits of behavior.
• Cut!: In filmmaking, this command tells everyone to stop filming. It comes from the old practice of physically cutting film reels.
• Deadline: This word originally referred to a line in prisons that prisoners could not cross without being shot. Now, it simply means the latest time by which something must be completed.
• Fly off the handle: This phrase describes someone suddenly getting very angry. It comes from an axe head flying off its handle when swung too hard.
• Footage: In film, this term refers to the length of film used. It comes from measuring film in feet.
• Glove compartment: This is a small storage area in a car. It was originally designed to hold gloves, which drivers used to wear.
• Go belly up: This means to fail completely or stop working. It comes from the image of a dead fish floating on its back.
• Hang up the phone: This phrase means to end a phone call. It comes from the days when phone receivers were literally hung up on a hook to disconnect.
• Hold your horses: This means to wait or slow down. It comes from literally holding back horses.
• Let one's hair down: This means to relax and be informal. It comes from women letting down their elaborate hairstyles in private.
• Patching code: In computing, this means fixing or updating software. It comes from the old way of fixing holes in paper tape programs by literally patching them with new pieces of tape.
• Pull out all the stops: This means to use all available resources or effort. It comes from playing a pipe organ with all its "stops" (levers that control different sounds) pulled out for the loudest sound.
• Rewind: This means to go back in a recording. It comes from the action of winding magnetic tape backward.
• Roll up the window: This means to close a car window. It comes from the old method of manually rolling a handle to raise the window.
• Sound like a broken record: This means to repeat the same thing over and over. It comes from a scratched vinyl record that would get stuck and repeat a part of a song.
• To tape something: This means to record something, especially audio or video. It comes from using magnetic tape for recording.
• Time is running out: This means there is not much time left. It comes from the image of sand running through an hourglass.