A dead metaphor is a figure of speech which has lost the original imagery of its meaning by extensive, repetitive, and popular usage, or because it refers to an obsolete technology or forgotten custom. Because dead metaphors have a conventional meaning that differs from the original, they can be understood without knowing their earlier connotation.
Description
Dead metaphors are generally the result of a semantic shift in the evolution of a language, a process called the literalization of a metaphor. A distinction is often made between those dead metaphors whose origins are entirely unknown to the majority of people using them (such as the expression "to kick the bucket") and those whose source is widely known or symbolism easily understood but not often thought about (the idea of "falling in love").
The long standing metaphorical application of a term can similarly lose their metaphorical quality, coming simply to denote a larger application of the term. The wings of a plane now no longer seem to metaphorically refer to a bird's wings; rather, the term 'wing' was expanded to include non-living things. Similarly, the legs of a chair is no longer a metaphor but an expansion of the term "leg" to include any supporting pillar.
There is debate among literary scholars whether so-called "dead metaphors" are dead or are metaphors. Literary scholar R.W. Gibbs noted that for a metaphor to be dead, it would necessarily lose the metaphorical qualities that it comprises. These qualities, however, still remain. A person can understand the expression "falling head-over-heels in love" even if they have never encountered that variant of the phrase "falling in love". Analytic philosopher Max Black argued that the dead metaphor should not be considered a metaphor at all, but rather classified as a separate vocabulary item.
In addition, philosophers such as Colin Murray Turbayne and Kendall Walton have outlined the manner in which "dead metaphors" may continue to exert influence upon a user's thoughts long after their metaphorical properties have seemingly vanished. Their research illustrates the manner in which "dead metaphors" have often become incorporated into accepted scientific and philosophical theories while also contributing to considerable obfuscation of thought over time.
Examples
- Balls-out (in reference to a centrifugal governor)
- Balls to the wall (in reference to grips on aircraft controls)
- Brand new
- Beyond the pale (in reference to a boundary fence)
- Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey
- Cut! (in film)
- Deadline
- Fly off the handle (in reference to an ax head)
- Footage (in film)
- Glove compartment
- Go belly up
- Hang up the phone
- Go hell-for-leather (refers to horse riding)
- Hold your horses
- Let one's hair down
- Three sheets to the wind (refers to a storm-tossed sailing ship)
- To take a parting shot (Parthian shot)
- Patching code (refers to paper tape)
- Pull out all the stops (in reference to a pipe organ)
- Rewind (in reference to magnetic tape)
- Roll up the window
- Sound like a broken record
- To tape something (to record)
- Time is running out (in reference to an hourglass)
References
- Pawelec, Andrzej. "The Death of Metaphor" (PDF). Retrieved 2014-11-20.
- David Snowball, Continuity and Change in the Rhetoric of the Moral Majority, p.126
- Travers, Michael David (June 1996). "Programming with Agents". Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2009-12-08.
- Dictionary of Modern American Philosophers Shook, John. 2005 p. 2451 Biography of Colin Murray Turbayne on Google Books
- "Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Metaphor" Stanford University, August 19, 2011 Revised August 12, 2022 "Section 5. Recent Developments 5.3 Metaphor and Make Believe" ISSN 1095-5054. Metaphor, Colin Turbayne and Kendall Walton. See Hills, David, "Metaphor", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2024 Edition), Edward N. Zalta & Uri Nodelman (eds.), URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2024/entries/metaphor/>. on plato.stanford.edu
- "Mind as Metaphor A Defense of Mental Ficionalism". Toon, Adam. OPU Oxford 2023 ebook isbn 9780198879671 "Chapter 1 Making Up Minds 1.3 Mind as Metaphor 1.3.1 Metaphor and Make-believe" p. 15-18 Kendall Walton on Google Books
- [https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=ib1oBQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=In+Other+shoes+music+Metaphor&ots=SVHEa5qGC7&sig=YWUh8-CalzualtHdIpq9nWAACLU#v=onepage&q=In%20Other%20shoes%20music%20Metaphor&f=false"In Other Shoes: Music, Metaphor, Empathy, Existence." Walton, Kendall L. 2015 Oxford University Press New York pp. 175-195 "Chapter 10 Metaphor and Prop Oriented Make-Believe" ISBN 978-0-19-509871-6 on Google Scholar]
- "The words that help us understand the world". BBC Culture. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
- "handle". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
- "Let Your Hair Down – Idiom, Meaning and Origin". Retrieved 8 January 2025.
- "dead metaphor". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
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A dead metaphor is a figure of speech which has lost the original imagery of its meaning by extensive repetitive and popular usage or because it refers to an obsolete technology or forgotten custom Because dead metaphors have a conventional meaning that differs from the original they can be understood without knowing their earlier connotation DescriptionDead metaphors are generally the result of a semantic shift in the evolution of a language a process called the literalization of a metaphor A distinction is often made between those dead metaphors whose origins are entirely unknown to the majority of people using them such as the expression to kick the bucket and those whose source is widely known or symbolism easily understood but not often thought about the idea of falling in love The long standing metaphorical application of a term can similarly lose their metaphorical quality coming simply to denote a larger application of the term The wings of a plane now no longer seem to metaphorically refer to a bird s wings rather the term wing was expanded to include non living things Similarly the legs of a chair is no longer a metaphor but an expansion of the term leg to include any supporting pillar There is debate among literary scholars whether so called dead metaphors are dead or are metaphors Literary scholar R W Gibbs noted that for a metaphor to be dead it would necessarily lose the metaphorical qualities that it comprises These qualities however still remain A person can understand the expression falling head over heels in love even if they have never encountered that variant of the phrase falling in love Analytic philosopher Max Black argued that the dead metaphor should not be considered a metaphor at all but rather classified as a separate vocabulary item In addition philosophers such as Colin Murray Turbayne and Kendall Walton have outlined the manner in which dead metaphors may continue to exert influence upon a user s thoughts long after their metaphorical properties have seemingly vanished Their research illustrates the manner in which dead metaphors have often become incorporated into accepted scientific and philosophical theories while also contributing to considerable obfuscation of thought over time ExamplesBalls out in reference to a centrifugal governor Balls to the wall in reference to grips on aircraft controls Brand new Beyond the pale in reference to a boundary fence Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey Cut in film Deadline Fly off the handle in reference to an ax head Footage in film Glove compartment Go belly up Hang up the phone Go hell for leather refers to horse riding Hold your horses Let one s hair down Three sheets to the wind refers to a storm tossed sailing ship To take a parting shot Parthian shot Patching code refers to paper tape Pull out all the stops in reference to a pipe organ Rewind in reference to magnetic tape Roll up the window Sound like a broken record To tape something to record Time is running out in reference to an hourglass ReferencesLook up dead metaphor in Wiktionary the free dictionary Pawelec Andrzej The Death of Metaphor PDF Retrieved 2014 11 20 David Snowball Continuity and Change in the Rhetoric of the Moral Majority p 126 Travers Michael David June 1996 Programming with Agents Massachusetts Institute of Technology Retrieved 2009 12 08 Dictionary of Modern American Philosophers Shook John 2005 p 2451 Biography of Colin Murray Turbayne on Google Books Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Metaphor Stanford University August 19 2011 Revised August 12 2022 Section 5 Recent Developments 5 3 Metaphor and Make Believe ISSN 1095 5054 Metaphor Colin Turbayne and Kendall Walton See Hills David Metaphor The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Fall 2024 Edition Edward N Zalta amp Uri Nodelman eds URL lt https plato stanford edu archives fall2024 entries metaphor gt on plato stanford edu Mind as Metaphor A Defense of Mental Ficionalism Toon Adam OPU Oxford 2023 ebook isbn 9780198879671 Chapter 1 Making Up Minds 1 3 Mind as Metaphor 1 3 1 Metaphor and Make believe p 15 18 Kendall Walton on Google Books https books google com books hl en amp lr amp id ib1oBQAAQBAJ amp oi fnd amp pg PP1 amp dq In Other shoes music Metaphor amp ots SVHEa5qGC7 amp sig YWUh8 CalzualtHdIpq9nWAACLU v onepage amp q In 20Other 20shoes 20music 20Metaphor amp f false In Other Shoes Music Metaphor Empathy Existence Walton Kendall L 2015 Oxford University Press New York pp 175 195 Chapter 10 Metaphor and Prop Oriented Make Believe ISBN 978 0 19 509871 6 on Google Scholar The words that help us understand the world BBC Culture Retrieved 25 March 2023 handle Online Etymology Dictionary Retrieved 25 March 2023 Let Your Hair Down Idiom Meaning and Origin Retrieved 8 January 2025 dead metaphor Merriam Webster Retrieved 20 November 2014 This linguistics article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte
