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Eliminating Cliches http://www.kristisiegel.com/cliches.html Cliches are overused, trite expressions. Cliches are a form of Engfish because they do not communicate.Traditionally, cliches were comparisons such as "good as gold" "; "big as a house"; "red as a beet"; and so forth". However, ordinary expressions and/or ideas become cliches when they are overused. Comments like "Hot enough for you?"; or, "Have a nice day" barely register because we've heard these remarks so often. It is easy to identify classic cliches like "as slippery as an eel," "rich as sin," or--and here's an old one--"as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs." However, the everyday variety of cliches may be harder to notice; these are the expressions they we use so unconsciously that they become invisible (and deaden our writing). A cliche may also refer to an idea. Some examples of cliched ideas or images include grandfathers/mothers with twinkling eyes, "fluffy" kittens or bunnies, pounding hearts, sweaty palms, and stomachs with butterflies. A list of some overused expressions (there are many more) is provided below: Some examples of cliches ... in the nick of time couldn't catch my breath for the life of me without moving a muscle without a doubt to tell the truth couldn't keep my eyes open at the drop of a hat cut to the chase did not have a pleasant bone in his/her body but to no avail it was bad enough like the pot calling the kettle black got the best of me put two and two together to this day bubble was burst knows full well honesty is the best policy times heals all wounds next thing I knew dumb as a rock bored out of my mind quiet as a mouse stopped in my tracks before I knew it without a doubt in a jiffy without a hitch stopped in my tracks little did I know goose bumps all over the time of my life needless to say well worth the wait even to this day frightened to death scared out of my wits waste of time rushed for time with only seconds to spare without a care in the world it couldn't happen to a nicer _____ a matter of time lost track of time seemed to take forever lasted an eternity like greased lightning thought to myself made a big impression on thought he/she was hot stuff