Examples of Clichés

Clichés that Describe Time

Some clichés that refer to time include:

Time will tell: This means that something will revealed or become clear over time
In the nick of time: This means something happened just in time
Lost track of time: This means you stopped paying attention to the time or to how long something was taking
Lasted an eternity: This refers to something that lasts for a very long time (or that feels like it does)
A matter of time: This refers to something that will eventually happen or eventually become clear
A waste of time: This refers to something that was silly or not valuable to do
Rushed for time: This means you do not have sufficient time to do something
In a jiffy: This means something will happen soon
The time of my life: This refers to a really great time
At the speed of light: This means something done very quickly.

Clichés that Describe People

Some clichés that describe people include:

As old as the hills: This describes someone very old
Fit as a fiddle: This describes someone in great shape
Without a care in the world: This describes someone who is not plagued by problems or worries
A diamond in the rough: This describes someone who has a great future.
Brave as a lion: This describes a very brave person.
Weak as a kitten: This describes a very weak person.

Clichés About Life, Love and Emotions

Opposites attract: This means that people who like different things and have different views are likely to fall in love or to become friends
Scared out of my wits: This describes being very frightened
Frightened to death: This also describes being very frightened
All is fair in love and war: This cliché stands for the premise that you can do whatever you have to in order to capture the heart of your lover
All’s well that ends well: This means that even if there were problems along the way, it doesn't matter as long as there is a happy ending
Every cloud has a silver lining: This means that even when bad things happen, it may be possible to find some good in them
Haste makes waste: This cliché stands for the premise that you will make mistakes when you do things too quickly
The writing on the wall: This refers to something that should be clear or apparent and that is essentially a foregone conclusion
Time heals all wounds: This means that all pain and suffering will get better over time
What goes around comes around: This cliché teaches the lesson that the way you treat others will eventually be the way you are treated
When you have lemons, make lemonade: This cliché encourages you to have a positive attitude even when things are going bad.

Want more? Try these:

Cat got your tongue?
Fall head over heels
Read between the lines
Laughter is the best medicine
Waking up on the wrong side of the bed
That and a quarter will get you a cup of coffee
Sent a shiver down my spine
Gut wrenching pain
Heart-stopping fear
I love you more than life itself
And they all lived happily ever after
We're not laughing at you were laughing with you
The quiet before the storm

Favorite Clichés

There are numerous examples of clichés. Some clichés can be poetic, such as Shakespeare's, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” This phrase became so popular and widely used, that Shakespeare created a new cliché.

Other favorite English clichés include:

“All that glitters is not gold”
“Don’t get your knickers in a twist”
“All for one, and one for all”

In America, clichés are commonly used as well. For example:

Having “nerves of steel”
To “make up”
“Tail between his legs”
“Can it”

Hidden Meanings in Clichés

There are thousands of clichés in the world. Many of them have meanings that you can obviously see, but some have meanings that are only clear if you know the context. For example, the cliché, “any port in a storm" has a hidden meaning. The obvious meaning is that, in a bad situation, anything will do. However this cliché can also be used to say that a man has many friends or lovers.

Context-Driven Meanings

Some clichés can be interpreted differently based on the context.

For example:

“Do you think I am made of money?” implies that you don't have any money.
“I feel as if I am made of money” suggests just the opposite.

Interpretation-Driven Meanings

Not all clichés are necessarily true either. Some are a matter of interpretation.

For example:

"In experience comes wisdom and with wisdom comes experience" is not necessarily accurate in every case.
“Tis better to have loved and lost, then to have never loved at all” is a commonly used cliché, but you might disagree and say its better to not have loved and lost.

So there are many examples of clichés, and different meanings and interpretations come into play with every cliché. As time goes on, you may interpret them differently, and even create some clichés of your own.

Defining a Cliché

A cliché can be two things:

An overused expression, something that is said a lot that has become some common, it no longer really has any relevance or is even noticed in conversation. Phrases such as “to this day” or “next thing I knew” are examples of such a cliché, and you often say these phrases without noticing you are doing so.
An idea with a different meaning from its literal meaning. For example, the phrases “sweaty palms” or “twinkling eyes” have come to mean more than the fact that your palms are just sweaty or that your eye's have a twinkle. When you say someone has sweaty palms, everyone knows you mean "he is nervous" because the expression has become a cliché.

Origin of the Word Cliché

The word cliché comes from two origins:

A sound - The French used the word to describe the sound that a matrix, or a mold with letters on it, made when it was being dropped into molten metal to make a printing plate.
A printing plate - Oddly enough, the printing plate itself was called a cliché or a stereotype and it was one of the first movable types in the world.

Clichés and Idioms

Clichés are often idioms. Idioms are figurative phrases with an implied meaning; the phrase is not to be taken literally. This causes difficulty when translating to another language because the meaning may not be understood by people within that culture.

Idioms are either opaque or transparent:

Opaque - When you translate an opaque idiom, it will not make sense because the literal meaning is nothing like the real meaning. An example of an opaque idiom is “bag of bones,” which means someone is very underweight.
Transparent - A transparent idiom has similarities between the literal and the expression. For example, “playing your cards right” is an expression that actually came from card games but that can apply to other situations.

Clichés can be true or not and some are stereotypes. Clichés can be figurative or literal and are overused.

An example of a figurative cliché is “raining cats and dogs”, meaning it is raining heavily.
A literal cliché would be “to tell the truth” because you are going to do just that.

A figurative idiom can become a cliché if it is used often enough in our language.