I was thinking about the phrase ‘The pot calling the kettle black’. It comes from a time where cooking was done over open fires and cookware would become visibly ashy. (Fun fact: It first appears and was perhaps coined by Cervantes in Don Quixote!)

What are some other idioms that have lost their literal connection to time? What would be a good modern replacement?

  • FudgyMcTubbs@lemmy.world
    2·
    3 days ago

    And isn’t that somehow attached to a specific Shakespeare play, but then became universal?

    Edit: maybe not. See comments below.

    • palordrolap@fedia.io
      3·
      3 days ago

      There’s a superstition among actors about speaking the word “Macbeth” outside of the play, but I don’t think telling people to “break a leg” is specifically linked with it. Two separate actor superstitions.