noun
definition
Used to replace a word that might be considered unacceptable in a particular situation, when using a well-known phrase.
definition
The groin or the testicles.
example
You'll find they've got you by the proverbials.
adjective
definition
Of, resembling, or expressed as a proverb, cliché, fable, or fairy tale.
definition
Not used in a literal sense, but as the subject of a well-known metaphor.
example
proverbial spilled milk
definition
Widely known; famous; stereotypical.
example
I grew up in a prefab house on Main Street in 1950s suburbia, the second and last child of a proverbial nuclear family.
Examples of proverbial in a Sentence
I think we're grasping at the proverbial straw to consider him.
Her name has become proverbial in the sense of a nagging, quarrelsome woman.
The expression "fidus Achates" has become proverbial for a loyal and devoted companion.
It became proverbial " that nothing could be done in the world without the help of God and of the king of Bohemia."
The cowardice of this hyena is proverbial; despite its powerful teeth, it rarely attempts to defend itself.
The skill of the natives as seamen is proverbial in the archipelago.
Though in public prayers and on the coins the name of the caliph remained as that of the supreme authority, he had in reality no authority out of the palace, so that the saying became proverbial, "he contents himself with sermon and coin."
Another feature of his works was the large number of excellent sentiments expressed in a brief proverbial form; the Pythagoreans claimed him as a member of their school, who had forsaken the study of philosophy for the writing of comedy.
Tiberias is notoriously dirty and proverbial for its fleas, whose king is said by the Arabs to hold his court here.
It was the proverbial straw.
In reality, comparing Bollywood movies to Hollywood movies is a bit akin to comparing the proverbial apples and oranges.
In his youth, he was in all probability the proverbial bad boy.
This is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
A Cancer sign profile reflects the proverbial crab.
In spite of the aforementioned snags, life was a proverbial bucket of roses.
But much as he hated to do so, it was time to eat the proverbial crow and make peace.
The foreign policy of this period brought about the complete isolation of Austria, and the ingratitude towards Russia, as shown during the period of the Crimean War, which has become proverbial, caused a permanent estrangement between the two great Eastern empires and the imperial families.
The cunning and stratagem of the fox have been proverbial for many ages, and he has figured as a central character in fables from the earliest times, as in Aesop, down to "Uncle Remus," most notably as Reynard (Raginohardus, strong in counsel) in the great medieval beast-epic "Reynard the Fox" (q.v.).
His simple and forcible mode of expressing himself gave birth to the proverbial expression "Scythian eloquence," but his epigrams are as unauthentic as the letters which are often attributed to him.
On Solomon's relation to philosophical and proverbial literature, see PROVERBS.
But all knights were also knights of the spur or " equites aurati," because their spurs were golden or gilt, - the spurs of squires being of silver or white metal, - and these became their peculiar badge in popular estimation and proverbial speech.
Horace (Epistles, ii.) criticizes his old schoolmaster and describes him as plagosus (a flogger), and Orbilius has become proverbial as a disciplinarian pedagogue.
Stesichorus completed the form of the choral ode by adding the epode to the strophe and antistrophe; and "you do not even know Stesichorus's three" passed into a proverbial expression for unpardonable ignorance (unless the words simply mean, "you do not even know three lines, or poems, of Stesichorus").
The fertility of this region is proverbial.
They are formidable weapons, of coarse manufacture, but with richly ornamented handles; and they frequently bear proverbial inscriptions suitable to their murderous appearance.
This circumstance gave rise to a number of proverbial expressions, like Avriicbpas oe bei or "naviget Anticyram," and to frequent allusions in the Greek and Latin writers.
Cursor's strictness was proverbial; he was a man of immense bodily strength, while his bravery was AII.
As this was placed at the end of the ordinary (not the numeral) Greek alphabet, "alpha and omega" has become a proverbial phrase for first and last.
The plain is thus exceptionally well irrigated, and its consequent fertility is proverbial over the East.
So here I am, with proverbial pen to paper, musing about the final disposition of these scratching if I should crawl my way through to completion of the task.
Even though this pair of great friends may be shaking in their proverbial boots, Scooby and Shaggy always come through for Freddie, Daphne and Velma.
Sometimes they will work wonderfully, but other times they end up with that proverbial "huh?" coming from the crowd.
It's like the proverbial car wreck no one can look away from.
When it comes to MySpace page coolness, less is the proverbial more.
The Maxwells were pursued into Lockerbie and almost exterminated; hence "Lockerbie Lick" became a proverbial expression, signifying an overwhelming defeat.
Bulldogs were formerly employed in bull-baiting, and the tenacity of their grip is proverbial.
Its converts nevertheless included many of the Bosnian nobles and the ban Kulin (1180-1204), whose reign was long proverbial for its prosperity, owing to the flourishing state of commerce and agriculture, and the extensive mining operations carried on by the Ragusans.
The laws of Zaleucus, which he declared had been communicated to him in a dream by Athena, the patron goddess of the city, were few and simple, but so severe that, like those of Draco, they became proverbial.
Their leaves are deciduous, alternate, simple, and generally much longer than broad, whence the term willow-leaved has become proverbial.
The best extant specimen is the Argonautica of Apollonius Rhodius; the most characteristic is the Alexandra or Cassandra of Lycophron, the obscurity of which is almost proverbial.
He was learned, as learning was understood among the Italian clergy of the 18th century; but he was destitute of critical faculty, and the inaccuracy of his quotations is proverbial.
His unnatural and exaggerated style became proverbial.
From this barbarous act, the expression Lemnian deeds, Artµvta 'pya, became proverbial.
They seem also never to walk or run when on the ground, but always to hop. The bodyfeathers are commonly loose and soft; and, gaily coloured as are most of the species, in few of them has the plumage the metallic glossiness it generally presents in the pies, while the proverbial beauty of the "jay's wing" is due to the vivid tints of blue - turquoise and cobalt, heightened by bars of jet-black, an indication of the same style of ornament being observable in the greater FIG.
His small fees - he once charged $3.50 for collecting an account of nearly $600.00 - his frequent refusals to take cases which he did not think right and his attempts to prevent unnecessary litigation have become proverbial.
Hill@l's patience has become proverbial.
Yet his liberality to his ministers and servants was proverbial, and his vanquished enemies he always treated with magnificent generosity.
The panic-stricken severity of minorities is proverbial, but it is not to be forgotten that the Irish Protestants had been turned out of house and home twice within fifty years.
They have also retained many ancient sayings, proverbial in their style, which enforce many of the truths of natural religion as to the attributes of God.
The patience of the ass, the high spirit of the horse, the obstinacy of the mule, have long been proverbial.