Pam Webb

How Cliche: N as next set of “n” cliches

Nose out of joint: to be irritated by something or someone. A somewhat confusing phrase traced to 1881. It implies the nose can be dislocated when it can’t see it has cartilage instead of a joint. So–this term projects a sense that a person is getting upset enough to feel like they are broken when they aren’t, just seems that way.

No skin off my nose: it doesn’t bother me. An early twentieth century expression with a reference to boxing with the idea that unless someone who  fully committed to the fight they will get some skin off their nose meaning involvement is going to possibly hurt a little.

No sweat: no extra effort required. A phrase related to “no problem,” meaning that the exertion needed to perform the task won’t be enough to cause someone to perspire. Slightly older than “no problem.”

Nothing new under the sun: it’s happened before. A Biblical term from Ecclesiastes 1:9–“What has been what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.” A phrase still appropriate today and used by the likes of Shakespeare in his Sonnet 95.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained: a person has to take a chance sometimes in order to succeed. An expression found as early (or even earlier) as Chaucer “naught venture, naught have,” and has shown up through the ages in similar forms with the most recent being “no pain, no gain,” uttered by business and sports pundits alike.

No way: not happening. American in origin, linked to the 1960s. It is a proclamation that means “under no circumstances,” which reflected an era of short, stated feelings such as “far out,” “dig it,” “bummer,” and “out-of-sight.”

Now on to “o” as in “oh my, what clichés shall we next ponder?”