Frozen Metaphor (Noun)
Meaning
A metaphor that has occurred so often that it has become a new meaning of the expression (e.g., `he is a snake' may once have been a metaphor but after years of use it has died and become a new sense of the word `snake').
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The phrase "all hands on deck" used to be a frozen metaphor but is now widely used to describe an emergency situation requiring everyone's assistance.
- Working in a busy office can be like a war zone, but the phrase has become so overused that it's essentially a frozen metaphor with little emotional impact.
- After years of using the phrase "heart broken," it's no longer a metaphor but a frozen metaphor that has become a standard way of describing the end of a relationship.
- When discussing someone who is the center of attention, the phrase "star of the show" is commonly used and has become a frozen metaphor.
- Using the phrase "spill the beans" has become so common that it's now a frozen metaphor, rather than an actual metaphor with deeper meaning.