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To submit a demi-entendre, please email it to David Black.
| Demi-entendre | Source phrase 1 | Source phrase 2 | Source (if known) |
|---|---|---|---|
...a disease which precluded his capacity to distinguish right from
wrong. | ...a disease which precluded his distinguishing right from wrong. | ...a disease which diminished his capacity to distinguish right
from wrong. | movie |
...and perhaps then you'll stop harping on about it. | ...and perhaps then you'll stop harping on it. | ...and perhaps then you'll stop going on about it. | |
...and such forth. | ...and such. | ...and so forth. | |
...do time in bars... | ...do time in prison... | ...do time behind bars... | (unknown) |
...for free... | ...for nothing... | ...free... | (common expression) |
...if you were. | ...if you will. | ...as it were. | |
...landed up... | landed | ended up | |
...weather out the storm | ...weather the storm. | ...wait out the storm. | |
[It] seems less and less a reality than a pleasant myth. | [It] seems less a reality than a pleasant myth. | [It] seems less and less real. | New York Times |
All the running he's had to do may have taken some toll out of the legs
of this young athlete. | All the running he's had to do may have taken a toll on the legs of
this young athlete. | All the running he's had to do may have taken something out of the legs of
this young athlete. | tennis commentator |
Allow me the privilege to congratulate you. | Allow me the privilege of congratulating you. | Allow me to congratulate you. | movie (Police Academy?) |
As it so happens, | As it happens, | It so happens, | (unknown) |
But first, a story which might not seem to have anything to do about
tennis. | But first, a story which might not seem to have anything to do with
tennis. | But first, a story which might not seem to be about
tennis. | NBC tennis commentator |
By learning a few simple rules, you can save yourself from hours of time
doing (some chore). | By learning a few simple rules, you can save yourself hours of time. | By learning a few simple rules, you can save yourself from doing
(some chore). | |
Even still, .... | Even so, .... | Still, .... | mystery novel |
fellow countryman | fellow American | countryman | |
Fire marshalls blamed the cause of the fire on smoking. | Fire marshalls identified the cause of the fire as smoking. | Fire marshalls blamed the fire on smoking. | (unknown) |
He tried to pull one over on her. | He tried to put one over on her. | He tried to pull the wool over her eyes. | |
He was willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice. | He was willing to pay the ultimate price. | He was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. | (unknown) |
He's calm on the outside, but the wheels are churning inside (tennis
commentator) | He's calm on the outside, but his stomach is churning. | He's calm on the outside, but the wheels are turning inside. | |
He's gonna feel a huge sigh of relief.
| He's gonna breathe a huge sigh of relief. | He's gonna feel great relief. | unknown (TV?) |
He's got it out for me. | He's got it in for me. | He's out to get me. | |
I take great pleasure of introducing.... | I take great pleasure in introducing.... | I have the great pleasure of introducing.... | (women's sports documentary footage) |
I was skeptic. | I was skeptical. | I was a skeptic. | (Zicam commercial) |
It can't be anything less but perfect. | It can't be anything but perfect. | It can't be anything less than perfect. | |
It is by far one of the most (adjective). | It is by far the most (adjective). | It is one of the most (adjective). | overheard several times |
It plays a factor. | It plays a role. | It is a factor. | heard frequently |
Let's make a clean slate of it. | Let's start with a clean slate.
| Let make a clean start of it. | overheard |
No sport was so vividly enhanced by strobes than was boxing | No sport was so vividly enhanced by strobes as was boxing | No sport was more vividly enhanced by strobes than was boxing | (sports photography documentary) |
Plus which, ... | Plus, ... | In addition to which, ... | movie, "Manhattan Project" |
Someone in my family is talking out of school. | Someone in my family is talking out of turn. | Someone in my family is telling tales out of school. | The Sopranos |
Terrorists usually take claim for their acts. | Terrorists usually take credit for their acts. | Terrorists usually claim responsibility for their acts. | CNBC (approx.) |
That's exactly what we're fixing on doing. | That's exactly what we're planning on doing. | That's exactly what we're fixing to do. | Movie, "The Last Horseman" |
The flight was bound from Miami to Phoenix. | The flight was going from Miami to Phoenix. | The flight was bound for Miami. | News4 New York (TV news) |
The following year after that.... | The year after that... | The following year... | (Antiques Road Show historian) |
The likelihood of them going up in the near future is a real possibility. | Their going up in the near future is a real possibility. | The likelihood is that they will go up in the near future. | (some TV financial commercial) |
The museum is house to a large Dickens collection.
| The museum houses a large Dickens collection. | The museum is home to a large Dickens collection. | (unpublished essay) |
The police are very reluctant to tell us about the case. | The police are very reticent to tell us about the case. | The police are very reticent about the case. | newscast[?] |
The weather did not play a big hand (in some result). | The weather did not have a big hand (in some result). | The weather did not play a big part (in some result). | Tennis commentator |
There's no better time than today to go to Lowe's. | Today, there's no better time to come to Lowe's. | Today, there's no better place to go than Lowe's. | TV commercial |
They are taking cognizance of it. | They are cognizant of it. | They are taking note of it. | (Some news broadcast[?]) |
They were using F-letter words | They were using the F-word. | They were using four-letter words. | Phil Donahue interviewee |
Things took a change for the worse. | Things took a turn for the worse. | Things changed for the worse. | |
This is something we share in common. | This is something we share. | This is something we have in common. | overheard |
Tomorrow will promise to be less humid. | Tomorrow will be less humid. | Tomorrow promises to be less humid. | Weather Channel anchor |
Until we're sure, we should err on caution. | Until we're sure, we should err on the side of caution. | Until we're sure, we should exercise caution. | from a movie |
We voted to use appropriate means. | We voted to take appropriate means. | We voted to take appropriate measures. | news interviewee |
When we're all said and done, .... | When we're all done, .... | When all is said and done, .... | (TV broadcast[?]) |
You'll take notice to what we do down there | You'll take notice of what we do down there. | You'll pay attention to what we do down there. | Path to War (movie) |