Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge.

[Beef Oven!]

Ridership.

Apparently a word to describe those using public transport.
Could get pretty annoying.

[Andrew353w]

I was wondering if it had anything to do with two birds in the hand being better than one in the bush!

Sorry this is from an old thread, but I always think "a bird in The Strand is worth two in Sheperd's Bush" a suitable epithet with which to reposte in these circumstances!

[Andrew353w]

Have we got this far without anyone mentioning singing from the same hymn sheet? Unless I've missed it.

(I'm loving this thread.......) I've started using "we're all sitting on the same Pilates mat" in this context, which reduces the thinking minority to hysterics!

[teamsaint]

(I'm loving this thread.......) I've started using "we're all sitting on the same Pilates mat" in this context, which reduces the thinking minority to hysterics!

“ Grown up”.

As currently used.........

[ahinton]

“ Grown up”.

As currently used.........

I'm not one to quote Norman Lebrecht but, when someone said that Martha Argerich had never grown up (meant as a compliment, incidentally), he countered it with "she's never grown old". Actually, I'm not sure that she's ever quite managed to do either...

[Ferretfancy]

I've just looked up the word unctuous in Chambers. The word is derived from religious anointment, with a second meaning of oily, greasy,offensively suave or smug.

In that case, why is it used indiscriminately by food writers and chefs who seem to think that it means rich and tasty?

Hate! hate! Hate!

[muzzer]

Ant’n’Dec

[muzzer]

Enormity when used to mean size

[LMcD]

'We need to have a conversation about.....'

[Serial_Apologist]

'We need to have a conversation about.....'

The government has organised a review to look into this.

[visualnickmos]

"Lessons must be learnt/learned...."
A favourite of anybody vaguely in a position of authorty from a local councillor to the PM, usually after some huge cock-up that has cost human lives.

[jean]

I've just looked up the word unctuous in Chambers. The word is derived from religious anointment, with a second meaning of oily, greasy,offensively suave or smug.

In that case, why is it used indiscriminately by food writers and chefs who seem to think that it means rich and tasty?

I quite like the revival of the sense you object to, because historically unctuous wasn't always pejorative when used literally.

Here are some examples from the OED:

1541 T. Elyot Castel of Helthe (new ed.) 18 b Meates..fatte and vnctuous, nourisheth, and maketh soluble.

1650 J. Bulwer Anthropometamorphosis 241 They feed upon unctuous and sweet meats.

1821 C. Lamb Grace before Meat in Elia 1st Ser. Those unctuous morsels of deer's flesh.

1879 Cassell's Techn. Educator (new ed.) IV. 162/2 The exquisite and unctuous taste which this excellent mollusk gives.

[gurnemanz]

Re the "unctuous" discussion my mind goes back to childhood churchgoing, regular if enforced. I am long lapsed in that respect, but those Hymns Ancient and Modern are still imprinted on my brain. As I remember, they were the only enjoyable part of an otherwise stultifying experience. We sang them at school assemblies as well. I can recall the following verse from the well-known and highly singable, The King of Love my Shepherd is:

Thou spreadst a table in my sight;
thy unction grace bestoweth;
and oh, what transport of delight
from thy pure chalice floweth!

Red double deckers no doubt came to mind. It's a good tune and those words were great to sing even if the theology totally eluded me.

[jean]

The hymn is a metrical version of Psalm 23. The unction bit is the KJV's thou anointest my head with oil.

But the whole of And oh, what transport of delight /from thy pure chalice floweth seems to represent only my cup runneth over.

Were Flanders & Swann really the first to spot the comic possibilities of the phrase?

[gradus]

Score line , it still rankles especially if your team is on the wrong end of it.