sticks and stones
Appearance
English
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]Phrase
[edit]- (idiomatic) Ellipsis of sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.
- 1957, Brendan Gill, The Day the Money Stopped
- ‘You cheap dead-beat son of a bitch.’ / ‘Sticks and stones.’
- 1993, The Independent, 15 May
- He has come through the worst and now presents a stoical ‘sticks and stones’ front to his detractors.
- 2003, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (film)
- Elizabeth Swann: You're despicable!
- Jack Sparrow: Sticks and stones, love.
- 2003, “The Internet Is For Porn”, in Avenue Q soundtrack:
- (Kate): That's gross! You're a pervert.
(Trekkie):Oh, sticks and stones, Kate Monster.
- 1957, Brendan Gill, The Day the Money Stopped
- (idiomatic) any obsolete technology (usually of military and law enforcement purposes) when used in comparison to state of the art technology used by the antagonists or competitors.
- 20th century, (famous quote):
- I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.
Translations
[edit]sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me — see sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me