Sekirov Dictionary

proverbial

/pɹəˈvɜɹb.iː.əl/

adjective 3
noun 2
forms 3

adjective3

•
Of, resembling, or expressed as a proverb, cliché, fable, or fairy tale.
- The busyness of a beaver is proverbial.
- The beaver in this instance upheld the reputation of the proverbial one: her output was prodigious.
•
Optionally placed before an element of a well-known proverb or metaphor to emphasize that the element is not being used in a literal sense (see Usage notes below)
- the proverbial smoking gun
- the proverbial spilled milk
•
Widely known; famous; stereotypical.
- I grew up in a prefab house on Main Street in 1950s suburbia, the second and last child of a proverbial nuclear family.

noun2

•
(euphemistic) Used to replace a word that might be considered unacceptable in a particular situation, when using a well-known phrase.
- I think we should be prepared in case the proverbial hits the fan.
- Are you taking the proverbial?
•
[in the plural] (informal, euphemistic) The groin or the testicles.
- You'll find they've got you by the proverbials.

forms

proverbials · more proverbial · most proverbial

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