proverbial
Pronunciation
  • (British) IPA: /pɹəˈvɜɹb.iː.əl/
Adjective

proverbial

  1. Of, resembling, or expressed as a proverb, cliché, fable, or fairy tale.
    • 1947, Miracle on 34th Street (transcript ↗):
      Doris: You're making me feel like the proverbial stepmother.
  2. Not used in a literal sense, but as the subject of a well-known metaphor.
    the proverbial smoking gun
    proverbial spilled milk
  3. 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.
Translations Translations Noun

proverbial (plural proverbials)

  1. (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?
  2. (euphemistic) The groin or the testicles.



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