SSTF@lemmy.world to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world · 5 months agoWhen did you (literally or figuratively) dodge a bullet?message-squaremessage-square90fedilinkarrow-up1108arrow-down18
arrow-up1100arrow-down1message-squareWhen did you (literally or figuratively) dodge a bullet?SSTF@lemmy.world to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world · 5 months agomessage-square90fedilink
minus-squareNollijlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up5arrow-down1·5 months agoThe term frequently means narrowly avoiding a bad outcome, regardless of how it happens. Often it’s nothing more than Mr Magoo-ing out of the way. There are remarkably few people in the world who can actually dodge a literal bullet. Everything else is just luck or escaping.
minus-squarenjm1314@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up1arrow-down1·5 months agoYes that’s what the term means figuratively. However having read the title I was referring to the other part.
minus-squareall-knight-party@kbin.runlinkfedilinkarrow-up1arrow-down1·5 months agoI would assume through context clues that “figuratively” in this context means narrowly avoiding a bad situation, and “literally” means avoiding your death regardless of whether it has to do with a literal bullet or not.
minus-squarenjm1314@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up1·5 months agoIt’s an odd assumption to make when it’s not the meaning of the word literally. That’s literally the meaning of the word figuratively.
minus-squareall-knight-party@kbin.runlinkfedilinkarrow-up1arrow-down1·5 months agoI think we’ve had enough years on this planet to realize people use the word literally incorrectly almost as often as they use it correctly.
minus-squarenjm1314@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up1·5 months agoSure but not of the exact same time they use the word figuratively.
The term frequently means narrowly avoiding a bad outcome, regardless of how it happens. Often it’s nothing more than Mr Magoo-ing out of the way.
There are remarkably few people in the world who can actually dodge a literal bullet. Everything else is just luck or escaping.
Yes that’s what the term means figuratively. However having read the title I was referring to the other part.
I would assume through context clues that “figuratively” in this context means narrowly avoiding a bad situation, and “literally” means avoiding your death regardless of whether it has to do with a literal bullet or not.
It’s an odd assumption to make when it’s not the meaning of the word literally. That’s literally the meaning of the word figuratively.
I think we’ve had enough years on this planet to realize people use the word literally incorrectly almost as often as they use it correctly.
Sure but not of the exact same time they use the word figuratively.