Cliches, True and Tried

Just heard a political commentator describe the end of something as “match and set.”

Clichés are bad enough, but when you are so oblivious to what they mean that you use them incorrectly, you should keep as silent as a mouse church.

Some purely fictional examples:

• “Mate and check!” Turns chess victory into spousal identification, or a pregnancy test instruction.
• “Miss and a swing.” Changes baseball futility into a young lady on a playground.
• “Heavy and hot.” Transforms a passionate tryst into a July Weight Watchers meeting.

Some sayings are unaffected:

• “Oranges and apples”
• “Dangerous and armed”
• “Tat for tit…”