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- Dictionaryproverbial/prəˈvəːbɪəl/
adjective
- 1. (of a word or phrase) referred to in a proverb or idiom: "I'm going to stick out like the proverbial sore thumb"
noun
- 1. used to stand for a word or phrase that is normally part of a proverb or idiom but is not actually uttered: "one word out of line, and the proverbial hits the fan"
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The meaning of PROVERBIAL is of, relating to, or resembling a proverb. How to use proverbial in a sentence.
(of a statement) commonly known, esp. because it is from a proverb or saying known by many people, or because it expresses a truth known by a particular group of people:
1. (prenominal) commonly or traditionally referred to, esp as being an example of some peculiarity, characteristic, etc. 2. of, connected with, embodied in, or resembling a proverb. proˈverbially adv.
You use proverbial to show that you know the way you are describing something is one that is often used or is part of a popular saying. The limousine sped off down the road in the proverbial cloud of dust.
PROVERBIAL meaning: 1 : of, relating to, or resembling a proverb; 2 : commonly spoken of widely known.
What does the word proverbial mean? There are seven meanings listed in OED's entry for the word proverbial, two of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. See meaning & use. How common is the word proverbial? About 2 occurrences per million words in modern written English. See frequency.
Definition of proverbial adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
Proverbial definition: of, relating to, or characteristic of a proverb. See examples of PROVERBIAL used in a sentence.
noun. (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. Wiktionary. (euphemistic) The groin or the testicles. Wiktionary.
If something is proverbial, it's referred to in a familiar saying. If your little brother knocks over his milk and starts crying, you might think of the proverbial spilled milk. Proverb is the root of proverbial, and it comes from the Latin word proverbium, “a common saying.”
