Harry Houdini and Annie Oakley are two examples of metaphors inspired by historically famous people.
People become famous for a gamut of reasons—unforgettable appearances, feats of heroism, good (and bad) reputations. Some simply lived iconic lives that cannot be copied.
So, it's no surprise that historically famous people who have lived extraordinary lives have become the source for many metaphors. Merriam Webster defines a metaphor as "a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them (as in swimming in paperwork)."
And although they're no longer with us, their memories continue to live on in daily conversations. On Reddit, people shared their favorite metaphors inspired by historically famous people. These are 15 of the most intriguing.
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Harry Houdini
"'That guy can get out of anything he’s a real Houdini'." - rakfink
Benedict Arnold
"He’s become a Benedict Arnold (a traitor to his country)." - Bo-Jacks-Son
Charles Boycott
"Boycott was one of the earliest examples of this - named for Charles Boycott, a British land agent in Ireland in the 1880’s." - F*CKYOURCOUCHREDDIT
Annie Oakley
"She’s a regular Annie Oakley with her rifle (a good shot)." - Bo-Jacks-Son
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Marilyn Monroe
"Yeah, she thinks she’s Marilyn Monroe (a sexy woman)." - Bo-Jacks-Son
Evel Knievel
"He’s a regular Evel Knievel (a daredevil)." - Bo-Jacks-Son
John Hancock
"John Hancock - Associated with your signature. Yes, just for people who don't know, on the Declaration of Independence, John Hancock's signature is the largest and very central, and everybody else's is smaller and somewhat squeezed in. He signed it first, or at least early, before it became clear how much room people would have. So sometimes a signature is referred to as a John Hancock--like 'Put your John Hancock right there!'" - GabbyWic, Effective_Pear4760
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
"I think Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are often mentioned (in the US anyway) when you're trying to say someone's a great dancer." - Effective_Pear4760
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The Joneses
"Keeping up with the Joneses. 'There was an actual Jones family who built a 7,690-square-foot mansion in Rhinebeck, New York, a summer vacation spot for well-heeled, wealthy families from New York City. Elizabeth Schermerhorn Jones commissioned the formidable brick-and-slate structure in 1853...'." - BabySlothDrivingFast
Saint Thomas
"A Doubting Thomas is named after the apostle who doubted Jesus." - ThimbleBluff
Judas Iscariot
"Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus. His name has become a synonym for reviled traitor." - NonspecificGravity
Albert Einstein
"Einstein has become a synonym for genius, often used ironically. When your roommate burns popcorn in the microwave, you might yell 'Hey, Einstein!'" - NonspecificGravity
Albert Einstein's name is often used as a metaphor.Image via Wikimedia Commons
Queen of Sheba
"This is an old one but any time a woman was feeling herself, my grandma (who was born in 1912) used to say, 'she thinks she’s Queen of Sheba'. The Queen of Sheba is based on a scriptural character (both Jewish and Christian, also Islamic) character who visited King Solomon because she heard he was so amazing she had to meet him and test his knowledge. She brought tons of gold, spices, etc. They established trade routes and other political alliances. She is known as a very powerful and wealthy ruler. The phrase your grandmother (and many other women) used is an insult, as if the subject was overly glitzy, even fake. I think that's sad, because he Queen of Sheba was the Bible's most powerful women. I'd be happy to be referenced as a Queen of Sheba!" - Optimal_Management_7, pioneercynthia
Bonnie and Clyde
"Some of our American gangsters fit here…Bonnie and Clyde to describe any modern crime duo." - Optimal_Title3359
Vidkun Quizling
"Calling someone a quizling. Named after Vidkun Quisling who was a Norwegian Minister and Nazi collaborator during WW2. It's come to mean a citizen or politician of an occupied country who collaborates with an enemy occupying force; it may also be used more generally as a synonym for traitor or collaborator." - cleanrato