Phrases or quotations that don't mean what they literally say.

I came across this one in an alternate history novel about the US Civil War.

Robert E. Lee says "It's good that war is so terrible, else we would grow fond of it."

Ok. Literally, if war wasn't so terrible, what harm would there be in growing fond of it? Think playing laser tag or paintball. It's not terrible at all. What the phrase really means is "It's good we deem war to be so terrible, else we would grow fond of it."

Of course irony carries a contrary meaning. So this quote attributed to Mark Twain (but probably not made by him): "The coldest winter I ever experienced was a summer in San Francisco" makes perfect sense.

Anyone else?

A gazillion yogi's out there. He was the master.
here's a couple off the top of my head.

"Nobody goes there anymore, its too crowded."
"Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical."

"Head over heels in love."

At least I always question it. I mean, your head is normally over your heels anyway. Heels over head is more like love. People are stupid goofy when in love. At least young lovers often are.

I seem to remember there is another explanation as well which probably makes sense.

Quote: rxwine

"Head over heels in love."

At least I always question it. I mean, your head is normally over your heels anyway.

Good one.

There's a song by the Go Gos named "Head over Heels." I like it, but the phrase never makes sense to me either.

Like this:

Head over heels
But if I go, can't stop myself
Out of control
Head over heels
No time to think
It's like the whole world's
Out of sync.

The lack of money is the root of all evil.

Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.

Mark Twain for both.

Quote: Evenbob

The lack of money is the root of all evil.

Mark Twain would never have lacked for money. He and two other prospectors filed what later became known as The Comstock Lode. Each of three thought the others would do the initial proving up work and when ten days went by with no activity on the site, the other miners filed on the claim and prevailed.

Quote: Fleastiff

Mark Twain would never have lacked for money. He and two other prospectors filed what later became known as The Comstock Lode. Each of three thought the others would do the initial proving up work and when ten days went by with no activity on the site, the other miners filed on the claim and prevailed.

Twain was an idiot in business. As I said,
he could have got in on the ground floor
of Bell Telephone but couldn't see a
practical use for the contraption. Are you
kidding me? He thought it would be
limited to women making doctors appointments
and ordering a bag of groceries from the
market. Great authors are often huge business
failures.

Well, I'd look like a genius if I knew which one of the IPOs was going to blow up years later and which ones were going to go kaput.

Quote: rxwine

Well, I'd look like a genius if I knew which one of the IPOs was going to blow up years later and which ones were going to go kaput.

How much imagination does it take to realize
that being able to speak with someone 200
miles away would have tremendous advantages?
Twain couldn't see it.

Quote: Evenbob

How much imagination does it take to realize
that being able to speak with someone 200
miles away would have tremendous advantages?
Twain couldn't see it.

Actually lots of people didn't see it. When the phone came out you could already send the telegraph for important things, why would you need to call that far to yack about nothing?

History is filled with missed things that later became obvious. USA companies invented the VCR but wondered why people would tape shows? GM and Ford both figured minivan sales would not work because van buyers thought it was too small. How many others?