[Ads-l] fold like an umbrella

[Jonathan Lighter]

Prominent politician yesterday: "She folded like an umbrella."

[1872 _Daily Patriot_ (Washington, D.C.) (May 20) 2 [N]: To pass a bill of
such tremendous significance - in the language of Mr. Conkling...of New
York, [is] "to fold up like an umbrella and put away the telegraphic system
of a hemisphere."]

1924 _Detroit Free Press_ (Aug. 10) -21: [The Tigers] have the old kick up
to a certain point, then fold up like an umbrella.

1928 _World Herald_ (Omaha, Neb.) (Aug. 2) 14 [G]: Lloyd Hahn...folded like
an umbrella in the stretch.

1931 _Washington Times_ (July 14) 26: The Bruins should fold up like an
umbrella
before the New Yorkers.

1933 _Decatur [Ala.] Daily_ (Dec. 27) 6: After threatening to become
another Mathewson after several seasons, he folded like an umbrella in a
typhoon.

1938 _Las Vegas Evening Review Journal_ (Dec. 31) 4 [G]: The Duke defense
will fold like an umbrella in the spring sunshine.

1940 _Hartford Daily Courant_ (June 22) 6 [N}: They were telling the world
that we would fold up like an umbrella if Hitler decides to invade our
shores.

1958 _Longview [Wash.] Daily News_ (Sept. 28) 4 [N]: Alas, this most
unhappy fella,/ About to fold like an umbrella.

2024 _Columbus [O.] Dispatch_ (Aug. 30) D5 [N]: Every year we overvalue the
Terrapins, only to watch them fold like a $5 umbrella in  [a] 30 mph wind.

Many others, of course.

JL
-- 
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org