[Ads-l] on stilts

[Jonathan Lighter]

Sen. Tom Tillis (R-NC) called a certain proposal yesterday "stupid on stilts."

2006 _Cahrlotte Observer_ (May 17) A-12: But Rep. Drew Saunders, a
Huntersville Democrat was blunt: [This]...is not only stupid, it's
stupid on stilts."

2017 Gregory Benford _The Berlin Project_ (N.Y.: Saga) 332: This was
crazy indeed, crazy on stilts.

Google AI also plausibly reports "ugly on stilts" - but may be making
it up.  (Another step toward full consciousness.)

Related to OED 3.c.  Cf. 1816 Jeremy Bentham, in _Quarterly Review_
(Oct.) 29:  We shall now give a few instances of the nonsense on
stilts, which Mr. Phillips believes in his conscience to be English
prose.

JL

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

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