What is the meaning of “You've never met a graph you didn't like?”
From an article that recommends things to read to help students too focused on exams and disconnected from the rest of the world.
idioms
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From an article that recommends things to read to help students too focused on exams and disconnected from the rest of the world.
idioms
New contributor
add a comment |
From an article that recommends things to read to help students too focused on exams and disconnected from the rest of the world.
idioms
New contributor
From an article that recommends things to read to help students too focused on exams and disconnected from the rest of the world.
idioms
idioms
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New contributor
edited yesterday
Andres
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This phrase, He never met a ________ he didn't like, is a "quip" which is used to say that the person in question is indiscriminately or excessively fond of _________, whatever that happens to be.
He never met a beer he didn't like.
He will drink any beer, or he drinks rather a lot of beer. He will never refuse a beer offered to him.
He never met a graph he didn't like.
He is rather too fond of charts and graphs. He will take every opportunity to stick a chart in the body of the text, no matter how unnecessary it may be. Or he will peruse any chart you put in front of him no matter what it presents, he is such a "data-hound".
It could be said of a politico with a hawkish outlook or the CEO of a company that makes military weapons or of a corporation that supplies military logistical support:
He never met a war he didn't like.
It could be said of the stereotypical overweight cop on the small-town street:
He never met a donut he didn't like.
It could be said of a narcissist:
He never met a mirror he didn't like.
A politician who believes in minimalist government, say, or perhaps in "Social Darwinism", might say of an opponent who believes in spending on domestic social programs:
He never met a tax he didn't like.
User Hot Licks adds the following remark (though Rogers may have said something a little different from what has been attributed to him over the years):
It should be noted that this trope probably originated from the expression "I never met a man I didn't like", likely first uttered by American humorist and writer Will Rogers. In the case of Will Rogers it was likely reasonably true, but "never met a XXX I/he didn't like" quickly acquired a sarcastic sense.
6
I like the answer except for the political commentary. Throwing barbs, no matter how slight, does not really aid in understanding this phrase and needlessly detracts from an otherwise good answer.
– Michael J.
2 days ago
9
@Michael J: I'm showing examples of how the phrase is actually used by politicians; it tends to get a lot of play in the political arena.
– TRomano
2 days ago
3
@Mitch: I don't think that association deserves the prominent role you've suggested for it, since the question was about what the statement meant. And I would guess that the majority of speakers who use the pattern have no idea of its history.
– TRomano
2 days ago
7
This use of a standard phrase or cliche and replacing part of it like this is called a snowclone after the myth that "Eskimos have 100 words for snow" which has led to journalistic cliches of the form "X have 100 words for Y".
– James Random
2 days ago
2
@Michael J: Express your views but do not edit posts that have my name on them.
– TRomano
2 days ago
|
show 10 more comments
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
This phrase, He never met a ________ he didn't like, is a "quip" which is used to say that the person in question is indiscriminately or excessively fond of _________, whatever that happens to be.
He never met a beer he didn't like.
He will drink any beer, or he drinks rather a lot of beer. He will never refuse a beer offered to him.
He never met a graph he didn't like.
He is rather too fond of charts and graphs. He will take every opportunity to stick a chart in the body of the text, no matter how unnecessary it may be. Or he will peruse any chart you put in front of him no matter what it presents, he is such a "data-hound".
It could be said of a politico with a hawkish outlook or the CEO of a company that makes military weapons or of a corporation that supplies military logistical support:
He never met a war he didn't like.
It could be said of the stereotypical overweight cop on the small-town street:
He never met a donut he didn't like.
It could be said of a narcissist:
He never met a mirror he didn't like.
A politician who believes in minimalist government, say, or perhaps in "Social Darwinism", might say of an opponent who believes in spending on domestic social programs:
He never met a tax he didn't like.
User Hot Licks adds the following remark (though Rogers may have said something a little different from what has been attributed to him over the years):
It should be noted that this trope probably originated from the expression "I never met a man I didn't like", likely first uttered by American humorist and writer Will Rogers. In the case of Will Rogers it was likely reasonably true, but "never met a XXX I/he didn't like" quickly acquired a sarcastic sense.
6
I like the answer except for the political commentary. Throwing barbs, no matter how slight, does not really aid in understanding this phrase and needlessly detracts from an otherwise good answer.
– Michael J.
2 days ago
9
@Michael J: I'm showing examples of how the phrase is actually used by politicians; it tends to get a lot of play in the political arena.
– TRomano
2 days ago
3
@Mitch: I don't think that association deserves the prominent role you've suggested for it, since the question was about what the statement meant. And I would guess that the majority of speakers who use the pattern have no idea of its history.
– TRomano
2 days ago
7
This use of a standard phrase or cliche and replacing part of it like this is called a snowclone after the myth that "Eskimos have 100 words for snow" which has led to journalistic cliches of the form "X have 100 words for Y".
– James Random
2 days ago
2
@Michael J: Express your views but do not edit posts that have my name on them.
– TRomano
2 days ago
|
show 10 more comments
This phrase, He never met a ________ he didn't like, is a "quip" which is used to say that the person in question is indiscriminately or excessively fond of _________, whatever that happens to be.
He never met a beer he didn't like.
He will drink any beer, or he drinks rather a lot of beer. He will never refuse a beer offered to him.
He never met a graph he didn't like.
He is rather too fond of charts and graphs. He will take every opportunity to stick a chart in the body of the text, no matter how unnecessary it may be. Or he will peruse any chart you put in front of him no matter what it presents, he is such a "data-hound".
It could be said of a politico with a hawkish outlook or the CEO of a company that makes military weapons or of a corporation that supplies military logistical support:
He never met a war he didn't like.
It could be said of the stereotypical overweight cop on the small-town street:
He never met a donut he didn't like.
It could be said of a narcissist:
He never met a mirror he didn't like.
A politician who believes in minimalist government, say, or perhaps in "Social Darwinism", might say of an opponent who believes in spending on domestic social programs:
He never met a tax he didn't like.
User Hot Licks adds the following remark (though Rogers may have said something a little different from what has been attributed to him over the years):
It should be noted that this trope probably originated from the expression "I never met a man I didn't like", likely first uttered by American humorist and writer Will Rogers. In the case of Will Rogers it was likely reasonably true, but "never met a XXX I/he didn't like" quickly acquired a sarcastic sense.
6
I like the answer except for the political commentary. Throwing barbs, no matter how slight, does not really aid in understanding this phrase and needlessly detracts from an otherwise good answer.
– Michael J.
2 days ago
9
@Michael J: I'm showing examples of how the phrase is actually used by politicians; it tends to get a lot of play in the political arena.
– TRomano
2 days ago
3
@Mitch: I don't think that association deserves the prominent role you've suggested for it, since the question was about what the statement meant. And I would guess that the majority of speakers who use the pattern have no idea of its history.
– TRomano
2 days ago
7
This use of a standard phrase or cliche and replacing part of it like this is called a snowclone after the myth that "Eskimos have 100 words for snow" which has led to journalistic cliches of the form "X have 100 words for Y".
– James Random
2 days ago
2
@Michael J: Express your views but do not edit posts that have my name on them.
– TRomano
2 days ago
|
show 10 more comments
This phrase, He never met a ________ he didn't like, is a "quip" which is used to say that the person in question is indiscriminately or excessively fond of _________, whatever that happens to be.
He never met a beer he didn't like.
He will drink any beer, or he drinks rather a lot of beer. He will never refuse a beer offered to him.
He never met a graph he didn't like.
He is rather too fond of charts and graphs. He will take every opportunity to stick a chart in the body of the text, no matter how unnecessary it may be. Or he will peruse any chart you put in front of him no matter what it presents, he is such a "data-hound".
It could be said of a politico with a hawkish outlook or the CEO of a company that makes military weapons or of a corporation that supplies military logistical support:
He never met a war he didn't like.
It could be said of the stereotypical overweight cop on the small-town street:
He never met a donut he didn't like.
It could be said of a narcissist:
He never met a mirror he didn't like.
A politician who believes in minimalist government, say, or perhaps in "Social Darwinism", might say of an opponent who believes in spending on domestic social programs:
He never met a tax he didn't like.
User Hot Licks adds the following remark (though Rogers may have said something a little different from what has been attributed to him over the years):
It should be noted that this trope probably originated from the expression "I never met a man I didn't like", likely first uttered by American humorist and writer Will Rogers. In the case of Will Rogers it was likely reasonably true, but "never met a XXX I/he didn't like" quickly acquired a sarcastic sense.
This phrase, He never met a ________ he didn't like, is a "quip" which is used to say that the person in question is indiscriminately or excessively fond of _________, whatever that happens to be.
He never met a beer he didn't like.
He will drink any beer, or he drinks rather a lot of beer. He will never refuse a beer offered to him.
He never met a graph he didn't like.
He is rather too fond of charts and graphs. He will take every opportunity to stick a chart in the body of the text, no matter how unnecessary it may be. Or he will peruse any chart you put in front of him no matter what it presents, he is such a "data-hound".
It could be said of a politico with a hawkish outlook or the CEO of a company that makes military weapons or of a corporation that supplies military logistical support:
He never met a war he didn't like.
It could be said of the stereotypical overweight cop on the small-town street:
He never met a donut he didn't like.
It could be said of a narcissist:
He never met a mirror he didn't like.
A politician who believes in minimalist government, say, or perhaps in "Social Darwinism", might say of an opponent who believes in spending on domestic social programs:
He never met a tax he didn't like.
User Hot Licks adds the following remark (though Rogers may have said something a little different from what has been attributed to him over the years):
It should be noted that this trope probably originated from the expression "I never met a man I didn't like", likely first uttered by American humorist and writer Will Rogers. In the case of Will Rogers it was likely reasonably true, but "never met a XXX I/he didn't like" quickly acquired a sarcastic sense.
edited 2 days ago
answered 2 days ago
TRomanoTRomano
17.7k22248
17.7k22248
6
I like the answer except for the political commentary. Throwing barbs, no matter how slight, does not really aid in understanding this phrase and needlessly detracts from an otherwise good answer.
– Michael J.
2 days ago
9
@Michael J: I'm showing examples of how the phrase is actually used by politicians; it tends to get a lot of play in the political arena.
– TRomano
2 days ago
3
@Mitch: I don't think that association deserves the prominent role you've suggested for it, since the question was about what the statement meant. And I would guess that the majority of speakers who use the pattern have no idea of its history.
– TRomano
2 days ago
7
This use of a standard phrase or cliche and replacing part of it like this is called a snowclone after the myth that "Eskimos have 100 words for snow" which has led to journalistic cliches of the form "X have 100 words for Y".
– James Random
2 days ago
2
@Michael J: Express your views but do not edit posts that have my name on them.
– TRomano
2 days ago
|
show 10 more comments
6
I like the answer except for the political commentary. Throwing barbs, no matter how slight, does not really aid in understanding this phrase and needlessly detracts from an otherwise good answer.
– Michael J.
2 days ago
9
@Michael J: I'm showing examples of how the phrase is actually used by politicians; it tends to get a lot of play in the political arena.
– TRomano
2 days ago
3
@Mitch: I don't think that association deserves the prominent role you've suggested for it, since the question was about what the statement meant. And I would guess that the majority of speakers who use the pattern have no idea of its history.
– TRomano
2 days ago
7
This use of a standard phrase or cliche and replacing part of it like this is called a snowclone after the myth that "Eskimos have 100 words for snow" which has led to journalistic cliches of the form "X have 100 words for Y".
– James Random
2 days ago
2
@Michael J: Express your views but do not edit posts that have my name on them.
– TRomano
2 days ago
6
6
I like the answer except for the political commentary. Throwing barbs, no matter how slight, does not really aid in understanding this phrase and needlessly detracts from an otherwise good answer.
– Michael J.
2 days ago
I like the answer except for the political commentary. Throwing barbs, no matter how slight, does not really aid in understanding this phrase and needlessly detracts from an otherwise good answer.
– Michael J.
2 days ago
9
9
@Michael J: I'm showing examples of how the phrase is actually used by politicians; it tends to get a lot of play in the political arena.
– TRomano
2 days ago
@Michael J: I'm showing examples of how the phrase is actually used by politicians; it tends to get a lot of play in the political arena.
– TRomano
2 days ago
3
3
@Mitch: I don't think that association deserves the prominent role you've suggested for it, since the question was about what the statement meant. And I would guess that the majority of speakers who use the pattern have no idea of its history.
– TRomano
2 days ago
@Mitch: I don't think that association deserves the prominent role you've suggested for it, since the question was about what the statement meant. And I would guess that the majority of speakers who use the pattern have no idea of its history.
– TRomano
2 days ago
7
7
This use of a standard phrase or cliche and replacing part of it like this is called a snowclone after the myth that "Eskimos have 100 words for snow" which has led to journalistic cliches of the form "X have 100 words for Y".
– James Random
2 days ago
This use of a standard phrase or cliche and replacing part of it like this is called a snowclone after the myth that "Eskimos have 100 words for snow" which has led to journalistic cliches of the form "X have 100 words for Y".
– James Random
2 days ago
2
2
@Michael J: Express your views but do not edit posts that have my name on them.
– TRomano
2 days ago
@Michael J: Express your views but do not edit posts that have my name on them.
– TRomano
2 days ago
|
show 10 more comments
Andres is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Andres is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Andres is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Andres is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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