An Overabundant Commodity or Service for Which There Is Little or No Demand
When you’ve got more of something than you know what to do with and no one’s remotely interested—classic! This delightful figurative language depicts situations from unsold Beanie Babies to the glut of ’90s sitcom reruns still airing today. Even centuries ago, it encapsulated ailments like surplus Welsh cottons being palmed off beyond seas to become luxury items!
Related and Similar Terms: White elephants, dead stock, surplus goods, oversupply, fodder, dead weight, glut, overabundance.
Proverbs and Expressions:
- “Too much of a good thing.”
- “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
- “More is less.”
Synonyms: Surplus, excess, overflow, remainder, superfluity.
Antonyms: Scarcity, shortage, lack, dearth.
Humor-Filled Quotes:
- “Just when you think you’re out of Beanie Babies… more boxes show up in the attic.”
- “If airlines had no surplus seats, where would politicians get their photo ops?”
References in Literature:
- Thomas Fuller: The History of the Worthies of England (1662) – Renowned for highlighting various “surplus” items turned into profits.
- Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol – The spirit of Christmas Present surrounded by decadent surplus that embodies festive overabundance.
Suggested Media:
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Books:
- “Less is More” by Jason Hickel – A modern explication on overabundance and its impact on society.
- “The Minimalists” by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus – Less without “more.”
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Songs:
- “Too Much” by The Spice Girls – Reflections on excess with a pop twist.
- “Mo Money Mo Problems” by The Notorious B.I.G. – The paradox of plenty.
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Movies:
- “Fight Club” (1999) – A profound critique of overabundance in consumer culture.
- “Marie Antoinette” (2006) – The lavish life of excess recounting how the French Queen’s lavish expenditures led to her downfall.
Final Farewell
“It’s by surfing the waves of excesses and deficits that we truly experience life’s dynamic spectrum,” writes P. T. Punderful. So, next time you find yourself amidst an overflow of the mundane, remember—it might just be a dainty in disguise somewhere out there. 🌊✨
